I know its way too early and yada yada. Things will change, guys won't declare and all that stuff. But I'm bored and battling bronchitis so let's see how this goes. I'll update later on in the season. Also, keep in mind, some of this is obviously idealistic. Projected $55 million in cap space (second most in the NFL) Keep in mind the cap will also likely go up as it seems to every year. Free agents ($33.5 million spent): LT Nate Solder - 4 years/$48 million ($12 mill per) WR Jarvis Landry - 5 years/$50 million ($10 million per) ILB Alex Ogletree - 4 years/$34 million ($8.5 million per) TE Lee Smith - 3 years/$9 million ($3 million per) Resign($12.8 million): DE Kony Ealy - 2 years/$6 million ($3 million per) C Wesley Johnson - 3 year/$7 million ($2.3 million per) TE Austin Sefarian-Jenkins - 2 years/$8 million ($4 million per) FS Terrance Brooks - 3 years/$6 million ($2 million per) K Chandler Catanzaro - 1 year/$1.5 million G Dakota Dozier - 3 year/$3 million ($1 million per) Draft: 1 - QB Josh Rosen, UCLA Yay. We ended up with the first overall pick. 2A - C Billy Price, Ohio State The next Nick Mangold for the next ten years 2B - DE Marcell Frazier, Missouri I know I've been preaching offense, but we do need an edge rusher for our new 4-3. 9.5 TFL/8.5 sacks in 2016. Already had 2.5 TFL/1.5 sacks this year. Missouri has also been producing good defensive lineman lately 3 - RB Royce Freemen A do it all running back that lacks breakaway speed, but can run effectively in between the tackles. Big dude at 230-240 pounds that can also catch the ball out of the backfield. Some injury history as he was banged up in 2016. Choose another running back here if you so please. Elijah McGuire could change our need for a running back if he comes on 4 - CB Quenton Meeks, Stanford Stanford's number one corner and a big tough defender will fit in nicely with our hard hitting safeties. Consider third and fourth round as interchangeable in terms of which position we take in each round. 5 - OT/OG/OLB/S Take your pick. I don't know enough about prospects this late to choose 6 - OT/OG/OLB/S Ideally this is where we will start to build our special teams with backup ILB/OLB/safeties 7 - Special teams (LB/CB/S) QB - Josh Rosen/Bryce Petty/Christian Hackenberg RB- Bilal Powell/Royce Freemen/Elijah McGuire WR - Jarvis Landry/Robbie Anderson/Chad Hansen WR - Quincy Enunwa/Jermaine Kearse/ArDarius Stewart TE - Austin Sefarian-Jenkins/Jordan Leggett/Eric Tomlinson/Lee Smith LT - Nate Solder/Kelvin Beechum LG - James Carpenter/Dakota Dozier C - Billy Price/Wesley Johnson RG - Brian Winters/Dakota Dozier RT - Brandon Shell/Brent Qvale DE - Kony Ealy/Lorenzo Mauldin DT - Leonard Williams/Steve McLendon DT - Mohammad Wilkerson/Deon Simon DE - Marcell Frazier/Lawrence Thomas OLB - Darron Lee/Josh Martin ILB - Alec Ogletree/Bruce Carter OLB - Jordan Jenkins CB - Daryl Roberts/Juston Burris FS - Marcus Maye/Terrance Brooks SS - Jamal Adams/Rontez Miles CB - Buster Skrine/Quenton Meeks K - Chandler Catanzaro P - Lachlan Edwards PR/KR - idk we'll figure that one out in camp I flirted with the idea of adding a corner instead of Ogletree. Maybe Kyle Fuller from the Bears. I just feel we need to get a solid middle linebacker and leader for this defense. I like Roberts a lot, but he may not be a 16 game starter. Corner remains a weak spot, but the safeties can mask some of the corner deficiencies. I'm also sick of highly paid corners. We can also replace a more physically imposing receiver than Landry. He's smaller but he plays big. But I understand if we would like to add a bigger player to go with Kearse and friends. Tightend remains a weak spot for this team. Lee Smith is the best blocking tightend in the NFL. So if Elijah McGuire looks like someone we can count on, then maybe we go tightend instead of runningback. Although I do like Jordan Leggett's possibilities a lot. But we'd need to have a blocker with him. You can replace some of the players I drafted with a different one. I'm no draftnik when it comes to some later round prospects and whatnot. I could also see us cutting Wilkerson and freeing up additional cap space. He's not the perfect fit for nose tackle and he makes way too much money for that position. But if he's truly now slower after his injury, he could potentially be a log in the middle. He's still big strong and imposing and could be hard to move for interior lineman if he lost whatever speed he had. What do y'all think?
Well obviously you have a lot of time on your hands thanks to the bronchitis! And you're right, it's way too early. That said, it's a pretty good first stab and addresses all of our major holes. But if all we got out of it was Rosen it would be a good draft. Yeah, yeah, I know, they need to draft OL and a pass rusher and a RB/WR somewhere in there. I just mean if they get Rosen and he pans out, if none of the rest do, it's still a success.
Appreciate the effort here. I would sign up for this in a heart beat. My only critique is that Enunwa, if healthy, will start -- he's not even on your depth chart.
I’d prefer one of the other FA WRs like Watkins but do think Landry is the most likely to make it to FA. Do think WR should a position we look to FA for. I am definitely of the opinion that any draft that comes out with Darnold/Rosen is a good draft. I am curious why you took Rosen at 1 though? Are you predicting Darnold back to school or did you take Rosen over Darnold? I’d be very happy with Rosen as I do think he is a top QB prospect but only if we don’t have the chance for Darnold. If both are in the draft I do think Darnold will be the clear cut top pick.
Ah, I knew I was missing someone. This makes my receiver corp even better actually. I don't see Watkins making it to free agency. He also has a lengthy injury history to want to give big money to. But you can then also argue that Solder won't make it there, but upon researching is, I believe the Patsies had only $6.5 million in projected cap space for next season. I like Rosen more. I'm usually more in the school of thought that weighs production just as heavily as projections. I think Rosen can do more with less and he reminds me of Stafford a lot. I can't come up with whom Darnold reminds me of and the great supporting cast combined with the shitty history of USC quarterbacks worries me. He makes a lot of bad decisions when he has a clean pocket. He trusts his arm as if he can throw the ball into any window. Rosen does too at times, but he puts more velocity on his throws in that case whereas if his receiver isn't catching it, no one is.
I would never pay a slot receiver $10 mil/yr. No way. Rather let Stewart continue his development to be our slot guy of the future. Ogletree would be a great signing for us and would love him to replace Lee if he continues to play like a UDFA as a 1st round pick. Rosen seems to be tailor made for us. I'd be ecstatic to have him. Would prefer drafting someone like Ridley or Kirk at 2A if they are available for a true #1 WR. Or James Washington if he somehow falls out of round 1
You're entitled to your opinion. Landry is much more than you're typical slot receiver and he's tough as nails. He can be moved around a lot and provide a lot of different looks for a defense. Think a more athletic Julian Edelman. That 'slot' receiver works out pretty well for them. We already drafted a couple of receivers to develop. We need to add a veteran target as the #1 receiver in the offseason IMO. I also look back at what the Buccaneers did when they drafted Jameis Winston. Took two offensive lineman immediately with their two second round picks, and both Donovan Smith and Ali Marpet have been Day 1 starters and 3 year starters now for them. I'm going to do a draft/free agency with a different scenario shortly. Stand by as I know y'all are excited.
Free agents ($42.5 million) WR Marqise Lee - 4 years/$25 million ($6.25 million per) ILB Zach Brown - 3 years/$18 million ($6 million per) DE DeMarcus Lawrence - 5 years/$70 million ($14 million per) QB Derek Anderson - 1 year/$6 million CB Kyle Fuller - 3 years/$30 million ($10 million per) Resign ($6.8 million) DE King Ealy - 2 years/$6 million ($3 million per) C Wesley Johnson - 3 year/$7 million ($2.3 million per) FS Terrance Brooks - 3 years/$6 million ($2 million per) K Chandler Catanzaro - 1 year/$1.5 million G Dakota Dozier - 3 year/$3 million ($1 million per) Cut Mohammad Wilkerson (save $11 million I believe) Draft: 1 - OT Trey Adams, Washington Missed out on the top quarterbacks because we won too many games. Draft the cornerstone left tackle we've been missing since Brick left. 2a - TE Mark Andrews, Oklahoma A dynamic receiving threat that will have caught TONS of balls from Baker Mayfield this season. 2b - C Frank Ragnow, Arkansas Miss out on Billy Price, but we sign an equally good center and get our own form of the 2006 draft with Brick & Mangold. 3 - QB Baker Mayfield, Oklahoma Suspect arm strength, but does everything else correctly. He will compete with Petty & Anderson for the starting job this season. 4 - DT Lowell Lotulelei, Utah Amazing that we have to gear up the defensive line again, but we've had good success with lineman like him (see Pouha, Sione). A true run stuffing nose tackle next to Leo 5 - CB/RB depth 6 - CB/LB/S Special Teams 7 - CB/LB/S special teams This is a scenario where we miss out on the top quarterback prospects. Defensive heavy free agency, with an offense heavy draft. Take Mayfield and live to fight another day at the QB position. Derek Anderson is a quality backup that even had a Pro Bowl season with the Browns. I was always surprised he never really got another shot. QB - Derek Anderson vs. Baker Mayfield vs. Bryce Petty RB - Elijah McGuire/Bilal Powell WR - Marqise Lee/Jermaine Kearse/Chad Hansen WR - Quincy Enunw/ArDarius Stewart/Robbie Anderson TE - Mark Andrews/Jordan Leggett/Eric Tomlinson LT - Trey Adams/Kelvin Beechum LG - James Carpenter/Dakota Dozier C - Frank Ragnow/Wesley Johnson RG - Brian Winters/Dakota Dozier RT - Brandon Shell/Ben Ijalana DE - DeMarcus Lawrence/Lorenzo Mauldin DT - Leonard Williams/Deon Simon NT - Lowell Lotulelei/Steve McLendon DE - Kony Ealy/Lawrence Thomas SLB - Jordan Jenkins/Josh Martin ILB - Zach Brown/Bruce Carter WLB - Darron Lee/Julian Stanford CB - Kyle Fuller/Buster Skrine FS - Marcus Maye/Terrance Brooks SS - Jamal Adams/Rontez Miles CB - Daryl Roberts/Juston Burris The draft and signings remains the same if we stay with a 3-4. Lawrence flips to OLB and should be able to man the position well.
What makes Kyle Fuller worth $10 mil?? He hasn't done a damn thing in the league so far and when he's been on the field he's been torched. Also doesn't help that he's made of glass just like Dee Milliner. No thank you. Love the Zach Brown signing but he's essentially Darron Lee reincarnate, so do we really have a use for him AND Lee on this team? IDK if Lawrence can handle the coverage responsibilities of a 3-4 as an OLB, as he's more of a hand in the dirt rusher. Might as well keep McCown for another year over Anderson, although really doesn't matter. Lee I'd be comfortable with at the price if they are able to work some injury protection into his contract somewhere. I'm all in favor of drafting an OT in Round 1 if we can't get Darnold or Rosen, although I'd be willing to trade up using Wilk as a trade chip if possible along with future picks to secure them. No TE round 2. ASJ looks fit and motivated and Leggett has some definite receiving upside to develop. Rather see Price at 2A then someone like Jaire Alexander or Matthew Thomas at 2B. But i applaud the work you've put in my friend. Love offseason talk
Fuller hasn't missed an NFL game and has six career interceptions, with 50+ tackles his first two years. He seems like a solid corner to me. Zach Brown is anything but a Lee clone. He's nearly 250 pounds and hits like a freight train. He also has experience in both schemes and has had at least 5 tackles in all three starts this year. I like Marqise Lee a lot. Might be able to get him cheaper. He competes well for balls down the field. You're probably right on might as well keeping McCown. As far as Lawrence goes, that's why I want to move to a 4-3. It's much easier to build and we will maximize Leonard Williams strengths. ASJ needs to prove that to us this year, before I feel comfortable with him moving forward. If he proved capable then we can forego the tightend selection and possibly go ILB or receiver in that spot. He's a good example of the problems with doing these mock offseasons this early.
the only thing i would say is that for our 1st three picks next year we really need to go QB, LT, and G....obviously the first round QB and second round tackle and guard. enough of these mid round OL projects.
Since Carpenter and Winters are the starters, it's doubtful that that OG would start immediately. I wouldn't be against taking one, letting him compete for a starting spot, and if he loses, sitting him for a year behind Carpenter or Winters, and then move on from one of them. Since often 2nd round OGs can start immediately, I think I'd rather draft a RT, a #1 WR prospect, an edge rusher, or even an ILB who could possibly start immediately, rather than an OG who won't start immediately, but wouldn't be upset if the pick was an OG.
No way we end up with the #1 overall pick unless we happen to trade up at this point. Browns and 49ers will probably be selecting 1 and 2, Jets will most likely still end up with a top 5 pick. Then the question becomes do you trade up to get Rosen...I personally would because I'm tired of playing the guessing game or waiting for older vets to hit free agency. Let's go after a stud out of college, surround him with talent and lets get the team back to relevancy.
