2013 FA Thread (Updates on OP) New: Merling, Brace, Pashos, Trueblood, EJBig, Tapp, White, Williams, MATTHEWS; Re-up: Rex, Hall, Davis, Paulsen, DY, RJax, Lich, Sundberg, Baker, Sav, Golston, Kehl, Polumbus; Paycuts: Carriker, Moss, BMeri, J. Wilson

[SAli457180]

We need to go ahead and take care of that now. He would definitely be an upgrade to several teams around the league. I really hope he wants to come back and help us hoist a Lombardi vs get paid with some **** team.

Right. I don't want him to turn into an Antonio Pierce, despite the fact that he was a total **** after he left. This team HAS to take care of its own and quickly.

[#BgMase76#]

True enough, what's the deal w/ Chase? Is he signed or did we cut him? Hall said he would restructure but I just don't see him taking vet minimum. I liked what I saw out of the young corners late. I refuse to believe Williams returns next season. I understand we need to upgrade the secondary but if we get Rak and Carriker back. That alleviates a lot of those problems as well as allows the secondary to mesh over the season as opposed to the trail by fire method we were forced into this season. The Merling pick up doesn't excite me. He was in the same draft class as Rak and Calais Campbell. There was a lot if hype surrounding us and that pick.

[JMUSkins]

Right. I don't want him to turn into an Antonio Pierce, despite the fact that he was a total **** after he left. This team HAS to take care of its own and quickly.

Pierce is a piece of **** traitor. It made me sick to watch him have success.

[Laxpunk2006]

True enough, what's the deal w/ Chase? Is he signed or did we cur him? Hall said he would restructure but I just don't see him take vet minimum.

From what I remember Minnifield was waved-injured as required and then resigned to IR after clearing waivers.

I don't see Hall taking a vet minimum contract either but there is plenty of room in between to find a happy medium.

[DC9]

True enough, what's the deal w/ Chase? Is he signed or did we cut him? Hall said he would restructure but I just don't see him taking vet minimum. I liked what I saw out of the young corners late. I refuse to believe Williams returns next season. I understand we need to upgrade the secondary but if we get Rak and Carriker back. That alleviates a lot of those problems as well as allows the secondary to mesh over the season as opposed to the trail by fire method we were forced into this season. The Merling pick up doesn't excite me. He was in the same draft class as Rak and Calais Campbell. There was a lot if hype surrounding us and that pick.

Chase was signed as an UDFA. He was released, cleared waivers, then signed and put on IR. So he'll be back next season.

I agree that Rak and Carriker coming back will help. And average safety play would've made this defense better. Have a pass rush and penetrating linemen will be good as well.

I'm not making a lot of the Merling pick either. But it never hurts to have competition. I think the weakness of the defensive line was Kedric Golston. I mentioned earlier that I'd love to move Cofield to DE and let Baker and Neild (if healthy) both stay and rotate at NT.

I'd have two lines, and Golston would be the odd man out.

DE Jenkins
NT Baker
DE Bowen

DE Carriker
NT Neild
DE Cofield

I just think those are both starting caliber lines and would make for a good rotation. I was skeptical of Cofield at the Nose until the second half of the season, but he still lacks the push and control that the Pocono Punisher and the Tidewater Terror have.


EDIT: And I agree with LAX, no chance Hall takes vet minimum, lol. Nor should he. He deserves about 4-5 mil a year... not 8 with 3 and a hook worth of incentives.

---------- Post added January-12th-2013 at 09:35 PM ----------

I don't see Hall taking a vet minimum contract either but there is plenty of room in between to find a happy medium.

I don't think vet minimum would've covered all of his fines for this year hahaha.

[Monk4thaHALL]

I want to improve the pass rush.

When I look at the draft, I see the ability to improve the secondary, specifically the safeties, throughout the 2nd to 3rd, 4th and 5th rounds.

I put up a mock in the comprehensive that is geared toward using the draft for the secondary - with the thought process that I could impact the pass rush the most in Free Agency.

I have a much tougher time finding an impact pass rushing defensive lineman in the draft (in general), who can play in a 3-4, not only 2-gap but likewise actually rush the passer and successfully sack a QB time and again.

I find that the numbers favor the secondary in the draft. Just more players, more impact guys later, more chances in later rounds, just more opportunities to improve the team in the draft at Safety and CB. (Lesser contracts too).

For Free Agency, the defensive lineman I'm looking for is someone more athletic than the standard Shanahan defensive lineman who's big and slow and just bases out in 2-gap.

I want to have the most complete 5-Tech possible, but one shaded to the side of pass rushing. He has to be able to get to the QB but FINISH.

Someone able to not only put pressure on, hurry, the opposing QB but someone who can actually finish the play with a sack. Bowen could get there from time to time, but he couldn't consistently finish the play with a sack. All too often he would get sidestepped and not impact the outcome of the play.

Versus the run, we've got plenty of guys who are just right at getting their arms out, hands into the o-line, dancing and playing 2 gaps and stopping the run. That's not the issue.

The issue is pass rush.

The best d-lineman we have is Cofield, hands down. He's the most disruptive.

I want to complement him. My guy is Henry Melton.

It was painfully obvious the lack of pressure that the defense was producing throughout the year. Opposing QBs had so much time - 5, 6, 7 or more seconds to just extend a play, dance and find a receiver who broke off a route.

I see Melton as scheme diverse and an immediate impact d-line player.

I guess I could summarize it like this:

Since there is no 1st round selection and since that selection generally is hoped to be an immediate impact, starter, type player, additionally since no contract is being handed out that 1st round player, then in lieu of that, use that money otherwise dedicated to the 1st round player (whom does not exist) and use free agency for that 1 player, that 1 immediate starter to make the biggest impact on the team.

To me that focus needs to be on the defense.

One could easily argue it needs to be focused on Safety. I feel that way too. But with the cap sanctions, I'm working with the idea that we have to ... wish for that one nice present rather than handful of gift cards.

I don't have a problem with focusing on Safety, other than the fact that most of the guys we have identified as surefire impact, starter types - like Quin or Byrd - are going to be damn hard to corral. There's going to be huge competition for them and a large paycheck.

Shanahan has shown that he will shop down-market more often than not. This is where I think the team could go for a mid-level safety in free agency. Perhaps that someone has had some injury history, so that the contract is minimal.

I would also assume that the guys we have floating around our organization will come back to at least "compete" - like Merriweather and Jackson (possibly) along with our Fav' Doughty and Co.

Again, I say push the secondary to the draft and open up competition with what existing on the roster and add in new young blood from the draft: Phillip Thomas, Will Davis, Micah Hyde, etc.

Maybe Rambo or Vaccaro fall to the end of the 2nd for the Skins, who knows.
__

Anyway, (just briefly) I mentioned Paul Kruger in the comprehensive. I'll just say that my suspicion is that Shanahan stays with Orakpo (just like he did with Brown) and allow him to comeback from injury to compete. With the emergence of Rob Jackson, I just can't imagine shanahan willing to hand out a starter's contract to Kruger while also having Orakpo on the roster.

Something would have to give.

Personally, I worry about Po's longterm viability and I like Kruger a ton. I'd make the move to get him myself, but I wouldn't know what to do with Po.

In summation, my attack would be free agency used to improve the pass rush with a starter. Maybe add another player for competition to the secondary - not a big name though. Also add fairly no-name guys for depth and completion across the board.

The offseason roster balloons to 90 players.

Use the draft to focus on the secondary early on (2nd & 3rd round). I'd prioritize BPA along CB and Free Safety. I'm looking at a few tackles, guys like Brian Winters might be had in the 3rd round. I'd let Compton fight it out for RT with ... yes I would possibly consider re-signing Polumbus, but I'd add a Tackle at some point to the mix as well.

Only if by some crazy feat were a substantially signification Tackle to fall into our laps in the 2nd round would I prioritize that first. The fact of the matter is that Lewan and Matthews decided to go back to school and that has rocked the Tackle class.

Guys who otherwise would have gone in the 2nd or 3rd are now pushing up into the 1st round and early 2nd.

[Monk4thaHALL]

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/5181/paul-kruger | Paul Kruger: Roto

According to CBS Sports' Jason LaCanfora, impending free agent OLB Paul Kruger is seeking around $8 million per year in his next contract.

Kruger fired his agents this week and is expected to sign with a major firm after posting career highs in tackles (42) and sacks (nine) this past season. With Ed Reed, Cary Williams, and ILB Dannell Ellerbe also scheduled for free agency, the Ravens aren't likely to get into a bidding war to re-sign Kruger, and appear set to let him test the open market. Kruger made just $615,000 in 2012, the final year of his rookie contract.

Jan 12 - 8:46 PM

[Hitman21ST]

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/5181/paul-kruger | Paul Kruger: Roto

If Rak isn't healthy, then I wouldn't mind taking a swing at him. Not for $8M though.

[Monk4thaHALL]

If Rak isn't healthy, then I wouldn't mind taking a swing at him. Not for $8M though.

That's the thing though. Shanahan will make the play for the least financial commitment. That means sticking with him.

Po will be in a contract year in '13. I'm sure Orakpo will be back and will at least compete and probably play. It's just me probably, but I don't like the injury history on that pec.

He's scheduled to make:
2013: $2.81 million (+ $884,000 workout bonus),
2014: Free Agent

That's a far cry from the estimated 8 million roto just speculated with on Kruger. And could you imagine the outcry from the bourgeois segment of the fanbase? To preemptive toss Rak to the side for a splash free agent from Baltimore. The average fan would be pissed.

It's not likely at all, at least to me.

Shanahan will stick with Orakpo and we'll see if his pec holds up. Maybe it does, maybe not. I mean shanahan stuck with Brown throughout his injury. And one could argue that he stuck with Brown too long, that shanahan was too loyal to see if he could come back, when time and again that hip was toast.

[Momma There Goes That Man]

I'm not making a lot of the Merling pick either. But it never hurts to have competition. I think the weakness of the defensive line was Kedric Golston. I mentioned earlier that I'd love to move Cofield to DE and let Baker and Neild (if healthy) both stay and rotate at NT.

I'd have two lines, and Golston would be the odd man out.

DE Jenkins
NT Baker
DE Bowen

DE Carriker
NT Neild
DE Cofield

I just think those are both starting caliber lines and would make for a good rotation.

I really your idea here and I think that would work great keeping everybody fresh throughout the game and season. With the LB core we can put behind them especially with Jackson back that could turn into a very formidable front 7/pass rush.

[Smurf85]

There are a few people in here saying we should sign this guy and that guy. Well we need to worry about resigning a few of our players like Jackson and Davis. I say sign the guys we want to keep. Maybe sign one or two free agents and draft the rest of our players. We've been doing good in the draft the last few years and that's what makes good teams great. I know we don't have a 1st round pick, but I believe we can find a lot of talent with the rest of our picks.

[DogofWar1]

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/5181/paul-kruger | Paul Kruger: Roto

The contract number is my key concern with guys in the front 7 who we might try to sign. I would love to get Kruger and Melton, and really have a monster pass rush with great depth, but I just can't see it being practical with our cap penalty, and even without the penalty that would tie a lot of money up the DT/DE/OLB group. If Kruger ultimately gets anywhere close to 8M, he's sadly well out of our price range.

I suppose if Rak isn't healthy, then it makes sense to chase another guy, but Rak is only due something like 2M, so Kruger would cost several million more minimum. I want a dominant pass rush, nothing is better than watching our front 7 (and back 4), drag QBs to their knees, but at the very minimum we need a new safety, and should probably add a RT who can actually pass block, especially if several of the top draft prospects bail. We might have to place our hopes in Rak and Carriker coming back, and Jenkins continuing to develop.

Another problem is ILB. If Fletcher declines and Robinson doesn't develop we're really going to be stuck. If we somehow did the McIntosh->Riley thing with Fletcher->Robinson this year, that would be good, but that's iffy. Frankly, I'm more worried about ILB than OLB or DE or DT. Neild and Baker will be back at NT next year, so we might be able to kick Cofield outside, and between him, Bowen, Carriker, and Jenkins, I think we'll have a solid rotation.

I really do hate that cap penalty. Without that, combined with some restructuring, we could hit all the weak spots, RT, S, CB, DE, OLB, maybe even WR, but picking and choosing sucks.

[Skins199021]

The Cap penalty is not nearly the same factor it was last year. Just backload all the deals. It is a lot easier to maneuver around 1 year than 2. Especially considering that we don't have 1st round picks to pay for the next 2 years it shouldn't be hard.

[DogofWar1]

The Cap penalty is not nearly the same factor it was last year. Just backload all the deals. It is a lot easier to maneuver around 1 year than 2. Especially considering that we don't have 1st round picks to pay for the next 2 years it shouldn't be hard.

It's still 18M. Unless top FAs are taking IOUs, we still need to dish out some cash for them this year.

Especially because the last thing we want to do is backload a bunch of deals and then find ourselves in cap hell for several years when the money comes due. We've already got some backloaded deals right now like Garcon.

[FrFan]

I'm always suspicious about players putting up big stats just before a contract year, reminds me of Haintworth.