Rings and Dwins, I respect you both and enjoy your posts. But I disagree with you here. Just because Shannon (and Coker before him) screwed up the team, I don't put that on the guys who are still around. What is a "RS kid", anyway? The only one I would have charaterized as a RS Kid was Jacory Harris, and maybe Teddy Bridgewater, who decommitted the moment Shannon was fired.
I will miss James, McGee and Smith because they're starters in areas where we are thin on depth, and have bought into the operation that Golden is implementing. James and McGee have really stepped it up a notch and absolutely would have started next year, as well. Smith maybe would have been passed up by someone else, but our depth at DT is horrific. Claw and Botts are big-time talents, and we're really going to miss them. Goudis is supposed to be very good. But those he has big shoes to fill to replace Claw, and as far as I understand, he isn't a premier punter. So big gap there.
As much as I admire the fact VT has been an anchor for so many years, I think we'll have enough depth to cover for him, so of the starters, he's the one I think we miss the least.