1. GM: I agree 100% that the new GM needs to have Pioli’s abiltiy to sort out free agency, but I am almost 100% sure Pioli won’t be available. Great if we can get him, but I am not going to hold my breath. If we can’t get Pioli, or a comparable GM, we need to work over the pro-scouting department, and make sure that area of the team is strong. We can’t keep missing in free agency, especially when this team starts to get better and has a few more drafts under its belt…

2. I like Spags, but to many signs are pointing towards McDaniels, and the more I think about it, the more I like it. I definitely like the idea of a young headcoach tehn a yound D-coordinator. Right now our D needs a solid, consistent message and a voice they can trust, so an experienced DC would look good, and is more likely to happen, alongside a young HC.

3. There is nothing wrong with wanting Peppers or Haynesworth, but the Titans and Panthers are probably going to get those guys locked up before free agency starts. Haynesworth may make it to FA, but the bidding will be out of hand, and a young, building team could put itself into salary cap hell by signing either of these two guys, even if they played well for a few years. Unless we can seal them up in a time capsule and break them out in 2010 and beyond, I don’t think they will be worht the price. Of more pressing concern should be who we bring in to coach our Dline, since Bill Johnson is ready to sign on elsewhere, and Burney should be right behind him. We have 4 talented young men (Thomas, DOOM, Moss, and Crowder) who are at a pivotal stage in their development (with DOOM at the cusp of entering his prime). They aren’t garbage, but if we don’t get them a good coach and DC, they won’t have a chance.

4. Safety is very weak, I agree completely. My starting backfield for 2009? Taylor Mays alongside Dawan Landry (Raven’s free agent, coming off IR. His replacement has played well, so the Ravens won’t have to be 100% committed to resigning him. We really need some experience back there, and McCree and Manuel just aren’t going to make it, so I would advocate overpaying Landry on a shorter deal (3 years) as he has tremendous upside and is still very young, and may very well be worth every penny by the time the contract comes up). And no, I’m not forgetting Barrett. But if we play our cards right, Barrett will be the depth, not the “last hope.”

5. I think we need to bring a SAM and two ILBs in. We need some SERIOUS competition at all three (four?) spots next year.

6. Agree completely with you. We just need to keep a steady course on the DBs, and hopefully get this defense turned around quick enough to take advantage of the depth we have at this position.

7. We will need a new Special Teams coordinator, so that should be interesting, and I think we need to bring at least one more kicker in, free agency or draft, doesn’t matter. Prater struggled when it mattered most, and put himself ina position to have to show he can keep his job. Competition time. I think we are set at punter though, and I think our returners are in decent shape. The key to the special teams will be the next draft, and staying healthy with our starters. The backups play special teams, and the play fell of considerably when the backups to the backups were playing due to all of our injuries this year…

8. If Turner and the zoneblock remain in Denver, do not break the bank on anyone at RB, or you ruin the biggest advantage that zoneblock gives you. If Denver needs a RB they will get one in the late rounds of the draft, and regardless of whether they need one or not they will sign a UFA RB after the draft. If turner leaves I have no idea what we do at RB, and frankly I would rather cry than think about it…

9. Licks Ten Tigers looks like he will be a great source of competition going forward at G and C, and we will need to draft at least one G/C this year. Last year we went light after trading away Holland, and with all of our bad luck, we got VERY lucky in not suffering any serious Oline injuries. We need depth badly.

10. I think Jay is far enough along that we can start looking at the GM’s dream signing: start drafting rookie QBs, and then selling them when teams get desperate. But it will have to wait until next year most likely, so for now, I’m guessing they will resign PB&J. It is a tough position to learn, and the offense may be as complicated as ever. no sense messing with the position if there isn’t a perfectly obvious upgrade…

11. I do think we need to draft another WR, but later in the draft. Someone with KR/PR skills would be good, and someone physical, not the smaller guys. They may not survive training camp, but we need to push the backups we have now like Chad Jackson and DJax, or we will most definitely start to stagnate here. And we need to draft a TE, preferably a blocker.

12. I worry about Hamilton, both for concussions and for his play getting worse, but if we stick to the plan (and to the zoneblock) the worrying shouldn’t get out of hand. Draft a G/C and keep getting em ready to play.

5.

I’ve been watching him since he came into the league, and I’m not sold on the idea that he’s worth (to us, anyway) what we’d have to pay to get him. I’d rather draft a back than pick up Sproles. I did note feel this way about Michael Turner last year… he would’ve been a great pick-up for us.

We have a lot of backs in our arsenal that may be as good, or at least almost as good, as Sproles, and our efforts are better spent elsewhere. I’d rather have Pittman than Sproles, as our running game seems to flourish more with power backs than speed backs.

I appreciate the effort to put together this list. I have a different perspective on several items:

1. GM – I think we should give the Goodmans another season on the personnel side. They did a great job with the draft last year and deserve another shot. Outside of the personnel side, I don’t know what Pioli brings to the table. It seems like PB may be leaning towards a GM by committee approach and I’m willing to see how that works. I just don’t see this as a pressing need, certainly not enough to jump into the Pioloi sweepstakes.

2. Coaches – I agree with leaving the offense alone 100%. Looks like PB agrees as well. I’m beginning to think that the background of the HC may not be as critical as his ability to effectively delegate along with his selection of DC.

3. D-line – I agree that this is a pressing need and I have always been a fan of Peppers, but I don’t think DE is as critical as DT. We need a run stuffing, space eating, 2-gapper who demands double-teaming on every down. It’s amazing how much better a great DT can make the rest of the team. I doubt that Haynesworth ever hits FA, or that we want to compete with dumner teams over his services. Unfortunately there aren’t many other FA who really fit the bill: maybe Grady Jackson or Tank Johnson but I’m not wild about either. If we do go DE I think Suggs is a much better player these days. In addition, Bal has so many FAs that they can’t franchise them all and are unlikely to be able to resign them and stay under the cap. That said, I think we should add depth and upgrade the position through lower profile situational players.

4. Safety – this may be our most pressing need on defense. I can’t tell if the lousy safety play over the last two years is entirely a talent issue or just bad coaching. Barrett has shown some aptitude and I’m intrigued with the idea of Bailey converting to FS. I like the suggestion about Landry and given the Raven’s FA situation it’s very possible. I like Bibgy too. There are a lot of other FAs available this year. We should also draft a few prospects, but I don’t know that it’s worth trading up for one.

5. Linebackers – Quick question: who is the NYG “great MLB? Getting rid of Nate "wasn’t that a great tackle” Webster would single handedly improve our linebackers. Larson looked adequate to me. If we stay a 4-3 I would be comfortable with Williams, Larson, Woodyard. But we still would need to add depth. At the same time, adding a veteran MLB would improve the defense significantly. I don’t see Lewis being available, but stranger things have happened. The Ravens have some tough FA decisions to make this year. There are several interesting FA prospects here: Dansby, Vilma, Crowder. I assume we will be drafting LBs as well.

6. I agree with you about both Bly and Bailey. We should still test the FA market. If we could land Assamouga, Gamble or Robinson we would be better. Hell even Deltha O’Neal would seem to be an improvement over Paymah.

7. STs – O’Neal is gone: good riddance!

8. RB – I don’t think we need any more scat backs. We need between the tackle runners. I have high hopes for Hillis, but I think we need at least one more. I also don’t think we should waste high draft picks or cap space on RBs. Our offense is perfectly suited to RB by committee and it’s cheaper to maintain. I would hate to have to choose in a few years between keeping a feature back v. Brandon or Royal.

9. Center is a long term need, but not pressing. We will sign Weigman if he keeps playing. If he retires Hamilton or K-licht can replace him. O-line is the least of my concerns.

10. We are at least 5 year away, if not more, from looking for another young QB, but I still have serious reservation about Ramsey and Hackney. I would like to see us pick up a veteran caretaker from someone. Brian Greise anyone? (just kidding)

11. Agreed about WR. I think we need a fast, stretch the field WR. I like the current group, but Stokely isn’t getting younger. Wish we still had Hixon, but that’s the way it goes. A speedy WR would stretch the field, creating more space underneath for Marshall & Royal. But I would reach for anyone at this point. Just see who falls to us.

12. I love our O-line, but depth is a concern of mine too. We have Pears and K-licht, but both Weigman and Hamilton will be gone in a few years. I think we need to add depth here as well. We do seem to be picking up CFAs, but there’s a reason those guys weren’t drafted in the first place.

Get rid of Ramsey, let’s see what Hacney can do, and look for a Brady/Schaub/Cassell in the later rounds.

Griese is exactly the type that would be a good back up to Cutler, someone who will push him, and if he goes down we have a legitimate chance of still winning a game or two. Tampa has a couple of guys in Griese and Garcia who may be expendable over there, but knowing how Gruden likes his piles of QBs, I don’t know if either will come loose.

And I definately want Rey in the first. No question