Unrestricted Free Agent Linebackers Franchised: Karlos Dansby (Cardinals), Suggs (Ravens) 1. OLB Lance Briggs (Bears) - The quintessential 4-3 weak-side 'backer. The Bears are making one last push, but it'll be worth it for Briggs to see what's out there. He should be the NFL's richest linebacker by early March. Prediction: Redskins - 7 years, $63 million ($21 million guaranteed) :wink: 2. OLB Calvin Pace (Cardinals) - Had 5.5 sacks on the strong side last year. A 2003 first-round pick and college end, Pace resurrected his career as a 3-4 outside linebacker. He's 27 and athletic enough to rush at 272 pounds with his hand up. Prediction: Jets - 5 years, $28 million ($10 million guaranteed) 3. ILB Zach Thomas (Dolphins) - Carries injury baggage (migraines, concussions), but still effective from sideline to sideline and a legitimate run stopper. Going on 35, Thomas is only a two-down linebacker any longer, but will want to start on a good team. Prediction: Saints - 2 years, $9 million ($4 million guaranteed) 4. OLB Kawika Mitchell (Giants) - Flourished on the weak side in '07 after playing MLB for the Chiefs. Mitchell should stay outside, but brings added versatility. He is athletic and well built at 6'1/253. Prediction: Giants - 3 years, $18 million ($7 million guaranteed) 5. OLB Clark Haggans (Steelers) - Weak side rush linebacker is declining, but understands the zone blitz and can still lay some wood. Haggans could help a team transitioning to the 3-4 with young players. Prediction: Bengals - 3 years, $13 million ($4 million guaranteed) 6. OLB Victor Hobson (Jets) - 6'0/252-pound 'tweener took a big step back last year after a 100-tackle, six-sack campaign in 2006. 7. OLB Landon Johnson (Bengals) - Young (26), highly productive, and versatile but not a traditional run stuffer. 8. OLB Brandon Chillar (Rams) - SAM linebacker not a big playmaker, but smart, only 25, and coming off a career best year. 9. OLB Demorrio Williams (Falcons) - Has intriguing ball skills, athleticism, but nearly lost job on the weak side to day-two pick Stephen Nicholas last year. 10. ILB Dan Morgan (Panthers) - Pro Bowl talent isn't over the hill, but coming off Achilles surgery and has a history of concussions. He visited the Saints Tuesday. > http://rotoworld.com/content/feature...rticleid=29961
I guess it's a so-so move given the availablee talent. He'd allow BT to move back to the weakside where he was able to be a pass rushing force, improve the pass rush from the strong side and bring some much needed overall size to the lb corps.
That's certainly an option thatd def. boost the pass rush and give some much needed depth to OLB spot.
I don't know much about Pace except that he was a first round pick at some point and didn't really do a whole lot.
what college did he come from?? i actually wouldnt mind this...if we got him, we might pass on vernon and draft like merling if he does good, ellis who i think will be good in our scheme, mangini said he wanted a finesse nose tackle or some shit....read that somewhere....or we could trade down....and pick up groves in the 2nd if he is there
what about alge crumpler? i definitley say we should take a good look at him....baker's good but he would be better as a second TE option
Thats about the neighborhood of the 5yr $25 million deal we gave Bryan Thomas. If we do this, then we'll probably be passing on Gholston in the draft. Dont know how I feel about this one. Smells like a leftover dinner at home.
I hope everyone realizes that this is all pure speculation. I'm not saying this won't happen, but I truly believe that Mangini at the very least will address the O-line. This is based on his comment during the Chiefs game "We can't gain one f***** yard". He was really ticked off, more so than I had ever seen him.
I'm really conflicted on this one. Getting Hobson out of there will improve the defense no matter how you look at it, however who exactly between Thomas and Pace is going to be the dynamic, fast pass-rushing ROLB that a good 3-4 needs? I think getting Thomas away from LOLB has to be good, but I'm not sure that he's going to be all that good unless the Jets have a really good LOLB book-ending him and Pace is just like Thomas, a bust who broke out in his contract year after being shifted to LB.
1. He's a year older than Baker. So Baker must be "too old" also. 2. Recovery is a hell of thing. He injured his knee and played through it for two seasons. The Falcons were at the bottom of the league last season, so he elected to have surgery to clean it out.
I see your point. But we are not that deep at LB. And while Pace might not be elite, he is average to above average. And with the young explosive DBs they have in the backfield it might open things up for him, especially if they find a 3-4 NT. So at the very least he is better than some of the LBs we have now, like Hobson, and gives us better depth. Also he is experienced enough that if they do draft a DE/LB, it will give the rook some time to develop and rotate in. With the amount of holes on this team, it isn't the worst idea. And a much better FA signing than we have seen in the past 5 years.
I'm only torn on signing Pace because of the OLB talent available in the draft... Way too many people caught up on this contract year bullshit...if Pace was considered a guy who didn't work hard/had work ethic issues in previous season, then yea I might actually consider that a legit knock. As far as what he can do rather than bashing him because he's not big named enough or doesn't have a long track record...he's a solid pass rusher, he's physical, he's good against the run, he's big, he's athletic, and he's played in a 3-4. Those are all qualities we need, we're looking for, and we hopefully get this offseason from *someone.*
This would be the perfect offseason for this Defense... In my eyes... Sign Pace and A.Samuel.... And draft Gholston... Then in rounds 2-7, we can focus on the D-Line and O-Line, also try and sign an O-Lineman with talent in FA If that were to happen... We would have one of the best secondarys if not the best secondary in football with K.Rhodes, D.Revis and A.Samuel with players like J.Miller and A.Dyson playing the nickel. We would have Pace, Vilma, Harris and Gholston as our LB's getting after the QB... Thats not bad at all. Revis, Rhodes, Samuel, Pace. Vilma, Harris, Gholston Ellis, Robertson.... Thats not bad at all
I don't like the idea of getting Pace and someone like Merling. That still leaves us with the need for a true pass rusher that can be our Ware/Merriman. I'd draft Groves over Merling if we pick up pace. My ideal situation at this point would be to sign Pace and one of the remaining right tackles. Then in the draft trade down if possible and pick up Groves or maybe Harvey if he falls. With the other picks pick up in this order of importance: Wide receiver, nose tackle, cornerback, offensive line.
