It's been a slow week, and there haven't been many of these recently, so I thought now was a good idea to post mine. I tried to make it slightly different than anyone else's, but a lot of guys want the same people so it's not the most original thing you've ever seen. This is basically an amazing free agent class, and the good thing is that there is a lot of talent at positions we need help in (DT Haynesworth, pass-rusher Suggs, OG Faneca + lots of other solid players; OT Gross, WR Berrian, etc). Hopefully, we'll go after some of these guys and use our large amounts of cap room to improve the team. So here it goes: Don't Resign/Cut TE Sean Ryan FB Stacy Tutt QB Marques Tuiasasopo FS Erik Coleman LB Victor Hobson LB Brad Kassel CB Andre Dyson CB David Barrett WR Justin McCareins OG Adrien Clark Ryan did pretty much nothing last year, Coleman was great but he's nothing more than a backup now, Hobson has been nothing more than mediocre since he's gotten here, I'm still angry at Kassel for letting the ball hit his leg on the punt in the NE playoff game 2 years ago, and I like Dyson but for some reason after being great 2 years ago he fell out of favor with the coaching staff last year. Barrett's solid but if we went through with my signing (see below) he'd be our #4 or 5 depending on Miller's progress, so it would be crazy to pay him a solid salary to barely play. McCareins and Clark just stink. Resign WR Wallace Wright CB Hank Poteat FS Abram Elam OL Wade Smith Wright is fantastic on special teams and also not a bad receiver, Poteat played well last year and is a good #3, Elam was solid enough to warrant being a backup next season, and Smith is valuable because he can play so many positions on the line. Free Agents to Sign CB Asante Samuel, NE OG Ryan Lilja, IND OG/OT Stacey Andrews, CIN TE Ben Troupe, TENN I would love to get Samuel for a few reasons. First, he's young (27) and a shut-down cornerback. Having him and Revis would give us two #1 corners that would make the opposition unable to throw on us for the next 5+ years. Second, it would hurt the Pats. Third, I think it makes sense, in that we have the money for one top free agent, he was promised that he wouldn't be franchised if the Pats won more than 12 games this year, so he'll definitely be available; and he knows Mangini well and Mangini knows him. I'm not sold on Poteat starting 16 games next year either. I like Asmougha and Trufant too, but I think Asmougha will be franchised and Samuel slightly better than Trufant. I'd be willing to give him Clements money, he's earned it after 2 great seasons. As for Lilja and Andrews, I know they are the guys everyone wants. After Samuel, we likely wouldn't have enough to sign a Fanceca, so signing 2 slightly-cheaper options to fill two positions would be a great idea. Both are 26, so will be efficient for a while. Lilja did a great job helping Tony Ugoh protect Peyton Manning this season after Tarik Glenn retired, and Andrews is big and versatile. Troupe can catch and be a solid #2 TE. He did nothing last year, so we should be able to get him very cheaply. If we give Samuel about 9-10 million a year, the two O-lineman 10-13 a year million combined, and Troupe about 2 million, it would fit well into our budget of about $28 mil, which should be more after cuts anyway. Trades LB Jonathan Vilma to the Lions for DT Shaun Rogers I love Vilma, but unfortunately he's not a good fit in this defense and I'd be surprised if he wasn't traded. If he is, I think this is the perfect trade. The Lions need a middle linebacker for their 4-3, and Vilma would fit well in between Bailey and Simms. As we know, the Jets need a NT for their 3-4, and I think the 340-pound Rogers would be perfect. Both guys are former pro-bowlers who are still young (Rogers is only 28) and would fill a need for their team. Rogers I believe publicly said he was unhappy in Detroit, which could increase the Lions' willingness to trade him. With the extra room under the cap both teams have, that shouldn't be a big issue either. Getting him would allow D-Rob to shift to end and move Kenyon Coleman back to a backup, where I think he's more efficient. Draft 1: MLB James Laurinitis, Ohio State 2: OLB Quentin Groves, Auburn 3: WR Devin Thomas, Michigan State 4: S Craig Steltz, LSU 5: FB Owen Schmitt, WVU 6: QB Eric Ainge, Tennessee 7: RB Chauncey Washington, USC With the recent news Gholston isn't leaving school, I think we should take Laurinitis (if he does declares). ILB will be just as big a need as OLB if we trade Vilma, and Laurinitis is a leader and great tackler. Having Harris and Laurinitis up the middle for the long-term future would be unbelievable. If Groves somehow lasts to the 2nd, like he is projected to in most mocks, we must take him. He's got great speed and the potential to be an outstanding pass rusher. Thomas would be a solid third WR with us--he's pretty big and has good speed, which is what we need. I really like Steltz, though I'm not sure if he'd last this long. If he does, he has a nose for the ball and is a solid pass defender and would be a nice complement to Rhodes. Schmitt can catch and is an awesome blocker. Though he could go higher, fullbacks, no matter how good, usually don't. Ainge was solid in Tennesee, though NFL scouts don't really like him for some reason. I think he'd be a good backup plan if Clemens doesn't work out, to at least, maybe be the backup of the future. Washington is another guy with talent and speed who scouts aren't high on. He came into USC with a lot of potential, but never really harnessed it. I think he'd be a good pickup in the 7th round for our #3 RB. Depth Chart (starters in bold) QB: Clemens/Pennington/Ainge RB: Jones/L.Washington/C. Washington FB: Schmitt, Kowalewski WR: Coles/Cotchery/Thomas/B. Smith/Wright/Stuckey TE: Baker/Troupe/Pociask LT: Ferguson/Goodard LG: Lilja/Montgomery C: Mangold/W. Smith RG: Moore/Bender RT: Andrews/Clement LE: Ellis/Hicks NT: Rogers/Mosely/Pouha RE: Robertson/K. Coleman LOLB: Barton/Groves (pass-rush specialist)/Chatham MLB: Harris/Laurinitis ROLB: Thomas/Bowens CB: Samuel/Revis/Poteat/Miller/D. Coleman FS: Stultz/Elam SS: Rhodes/E. Smith K: Nugent P: Graham KR: Leon/Miller PR: Leon/Miller That's about 51 guys if I counted right, so add two UDFA gems. And that's the team. With the addition of former pro-bowlers in Samuel and Rogers, two solid O-lineman in Lilja and Andrews, and a lot of talent in the draft, I think this team could be right back in the playoffs next year. Thoughts? I worked on this for about an hour, so I want a lot of responses!!! Thanks for reading.
The 4th & 5th round draft picks are wasted. We have more pressing needs at other positions than S & FB. Our 2nd round pick Groves comes in to.............sit on the bench? If that is the case, then draft a D-lineman at #2. We are not in the luxury of having a 2nd round draft pick or even a 3rd draft pick sitting on the bench.
Groves wouldn't sit on the bench, he'd be a rotated in pass-rush specialist. Harris, our 2nd round pick, didn't start the year as a starter. And who exactly do you want to start at S & FB? What needs do you think I didn't fill?
What? Do you mean Jake Scott instead of Lilja? Cause he's a free agent too. I guess thanks for saying unbelievable job though. :smile:
Not drafting some linemen (on either side of the ball) would be a disaster.* *see Terry Bradway= current state of NY JETS
A lot of people have Peyton Hills (Arkansas) ranked above him, and fullbacks very rarely go on the first day.
I like the signings. The trade is very unrealistic. Vilma just does not have the value that he had 2 years ago. If he is traded for a draft pick we would probably get a late 2nd/3rd rounder, so trading him for one of the best DTs in the league, is very unrealistic. Maybe Vilma + a 3rd for Rogers, but I wouldn't want to do that anyway. As for the draft, Groves will probably go first, and there is no way Thomas, Stetlz and Schmitt last until the rounds you drafted them in. Also Gholston is declaring. Overall, it is really not bad though, just a bit unrealistic. Maybe if you moved all of the draft picks up 1 round, and switched Groves for Gholston, I would really like this and it would be much more realistic. Good job though, I would be very happy if this is how our off-season turned out, but it is unlikely it would turn out this way.
Our team would be amazing on defense, but still just average on offense. KC is not the answer and with a better line, Chad can return to prowbowl form imo. Our WR's are good to go, RB is fine, TE would be great, and our line would be above average. So I guess I'm just not too high on KC. I don't get high hopes when he's the first name I see on your depth chart. But don't get me wrong, I'd skeet up the walls if we did all of that. Excellent work man. I'd mark us down for ATLEAST an 11-5 season.
Actually, it's really Rogers whose value has taken a hit. Read this: http://www.mlive.com/lions/index.ssf/2007/12/kowalski_on_wdfn_17.html I think they would gladly take Vilma for him. It seems like both guys need a change for scenery. As for the draft, I do agree too that it's unlikely that all of those guys are there in the rounds I have them in. You do have to remember, though, that we have high picks in the round, so Groves would be a high 2nd, Thomas a high 3rd, etc. I did some mock-draft research and very few have Groves in the 1st as of now. I agree that this will likely change post-combine, but as of now most see him as a high 2nd rounder. Thomas could conceivably last into the 3rd, as there are a bunch of WRs that are ranked higher than him in the draft. Steltz is projected by most as a mid-rounder, so a 4th could work. And like I said, Schmitt is a fullback, and many have Hills ranked above him. I do agree, though, that everything would have to go perfect for this draft, but as of now I think it's possible. Thanks for the compliment though.
Thank you very much. Trust me, I'd like more of an offensive upgrade to, but other than the O-Line, it's tough to find a place where we can conceivably upgrade. Unless we take a QB in round one, which is like a 1% chance, there aren't any other QBs to get. Everything else is good, but not amazing...could we upgrade from Thomas Jones? Sure, but why would we, because he's very good. Same with the WRs and Baker. While none of them standout as "wow, they've got amazing players at that position," there's nothing you can really complain about and say we need to improve.
I agree, we could have a team built around good players with no weakensses but IMO we should have atleast one true star on offense and with our current chart, or even yours, we really wouldnt...
shaun rogers is fat and lazy...he is one of the main reasons the lions collapsed this season which is why he is likely out of detroit this offseason i doubt our FO would even consider trading for a player like him...but then again he could still get cut by the lions during the offseason but then there is no way a fat and lazy player wants to come to a different system with a coach who overworks his players i just dont see it
