Free Agent Signings: OG Jacob Bell, Tennesee. An improved offensive line is the only chance Clemens has of making the leap to a playoff quality QB. Bell is not going to come cheap but plugging him in between Ferguson and Mangold solidifies the left side of the line for a long time. OT Shawn Andrews, Cincinatti. This guy is obviously on the radar after they brought him in as a restricted free agent. Great size and the ability to play inside or right tackle he'd give instant credibility to the run game. WR Bryant Johnson, Arizona. Great size at 6'3, 215, he'd give Clemens another big target in the red zone. NT Ethan Kelly, Cleveland. Prototypical nose tackle size and has experience playing it with the Browns, would be immediately put into the rotation with Robertson and Pouha. CB Randall Gay, New England. Another guy brought in when he was a restricted free agent last summer, has experience in the system and knows Mangini after he was his position coach. Has developed into a solid starter and would look good oppossite Revis. QB Chris Simms, Tampa Bay. The guy has starter potential, just has had a series of bad luck. Local guy out of NJ, would be the ideal type of player to push Clemens. His dad was a late bloomer and the same could be true with Simms and he could wind up better then Clemens. Wade Smith, Abram Elam, Hank Poteat. All three should be brought back. They proved to be valuable players and in a reserve role would be great depth. Trades: Jonathon Vilma to Detroit for 2nd round pick. (15th in the round, 36 overall). I think the writing has been on the wall for this move. I'd love to keep him because I think he could still be a good player in the 3-4 but I don't think mentally Vilma wants to stay in a system not ideal for him. With the depth of this draft I think it's the right move. Chad Pennington to KC for a conditional 2009 draft pick. One of those if he starts x number of games it escalates type deals. I love the guy and his character cannot be overstated. But I think if you're going to give Clemens the keys you don't keep the drivers ed instructor around. Let him reunite with Herm and see if he can resurect his career. Draft: 1.6) Vernon Gholston, DE/OLB, Ohio St. An absolute terror on the edge. Freakish athleticism and top notch intangibles. I haven't come across any negatives about this guy that wouldn't let me to believe he can't be another if not Merriman, DeMarcus Ware impact type player. 2.6) Kentwan Balmer, DE, UNC. Prototypical 3-4 defensive end size at 6'4.5, 297. His stock is rising and if he's not here I'd quickly take DeMario Pressley out of NC St in his place. Continuing the theme of adding beef this is a great pick in the 2nd round. 2.15) Roy Schuening, OG Oregon State. Really smart player with experience at a number of positions on the line. Depth is always important on the offensive line and Schuening could push Moore by TC. 3.6) Phillip Wheeler, ILB, Georgia Tech. With may from Tenn. declaring I think Wheeler falls to 3rd round. Great athleticism and size to play in a 3-4 (6'2, 235) could be starting next to Harris by the end of the year. 4.6) Eric Ainge, QB, Tenn. All the physical tools you look for in a QB but an extremely inconsistent college career. Has the potential to be a better pro then college player. With Clemens, Simms and Ainge on the roster you'd have to figure one of them would become a quality starter. 5.6) Josh Barrett, S, Arizona St. High energy guy who's a big hitter, would immediately contribute on special teams and with this regime's penchant for starting a bunch of different guys oppossite Rhodes you never know. 6.6) Joey Haynos, TE, Maryland. Big kid at 6'7. Not a great blocker at this point but puts forth the effort and is a good underneath possession receiver. Doesnt have game changing speed at the position but would be a valuable red zone target if he made the team. 7.6) Brandon Keith, OT, N. Iowa. 6'5, 336. At this point that's enough but the N. Iowa running back broke the rushing record this year running behind Keith so you never know. Depth Chart: QB: Clemens, Simms, Ainge RB: Jones, Washington FB: Posciak, Tutt WR: Coles, Cotchery, Johnson, Smith, Stuckey, Wright TE: Baker, Kovawelski, Haynos OT: Ferguson, Andrews, Bender, Keith OG: Bell, Moore, Schuenig, Montgomery C: Mangold, Smith DE: Ellis, Coleman, Balmer, Robertson DT: Pouha, Kelly, Robertson OLB: Thomas, Gholston, Bowens ILB: Harris, Barton, Wheeler CB: Revis, Gay, Poteat, Coleman, Miller FS: Smith, Elam, Barrett SS: Rhodes, Coleman
it?s Stacy Andrews, not Shaun. and the Lions pick is 46th overall. and i think if Wheeler doesn?t put up some weight before the combine, he?s too small to play in a 43. aside from that i like it
Yeah Wheeler is like 215. That said, even if he is 230, he would be the same size as Vilma. I like Wheeler a lot, he is a great blitzer, but I don't see how he can play in the 3-4.
The Lions pick was a typo, meant 46, same with Stacey Andrews name. ESPN.com, nfldraftscout and the Georgia Tech. site all have him listed over 235. David Harris is listed at 243. After 4 years in the league Vilma's only listed at 230. He may not be the type that will take on blockers for Harris but I think he can play in the 3-4.
outstanding. I'd be happier than a pig in shit if this happened. You fixed the o-line with solid young players giving us a line that could be together for quite a while, beef up the d-line, get a hopefully solid pass rusher in Gholston, and I love the Ainge pick in the 4th. I agree that he could be a very solid pro. My question is, is this cap friendly?
Why Bell over Faneca? An injured Vilma for a 2nd rounder? Get rid of of Penny now even if Clemens hasn't proven that he's starter material? Is Chris Sims a free agent this off-season? I like your draft selections (especially Rds. 1-3). Just wish that C. Long would fall to the sixth spot but that seems highly unlikely.
I agree with you man. This would overall be an excellent offseason. As far as the cap goes, most of the guys here wouldn't break the bank by any means in my eyes. I'm no cap nor salary guru but by going for Bell instead of Faneca we'd save quite a bit of cash towards the OG position. Everyone else shown are players who fill needs yet aren't "superstars" at their positions; Andrews is young and upcoming, Gay is solid and fits well opposite Revis yet is no shut down corner, Johnson's got some size we need yet has been woking behind Fitzgerald and Boldin in AZ, etc.. They're all more "under the radar" signings and I love them. Our biggest splash made is in the draft, where Gholston could be a playmaker we need in the front 7. He also allows us to move Thomas back to the other side, where he found his success in 06. If we could grab Balmer that could be another steal for us as well as filling a need. Other than NT, this draft and our drafting positions seem to align very well in balancing the values of our picks and our needs. I trust that Tanny will do as he's done the past 2 drafts and make an impact, much like as shown above. This is overall pretty damn realistic and seems overall ideal from my POV. Thumbs up to TheCoolerGlennFoley, me like.
Seriously, what is everyones infatuation with Chris Simms. Didn't he like tear his splein and that affected his throwing motion so he is essentialy done in the nfl. Theres a reason John Gruden brought in all those vets, he knesw Simms wasn't the guy. Anyway, i LOVE your draft and FA but my only beef would be If we sign Jacob Bell AND Stacey Andrews, why would we draft o lineman so high, anyway it is pretty unrealistic we get TWO top notch FA olineman, so I'd rather get one and then draft another.
quality o-line depth is something this team is sorely lacking. That's another reason why I love this mock. We fill holes for now and for the future on the o-line.
Vernon Gholston is a second round pick. He was terrible in the bowl game and is known to disappear on plays. I like some of your off season pickups. I would love to get a second for Vilma.
