I got Chung’d all day yesterday. You’re it.

He’ll have to haul those things around in a wheelbarrow (again).

I wouldn’t say trading for Branch & Burleson cut it. I think it’s relevant here, for those of us who questioned the wisdom of the Branch trade at the time, to cite its questionability. It’s convenient for Jurevicius to be referenced, because while I thought it was a great pickup, it’s indicative of the veteran addition approach that left the position without an encouraging future, while still spending some substantial draft capital on it.

Branch & Burleson, plus a small handful of late 2nd day picks. In the greater context of the team, offense has been neglected as a whole, and WR is no exception. The draft, free agency, had been largely focused on defense, and the running game overhaul last year notwhithstanding, I think most all fans went into 2008 wondering if the WR corps would be passable.

Injured Branch, one more year for Bobby, injury prone and complaining about a contract. Burleson not yet fully integrated (though given ample time). Jackson & Hackett sent away, and the late 2nd day prospect shotgun blast experiment was under way.

No, it’s not Ruskell’s fault they all got injured. They just as easily could have all not worked out. Engram was already an injury liability, as was Branch, who was not expected until October. The only significant injury that was not already reasonably to be expected was Burleson’s.

Until one of these guys works out, which may never happen, I contend the position has faced a questionable immediate future so at least a couple years, college has been producing a lot of encouraging prospects (except for last year) and a lack of drafting on offense overall, and WR in particular, until we were faced with a gutted running game and zero bodies at TE, was neglecting the position.

Their injuries only serve to excuse him for entering the back end of a contending window with such a lack of truly reliable and established personnel at one of the two positions that complete the essential component of the design that your coach’s entire team has been built around — passing.

And now we may end up with a productive Houshmandzadeh for a couple years, instead of possibly one of the greatest wideouts of this generation. I’m not counting Crabtree eggs before they hatch, and there’s very valid reasons for not drafting him. But the approach is not immune from criticism. A WCO team that spends extra money on perpetual veteran stopgaps at WR is not going to be sustainable without some other strength to account for it, and that is a substantial part of what set us up to be so vulnerable to a 4-12 season occurring. Neglected.

Jurevicius is gone. Pouring a lot of resources into the position outside of the draft is costly. And it also cost us draft picks. I didn’t think we were loaded, when Branch came on, but I did think it was a bad deal, I wanted that draft pick. But there was room for fortification of the position, I’d been wanting that, something for the future to succeed Jackson & Engram. Again, with Jurevicius having left.

Nevermind.