'09 Free Agency

[swerb]

~I go out and make Dunta Robinson, CB from Houston ... as my #1 target. Kid has the potential to be one of the best CBs in the league if he can stay on the field. Had a huge season couple years ago, Pro Bowl IIRC. 26 years old, physical, athletic former top ten pick, and because he missed thye first six games last year with an injury, you will be able to get him for much cheaper than Asomugha. Robinson may be the better player these next 3-4 years. My take on him is that he came back maybe a little too soon (missed first six games) cause it was a contract year, and wasn't the same player as he was the previous year.

You sign him to start across the field from EWright, move BMac to nickel CB, and you've got your three CBs for the next three seasons. And it allows you ignore CB in the 1st two rounds of the draft.

~At LB, clearly, Suggs and Bart Scott are the gems due to the fact they are established 3-4 LBs in their prime and we could weaken a divisional foe. Karlos Dansby also really impressed me over this last month, but he's gonna get overpaid like Dexter Jackson.

A more reasonable acquisition? Channing Crowder from Miami.

A 3-4 LB who can play inside or outside, just turned 25 years old. Not a big playmaker (0 INT and 1.5 sacks in 4 years), but a steady LB and very good tackler ... one of the unsung guys on a Dolphin team that shocked a lot of people this season. From what I've read, Parcells wants to keep him, but may be unable given how many FA the Dolphins have.

~The other big gaping hole we must address predraft to me is WR. And this years FA WR class sucks outside of TJ Houshyourmama, who the Bengals are not expected to let walk away.

The guy I would go after is Bobby Engram from Seattle. He's no spring chicken at 36 years old, but had a monster year in '07 (94 rec, 1147 yds) before falling off this year when the Seahawk offensive line and run game fell completely apart.

This team absolutely needs to get Brady Quinn some type of veteran slot safety valve over the middle of the field. Jurevicius is a long shot to return. Winslow really struggled this season again with health issues, and lost his ability to separate from LBs without pushing off. Not sure how much we can count on K2 going forward. We've got Braylon and little else at the position. It's a huge need in my mind, especially with Quinn taking the helm.

~You do that, or something along those lines, and you can concentrate on taking the top defensive front seven player available at #5. And pray to our respective Gods that Knowshon Moreno is there at #37. If he's not, I like that whole second tier of RBs. McCoy, Moreno, Greene from Iowa. One of em will be there. And unlike WR and CB, RB is one position where rookies can make an impact immediately.

[mistero]

I'm not interested in anyone on defense in FA. I'll spend my draft picks there.

I am zeroed in on some offense free agents.

I like Sproles from SD to pair with Harrison. I think they compliment each other well in that they play the same game. Good inside the tackles for small guys, good recieving threats, big play ability. San Diego's GM already dissed him, calling him a part time player and offered to pay him as such. Derrick Ward from NYG is my fallback plan.

I like Nate Washington from Pittsburgh as a big play WR stuck as a number 3 in yinzerville. He can be everything Stallworth wasn't. Pittsburgh never pays FA's. He'll make it to FA. I think the guy has tougness, and good ability to get vertical. He's probably learned how to block as well, interning over there. Sean McDonald from Detroit is my fallback, although I like him alot less because he's been injury prone.

Gibran Hamden is a guy I would bring in as a long term back up to Quinn. He's tough,mobile,smart , with a so-so arm. He reminds me of a tall Doug Flutie. He was MVP in NFLE. Hasn't got much of a shot yet with the bigs.

Chris Simms is my fall back to back up Quinn.

[Ziner]

I like Sproles from SD to pair with Harrison. I think they compliment each other well in that they play the same game. Good inside the tackles for small guys, good recieving threats, big play ability. San Diego's GM already dissed him, calling him a part time player and offered to pay him as such. Derrick Ward from NYG is my fallback plan.

How can two players with the same game compliment each other?

I'm not getting too excited about FA this year. We have spent sooooo much money on FA's that dont do anything come the fall. Just get me football players and get them believe in to your system.

I do like Crowder, Robinson as well. Asomugha is going to get P.A.I.D. and I dont think we can be the ones to do it.

I am all for getting rid of DA we need this to be Brady's team, enough of this shit. For a backup I'd look at Losman or Grossman. Both are serviceable and have as much of a chance to come in and spark a team to victory in case of an injury as DA would. With out the drama.

I dont think JLew has anything left in the tank and could see him getting cut. No FA RB's excite me to pair up with Harrison. I dont really want to draft one, but if it is there value 36 maybe thats what we need to do.

WR - not sure what price he would require but Swerb, I'd prefer Toomer over Engram. He is very solid and has a more healthy history than Engram.

OL - I dont think we need to do much in FA. In the draft thats another thing. I sure wish we still had our 3rd rounder, dammit. There is too much that needs to be done with those first 2 picks. I think there are more pressing needs than OL in the draft, but I suppose if we take a stud RT in the draft at 5 (if Curry is gone) and we can save cap space and reshuffle the line then so be it.

DL - enough money invested in FA, but thankfully we have all of these draft picks to build depth [sarcasm]

LB - Crowder, Obviously Suggs would be nice, but not likely.

S - hopefully we can resign Jones at a decent price and maybe find some depth...heard Cribbs could step in and play

[rebelwithoutaclue]

Love Crowder and really surprised that Miami doesn't seem too concerned with re-signing him. I wouldn't mind a Bobby Engram as a veteran prescense and maybe knock some sense into Braylon but the go I go after is Shaun McDonald. Had a good '07 as the 3rd WR behind Williams and Megatron. I think he could be solid #2 and if we could get him and Engram on the cheap, our problems at WR would be over.


All in all this free agent class is pretty bad.

[Triple-S]

I'm not interested in anyone on defense in FA. I'll spend my draft picks there.

I am zeroed in on some offense free agents.

I like Sproles from SD to pair with Harrison. I think they compliment each other well in that they play the same game. Good inside the tackles for small guys, good recieving threats, big play ability. San Diego's GM already dissed him, calling him a part time player and offered to pay him as such. Derrick Ward from NYG is my fallback plan.

I like Nate Washington from Pittsburgh as a big play WR stuck as a number 3 in yinzerville. He can be everything Stallworth wasn't. Pittsburgh never pays FA's. He'll make it to FA. I think the guy has tougness, and good ability to get vertical. He's probably learned how to block as well, interning over there. Sean McDonald from Detroit is my fallback, although I like him alot less because he's been injury prone.

Gibran Hamden is a guy I would bring in as a long term back up to Quinn. He's tough,mobile,smart , with a so-so arm. He reminds me of a tall Doug Flutie. He was MVP in NFLE. Hasn't got much of a shot yet with the bigs.

Chris Simms is my fall back to back up Quinn.

San Diego would have to be pretty damn stupid not resign Sproles, from what I've heard he may be the new featured back in a year or two.

IY'll depend what they do with NateDawg in Yinztown, If Hines doesn't retire, and Nate thinks he can get more playing time and money in Cleveland. I'd welcome him back to the Buckeye state in a heartbeat. GO TIFFIN DRAGONS!

It'd be nice if we could sign Nnamdi Asomugha, but, I'm not sure if we have the capsapce to do it.

[Toxicadam]

I wish we would have picked up Byron Leftwich when we had a chance.

[mistero]

San Diego was dumb enough to let Michael Turner go. I think they'll let Sproles go after a low ball offer.

I shouldn't say he would compliment Harrison. I mean to say they are the same type of player and could be interchangable, about 10-15 carries each.

[noles1]

I'm with Swerb on almost everything. Although I'm not as high on Crowder. (still he'd be a huge upgrade along with Curry/Orapko/draft pick)


I also think Moreno is long gone but a guy like Shon Greene could be a perfect fit.

Dunta Robinson to me is the perfect guy to target this off-season. Go at him quick and forget about Ndami, he's too expensive.

[gotribe31]

SD sees the writing on the wall with respect to Tomlinson. They are going to do everything they can to keep Sproles. As for Crowder, I like his talent, but the guy is a thug. Don't know how he will mesh in the locker room. I love the Dunta Robinson idea, I think plugging in a young corner who can play right away will go a long way towards our depth in the secondary. B-Mac at the nickel is good. Terry Cousin at the nickel again would be a disaster.

[Triple-S]

SD sees the writing on the wall with respect to Tomlinson. They are going to do everything they can to keep Sproles. As for Crowder, I like his talent, but the guy is a thug. Don't know how he will mesh in the locker room. I love the Dunta Robinson idea, I think plugging in a young corner who can play right away will go a long way towards our depth in the secondary. B-Mac at the nickel is good. Terry Cousin at the nickel again would be a disaster.

Yeah psssh, who wins with Thugs on their roster?

Yours,

The Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, and the AFC Runner up Baltimore Ravens

[jfiling]

I think Engram would be a great pickup. The guy has fire, and still feels he has something to prove. Sticking with the Seahawks, how about Leroy Hill?

EDIT: never mind Hill. I forgot about his pot arrest.

[daddywags]

Here's what I was thinking a couple weeks ago:

Big free agent: Derrick Ward, RB, NYG. I want Brandon Jacobs and in my dream world we get him, but in the real world we won't. Ward is the next best thing, IMO. He's big enough and young enough to take on a lead role at RB as long as he isn't asked to carry 20 times a game (which he won't be). He'll be expensive, but no where near what Jacobs would cost. I like Jamal Lewis, but he has got to go because he's slowing down quickly and his contract is out of whack.

Secondary free agent: Eric Barton, ILB, NYJ. This solves the other ILB position for us and gives Mangini a veteran presence on D who has three years experience in his system. Won't be cheap (made about $3 million in each of the last two seasons) and will depend on whether Barton and Mangini actually get along well together, but I'm guessing they do.

Lower level free agents: 1. Jabar Gaffney, WR, NE. If you look at our roster we're very, very, thin at WR. Gaffney has experience in the NE offense and won't cost an arm and a leg. He's not really a starter, but we don't have a lot of choices - Stallworth won't be back (I'd expect). Gaffney should catch 30-40 balls, which would be okay in a system where KWII catches 70-80. 2. Reggie Williams, WR, Jax. Again, we have no wideouts other than Edwards so we'll need a couple of guys with NFL experience. Williams is a bust as a top draft choice, but he's a big target (along with Edwards and Winslow he would give us some nice options against smaller DBs), I've read that he's a willing blocker (good for the running game), and he'll be cheap. 3. Hank Poteat, CB, NYJ. Inexpensive veteran backup CB with experience in Mangini's defense.

[leadpipe]

I wish we would have picked up Byron Leftwich when we had a chance.

Isn't DA enough for you?

Can't wait to see what all day sucker pays big money for an immobile, innaccurate QB.

He has found his home in this league - as a back-up QB.

He'll never survive a season healthy in today's game.

And, if he survived it healthy his ineffectiveness would be exposed. He makes Troy Smith look like a guy with a quick release.

[twdelaney34]

Sproles + Harrison = redundant? Change of pace backs, not every down players. Don't see the need to spend on Sproles, especially when half of his value is in the return game and we have a pretty good player back there.

CB is a need to focus on, though, I am not as leery about the position as others. We need a 3rd, but I don't feel he has to be elite. We need to get a pass rush (just stated in another thread), that will mask a lot. My top priority (though HIGHLY doubtful) is Suggs.

WR needs to be upgraded, no question. If you're getting a RB, it has to be an every down back, otherwise, I am fine with the three guys we have going into next season.

P.S. - Ziner, absolutely love the picture...it's Sham...WOW!!!

[mistero]

Sproles + Harrison = redundant? Change of pace backs, not every down players

Just like Westbrook and Buckhalter are redundant in Philly.

They are the same type of player. Both those guys can carry on first down between the tackles. Maurice Jones Drew can do it. Warrick Dunn, Tiki Barber, Jerious Norwood...lots of smaller guys.

I think with Quinn we are a pass first, especially to the RB and TE, then run second type team. Harrison and Sproles would thrive together (at least in the offense I see us running in my head ).

[swerb]

It's moot. SD isn't letting Sproles go anywhere, especially after what Michael Turner did this year after leaving there.

I fully expect Tomlinson to restructure his contract, stay in SD, and split carries with Sproles ... who they will resign.

Sproles is a tough little runner. Really impressed me at the end of last season.