A Mock With a Shocking Trade: Memento's Third Offseason.

[Memento]

Okay, here we go again.

Fire:

Rob Boras, Paul Boudreau.

(Unfortunately, I'm operating under the guidelines that Fisher stays, due to his extension.)

Hire:

Mike Shanahan (OC).

(The perfect fit for the offense. Shanahan is hired by a close friend in Fisher.)

Cut:

Rodger Saffold
Tre Mason
Eugene Sims
Tim Barnes
William Hayes

(I realize that cutting Hayes is not a popular decision, but he has been injured and ineffective. Aside from that, our defensive line needs some new blood as well. Saffold, Sims, Barnes, and Mason are obvious.)

Re-sign:

Trumaine Johnson
Greg Zuerlein
Benny Cunningham
Dominique Easley
Ethan Westbrooks
Matt Longacre

(Tru needs to be re-signed, even if we have to put the franchise tag on him again. He's our best cornerback and - in my opinion - a true (pun not intended) number one. Zuerlein has bounced back. Cunningham is our second best back. Easley, Westbrooks, and Longacre are under our control, so we should re-sign them.)

Release:

T.J. McDonald
Brian Quick
Kenny Britt
Case Keenum
Cam Thomas
Chase Reynolds

(Pretty obvious. I think that it's time for new blood in the wide receiver position, so Quick and Britt are let go. McDonald is talented, but Mo is younger and plays the same position. Keenum is replaced by Mannion, Reynolds is purely special teams and replaceable, and Thomas is JAG.)

Convert:

Lamarcus Joyner (CB - FS)

(Joyner can join Alexander on the backend to make a feared duo. He fits at free safety better than nickel cornerback, in my honest opinion.)

Free Agency:

Alshon Jeffery
Ronald Leary

(Leary immediately replaces Saffold at left guard, while Jeffery gives us a bona-fide number one receiver.)

Trade:

Lance Kendricks to New York Jets for their 2017 fourth round pick.

(I believe that the Jets absolutely need a tight end. They are starting Kellen Davis, who is a blocking tight end on the decline and Austin Seferian-Jenkins, who is inconsistent and has off-the-field problems. Kendricks is easily an upgrade over both of them and opens the door for Higbee and Hemingway to shine. A fourth round pick should be sufficient.)

Robert Quinn to the Dallas Cowboys for their first round pick.

(This is the shocker. Dallas may have an excellent offensive line, but their defensive line leaves a lot to be desired. Quinn will immediately help them. Meanwhile, we get a first round pick to put more young talent into our defensive line.)

Draft:

1 (Dallas) - Charles Harris, DE, Missouri.



(Mizzou is known for putting defensive linemen into the draft, and the 6'3", 255 lbs. Harris is next in line to be a first round pick. He is a speed rusher who has the moves to beat opposing left tackles. Even without a lot of talent next to him, Harris consistently beat double teams. His weakness - like a lot of young defensive ends - is stopping the run. Still, he should immediately start at right end in Quinn's place.)

2 - Ethan Pocic, C, LSU.



(Pocic is arguably the best center in the class. He's a taller center (6'6", 310 lbs.), but is a tenacious run-blocker who opens up holes for Leonard Fournette to go through. His pass-protection is also good.)

3 - Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado.



(A shutdown corner at 5'11", 205 lbs., Awuzie is one of the main reasons why Colorado has been so successful this year. He's very sturdy against the run as well, and he'll start for us from day one.)

4 (Jets) - Amara Darboh, WR, Michigan.



(Darboh, a 6'1", 215 lbs. refugee from war-torn Sierra Leone, is an amazing receiver who has the potential of a great number two. He has an enormous catch radius and good athleticism for the position. He's not a deep threat, but he's not exactly slow either. Like Awuzie, I picture Darboh as a contributor from day one.)

4 - Tanoh Kpassagnon, DE, Villanova.



(Kpassagnon is the guy I want manning left defensive end for the next ten years. At 6'7", 288 lbs., you might think that he's more of a 3-4 five technique, but he has freakish athleticism and production. He's accepted an invite to the Senior Bowl, so his stock might go through the roof.)

4 (Comp.) Nico Siragusa, OG, San Diego State.



(Siragusa is not related to Tony Siragusa, but he's a mauler at 6'4", 330 lbs. He blocks for Donnel Pumphrey and has boosted his stock by being one of the better guards in the NCAA.)

5- Channing Stribling, CB/FS, Michigan.



(Michigan has an impressive backfield with Jourdan Lewis shutting down one side. Just don't count out the 6'1", 175 lbs. Stribling. He has a long wingspan that allows him to get to balls that other cornerbacks struggle with. He could move to free safety if he's not able to cover wide receivers as well as he did in college.)

6. Ahkello Witherspoon, CB/FS, Colorado.



(The other member of Colorado's impressive defensive backfield, Witherspoon is long and lean at 6'2", 195 lbs. He has a high Pro Football rating - if you're into that sort of stuff - and has been tried and tested by multiple quarterbacks. He'll compete with Stribling for the cornerback slot and possibly end up at free safety if he isn't quick enough to play cornerback in the league.)

6 (Comp.) - Josh Augusta, NT, Missouri.



(A 6'4", 345 lbs. mammoth of a man, Augusta is also extremely athletic for a man his size. He'd be a perfect backup nose tackle, spelling Brockers whenever needed.)

7 - Elijah McGuire, RB, UL Lafayette.



(McGuire could end up higher than this, but as of now, he's a seventh round pick. McGuire is an excellent receiving back who could eventually take over for Cunningham, and his patience, speed, and power in a 5'10", 208 lbs. package is rare.)

Thoughts, comments, and critique are all appreciated.

 

[den-the-coach]

For the record I love these because it gives me hope even this early and appreciate the time and effort that goes into putting this together and if Fisher stayed Mike Shanahan as OC is the best case scenario, however, this is a Tight End rich draft so I don't see the Jets parting with a 4th for Kendricks especially with Kendricks proving, he can't catch a cold. Also Quinn has been far too injury prone to receive a first round pick in return from the Cowboys, now if he had a great comeback year, it might be possible, but teams don't part with first round picks so I just can't see it, but as always JMHO.

 

[lockdnram21]

What has tru showed u that says #1?

 

[Riverumbbq]

No way we get a # 1 draft pick for Quinn.

 

[jrry32]

Good job, Memento. However, I gotta say that I think Witherspoon might end up going much higher.

No way we get a # 1 draft pick for Quinn.

I actually think that's fairly probable if we trade him. Pass rushers are in demand. Quinn is a risk due to the injuries, but he's also still young and on a team friendly deal for the next 3 years.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Good job, Memento. However, I gotta say that I think Witherspoon might end up going much higher.



I actually think that's fairly probable if we trade him. Pass rushers are in demand. Quinn is a risk due to the injuries, but he's also still young and on a team friendly deal for the next 3 years.

After his 2013 season we might have gotten 2 first rounders. Problem isn't just health though, his production has fallen every year since, and we don't have a good explanation of what the problem is. If his production was even as high as 2014, none of us would be here talking about him as trade bait.

 

[jrry32]

After his 2013 season we might have gotten 2 first rounders. Problem isn't just health though, his production has fallen every year since, and we don't have a good explanation of what the problem is. If his production was even as high as 2014, none of us would be here talking about him as trade bait.

Exactly. If he were producing like he was back then, he'd be untouchable. That's why he's still worth a first.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Exactly. If he were producing like he was back then, he'd be untouchable. That's why he's still worth a first.

I know I wouldn't gamble a 1'st on him, if I thought he was worth that i'd want to keep him. My problem is with not knowing his health status and whether he can recapture part of his old self. My gamble is that he somehow gets his game back while we use our 2018 1'st round pick to replace Hayes on the other side, someone else besides Donald which can drive the QB out of his comfort zone. Quinn's become an average pass rusher and needs to be rotated out on obvious run plays, this hurts his value. Like Leonard Little, he uses his speed in a loop which allows RB's to gash him, he needs to also better develop a more direct inside attack. Unfortunately the Rams don't have many resources to improve our pass rush in 2017, not with that expensive trade for Goff, that's why i'm gambling on a cheap free agent guy like Dion Jordan to hopefully improve on our chances. jmo.

 

[jrry32]

I know I wouldn't gamble a 1'st on him, if I thought he was worth that i'd want to keep him. My problem is with not knowing his health status and whether he can recapture part of his old self. My gamble is that he somehow gets his game back while we use our 2018 1'st round pick to replace Hayes on the other side, someone else besides Donald which can drive the QB out of his comfort zone. Quinn's become an average pass rusher and needs to be rotated out on obvious run plays, this hurts his value. Like Leonard Little, he uses his speed in a loop which allows RB's to gash him, he needs to also better develop a more direct inside attack. Unfortunately the Rams don't have many resources to improve our pass rush in 2017, not with that expensive trade for Goff, that's why i'm gambling on a cheap free agent guy like Dion Jordan to hopefully improve on our chances. jmo.

I don't think I can agree with that. Health has been an issue, but Quinn does have 9 sacks and 5 FFs in his 15 starts over the past two years. He can get to the QB and force fumbles. The risk for the team acquiring him is that he continues to struggle to stay on the field. The reward is that he stays on the field and offers 10-15 sacks 5-8 FF potential again. I think that's definitely worth a first round pick.

I wouldn't take less than a first for him. If a guy like Percy Harvin can get a 1st, so can Quinn.

 

[Riverumbbq]

Honestly, I don't want to get rid of him, even for a first. I'll take my chances on a recovery being without any inside information on his health situation. Quinn is a known quantity, trading him opens up a big hole and we don't know how a new player will adapt. If any of our more elite defensive players are in trouble with new coaching, i'd be more worried about what they plan to do with Barron if Williams is gone. jmo.

 

[LACHAMP46]

Nice stuff here Memento....Great need picks...We need one more LB...perhaps we can find a real one in udfa...And I'd look for a LT