Do Not Re-Sign/Cut QB Marques Tuiasasopo FB Stacy Tutt WR Justin McCareins TE Sean Ryan OG Adrien Clarke DE Eric Hicks DE Mike DeVito LB Cody Spencer LB Matt Chatham LB Brad Kassel CB Andre Dyson CB David Barrett FS Erik Coleman Re-Sign FS Abram Elam - 1 year (Proved himself a solid backup) LB Victor Hobson - 1 year (Backup at ILB next year, if Vilma doesn't do well again, we need someone like Hobson to have on the bench. 1 year to prove himself at ILB) CB Hank Poteat - 2 years (Proved to be a good #3) OL Wade Smith - 3 years (Great alternate along the offensive line) Signings OG Alan Faneca: I understand we will have to pay him a lot and I understand that a lot of people say he is old and overrated. But at 31 he has at least 3-4 more years, and that is enough for me. He made the all-pro team this year, so there must be something good about him that maybe posters on this board are not seeing. We desperately need a veteran on this o-line, and Stacy Andrews is not that veteran. Our bulk of money HAS to go to o-line, and I believe this is a good investment. OT Stacy Andrews: We all know about him. Will be a solid RT for us for many years. NT Isaac Sopoaga: 6-2, 325. He is a good NT who switches with Aubrayo Franklin in San Fran. He is still young at 26, and although he is not going to be an all-pro NT, we need someone big and wide to rotate with Pouha and Robertson. Sopoaga will come cheap, and would definitely help us out on the defensive line. CB Randall Gay: He knows Mangini, and we brought him in for a look last year. A solid #3 CB in New England and was 2nd on the team in picks last year with 3 in limited time. Should be a solid #2 for now, and gives us flexibility in the draft and on the depth chart. Inexpensive option for a second tier need position. WR Devery Henderson: If you want a speedster, here he is. Henderson is 25, has ridiculous speed and averages 20 yard per catch. A good, cheap option, so we do not have to look at a #3 WR in the draft, something we cannot afford to do with all of our needs. Henderson would be a great cheap signing. A lesser Bernard Berrian (who seems to be popular amongst this board) With 28 million+ in cap space this off-season, you give Faneca 7.5 million per year, Gay and Andrews about 3 million each, Sopoaga 2 million per year, and Henderson about 1.5 million, that adds up to 17 million for next year, still leaving us with plenty of space. Trades 5th round pick and next years 2nd rounder for a mid-2nd rounder this year -- The draft is so deep this year early on that we need to take advantage of it and get as many day one picks as possible, even if it means giving up future day 1 picks. Draft 1. OLB Vernon Gholston, Ohio State - Everyone knows about him. We really need this great pass-rushing OLB and Gholston fits perfectly. 2. DE Dre Moore, Maryland - Our defensive line was very inconsistent this past season, and it needs to be adressed. Moore is one of the best pure 3-4 DE in this draft, and will be an instant starter for us. A rotation for Moore, Robertson, Coleman and Ellis is pretty good, and gives us many options for different schemes. 2. FS Craig Steltz, LSU - A hard hitter with 10 picks over the last 2 years. A great compliment to the speedy, pass-rushing Kerry Rhodes. Our secondary will be set for years. 3. OG Branden Albert, Virginia - Will not start right away, which is a good thing. OG is a need for us, but Brandon Moore is capable for right now. Albert can step in in 2009 or 2010, which is great, because for once is gives us time to develop our young o-lineman instead of throwing them into the fire right away. 4. FB Jehuu Caulcrick, Michigan State - A great short yardage FB. Had 21 rushing TDs this past season. I like him as the #3 FB in this years class, behind Schmitt and Hillis, who will be gone by now I believe. He is old at 24, but a big (6-0, 255), fast (4.65 40 speed), great short yardage and blocking fullback for this team. 6. QB Kevin O'Connell, San Diego State - A sleeper that is really enticing. 6-6, 235 with 4.55-4.6 speed. Adds another type of QB to our system (a running one), and he has good intangibles; could be molded into a solid backup. 7. OLB Curtis Johnson, Clark Atlanta - Might go higher that this due to his tremendous size and speed (6-3, 245, 4.55 40), but if he last until this round, he is a good prospect for this 3-4 system. Had 117 tackles in 07. 2008 Final Depth Chart: QB: Kellen Clemens | Chad Pennington | Kevin O'Connell RB: Thomas Jones | Leon Washington WR1: Laveranues Coles | Devery Henderson | Chansi Stuckey WR2: Jerricho Cotchery | Brad Smith | Wallace Wright FB: Jehuu Caulcrick | Jason Pociask TE: Chris Baker | Joe Kowalewski | James Dearth LT: D'Brickashaw Ferguson | Jacob Bender LG: Alan Faneca | Will Montgomery C: Nick Mangold | Wade Smith RG: Brandon Moore | Branden Albert RT: Stacy Andrews | Anthony Clement LE: Dre Moore | Shaun Ellis NT: Isaac Sopoaga | *Dewayne Robertson* | Sione Pouha RE: Dewayne Robertson | Kenyon Coleman | C.J. Mosley OLB: Bryan Thomas | Curtis Johnson ILB: Jonathan Vilma | Victor Hobson ILB: David Harris | Eric Barton OLB: Vernon Gholston | David Bowens CB1: Darrelle Revis | Hank Poteat | Drew Coleman CB2: Randall Gay | Justin Miller FS: Craig Steltz | Abram Elam SS: Kerry Rhodes | Eric Smith K: Mike Nugent P: Ben Graham KR: Justin Miller | Leon Washington PR: Justin Miller | Leon Washington
Nice job. I like the Faneca signing...he's still one of the best in the league and look at what the two other big-money guards to sign in the past two years have done for their teams: After the Vikes signed Hutchinson, Taylor and Peterson each had great seasons. After the Browns signed Steinbach, Jamal Lewis had a great season. He would make a big difference on the O-Line. Personally, I'd prefer to sign a "B" guard (Bell, Lilja, Scott, etc.) and spend the big money on a defensive playmaker, but Faneca & Andrews would change our running game completely. I'd also be very happy with the draft. :up:
Holy crap a respectable mock off-season! I like it. A few personal notes: I don't like Faneca. He's losing his run-blocking skills and was never a great pass protector. You, however, give completely valid reasoning as to why he should be here, so I can understand where you're coming from and I can completely accept this. Steltz looked amazing in the biggest game of his life, despite having extremely limited action due to getting that stinger (STINGERS HURT LIKE HELL FYI) . I also see Pouha playing more of a role next season. Even with Sopoaga coming in, Dewayne Robertson will be playing a significantly smaller role at nose due to his end duties. I feel like Sopoaga will be the spell man for Pouha rather than the other way around. It seemed like the FO was prepping Pouha for the lead nose role at the end of this past season. Another note: I do not believe that by the sixth pick of the fourth round that both Owen Schmitt and Peyton Hillis will be gone. One, I can understand. Both? Maybe at the very end of the third round if we're unlucky but how could that happen? Overall, much props and respect for your work, but one final note: Poteat has done extremely well as our #2 this year. Imagine what he could do with a pass rush, eh?
A couple of comments: With the huge amount of money Ellis makes, he is not back up material. He should be cut. He has been a complete bust after signing that ridiculous contract and the Jets can't afford to pay him $5-7 million for part-time play. Same goes for Barton. If he isn't going to start, cut him and save the money. Devery Henderson can fly, but he can't catch a cold. He has horrible hands. I want no part of him. Think of a less talented Lam Jones.
Sopoaga plays end for the 49ers I think. He's very raw at NT. I'm still curious about signing him, but there will be the usual group of "zomg he's not a star." He does have high boom or bust potential though, but I trust our coaching staff to push him.
One suggestion, WR....trade Vilma to Cincinnati for Chad Johnson. I think we need a big 6'5" guy. :jets:
Nice job. I'm with others that I'd rather have a younger guard than faneca, maybe one of the Colts FA guards. I'd also rather have Gross, but he may not even hit FA, and will likely cost a lot more than Andrews. I wouldn't be upset at all if we got Faneca and Andrews though, and I like how you filled in both LG and RT. I really like the WR pickup in Henderson, I think he'd fit in well with our current receiving corps. Please don't ever list Justin Miller as a PR, he just cannot do it and it makes me want to break shit when I see people list him there. :rofl: That's a very interesting point you make. Not only do all the jr's make this class a lot better, but next years may be very weak because of all the declaring jr's. I'm no draft expert though, so I'd like to hear what other peoples opinions are on that. Should we be thinking about loading up big time this season at the price of missing out on some picks in a potentially weak draft class next season?
Well done. All the signings are good. Even if we couldn't get Faneca, there are other options at LG. Faneca would be the best case scenario though. I like the Sopo, Randall Gay and Henderson signings (especially Henderson). Gholston is the guy at #6 and Moore is also a good pickup. I don't like giving up next years 2nd rounder though... Not a good trade IMO. I like the rest of the draft also. Very well done and realistic. I like this one a lot... And no crazy trades. :up:
Yeah right now Steltz is projected to go in round 2. He will be, if he is not already, the best senior safety available in this draft.
I actually think Jonathan Hefney out of Tennessee will be the better pro, and is the better SENIOR safety. Hefney is a tackling machine. He's being compared to Bob Sanders, who is also "undersized"...Sanders' size didn't limit him much this season when he was named NFL Defensive Player of the Year.
I like everything except the fact that we would never get 2 top flight Olineman in FA i could see us getting ONE of those two not both, and then i see drafting a o lineman early and then instead of drafting a fs draft a o lineman there and then draft a ilb J leman? if we trade vilma or draft a skill pos player
