Offseason Roster Moves Thread

[Scalper]

The Defense is way easier.

First, it is secondary in priority, no lame pun intended.
DL: Allen, Payne, Ioannidis, Sweat, Settle, Brantley, Young. Maybe new regime doesn’t love Brantley, maybe they keep Kerrigan. I say get rid of Kerrigan, per earlier. Young Sweat you have a remake of the old Manley Mann terror. The rotational possibilities with this much talent on D-line need not be belabored. If a DL rated high drops after 3rd round and an exceptional value pick, take him, otherwise bring in UDFA or cheap veteran for depth. It is galling how incompetent Manusky was to accomplish so little with this much talent.

LB: Big transition, to 4-3, but talent here too. If Foster comes back, the front seven of this D looks like an absolute monster. I like Holcomb, I like Dion Hamilton, I like Harvey-Clemons, I like Anderson. Without Foster, there is no elite talent here, but certainly serviceable. Anderson seemed miscast in 3-4, he doesn’t cover or rush real well, but as more of a SLB thumper he could be in his niche. Holcomb obviously solid as well, whether still will be in new scheme who knows, but looks promising. You could do worse than Anderson, Holcomb, and Dion Hamilton or Harvey Clemons. With Foster, Anderson, Holcomb, even better. Anderson, DH, HC, Holcomb is four solid LBs, if Foster back five. Still probably need to add one. With so many needs on O, I just think the D can wait a years unless huge value presents in draft. MLB is a place you can find value in FA though, lot of young players. I don’t like Bostic, simply because he is just average and rather get someone younger. If he’ll resign cheap, could do worse, and even if we had to fill a 5th or 6th slot, there are cheap FAs available. I might sign one FA to a high value contract if needed, but ideally let it ride with talent we have, and draft more ILBs next year. There should be reasonable value with young players with upside on the cheap. Brailford seems like an unknown, curious to see if he sticks. He made sense as situational OLB edge rusher in 3-4, not sure where he fits in new D. Seems a bit small for DE in 4-3, bit slow in space if not pass rushing, stick as a backup? He could be a casualty of the transition to new D.

CB: Dunbar, Moreau, Moreland. Not sure anyone else sticks, and maybe not even these guys. We’ll almost certainly need to add a FA, people want the big names, but CB is among most expensive positions and you rarely get what you pay for (see Josh Norman). Given cost of position, drafting a CB or two essential, ideally one mid-round, one late. Not sure Moreland ever a starter, but Moreau intriguing. Except for OL, more inclined to pass on huge name FAs and draft and develop. Sign a second tier guy to modest deal would be wisest long term, and then draft another corner first or second round pick next year. What we’ll probably do is bring in big-name high-priced guy. Another price of Allen’s mismanagement.

S: Collins a lock, Nicholson should make it, Apke has potential, not sure anyone else. Apke intriguing. You need a FS with wheels in today’s NFL. Nicholson and Apke both have that. No way should we sign a free agent FS for big bucks. Need depth here, but not this year unless on the cheap or value pick in draft late. If Nicholson or Apke can’t get it done this year under a great D coordinator like Del Rio, we’ll be drafting a FS or signing one next year. It is tough to know how good some players are given how bad Manusky was. Nicholson and Apke are booth good measurable guys who don’t show up in games enough. It would not be surprising to see a major addition at S because of this fact, but could also make sense to stand pat, give both one year to shine, and draft someone next year otherwise. Nicholson could be a beast with good coaching, but some athletic guys just aren’t great football players. Though not one of the high priority positions, this is one of the most interesting. We could end up adding 2-3 safeties, or none.

You look at this D and there are no gaping holes. Moreau and Nicholson are not world beaters, but they are not atrocious. It is stupefying that this D was not better under Manusky, except not really, because he is awful. In the most aggressive scenario, we sign a big-name MLB, a big-name CB, and a big-name S. Doubt that happens, but one or two may. If we stood pat and made no additions to this D roster save Chase Young, it should still be a top-15 D. With a good corner opposite Dunbar, top-10. Manusky should be bagging groceries for his next job. Need serious depth and talent in secondary though, but it may have to wait until next year’s draft to be solved with finality.

We could take 3 CBs, 2 Ss, 2 DL, ad 2 LBs in this draft no problem, though DL obviously not a commanding need. Yet again, we need to be trading down as much as possible. If we get unlucky injury wise in secondary, could be a long season for D. Need to find some gems in the rough UDFA or FA in secondary and possibly LB. Would not surprise me if we signed 2 CBs, one big name, one cheaper young depth player with upside.

We are set on special teams kicker, punter, could use another returner depth CB or WR or RB late round pick that also returns.

We could easily draft 21 players on O and D, and could really use 14 draft picks minimum, but have 7 if the single comp pick sticks. Chase Young. We have to draft a T. Probably also a TE for depth. A CB and WR make sense because they are needs and expensive positions, CB especial. Developmental QB, but can’t make one fall. Young, T, TE, CB, QB is five picks. Say a WR and a second OT. That doesn’t address RB, S, LB, additional corner, etc. If we came out of draft with Young, we won regardless, but a solid OT and developmental QB plus solid depth TE, CB, and WR would be awesome.
Final note is FAs 2021. One is Kerrigan. You could argue keep him one more year, to round out rotation, and then get comp pick. I’d take bird in the hand, trade him for what you can. Gotta have courage to go young with Young and Sweat, but who is spelling them? Keep Kerrigan to that? I’d say Allen, Io, etc.
Foster, Dunbar, Anderson, Moreau, Nicholson, Sprinkle, Roullier all FAs in 2021. Why is this relevant? Because good teams look ahead, so don’t end up with messes like we have at T, TE, S. Should we lock up Dunbar or Foster this year, keep them from FA? Draft a C in case we don’t want to pay Roullier, a solid but not elite C? Draft an extra CB to groom someone to take place of departing CB? Foster when healthy is a MONSTER player. Foot a huge risk. If he looks good early season, big if with that injury, lock him up for sure. Another first round talent. Dunbar might make sense to extend, but then you’d have 2 high priced FA CBs on roster if we sign one. So are you committing $25M to your starting CBs? Letting Moreau walk? Not signing the big name CB and drafting one high?

That is all.