Somebody needs to send that message to a few NFL general managers. Another draft has been completed, and several teams looked toward a future that may never come. Players will get huge signing bonuses to hold a clipboard or work with the scout team. The rationale is that these players will be groomed into starting positions as aging veterans move to different teams, or the golf course in retirement. That plan makes sense in theory, but reality is often different.
Talented players draw paychecks on a team for years, only to realize their potential elsewhere.
Matt Hasselbeck will have a chance to succeed this year, but not in Green Bay. The Seahawks will reap the benefit of his maturation. And if Ray Lucas is a success in new York, it will be as the visiting team's quarterback. He plays for the division-rival Dolphins now. Of course, some teams drafted for immediate benefits as well.