WFT Free Agency

[Scalper]

David Mayo - C

Mayo was drafted by panthers. Played OLB in college I believe, for a non-dominant program, journeyman who has also played for Niners and Giants who just released him. Not athletic enough for OLB in pros, moved to ILB usually, at least from what I remember watching, could be wrong. Mayo is one of those players whose athletic measurables are average at best, but who has good instincts and a relentless motor. On some plays he lays the lumber pretty hard. His 40 time at combine was like 4.7 or 4.8, glacial, and he has put on 20 lbs. or so since entering pros I think. I just remember him looking way bigger in recent years than I remembered, which probably didn't help his already marginal speed. Of course, a MLB earns his money in a limited range between the tackles, so it is a position you can get away with lack of speed if you had to pick one.

At this price point, in a weak FA LB class especially now that best players signed, not a ton of viable options. You could ask a philosophical question here. Why are we signing the all-ex-Panthers squad? One view is that lesser risk because you know the players, and further down the list you get in FA more projection and risk involved, players with obvious flaws. You know how they will practice and prepare and perform in your locker room, which is huge. The other view is that a FO without brilliant scouting chops is falling back on what they know too much and bringing in their old guys instead of truly scouting everyone. Or perhaps RR is overruling and going with guys he knows.

Mayo is not the long-term answer you want as a thumper MLB, but is a solid backup who could start and log tons of tackles. He is at best a low end starter. He will never quit on you, but simply does not have the athleticism you want at position. Best case is a London Fletcher 2.0, but that is probably wayyyyyyyyyy optimistic. You could read this as us wanting to draft a MLB, or as us understanding you can't add a $30M+ contract at every position of need. Either way, you can't give the signing of a guy this athletically limited, even at bargain basement pricing, anything more than a C.