Free agency rumors....

[CSB]

Have we even looked at any FA S or OL?

McCourty is the only one I can recall.

 

[Iggloo]

Have we even looked at any FA S or OL?

There is no one out there. Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman just got paid.

 

[Taz]

I am not so sure that most of the safeties that have signed are any better than letting Maragras play. In other words aside from McCourty and in my opinion Rahim Moore there really were no much options out there. I think they liked Ron Parker but not at 5 mill per year.

 

[eaglesnut]

McCourty is the only one I can recall.

Heartbreaker. We'd be stacked on defense if we could have added McCourty.

 

[EagleUpNorth]

I fail to see the logic in getting rid of a good young (and cheap) player in hopes of getting draft picks that you hope turn into a good young player.

Cheap for how much longer is the question, this is his final year of rookie contract. If we didn't get kiko, I would agree with you. But we did, and they're very similar players, except kiko has 3 more years of rookie contract pay. Do you wait until he's a free agent and then move him? Maybe the team didn't like how when Ryans went down, it was Casey Matthews that stepped up and made all the calls, not Kendricks. Maybe chip wants guys that are solely focused on football, who knows? I would suspect Kendricks gets moved on draft day to a ILB needy team, for a 2nd and 4th (or pick in 2016).

 

[Deano]

Cheap for how much longer is the question, this is his final year of rookie contract. If we didn't get kiko, I would agree with you. But we did, and they're very similar players, except kiko has 3 more years of rookie contract pay. Do you wait until he's a free agent and then move him? Maybe the team didn't like how when Ryans went down, it was Casey Matthews that stepped up and made all the calls, not Kendricks. Maybe chip wants guys that are solely focused on football, who knows? I would suspect Kendricks gets moved on draft day to a ILB needy team, for a 2nd and 4th (or pick in 2016).

Or you wait and see if Kiko can run full speed? I have no problem with having an extra competent LB. How long with Ryan's play? Two guys coming off major surgery and you guys want to trade a healthy stud.

 

[Deano]

I'm all for opening the S position to competition from the young guys we already have. I like Reynolds and I think Watkins could play S.

Draft WR and OL. Collins might drop to us.

 

[EagleUpNorth]

Or you wait and see if Kiko can run full speed? I have no problem with having an extra competent LB. How long with Ryan's play? Two guys coming off major surgery and you guys want to trade a healthy stud.

Did they wait to see maclin run before cutting djax? The trade wouldn't go thru without the approval of all kinds of medical staff and doctors. They've been monitoring demeco for a while now, and know better than anyone how he's doing. We have different definitions of the word stud I think. I hear Stud linebacker, I think Lavonte David, Luke kuechly, Patrick Willis, Bowman, Bobby Wagner, Sean Lee etc. Kendricks is far below that level. Even kiko Alonso could be considered a stud after his rookie year. What exactly has Kendricks done or achieved beyond Chris collinsworth taking about him nonstop during nationally televised games? How many games has he taken over? How many impact plays has he produced? Sure you can give him a pass in a scheme change from yr 1 to 2, but I just don't see what he's done in the last 2 years in this scheme that makes the idea of trading him so horrible?

 

[Deano]

Did they wait to see maclin run before cutting djax? The trade wouldn't go thru without the approval of all kinds of medical staff and doctors. They've been monitoring demeco for a while now, and know better than anyone how he's doing. We have different definitions of the word stud I think. I hear Stud linebacker, I think Lavonte David, Luke kuechly, Patrick Willis, Bowman, Bobby Wagner, Sean Lee etc. Kendricks is far below that level. Even kiko Alonso could be considered a stud after his rookie year. What exactly has Kendricks done or achieved beyond Chris collinsworth taking about him nonstop during nationally televised games? How many games has he taken over? How many impact plays has he produced? Sure you can give him a pass in a scheme change from yr 1 to 2, but I just don't see what he's done in the last 2 years in this scheme that makes the idea of trading him so horrible?

As I said... Two of your starting cannot run today. Get that?

Every one of the stud LBs you mentioned played on a good defense. Fill some holes here before you expect one guy to excel. If you didn't notice, our run D was better last year than it has been since Trotter was our MLB. But he might get better and willbe expensive so let's trade him now?

 

[EagleUpNorth]

As I said... Two of your starting cannot run today. Get that?

Every one of the stud LBs you mentioned played on a good defense. Fill some holes here before you expect one guy to excel. If you didn't notice, our run D was better last year than it has been since Trotter was our MLB. But he might get better and willbe expensive so let's trade him now?

Cannot run, and not cleared to run are two very different things. Injuries are not as serious as they once we're, and I'm sure by draft time, they'll have a better idea of where kiko, demeco and even najee goode and Travis long are at.

Our line play was significantly better in 2014, than 2013. That made all linebackers look exceptionally better.

But let's hear what our Lb coach had to say about kiko and the ILB position...

"He's going to be a big help for us," Minter said. "He does all the things that we want our linebackers to do. He's big, he's tall and he moves side to side and attacks the football. He's really the prototype of what we're looking for inside."

"This is the total player athletically. He can play 'MIKE' linebacker for us where we play in the 'C' gap and he can play where we now play Mychal Kendricks. I really think Kiko can swing to either inside position in our defense. He's very athletic, very fast and can cover people. He's smart, he's aware, he runs his feet on contact. I'm obviously really excited to have him."

Seems clear that Kendricks does not fit the mold of what they want inside, and if he is good as people thought he is, they wouldn't have acquired kiko to replace him.

 

[Iggloo]

So Cary Williams signed with the Seahawks and Bradley Fletcher signed with the Patriots. Both guys improved their situations after Philly.

 

[Deano]

So Cary Williams signed with the Seahawks and Bradley Fletcher signed with the Patriots. Both guys improved their situations after Philly.

I'm just happy they are both gone. Weakens the competition as far as I'm concerned.

 

[deerpathdave]

So Cary Williams signed with the Seahawks and Bradley Fletcher signed with the Patriots. Both guys improved their situations after Philly.

They both took paycuts.

 

[djm]

So Cary Williams signed with the Seahawks and Bradley Fletcher signed with the Patriots. Both guys improved their situations after Philly.

Yes, they went to better teams. Did they make the teams they went to better? They are both much less than who they replaced.

 

[old duke]

We'll see. With better coaching, they may be decent.

 

[soulxflare]

Anyone else get the eerie feeling that this is just the calm before the next storm?

 

[eaglesnut]

Anyone else get the eerie feeling that this is just the calm before the next storm?

Yes, I am still worried. This has all been too good to be true. I'm afraid of waking up from this happy dream to a Mariota nightmare.

 

[old duke]

Anyone else get the eerie feeling that this is just the calm before the next storm?

"YIKES"!!!!!!!!!!

Just kidding. In Chip we trust! I am hoping that he trades for Dashon Goldson soon though.

 

[SoShady]

Aren't we already in the Bradford nightmare? Mariota would be like a wet dream at this point.

Isn't Goldson's contract horrible thus the reason Tampa wants to trade or cut him? Would rather sign him as a FA if that's what they want to do for the other S spot.

 

[deerpathdave]

Not really, I think its nothing big to discuss til the draft.

What could happen?
- Trade Barkley, Sign Tebow
- Redo Demeco's contract
- Redo Fletcher Cox's contract
- Trade Kendricks (not likely til draft day) or redo his contract
- Trade Chris Polk.
- Redo Bradford's contract (But I don't see how that would happen, Better for both sides to play it out)
- Trade Mathis

At the draft.
- The BIG Trade is still possible (but not probable)
- Draft a Corner, Safety, OG and WR.

Go into camp with most starting spots filled, but competition at
- CB2 (Thurmand, Carroll, Boykins, Watkins + Draft Pick)
- Safety 2 (Wolf, Watkins, Carroll, Reynolds, Maragos + Draft Pick)
- WR 1/2 (Huff, Matthews, Cooper + Draft Pick)
- RG (Gardner, Tobin, Barbre + Draft Pick)

For us, the fans, the draft should be shocking, but for Kelly, I think we will know almost all of it before the draft as he is going to have a very different draft board than most teams and end up drafting several players that seem like a huge reach to most of us. But its the guys that he wants, that fit his culture and style of play. No use getting good value if your not getting a player that fits here and will be unsuccessful.