- Joined
- Jan 14, 2013
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In case you don't know, I'm not trying to predict the future. Just giving a scenario that I would be happy with.
Fire
Jeff Fisher HC
Frank Cignetti OC
Gregg Williams DC
Hire
Hue Jackson HC
Ken Zampese OC
Jim Schwartz DC
As I said, it's 10+ wins and/or playoffs or bust this year. At this point, I think we end up around 8-8 and that's not good enough for me. I'd love to keep Gregg Williams but I don't think he'll want to stick around unless he's made Head Coach. Hue Jackson made the comment that he'd have kept Jim Schwartz as DC if Buffalo had hired him as HC. Schwartz is arguably the best free agent DC on the market. We have all of the pieces for his scheme. Our defense is pretty much perfect for his aggressive, attacking scheme.
I also think the world of Hue Jackson as an offensive mind. He took an Oakland team to 8-8 in his first stint as HC that had no business being that good. He managed to make Jason Campbell look serviceable as a starter and Darren McFadden look like one of the best backs in the NFL. And look what he's done with Dalton this year. Obviously, he's not being given personnel control after the Carson Palmer fiasco...but at the same time, Palmer is proving now that Jackson was right to trade for him.(even if he did give up too much)
Cut
Jared Cook TE
Rodger Saffold OG
Kenny Britt WR
Nick Foles QB
Akeem Ayers OLB
Restructure
Chris Long DE
Re-sign
Janoris Jenkins - 5 years $50 million
Trumaine Johnson - 4 years $28 million
Greg Zuerlein - 3 years $6 million
Will Hayes - 2 years $6 million
Tim Barnes - 2 years $3 million
Daren Bates - RFA Tender
Benny Cunningham - RFA Tender
Cody Davis - RFA Tender
Cory Harkey - 2 years $4 million
Brian Quick - 1 year $2.5 million
Made a tough choice and let Mark Barron walk. It's time to let Mo Alexander step up. I like Barron a lot. But we can afford to let him go in order to fortify other parts of the team. I also let McLeod go. Disappointed with all the poor angles from him. Didn't keep Keenum in this mock but if he plays well as a backup, I'd certainly be open to keeping him. I kept Quick on a prove-it deal as I think he's starting to look better and he's a good fit for Hue's offense.
I also cut Foles even though we won't save much money releasing him. I don't think he offers us enough value even as a backup QB.
Free Agency
Anquan Boldin WR - 2 years $10 million
Mitchell Schwartz OG/OT - 4 years $18 million
Drew Stanton QB - 2 years $6 million
Akiem Hicks DT - 2 years $4 million
Louis Delmas FS - 1 year $1 million
The Anquan Boldin signing may or may not be popular but with Kenny Britt departing, we need a veteran presence and if there's been one thing we've needed all year, it's been a reliable option on 3rd down. Boldin fills both of those needs. I think he's got at least one good year left in him. His game isn't based on speed.
I think Schwartz has a lot of potential for the team that signs him. Things are dysfunctional in Cleveland and Schwartz is playing RT. Like his brother, Geoff, I think Mitchell is a better OG than RT at the NFL level. He struggles with speed on the edge. I think moving him inside will help him become a much more effective player.
Drew Stanton comes in as our backup QB. He's a good fit for Hue's scheme, he is coming from a similar type of offense with Arians, and he's a guy willing to be content as a backup. He's also a former Michigan State QB which might appeal to our first round pick haha.
Akiem Hicks replaces Nick Fairley. He's an extremely talented athlete that fits the Waufle mold (hoping we can retain him) in terms of size (6'5" 325) who has underachieved a bit thus far in his career but also shown flashes of brilliance. We have arguably the best DL Coach in the NFL. I think he might be able to bring out the best in Hicks who is still a young player.
Louis Delmas is coming off back to back ACL tears and has a lengthy injury history so this is a pure flier but he played well for Schwartz in Detroit. This is a no guaranteed money type of deal on a guy that's coming off an injury. If he makes the team, he'll compete with LaMarcus Joyner and Cody Davis for the starting FS job. If he doesn't, no harm no foul.
Trade
None but I made this section to mention that it is possible that we could trade our first for Stafford if Detroit decides to go another direction. Especially if we hire Hue Jackson. I think he'll be a really big Stafford fan.
NFL Draft
Round 1 Pick #16 - Connor Cook QB Michigan State
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsGHAEUwvRc
Analysis: Carson Wentz, who accepted his invite to the Senior Bowl, could be the pick here if he impresses in that game. However, until then, I can't put him this high. But he fits the mold of Jackson's scheme and has a lot of similarities to Flacco and Palmer...two QBs that Jackson worked with. Connor Cook also fits Jackson's scheme well, is coming out of a pro style vertically oriented system, and is a three year starter. I gave a very detailed breakdown of him in the 2016 QB thread in Rams Discussion. Why Cook? He has some warts (if he didn't, he'd go top 5) but he has done a number of things at the college level that translate incredibly well to the pro game. He's also an aggressive QB coming from a system that encouraged down-field shots which is similar to Hue's system. Cook displays the ability to throw with anticipation, throw his WRs open, fit the ball into tight windows, hang in the pocket and make throws while under pressure, and maneuver a chaotic pocket. He also absolutely destroys the blitz. He's special in that regard. He reads the blitz as well as anyone I've evaluated at the college level and finds his match-up. When he needs to get the ball out hot, he does so. When he sees that he has a match-up advantage, he goes after it. Cook has inconsistencies in his game (especially in his lower body mechanics), he's streaky, and makes some boneheaded decisions but he's a guy that also is capable of doing things you only see out of veteran QBs (throwing before the WR has made his break into a tight window created by him looking off the safety). There's some Cutler and Eli to his game but you get both the bad and the good. He'll make mistakes as a rookie but he has the potential to be an Eli caliber player in the NFL and I think the odds are good that he becomes at least Cutler good if he lands in the right environment.
NFL Comparison: Eli Manning
Round 2 Pick #16 - Tyler Boyd WR Pittsburgh
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSh6yeGjWs8
Analysis: Boyd is the type of WR that falls on draft day. He's not huge (6'2" 200ish) and doesn't have outstanding straight-line speed. However, he possesses great acceleration, outstanding agility, a high level understanding of the game (high football IQ), advanced route running ability, top tier body control, and a good pair of hands. Boyd will drop some easy passes and his motor can run hot and cold as a blocker but he'll make a lot of difficult catches and is excellent at creating yardage after the catch. Like any college player, his route running needs some development but he's very advanced for a college WR and already uses subtle nuances in his route running that you typically only see in veteran NFL WRs. He's also coming from a pro style offense.
NFL Comparison: Keenan Allen
Round 2 Pick #18 - Evan Engram TE Ole Miss
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5QitbYK_DE
Analysis: Remember what Jared Cook was supposed to be when we signed him? The super athletic slot TE capable of creating mismatches? That's what Engram is. He's what Cook was supposed to be. Extraordinarily athletic although undersized for a traditional inline blocking TE at 6'3" 230. He's made for the new move TE role. Engram's agility and change of directional skills are highly impressive for a guy his size. He runs routes like a WR; very quick in and out of his breaks. Needs some polish but he's a lot more polished in that regard than most TEs. Has the speed to get vertical on defenses. My guess is that he'll time somewhere between a 4.55 and 4.65 40. Impressive YAC skills as well as he's elusive after the catch and strong enough to not go down easily. Good pair of hands and can go up and get the ball. He's just a major mismatch as a move TE. As a blocker, he needs a lot of technical work but he doesn't lack effort or willingness. Will get physical and flashes good blocking skills at times but needs a lot of development in that regard.
NFL Comparison: Jordan Reed
Round 3 Pick #16 - Scooby Wright III ILB Arizona
Analysis: According to Arizona, Scooby Wright had 163 tackles, 29 TFLs, 14 sacks, and 6 FFs in 2014 ALONE. Unfortunately for him, he's missed almost this entire season thus far with injuries. This is a kid that doesn't have the NFL look. He's listed at 6'1" 246. I think he'll come in closer to 5'11" 240. But he's a guy that plays with so much passion, relentlessness, and heart that his average athleticism and underwhelming size don't limit his game. He has top tier instincts, great play strength (gym rat), and plays with reckless abandon. Sometimes, that reckless abandon will cause him to miss tackles but it's worth it with how often he's in the back-field making plays. He's Arizona's defensive leader, he is the guy that makes sure everyone is lined up properly, and he's the heart of that defense. They also will move him down to DE on certain passing downs and he's a disruptive, relentless pass rusher. This guy is James Laurinaitis's heir apparent and I have a feeling Gregg Williams will find a way to use his versatile skill-set in the mean time. If Wright isn't available, Tyler Matakevich from Temple is also worth considering.
NFL Comparison: Chris Borland
Round 4 Pick #16 - Evan Boehm C Missouri
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWDstknJHEw
Analysis: Boehm fits Hue Jackson's power running style. He's a people mover at Center and that's rare. Mauling run blocker that plays through the whistle. Has a serious mean streak. Smart guy and experienced started in the SEC. Only big question is his game is if he has the pass pro skills to be a NFL Center. His athleticism is a bit limited as his feet are pretty average and he doesn't appear to have long arms. Struggles with quicker DTs that can penetrate quickly in the A gap. If he has the pass blocking chops to play in the NFL, he'll be a quality Center as run blocking is no concern.
NFL Comparison: Ben Jones
Projected Starters
QB: Connor Cook
HB: Todd Gurley
FB: Cory Harkey
XWR: Anquan Boldin
ZWR: Tavon Austin
SLWR: Tyler Boyd
TE: Lance Kendricks
LT: Greg Robinson
LG: Mitchell Schwartz
C: Tim Barnes
RG: Jamon Brown
RT: Rob Havenstein
LDE: Chris Long
LDT: Michael Brockers
RDT: Aaron Donald
RDE: Robert Quinn
OLB: Alec Ogletree
MLB: James Laurinaitis
SPUR: Mo Alexander
LCB: Trumaine Johnson
RCB: Janoris Jenkins
SLCB: E.J. Gaines
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: T.J. McDonald
K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
Fire
Jeff Fisher HC
Frank Cignetti OC
Gregg Williams DC
Hire
Hue Jackson HC
Ken Zampese OC
Jim Schwartz DC
As I said, it's 10+ wins and/or playoffs or bust this year. At this point, I think we end up around 8-8 and that's not good enough for me. I'd love to keep Gregg Williams but I don't think he'll want to stick around unless he's made Head Coach. Hue Jackson made the comment that he'd have kept Jim Schwartz as DC if Buffalo had hired him as HC. Schwartz is arguably the best free agent DC on the market. We have all of the pieces for his scheme. Our defense is pretty much perfect for his aggressive, attacking scheme.
I also think the world of Hue Jackson as an offensive mind. He took an Oakland team to 8-8 in his first stint as HC that had no business being that good. He managed to make Jason Campbell look serviceable as a starter and Darren McFadden look like one of the best backs in the NFL. And look what he's done with Dalton this year. Obviously, he's not being given personnel control after the Carson Palmer fiasco...but at the same time, Palmer is proving now that Jackson was right to trade for him.(even if he did give up too much)
Cut
Jared Cook TE
Rodger Saffold OG
Kenny Britt WR
Nick Foles QB
Akeem Ayers OLB
Restructure
Chris Long DE
Re-sign
Janoris Jenkins - 5 years $50 million
Trumaine Johnson - 4 years $28 million
Greg Zuerlein - 3 years $6 million
Will Hayes - 2 years $6 million
Tim Barnes - 2 years $3 million
Daren Bates - RFA Tender
Benny Cunningham - RFA Tender
Cody Davis - RFA Tender
Cory Harkey - 2 years $4 million
Brian Quick - 1 year $2.5 million
Made a tough choice and let Mark Barron walk. It's time to let Mo Alexander step up. I like Barron a lot. But we can afford to let him go in order to fortify other parts of the team. I also let McLeod go. Disappointed with all the poor angles from him. Didn't keep Keenum in this mock but if he plays well as a backup, I'd certainly be open to keeping him. I kept Quick on a prove-it deal as I think he's starting to look better and he's a good fit for Hue's offense.
I also cut Foles even though we won't save much money releasing him. I don't think he offers us enough value even as a backup QB.
Free Agency
Anquan Boldin WR - 2 years $10 million
Mitchell Schwartz OG/OT - 4 years $18 million
Drew Stanton QB - 2 years $6 million
Akiem Hicks DT - 2 years $4 million
Louis Delmas FS - 1 year $1 million
The Anquan Boldin signing may or may not be popular but with Kenny Britt departing, we need a veteran presence and if there's been one thing we've needed all year, it's been a reliable option on 3rd down. Boldin fills both of those needs. I think he's got at least one good year left in him. His game isn't based on speed.
I think Schwartz has a lot of potential for the team that signs him. Things are dysfunctional in Cleveland and Schwartz is playing RT. Like his brother, Geoff, I think Mitchell is a better OG than RT at the NFL level. He struggles with speed on the edge. I think moving him inside will help him become a much more effective player.
Drew Stanton comes in as our backup QB. He's a good fit for Hue's scheme, he is coming from a similar type of offense with Arians, and he's a guy willing to be content as a backup. He's also a former Michigan State QB which might appeal to our first round pick haha.
Akiem Hicks replaces Nick Fairley. He's an extremely talented athlete that fits the Waufle mold (hoping we can retain him) in terms of size (6'5" 325) who has underachieved a bit thus far in his career but also shown flashes of brilliance. We have arguably the best DL Coach in the NFL. I think he might be able to bring out the best in Hicks who is still a young player.
Louis Delmas is coming off back to back ACL tears and has a lengthy injury history so this is a pure flier but he played well for Schwartz in Detroit. This is a no guaranteed money type of deal on a guy that's coming off an injury. If he makes the team, he'll compete with LaMarcus Joyner and Cody Davis for the starting FS job. If he doesn't, no harm no foul.
Trade
None but I made this section to mention that it is possible that we could trade our first for Stafford if Detroit decides to go another direction. Especially if we hire Hue Jackson. I think he'll be a really big Stafford fan.
NFL Draft
Round 1 Pick #16 - Connor Cook QB Michigan State
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsGHAEUwvRc
Analysis: Carson Wentz, who accepted his invite to the Senior Bowl, could be the pick here if he impresses in that game. However, until then, I can't put him this high. But he fits the mold of Jackson's scheme and has a lot of similarities to Flacco and Palmer...two QBs that Jackson worked with. Connor Cook also fits Jackson's scheme well, is coming out of a pro style vertically oriented system, and is a three year starter. I gave a very detailed breakdown of him in the 2016 QB thread in Rams Discussion. Why Cook? He has some warts (if he didn't, he'd go top 5) but he has done a number of things at the college level that translate incredibly well to the pro game. He's also an aggressive QB coming from a system that encouraged down-field shots which is similar to Hue's system. Cook displays the ability to throw with anticipation, throw his WRs open, fit the ball into tight windows, hang in the pocket and make throws while under pressure, and maneuver a chaotic pocket. He also absolutely destroys the blitz. He's special in that regard. He reads the blitz as well as anyone I've evaluated at the college level and finds his match-up. When he needs to get the ball out hot, he does so. When he sees that he has a match-up advantage, he goes after it. Cook has inconsistencies in his game (especially in his lower body mechanics), he's streaky, and makes some boneheaded decisions but he's a guy that also is capable of doing things you only see out of veteran QBs (throwing before the WR has made his break into a tight window created by him looking off the safety). There's some Cutler and Eli to his game but you get both the bad and the good. He'll make mistakes as a rookie but he has the potential to be an Eli caliber player in the NFL and I think the odds are good that he becomes at least Cutler good if he lands in the right environment.
NFL Comparison: Eli Manning
Round 2 Pick #16 - Tyler Boyd WR Pittsburgh
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSh6yeGjWs8
Analysis: Boyd is the type of WR that falls on draft day. He's not huge (6'2" 200ish) and doesn't have outstanding straight-line speed. However, he possesses great acceleration, outstanding agility, a high level understanding of the game (high football IQ), advanced route running ability, top tier body control, and a good pair of hands. Boyd will drop some easy passes and his motor can run hot and cold as a blocker but he'll make a lot of difficult catches and is excellent at creating yardage after the catch. Like any college player, his route running needs some development but he's very advanced for a college WR and already uses subtle nuances in his route running that you typically only see in veteran NFL WRs. He's also coming from a pro style offense.
NFL Comparison: Keenan Allen
Round 2 Pick #18 - Evan Engram TE Ole Miss
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5QitbYK_DE
Analysis: Remember what Jared Cook was supposed to be when we signed him? The super athletic slot TE capable of creating mismatches? That's what Engram is. He's what Cook was supposed to be. Extraordinarily athletic although undersized for a traditional inline blocking TE at 6'3" 230. He's made for the new move TE role. Engram's agility and change of directional skills are highly impressive for a guy his size. He runs routes like a WR; very quick in and out of his breaks. Needs some polish but he's a lot more polished in that regard than most TEs. Has the speed to get vertical on defenses. My guess is that he'll time somewhere between a 4.55 and 4.65 40. Impressive YAC skills as well as he's elusive after the catch and strong enough to not go down easily. Good pair of hands and can go up and get the ball. He's just a major mismatch as a move TE. As a blocker, he needs a lot of technical work but he doesn't lack effort or willingness. Will get physical and flashes good blocking skills at times but needs a lot of development in that regard.
NFL Comparison: Jordan Reed
Round 3 Pick #16 - Scooby Wright III ILB Arizona
Analysis: According to Arizona, Scooby Wright had 163 tackles, 29 TFLs, 14 sacks, and 6 FFs in 2014 ALONE. Unfortunately for him, he's missed almost this entire season thus far with injuries. This is a kid that doesn't have the NFL look. He's listed at 6'1" 246. I think he'll come in closer to 5'11" 240. But he's a guy that plays with so much passion, relentlessness, and heart that his average athleticism and underwhelming size don't limit his game. He has top tier instincts, great play strength (gym rat), and plays with reckless abandon. Sometimes, that reckless abandon will cause him to miss tackles but it's worth it with how often he's in the back-field making plays. He's Arizona's defensive leader, he is the guy that makes sure everyone is lined up properly, and he's the heart of that defense. They also will move him down to DE on certain passing downs and he's a disruptive, relentless pass rusher. This guy is James Laurinaitis's heir apparent and I have a feeling Gregg Williams will find a way to use his versatile skill-set in the mean time. If Wright isn't available, Tyler Matakevich from Temple is also worth considering.
NFL Comparison: Chris Borland
Round 4 Pick #16 - Evan Boehm C Missouri
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWDstknJHEw
Analysis: Boehm fits Hue Jackson's power running style. He's a people mover at Center and that's rare. Mauling run blocker that plays through the whistle. Has a serious mean streak. Smart guy and experienced started in the SEC. Only big question is his game is if he has the pass pro skills to be a NFL Center. His athleticism is a bit limited as his feet are pretty average and he doesn't appear to have long arms. Struggles with quicker DTs that can penetrate quickly in the A gap. If he has the pass blocking chops to play in the NFL, he'll be a quality Center as run blocking is no concern.
NFL Comparison: Ben Jones
Projected Starters
QB: Connor Cook
HB: Todd Gurley
FB: Cory Harkey
XWR: Anquan Boldin
ZWR: Tavon Austin
SLWR: Tyler Boyd
TE: Lance Kendricks
LT: Greg Robinson
LG: Mitchell Schwartz
C: Tim Barnes
RG: Jamon Brown
RT: Rob Havenstein
LDE: Chris Long
LDT: Michael Brockers
RDT: Aaron Donald
RDE: Robert Quinn
OLB: Alec Ogletree
MLB: James Laurinaitis
SPUR: Mo Alexander
LCB: Trumaine Johnson
RCB: Janoris Jenkins
SLCB: E.J. Gaines
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: T.J. McDonald
K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
