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

[SemperFi Skins]

Lawson has had a lot of chances and in different schemes, he's played alongside some really good defensive players to draw attention away from him, yet he's always struggled to produce. I'm sure PFF wouldn't have benched him with how well they think he was doing, yet the Bengals did. He's going to be on his 3rd team soon, I think Lawson is just a guy who never touched his potential and won't ever either.

The Bengals just signed Aaron Maybin. That should tell you something about what they think of Lawson.

The Bengals play a 4-3 defense... It's not his fit. Last year before the Bengals picked him up, the Packers and Texans were bidding contracts for his rights to play in the 3-4.

It's the offseason, of course they are going to sign guys who may or may not help the team... This has absolutely nothing to do with Lawson. Maybin probably will not make the roster. They have both OLB's in Howard and Lawson departing as well as Rey Mauluaga, all in FA and Maybin is a cheaper option than all of them...

---------- Post added January-25th-2013 at 04:37 PM ----------

Falcons | Brent Grimes may not return
Fri, 25 Jan 2013 12:42:25 -0800

The Atlanta Falcons may not be able to re-sign impending free-agent CB Brent Grimes if he receives a lucrative offer from another team this offseason.


Read more: http://kffl.com/hotw/nfl#ixzz2J1ePL2SH

[RWJ]

I just don't think we have the money to go after Grimes or any other big name FA CB or any other position. I think in the end we sign a couple of tier 2 guys that are young and don't cost as much. JMO.

[Alcoholic Zebra]

The Bengals play a 4-3 defense... It's not his fit. Last year before the Bengals picked him up, the Packers and Texans were bidding contracts for his rights to play in the 3-4.

He signed a pretty cheap contract with the Bengals, 1 year for 2.1 million. So it's not like it was much of a bidding war. But he was playing alongside Justin Smith with the 49ers, and couldn't do anything. Enter Aldon Smith and the pressure rate + sack numbers explode.

It's the offseason, of course they are going to sign guys who may or may not help the team... This has absolutely nothing to do with Lawson. Maybin probably will not make the roster. They have both OLB's in Howard and Lawson departing as well as Rey Mauluaga, all in FA and Maybin is a cheaper option than all of them...

Yeah, you're probably right.

[SemperFi Skins]

He signed a pretty cheap contract with the Bengals, 1 year for 2.1 million. So it's not like it was much of a bidding war. But he was playing alongside Justin Smith with the 49ers, and couldn't do anything. Enter Aldon Smith and the pressure rate + sack numbers explode.

Yeah, you're probably right.

All in good fun my friend

---------- Post added January-25th-2013 at 04:50 PM ----------

I just don't think we have the money to go after Grimes or any other big name FA CB or any other position. I think in the end we sign a couple of tier 2 guys that are young and don't cost as much. JMO.

I don't want Grimes anyway, just posting the information... Everyone knows my position on Keenan Lewis/Chris Houston/Tracy Porter... other than that, I'm going with the draft for CB

[RWJ]

All in good fun my friend

---------- Post added January-25th-2013 at 04:50 PM ----------



I don't want Grimes anyway, just posting the information... Everyone knows my position on Keenan Lewis/Chris Houston/Tracy Porter... other than that, I'm going with the draft for CB

Understand and agree.

[SWFLSkins]

http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/5184/sean-smith




http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/...nard-hankerson

NFL defensive coaches have been unimpressed by Leonard Hankerson's ability to create separation through Hankerson's first two NFL seasons.
Hankerson is blessed with great size and massive hands, but his 2012 performance was incredibly inconsistent both on the field and in the box score. He typically only got open when play-action gave him room to run downfield. Beat writer John Keim says he'd still "strongly bet" on 24-year-old Hankerson improving in his third season. We'll keep tabs on him this spring and summer. Jan 25 - 2:01 PM
Source: Washington Examiner

I don't know the separation during the first season between him and the field was pretty huge.

[Gallen5862]

What round does Marcus Lattimore gets drafted? Should the Redskins consider drafting him?

[DC9]

I don't know the separation during the first season between him and the field was pretty huge.

That was pretty funny, man.

But just know... the "Stopwatch" is not to be ****ed with when he is making prognastications! #Kingkeim

[rick1796]

Let's also remeber Hank was a 3rd round draft pick. We're still getting good value out of a player who clearly needed/needs time to develope. I am not an apologist i am just willing to wait through a rookie contract for a third rounder to prove his worth.

[DogofWar1]

So it sounds like most of the CBs are looking for about 7M a year. Lewis wants 35M/5Y, Smith wants 43M/6Y.

I don't think those kinds of numbers are too ridiculous for us, though we would have to do some work, and that would be the big signing, no big name safeties or RTs.

[DC9]

So it sounds like most of the CBs are looking for about 7M a year. Lewis wants 35M/5Y, Smith wants 43M/6Y.

I don't think those kinds of numbers are too ridiculous for us, though we would have to do some work, and that would be the big signing, no big name safeties or RTs.

One thing to keep in mind, is that these are the numbers being put out there right now to set the market. The Dolphins have a lot of cap space.

We can easily make one of those work. What'll be interesting to see is HOW exactly we make it work.

Our 3-4 scheme relies heavily on one true corner being able to lock down one hash to the sideline. If we get one B+ corner in FA, we can draft around the rest of the holes in the secondary. The defense will improve dramatically with just 1 starting caliber corner and 1 starting caliber safety. I think we are all smart enough to realize that.

Who that corner/those corners is/are going to be is the question.

[Chump Bailey]

Lawson is graded as +1.1 in pass rushing and +8.1 against the run... i'd say he's done fairly well... Pass rushing isn't always about the sack total. Although his 18 in his career is decent. He wasn't always playing linebacker in the schemes either. He certianly has the athletic ability... He needs to be back in the 3-4.

He ran a 4.43 as well which is just absolutely freakish for his position. In the right scheme, I fully expect Manny Lawson to dominate.

But again, this is only for insurance purposes if we feel like Orakpo is glass now. Who's to tell what his future holds.

I like Antwan Barnes and Phillip Wheeler too. I wanted Wheeler when he was on the street before the Raiders signed him.

[Skinsinparadise]

Let's also remeber Hank was a 3rd round draft pick. We're still getting good value out of a player who clearly needed/needs time to develope. I am not an apologist i am just willing to wait through a rookie contract for a third rounder to prove his worth.

Agree but for me 2 things that make me wonder if he emerges: 1. for a relatively big guy he seems to play with some fear of being hit and seems ginger going up the middle. Compare him in that department to lets say Josh Morgan who seems to play tough and fearless. 2. He seems awkward when they've tried him as a deep threat, doesn't always stretch his hands, has a hard time separating, etc.

[Chump Bailey]

I'd like to see Johnny Knox out there with Garcon...

[bigricky3469]

I expect this to be a very dry and dull off season for the Skill and I'll be happy.