Even a rotten apple has a core

Pat McManamon had a discussion with Randy Lerner. Again Pat is harping on the spending issue. Are there really fans who care how much we spend? Please leave a comment (if blogger lets you) and let me know if you are concerned with how much of Randy's money is becoming Eric Steinbach's money.

Randy is trying to make the (valid) point that we're still trying to build the personel on the team. He had this list of "core" players who are on the team now:

``I have (Joe) Jurevicius, (Orpheus) Roye, Kellen Winslow, Braylon Edwards, Kamerion Wimbley, Sean Jones, Brodney Pool, Eric Jamal Lewis, Andra Davis, Charlie Frye, D'Qwell Jackson, Leigh Bodden, Josh Cribbs for special teams certainly if not other, Steve Heiden, and emerging players like Leon Williams, Lawrence Vickers, Jerome Harrison, Travis Wilson,'' he said. ``So... that's 18. Now are they the 18 of the 35? No. Do we still have holes to fill?''

He then answered his question with another question.

``Do we want to make sure that we have the right wideout, quarterback, running back, pass rusher, cover corner and defensive lineman to really fill out the critical positions?'' he said. ``We got holes to fill, there's no doubt.

``Hopefully we get one or two of those filled this year in the draft. (But) the picture that I'm working off of is not so much to be alarmed by the turnover.''

Charlie Frye? Jerome Harrison? Travis Wilson? Leon Williams? Even if they are "emerging" players (which is certainly debatable), they are not "core", at least as I understand the word.

Meanwhile, there is a conspicuous absence of Offensive Linemen, and I don't know that this is entirely justified. Before 2006, Ryan Tucker would certainly be a core player, and there is hope that he may return to that status. I would call Hank Fraley core. Kevin Schaffer is good to have, although I would prefer to be able to upgrade left tackle and move him to a less demanding position.