There's no doubt we need another TE who is a threat to block and run. Teams know Hartsock is merely a blocking TE and Keller is mostly a receiving threat. We need a pass rushing OLB. Merriman, Dummervill, etc. They'll be free agents. Pace is good, Thomas is okay and Gholston well is Gholston Another corner besides Revis would help. Lowery has been okay but there at times where he just gets exposed out there (his future could be at safety tho) and Lito has been injury prone. We also get Jenkins and Leon back next year plus the draft. Guys like Spiller, Dunlap (who could fall since he's latest incident), Bryant, Jones, Hughes, Ingram, etc. Will all be there. Last but not least offensive lineman. Depth Depth Depth
I agree What Rex has done with this defense is remarkable and we don't even have all the pieces put together yet
Raiders DE Richard Seymour Texans CB Dunta Robinson Steelers NT Casey Hampton Chargers OLB Shwane Merriman
3 out of 4 of those guys are more expensive than they're worth, and 4 out of 4 of them are douchebags.
I dont think there will be major splashes like the last two years. I think were going to focus on overall depth. The only major guy we may go after is Richard Seymour and that is even a long shot. DL like Jonny Jolly and Tank Tyler, TE like Alge Crumpler and Anthony Fasano and so on. http://www.footballsfuture.com/freeagents.html
Merriman would become our BEST pass rusher by a long shot. Next yr he'll be healthier and have a monster year Casey Hampton wouldn't need to be the backup. If anything he and Jenkins will both be on the field at the same time. One could be DE the other NT
Robinson? Douchebag? Really? *Posted too soon, forget to add this: Merriman's number is going to come down due to his injury two years ago and his depleted numbers this season. Right in time for his PCL/LCL to recover. Caveat emptore still, but if Tanny can get him to a reasonable price then I would not mind seeing him doing his stupid douchebag sack dance as Brady lies prone, crying. Hampton would be nice if he would accept a backup roll with Jenkins. I'm not really envisioning spot duty, mostly split NT by committee. Probably not going to happen but if anyone could make it work, it would probably be Rex. EDIT: This is what I was thinking with Hampton: Seymour wants revenge for being traded to football's graveyard. He's still got his skills. He's worth it.
If the year is uncapped and we can front load the shit out of all those contracts do it up, but I do not think thats going to be the case, I dothink Seymour and/or Merriman is a possibility, picking up Rams safety O.J. Atogwe would be nice. As far as the draft goes I want Terrance Cody, if he's there and we pass on him, I will cry. The kid is 6-5 365, he's a monster and perfect to spell jenkins. is Imagine the DL with Seymour and Cody added, Merriman in place of Thomas in the LB corp and secondary with smith, Leonard, Atogwe. ahh its nice to dream isnt it?
I forgot about Atogwe being a FA. He'll probably get a contract offer from the Rams. I doubt Spagnolo will let one of his best defenders go.
We do not have the cap room for Casey Hampton and Shawne Merriman. Even if 2010 is uncapped, there will be a cap in 2011 and beyond. Neither is a realistic option. We are going to do this with a rotation of players, no dominant pass rusher. We spent the big bucks on Pace, we are stuck with Pace.
No, we spent the big bucks on Gholston, to pair him with Pace. Pace has been an excellent addition, he is right up there for the team lead in sacks, when he has missed a quarter of the year. While he isn't exactly Demarcus Ware, he is the best pass rusher on the team, and is certainly above average.
No, we spent the big bucks on Pace AND Gholston. Pace makes a lot of money. I am not bashing Pace, I like him as a player, he is good for 8-10 sacks a season and a few forced fumbles. However, he is no DeMarcus Ware, as you said, nor is he a Shawne Merriman. But, with his big contract, we are stuck with him instead of going out and targeting a player of Merriman's calibear.