First Order of Business

God bless _ ??? Now that’s out of the way, nice post. We see things the same way. No big free agent WR signing. We draft defense early and often. We more than likely need a couple starters at Safety… Carter might be one now, then again, he might not. Either way, we need Safety depth. I’d love to see Rahim Moore, Julius Thomas, and Nate Irving earn more playing time next season.

What is your view on McNutt? I’ve heard good things about him, and I’d be happy to draft him that far down. Lamar Miller is high up on my big board. I’d still love to take DeCastro if somehow he falls to us…. or one of the stud MLB’s.

Dan Conner is one of Foxy’s boys, but he’s nothing worth writing home about. I’d rather see London Fletcher come over with his teammate Landry for a couple years until we can figure it out better through the draft. Perhaps Manti T’eo when he comes out next year.

Derrick Harvey was selected #8 of the 1st rd in 2008 by the Jacksonville Jaguars. Derrick held out for most of the training camp and finally signed on August 27th, holding out 33 days and missing valuable team activities. He signed for a guaranteed $17.175mil of a $33.4mil contract. His stats at Jacksonville were way below what a top draft pick should have…

2008 : 15 Tackles 3.5 Sacks 2009 : 57 Tackles 2.0 Sacks 2010 : 12 Tackles 2.5 Sacks

Harvey wasn’t able to subplant Robert Ayers and was used sparsely during the season. Jason Hunter had more playing time than he did. With Harvey what you see is what you get. He should have plenty of money if he hasn’t blown it all and doesn’t have to play to get hurt. I would say the Broncos could do better than him…

Broderick Bunkley has been one of the bright faces of the defense this year and a great find. Marcus Thomas and Ryan McBean have shown progression this last season and it matches to about the time of development they’ve had. The bad part about their situation is that they’ve been under different DCs every year they’ve been here. Hopefully that changes this year and they should be way ahead of schedule come TC. I do hope EFX drafts a pass rush DT in the draft though to help out in that area. One thing I noticed though, Ryan McBean seemed to wear down a bit at the end of the season. Rich Tuten is gone and that may be one reason along with other things. I would at least re-sign them and bring in more talent through FA and draft and let them all compete with eachother.

I want him back this year. He did a great job filling in for Miller in that Minn game, and honestly, he should have finished out the season in his stead

For every one of his highlight reel hits I swear he has to make about 3-4 missed tackles. He has played far, far, far worse than I remember Hunter and Haggan playing

Drafting one wouldn’t make to much sense righ now with Irving in the wings. Mays would be insurance unless they find somebody better in FA…

The kid that is the buzz around the Shrine game practices this week is Josh Norman, Coastal Atlantic. 6’1 203lbs…

One in the 1st two rounds and 1 later in the 3rd-5th. If last years pattern of selections is any clue (2 TEs, 3LBers) EFX might go the same route to get 2 CBs to groom for Champ and Goodman’s positions. I believe the 2nd rd will be a good place to start looking for a potential starter for Goodman’s spot and a player like Trumaine Johnson, Montana or Josh Norman, Coastal Carolina…There are several EFX can glean from the 3rd-5th rds that could be developmental projects.

Obviously we will do something in free agency. But based on the budget/cap comments so far from the front office my expectation is we will not be breaking the bank in free agency. So I agree Woodyard may be gone. But I think lower cost, productive guys will be back. Mays, Haggan, Fells, etc. are guys who at the very least are legitimate roster guys, and they know our system so I think many of those types of guys will be back. I would be somewhat suprised if we sign any obvious starter caliber players in free agency. The only one I think can make an immediate difference for us is Cliff Avril from Detroit. Big time pash rusher, which leads to . . .

We need nhanced play from the secondary. Without any detailed research to back me up, my theory is better pash rush = better DB play, even if the DBs aren’t better. Quicker, more intense pressure leads to bad reads, and bad throws which give DBs more legitimate chances to make plays.

Based on that unempirical premise, I think our #1 draft prioity will be interior pash rush. Avril could rush from the inside on passing downs, as many DEs can. Not sure how many 3 down DTs there are that can play the run and collapse the pocket. Those are rare players. More likley scenario is we add a guy (or guys) that can primarily rush the passer, and we stick with our current run stopping DTs. Bunk, Thomas and McBean did an admirable job there, so maybe team goes with status quo.

As far as CB in the draft, unless we get one of the top prospects, which we will not, or unless we get lucky (eg. Chris Harris), we will not draft a cover guy that is better this year than what we already have. Maybe we draft someone who will develop into a better player within a few years, but not this year. Get more pressure from the interior of the Dline, and DBs all look better.

My view is something like this:

FA – resign the majority of our own guys, bring in at least one pash rusher (our big FA signing) and a few more roster challenge type guys (maybe 1OL, 1DB & 1 or 2 WRs)

Draft – 1) pash rusher 2) CB 3) OL 4) WR/RB 5)QB 5)LB 7)DB

It would be great to get a FA CB that would make Goodman expendible, but based on how FA typically works I don’t believe we will be able to find such a player for much less, if any less, than we will pay for Goodman. If we run the same system next season his familiarity with the system will likely keep him in play, unless we get a great find through the draft (which is possible). My view is a more likely scenario is draft pick that takes over next year. If we see more development from Harris he may get a chance in a couple of years to take over for Champ.

Only reason I say not this year on the 3 down DT that can push the pocket is if there are any of those guys in this draft, and I have no idea if there are, they will be gone by mid first round. We may be able to find such a player later, but would likely take some time to develop. I like the Cambell idea, he fits the mold, I’m good with him and/or Avril. Ayers will be back, he is not flashy but he is not a liability either; solid rotation guy at worst.

Imagine if we could have a 3rd & 10 D line of Doom, Warren (at pre-injury level – fingers crossed), Ayers (even better if we had Campbell here too) and Avril. Add Von as a fifth rusher . . . give me that scenario 20-25 times this season and I see 8 sacks, 5-6 qb knock downs, 2-3 picks and a very low liklihood of a 1st down. At least that is how I see it when I run it through in my head!

Unless Jeremy Beal goes on a tear, I think resigning Jason Hunter to a modest 2 year contract or so would be a wise move.

I hesitate to cut McBean so easily when we have a PS guy like Mitch Unrein on the team. If they draft a DT, then they can cut Unrein and extend McBean another year before making a decision on his long term status. I have to hand it to him, he actually played well this year, so he deserves a short extension at least.

Mario Haggan can stay on STs forever as far as I’m concerned. He loves to play, no matter what the coaches ask of him and that makes him a good player to have around. Besides, this team doesn’t have much if any depth behind Von Miller and Haggan has proven that he can step in spot duty, if needed.

Lance Ball should be cut since I think he’s no better than Jeremiah Johnson. He is more reliable than Moreno however, so there’s that going for him.

If Irving isn’t ready to play MLB, then DJ should play the Mike with Mays demoted to STs and goal line packages. Wesley Woodyard can play the Will until a long term solution is available at Mike.

I couldn’t agree more on how badly this defense needs another NT! Ty Warren has only 1 year left on his contract and may or may not stay healthy in 2012. To expect Bunkley to stay healthy like he did most of this year is asking for too much. Young blood is needed in a very big way to help open up holes for our LBs to attack the pocket. That was painfully apparent against the Patriots.

First things first will be to start all over again with OC and DC. Really hope Dennis Allen stays but word is that he really wants the Raiders job.
New coordinators mean new directions/schemes/ideas etc. How do we find an OC for this offense, probably not unless bring a college guy in (not my top choice).
Also if you want your coaches to stay then NO coordinator wants that.
NAH, I see major step back if both go.

and I really think Raiders will go a different direction as well. Either way I trust Fox will find a new guy for D that will fit in well (maybe Singletary?).

but why do people insist on adding trades to their mock projections? And if we have a chance to take a guy like Burfict or maybe Kirkpatrick at 25, we do it. Stockpiling is for teams that can take a chance on that extra 3rd or 4th rounder becoming a star. We don’t have that option. We need to stay in the first round (where the talent is, because let’s face it, these guys are first rounders for a reason) so we can get ourselves another defensive stalwart to go along with Von Miller. And let’s hope Von returns to form, he was not the same after his injury. GB2

I didn’t want to do a new post and knock somebody elses off the board so I’ll put it here. My haven’t changed my mind all that much anyway and a new one would be kind of redundant.
Our FAs;
I was wrong about Haggan and McBean they should be in the “One year deal if he will. Probably cut him in camp.” class with Hoch, Hunter and Harvey.
I still feel Royal, Thomas and Woodyard will hold off signing our offer and testing the field. Add Mays to that list. Our offer will be to low for what they feel they can get elsewhere. I think Thomas will be the only one to leave.
Other teams FAs;
I like the names being thrown out there, I just know 70% of the FAs now won’t be available in March when FA period opens. If Conner is available I still like that signing. Landry, not so much. Not getting Achilles surgery doctors wanted bugs me. I like Tyvon Branch here instead. In the comments we decided Brandon Carr would be a better FA CB than Aaron Ross.
Draft;
Trade downs are hard to do mid rounds. We will if we can though.

1. Fletcher Cox DT Mississippi St. 6’4" 295 4.96-I think we want to draft a DE. Couples will be long gone. Upshaw and Ingram are Ayers clones. Perry, Mercilus and Branch are to light for DE. They have Cox as a DT, I think we play him as a rotational DE.
2. Vontaze Burflict ILB Arizona St. 6’3" 250 4.67-Hey how bad can he actually be. We have DJ. The kid is an animal. We need that.
3. George Iloka FS Boise St 6’4" 222 4.50-Height like that is unheard of as a DB. He played pretty good in the Senior Bowl IMO.
   4th Mike Martin DT Michigan 6’1" 304 4.98-I have watch him play. He always makes plays.
   5a. Isaiah Pead RB Cincinnati 5-10 193 4.42-The next Senior Bowl MVP to Super Bowl MVP
   5b. Casey Hayward CB Vanderbilt 5-11 188 4.53-Good showing at Senior Bowl. Hope it didn’t move him up to far.
   7th Nicolas Jean-Baptiste DT Baylor 6-2 335 5.06-I’ll still go with the big boy and put him on the Practce Squad.

I know no WR. Maybe we get one in FA after the draft. If we are looking to replace Royal there are plenty of fast guys that could run the triple option and be a return man that won’t even get drafted.