2014 FA / Combine / Draft

[briz almighty]

looking at the list of potential SS free Agents:
Quintin Mikall
Bernard Pollard
yerehmiah Bell
Chris Clemons
Kurt Coleman
James Ihegibo
Corey Lynch
Tyler Mays
Kyle Mcarthy
Danny Mccray
Donte whitner

Not much really sticks out at me.. just not really impressed... ill look at the draft prosepects after work unless someone wants to do it for me..

Meriweather is availible.

 

[briz almighty]

im nearly done with the defense. after rebuilding it over many recent drafts and aquiring talent they cant stay healthy and the have proven to me 100% now they will never get over that hump cuz they are being held back by soft ass idiot dc's that never blitz, probably influenced by bb himself. i dont care how many studs and talent you keep adding if you dont play the right way it wont matter. they are already very good but they dont nearly play as agressive as they should. and i dont see that changing until the coaches calls are changed and ive lost all hope of that happening. it should have happened this year and it didnt, we had the talent and still played soft. i think id rather build the offense up again to juggernaught status and let them outscore teams, the d is good enough if the o is back to elite imo. but it needs some work.

its obvious the pats will never go away from the passing game, in the big games they always fall to it despite having the best rb core we had in years. so we need to make the passing game back to elite. #1 priority is getting an elite #1 wr. i like dobson but i didnt think he was a #1 coming out because he doesnt have the speed. draft a #1 wr with a high pick for once or trade it for someone like Josh Gordon. stop passing on dez bryants and taking less talent lower. if we can get a true #1 then we can move dobson to #2, get gronk back, sign edelman for the slot and we'll be fucking set. that would be a perfect setup. i know people want to jump on a te real bad but we got alot of money invested in gronk and hernandez unless we get hernandez cap back, i think the best route would be add a dencent te in the mid rounds and try to get gronk back going. yes the injuries scare me but im not ready to give up on gronk. he should come back from that acl easy everyone does and his arm aint an issue, his back was repaired. i think he will be fine but we still need depth. we need to improve our passing game outside of te and slot and not put all our chips passing to multiple te's.


its probaly a good idea to draft a center finally too, we've needed one for multiple drafts and bb has ignored it. and now its biting us in the ass. after koppens game fell off the map they just pluged in scrubs. id spend a high pick on a center. or a dream scenario sign Alex Mack and be done with it. that would fix the line but he will cost some coin.

 

[briz almighty]

Impending free agent C Alex Mack is expected to test the open market.
Mack, 28, will likely be the Browns' top priority and could be franchise-tagged, but CEO Joe Banner may not believe in dolling out that kind of cash to a center. Mack is going to be a hot commodity on the open market and is easily the top center available in free agency -- he graded out as Pro Football Focus' No. 1 center in 2013. He'll probably aim for a deal similar to the one Ryan Kalil signed with the Panthers at six years and $49.1 million with $19 million guaranteed. Mack has previously said he'll give the Browns a chance to match any offer, though that was before the coaching staff was fired after one season.
Source: ESPN.com Jan 27

 

[briz almighty]

i havent scouted many players yet but my first pick would be Benjamin. he has #1 wr written all over him although im a bit disappointed in his speed. usually i like my #1 wrs to have 4.3 speed but id make an exception in a case like benjamin with his 6-5 height and 230 frame and leaping ability. if he was slow and clumsy and "all size" then you dont consider him. but hes got acceptable speed and moves well and really dominates with his size. a guy like dobson just cant dominate because he doesnt have that elite size and frame and his game is soft. he really needed that extra speed level to be a true #1. i think benjamin can be a #1 despite elite speed cuz he is physical and does have that elite size. dobson would abuse #2 corners, he gets shut down by the fast best #1 cbs. hes just not elite in any area. benjamin is elite in a few and plays a physical game.

considering where we are picking at the bottom of the rounds again its a blessing benjamin came out. he might be in our range. had he stayed in college we probably have no shot at him next draft if we were picking at the bottom again. hes a sophmore talent we got to jump on that. usually players dont play at their peak until they are juniors, cuz they are behind other vets and dont get the practice or game experience until their time is up. so i think you havent even seen the best of benjamin yet. we draft him throw him into the fire at #1 just like we did with dobson, yes he may struggle early, but it moves the pieces in the right place. dobson goes to #2 and a threat at #1 wr will draw coverage and make everyone better. this team lives and dies by the pass with brady its been proven over and over. we have to get a #1 on the outside.

 

[TKO]

im nearly done with the defense. after rebuilding it over many recent drafts and aquiring talent they cant stay healthy and the have proven to me 100% now they will never get over that hump cuz they are being held back by soft ass idiot dc's that never blitz, probably influenced by bb himself. i dont care how many studs and talent you keep adding if you dont play the right way it wont matter. they are already very good but they dont nearly play as agressive as they should. and i dont see that changing until the coaches calls are changed and ive lost all hope of that happening. it should have happened this year and it didnt, we had the talent and still played soft. i think id rather build the offense up again to juggernaught status and let them outscore teams, the d is good enough if the o is back to elite imo. but it needs some work.

its obvious the pats will never go away from the passing game, in the big games they always fall to it despite having the best rb core we had in years. so we need to make the passing game back to elite. #1 priority is getting an elite #1 wr. i like dobson but i didnt think he was a #1 coming out because he doesnt have the speed. draft a #1 wr with a high pick for once or trade it for someone like Josh Gordon. stop passing on dez bryants and taking less talent lower. if we can get a true #1 then we can move dobson to #2, get gronk back, sign edelman for the slot and we'll be fucking set. that would be a perfect setup. i know people want to jump on a te real bad but we got alot of money invested in gronk and hernandez unless we get hernandez cap back, i think the best route would be add a dencent te in the mid rounds and try to get gronk back going. yes the injuries scare me but im not ready to give up on gronk. he should come back from that acl easy everyone does and his arm aint an issue, his back was repaired. i think he will be fine but we still need depth. we need to improve our passing game outside of te and slot and not put all our chips passing to multiple te's.


its probaly a good idea to draft a center finally too, we've needed one for multiple drafts and bb has ignored it. and now its biting us in the ass. after koppens game fell off the map they just pluged in scrubs. id spend a high pick on a center. or a dream scenario sign Alex Mack and be done with it. that would fix the line but he will cost some coin.

Until they get more pass rushers that can beat their man one on one they'll never have a truly great defense. Any HC that didn't get the memo about the NFL being "a QB driven league"...should wake up and draft more players that can actually get to the QB. Manning was barely touched in the AFCCG and picked the Pats apart. It's not news to me, I've been screaming pass rushers since 2007 but BB has been content scraping the bottom of the barrel until he drafted Jones in 2012. Collins is another player that fits so maybe Belichick has decided to smell the coffee. Draft a couple of penetrating DTs and an outside speed rusher this year and all the DBs will improve...and the D-coaching will too. All the great NFL defenses have been able to pressure the QB and the greatest ones did it the best...file it under...duh.

 

[TKO]

i havent scouted many players yet but my first pick would be Benjamin. he has #1 wr written all over him although im a bit disappointed in his speed. usually i like my #1 wrs to have 4.3 speed but id make an exception in a case like benjamin with his 6-5 height and 230 frame and leaping ability. if he was slow and clumsy and "all size" then you dont consider him. but hes got acceptable speed and moves well and really dominates with his size. a guy like dobson just cant dominate because he doesnt have that elite size and frame and his game is soft. he really needed that extra speed level to be a true #1. i think benjamin can be a #1 despite elite speed cuz he is physical and does have that elite size. dobson would abuse #2 corners, he gets shut down by the fast best #1 cbs. hes just not elite in any area. benjamin is elite in a few and plays a physical game.

considering where we are picking at the bottom of the rounds again its a blessing benjamin came out. he might be in our range. had he stayed in college we probably have no shot at him next draft if we were picking at the bottom again. hes a sophmore talent we got to jump on that. usually players dont play at their peak until they are juniors, cuz they are behind other vets and dont get the practice or game experience until their time is up. so i think you havent even seen the best of benjamin yet. we draft him throw him into the fire at #1 just like we did with dobson, yes he may struggle early, but it moves the pieces in the right place. dobson goes to #2 and a threat at #1 wr will draw coverage and make everyone better. this team lives and dies by the pass with brady its been proven over and over. we have to get a #1 on the outside.

You can add the need for a true #1 WR to the list of players BB doesn't seem to grasp:

Sherman called the Patriots "a gimmick offense" and posted a photo of himself with a dejected Brady, along with the caption "U MAD BRO?"

​

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

Until they get more pass rushers that can beat their man one on one they'll never have a truly great defense. Any HC that didn't get the memo about the NFL being "a QB driven league"...should wake up and draft more players that can actually get to the QB. Manning was barely touched in the AFCCG and picked the Pats apart. It's not news to me, I've been screaming pass rushers since 2007 but BB has been content scraping the bottom of the barrel until he drafted Jones in 2012. Collins is another player that fits so maybe Belichick has decided to smell the coffee. Draft a couple of penetrating DTs and an outside speed rusher this year and all the DBs will improve...and the D-coaching will too. All the great NFL defenses have been able to pressure the QB and the greatest ones did it the best...file it under...duh.

So lets spend three picks on the D Line when there are much greater needs? I agree we need a DE to bookend Jones but if the DTs force the pocket to the edge there job is done. Vince and Kelly do that and we don't know yet how Armestead will work out. A couple of DTs would be a waste maybe one but not early address TE DE C SS and maybe WR before we address DT.

 

[Drawmeomg]

I honestly think it comes down to the players available. They have a critical need for one more dependable, elite pass catcher, someone who'll be a week 1 starter, whether TE or WR. Other than that, they have needs, but nothing that can't be covered by better play at other positions.

They could use a strong safety.

An elite pass rusher would be a huge pickup, if one's available, but that's unlikely at their draft slots.

They need DT depth at a minimum and I would like to see a potential starter added into the mix if available.

They could upgrade their C and RG spots significantly (particularly C).

They need LB depth, and adding an athletic LB who can serve as a top backup while locking down certain specific roles on the team would be nice.

If they come out of this draft with an elite TE or WR prospect plus a situational pass rusher, a backup DT, and restock their depth on the OL, I will be happy. If they can do better than that, wonderful, but if they do just that, they'll have a great opening day roster next year.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

I honestly think it comes down to the players available. They have a critical need for one more dependable, elite pass catcher, someone who'll be a week 1 starter, whether TE or WR. Other than that, they have needs, but nothing that can't be covered by better play at other positions.

They could use a strong safety.

An elite pass rusher would be a huge pickup, if one's available, but that's unlikely at their draft slots.

They need DT depth at a minimum and I would like to see a potential starter added into the mix if available.

They could upgrade their C and RG spots significantly (particularly C).

They need LB depth, and adding an athletic LB who can serve as a top backup while locking down certain specific roles on the team would be nice.

If they come out of this draft with an elite TE or WR prospect plus a situational pass rusher, a backup DT, and restock their depth on the OL, I will be happy. If they can do better than that, wonderful, but if they do just that, they'll have a great opening day roster next year.

 

[eric5577x]

Still think DE/TE/DT are needs for this team in the 1st 3rds. I can't see BB going WR early at all, which is not surprising. DE/TE have to be taken care of in the 1st 2rds. DT/SS in the 3rd based on who is there,unless we get a SS in FA.

 

[TKO]

So lets spend three picks on the D Line when there are much greater needs? I agree we need a DE to bookend Jones but if the DTs force the pocket to the edge there job is done. Vince and Kelly do that and we don't know yet how Armestead will work out. A couple of DTs would be a waste maybe one but not early address TE DE C SS and maybe WR before we address DT.

If Armstead can actually play he might be one of the solutions to a better inside rush...emphasis on might be. That would reduce the need to draft more than one DT. That being said, no one knows how effective Vince will be next year so if the right players are on the board they should take them. IMO...they need players that can beat their man and get to the QB and not just push the pocket.

I honestly don't know where Belichick's brain has been since 2004. Between 2001-1004 he drafted Seymour, Warren and Wilfork and they were all a major part in the foundation of their championship defenses. Wilfork was the last top 100 D-lineman they drafted that could actually play. Granted they were drafted primarily with the 3-4 in mind but if you had Seymour and Warren in their prime playing DT in a 4-3, I guarantee they'd get to the QB. IMO...they needed to build a defense from inside out instead of wasting all those picks on D-backs. Seymour(6th) and Warren(13th) were top of the draft players but they've had the chips to move up to get players like them instead of drafting and redrafting all those failed D-backs.

 

[Drawmeomg]

Still think DE/TE/DT are needs for this team in the 1st 3rds. I can't see BB going WR early at all, which is not surprising. DE/TE have to be taken care of in the 1st 2rds. DT/SS in the 3rd based on who is there,unless we get a SS in FA.

WR would take a pretty sure thing pick - someone would have to fall unexpectedly to them. But I wouldn't say it's impossible, particularly with the top pick.

If they add a dependable WR starter, they can make do with a Chandler-style free agent TE. It's not so much that they must add an elite TE as they must add an elite pass catcher.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

If Armstead can actually play he might be one of the solutions to a better inside rush...emphasis on might be. That would reduce the need to draft more than one DT. That being said, no one knows how effective Vince will be next year so if the right players are on the board they should take them. IMO...they need players that can beat their man and get to the QB and not just push the pocket.

I honestly don't know where Belichick's brain has been since 2004. Between 2001-1004 he drafted Seymour, Warren and Wilfork and they were all a major part in the foundation of their championship defenses. Wilfork was the last top 100 D-lineman they drafted that could actually play. Granted they were drafted primarily with the 3-4 in mind but if you had Seymour and Warren in their prime playing DT in a 4-3, I guarantee they'd get to the QB. IMO...they needed to build a defense from inside out instead of wasting all those picks on D-backs. Seymour(6th) and Warren(13th) were top of the draft players but they've had the chips to move up to get players like them instead of drafting and redrafting all those failed D-backs.

And I do not have an issue with one DT two in light of the depth at the position seems overkill unless you take a chance on a guy late. My mock does that, not sure if you saw it. I keep thinking okay Vince and Kelly will be back next year, and hopefully Armestead no idea what his status is, I couple that with all the experience the rookies got this year and some looked decent as rookies and I think one at most is enough. Especially of the stud variety.


For shits and giggle take a quick stab don't list players but with the 7 rounds and our picks where would you take each position of need, if you take two DTs

I

 

[TKO]

WR would take a pretty sure thing pick - someone would have to fall unexpectedly to them. But I wouldn't say it's impossible, particularly with the top pick.

If they add a dependable WR starter, they can make do with a Chandler-style free agent TE. It's not so much that they must add an elite TE as they must add an elite pass catcher.

Curran said the Pats sent out feelers last year to the Cards to see about trading for Fitzgerald but nothing beyond that is known. Maybe it just shows Belichick doesn't trust his ability to evaluate WRs. Personally, I'd rather see them trade for an established player than seeing him roll the dice on WRs in the draft. As long as they can live with the cap ramifications.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

Curran said the Pats sent out feelers last year to the Cards to see about trading for Fitzgerald but nothing beyond that is known. Maybe it just shows Belichick doesn't trust his ability to evaluate WRs. Personally, I'd rather see them trade for an established player than seeing him roll the dice on WRs in the draft. As long as they can live with the cap ramifications.

Agree, it seems BB does not draft WRs well, and we may want to look to FA or trades I agree 200%.

 

[TKO]

Agree, it seems BB does not draft WRs well, and we may want to look to FA or trades I agree 200%.

Fitzgerald's cap number next year is $18 mil ....he'd need to restructure. Hopefully there's a better option in free agency next year.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

Fitzgerald's cap number next year is $18 mil ....he'd need to restructure. Hopefully there's a better option in free agency next year.

Well, now I gotta go look. Roddy White is all I saw of interest.

 

[Drawmeomg]

Curran said the Pats sent out feelers last year to the Cards to see about trading for Fitzgerald but nothing beyond that is known. Maybe it just shows Belichick doesn't trust his ability to evaluate WRs. Personally, I'd rather see them trade for an established player than seeing him roll the dice on WRs in the draft. As long as they can live with the cap ramifications.

If they can acquire Fitzgerald without gutting the current roster, I'd do that in a heartbeat. If he's gonna cost them a first round pick plus Talib and Edelman, I wouldn't.

I've actually been floating this idea around here for a few weeks - I'd say less than 50/50 shot, but it does make a lot of sense. Fitzgerald is 30 - he has a few more good years before a decline. He would be motivated to play for a contender with an elite QB. Arizona is a team that expects to be a serious SB contender in 2-3 years but is a young, building franchise still in search of its QB and which needs to add parts. It's fully possible that Fitz will be gone by the time they're a title contender anyway.

It makes sense for them to want to move him. It makes sense for him to want to be moved to a contender. And when you look around the NFL, the list of teams who Arizona would be comfortable trading him to, who he would be comfortable playing for and who might have the motivation and assets to acquire him is short. I'd say we're #1 on that list.

So I'd say much less than 50/50 that we acquire him - these kinds of trades are just so hard to work out - but I view it as a serious possibility.

EDIT: I will throw in the golden rule of fan-made trades: if you're happy with the trade you just proposed, it's unrealistic and won't happen. We'd be paying through the nose, somehow.

 

[TKO]

Well, now I gotta go look. Roddy White is all I saw of interest.

There's always Emmanuel Sanders...he's not a #1 but he's unrestricted in 2014 and they could go after him again.

 

[MrMoJoRisin63]

There's always Emmanuel Sanders...he's not a #1 but he's unrestricted in 2014 and they could go after him again.

I guess? My concern is getting a legit #1 they seem hard to come by.