For the love of football: A February Mock Offseason

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Memento

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Okay, so now that offensive coordinator position has been taken care of, my life is now a little easier. So, this offseason is going to feature a lot of the same things (with a few trades of course), so bear with me here. Okay, let's do this:

RESTRUCTURE:

Sam Bradford.

Well, Bradford, like it or not, is the best option we have...because we're not getting Mariota or Winston unless we trade up. And if we do that, we neglect our O-line.

RELEASE:

Scott Wells
Jake Long
Eugene Sims
Isaiah Pead
Kendall Langford
Jo-Lonn Dunbar

No real surprises.

RE-SIGN:

Kenny Britt - three years
Cory Harkey - three years

Little bit different from last time as Person is let go. Britt and Harkey both deserve long-term contracts.

CONVERT:

Lamarcus Joyner - CB to FS
Maurice Alexander - SS to OLB

No changes really. Joyner definitely deserves a shot at the starting free safety spot, where I think he would excel. Alexander gets caught in a numbers game at SS and switches to OLB. I think that he can make the transition.

FA SIGNINGS:

Stephen Wisniewski - C, four years
C.J. Mosley - DT, one year
Leger Douzable - DT, one year
Jah Reid - OG/RT, one year
Michael Oher - OG/OT, one year

Wisniewski is the answer at center we've been searching for after years of futility at the position. Mosley and Douzable provide solid run-stuffers up the middle. Reid is for depth, while Oher is on a vet-minimum deal.

TRADES:

2015 3rd round pick and Zac Stacy to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for Mike Glennon, fifth round pick, and original sixth round pick.

A trade that benefits both teams. We get a young, capable backup for Bradford and two late round picks, and they get another high pick and a backup running back to Martin.

2015 second round pick, 2016 first round pick, and 2016 third round pick to the New Orleans Saints for #13 overall.

Here's the shocker. The Saints are cap-strapped, and may be forced to cut a few players. They have the least amount of cap space in the NFL, and they could definitely benefit from having some younger cheaper players. We have few real needs, so we can afford to make a splash.

DRAFT:

1st round pick: Andrus Peat, OT, Stanford.

Peat is the number one offensive lineman in this class for a reason. He's big at 6'7", 315 lbs., and he's an incredible athlete for his size. He's fantastic as a pass-protector, being able to lock down speed rushers and bull rushers alike. He's able to bend at the knees in spite of his height and mirror and anchor whenever the need arises. He gets some flak for his run-blocking, but it's honestly an underrated part of his game. He's capable While he's more finesse than mauler at this point, I have faith in Boudreau being able to coach him up, as he's done with many offensive linemen.

1st round pick (Saints): T.J. Clemmings, OG/OT, Pittsburgh.

Clemmings is a guy I'm extremely high on. At 6'5", 305 lbs., he has the frame to pack on ten to fifteen pounds without losing the freakish athleticism that makes him so highly regarded. He's very much a work in progress, but he displays all of the traits I look for in an offensive lineman, and his potential is sky-high. He's more of a mauler than Peat is right now, which will help him transition to guard. He could end up having a Zack Martin-esque impact right out of the gate.

5th round pick (Buccaneers): Zach Hodges, OLB/MLB, Harvard.

Hodges is more than just an intelligent linebacker. He's also one of the more versatile linebackers in this class. With good athleticism, solid form tackling, and a knack for making splash plays, he could immediately make an impact on special teams and provide an answer if Laurinaitis is out.

5th round pick: Nick Marshall, CB, Auburn.

As Joyner has moved to free safety, another cornerback is required, particularly a bigger one. Why not take a shot on Marshall? He's undeniably a talented athlete, but his inexperience and issues off the field could cause him to drop to us.

6th round pick: J.J. Nelson, WR, UAB.

An upgrade over Givens and a dynamic kick returner are both needs. Nelson provides the answer to both. With insane speed, he could quickly become a viable deep threat and a constant threat on kick returns.

7th round pick: Terrell Watson, RB, Azusa Pacific.

Here we take a shot on a boom-bust player. Watson is a 6'1", 239 lbs. running back who never even missed a practice, much less a game. He's a great athlete for his size and has good vision as well. He runs with less authority than you'd like, but it's easily fixed. He hasn't had much experience as a pass-catcher or pass-blocker, but he wasn't really used as one. Even with his issues, he could end up becoming a stud.

45-MAN ROSTER:

QB - Bradford, Glennon
RB - Mason, Cunningham, Watson, Watts
WR - Britt, Quick, Austin, Bailey, Nelson
TE - Cook, Harkey, Bayer
OL - Robinson, Clemmings, Wisniewski, Saffold, Peat, Jones, Rhaney, Reid
DL - Quinn, Donald, Brockers, Long, Hayes, Westbrooks, Douzable/Mosley
LB - Laurinaitis, Ogletree, Bates, Alexander, Hodges
CB - Jenkins, Johnson, Gaines, Roberson
FS - Joyner, Marshall
SS - McDonald, Barron
ST - Zuerlein, Hekker, McQuaide
 

den-the-coach

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I appreciate the mock considering I despise the month of February as here in Upstate, NY we've been hit with Snow every day since the worst month of the year and this draft would provide us the final solution for the offensive line, but I would be concerned trading all those future draft picks and still not having a young Quarterback, but I do like Glennon so maybe your that confident he would be the answer if Bradford went down.
 

DaveFan'51

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I appreciate your effort, BUT, I can't see releasing Sims, Langford, and Dunbar. That's a big hit to our Defensive Depth! I see what you did with FA's to cover it, but I don't agree. I do like your first couple of Draft choices!
 

Merlin

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I would not be a fan of giving up Stacy and a third round pick for Glennon, who is likely not our long-term answer at QB. If you want a fill-in depth guy to pretend he's a challenge to Sam but who is really just waiting for Sam to get injured, you can do that with a FA QB.

As an example, here's what I'd like to see:

Cuts - OT Long, C Wells. Both are done, money comes off.

Restructure - QB Bradford. Sell it as we're gonna rebuild this OL and get you another weapon for the offense.

FA signings - OT Roos, QB Sanchez. Roos solidifies 3/5 of the OL. Sanchez knows the offense, solid veteran option if Bradford gets hurt without giving up picks. There are other possibilities, just think Sanchez makes the most sense if they can get him on a 2 year contract.

Top three rounds of the draft:

1. WR Cooper. I'd take White too, but chances of one 0f these two WRs being there at 10 are decent. BPA here though, either way.
2. OG Tomlinson. Lot of value and different ways to go in rounds 2 and 3 in this draft. I like Tomlinson a lot personally.
3. OG/C Garcia. Nasty mentality and brings flexibility.
3. * Trade Up * QB Petty. I'd offer a pick from next year and our 5th rounder to take him. I am a big fan of his upside, hand the guy a clipboard and let him learn.

I think our offense would be good to go at that point. Open competition at interior OL as well as QB under a new OC. Oh and a legit #1 WR the fans have been screaming for since I can remember.
 

Athos

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Appreciate the effort, but I hate it.

Glennon isn't worth that much. Getting a 5th and 6th in return means absolutely nothing to me. At all. You're talking a development guy.

Too much OT for me. We have Robinson. You either get Clemmings and swing Barks inside, or you keep Barks and draft a stud guard.
 

Boston Ram

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How about keeping the picks for 2016 and just draft Clemmings? Clemmings is a better fit anyway for this offense IMO.
 

DR RAM

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This is a question for everybody. There is a lot of man love for Clemmings in this forum, and I see his size, and athleticism, but this guy is as raw as it gets. If you guys thought G. Rob was a project, he was a $5 lego set, and Clemmings is a $200 set. I've watched games of his, and saw him at the Senior Bowl practices, and the only thing that I've seen him do well is down blocking. His footwork, arm placement, punch, backpedal, which should be a kick slide, and I could go on.

So, sell me on Clemmings, because I'm really missing something that a lot of people are seeing.

Regarding the mock..I like most of the moves you made, but I don't think Marshall is going to make it as a CB. I know you well enough to know that you usually try to find bargains, through injury, untapped potential, or in his case, a position change. He has a lot of work to do to play CB in the NFL.
 
Last edited:

Boston Ram

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This is a question for everybody. There is a lot of man love for Clemmings in this forum, and I see his size, and athleticism, but this guy is as raw as it gets. If you guys thought G. Rob was a project, he was a $5 lego set, and Clemmings is a $200 set. I've watched games of his, and saw him at the Senior Bowl practices, and the only thing that I've seen him do well is down blocking. His footwork, arm placement, punch, backpedal, which should be a kick slide, and I could go on.

So, sell me on Clemmings, because I'm really missing something that a lot of people are seeing.

Regarding the mock..I like most of the moves you made, but I don't think Marshall is going to make it as a CB. I know you well enough to know that you usually try to find bargains, through injury, untapped potential, or in his case, a position change. He has a lot of work to do to play CB in the NFL.

He had a bad week at the SR bowl practices. But he was playing LT, not RT so that is a tall order on the fly against top competition. Yes, he is raw but he is a football player. Richard Sherman was a WR, Julian Edelman was a QB, Shaq Thompson (this year) played 4 positions and they have faired well or in the case of Thompson expect to fair well. I see the same for Clemmings. Physically he is a natural olineman, but will need to work on technique....which can be taught. He is quick and fluid enough that the technique will come.

I actually thought Robinson was more of a project last year than Clemmings is this year. Mostly because I watched just about every Auburn game and never seen Robinson on an island pass blocking. I had no idea if he could do it or not. Atleast there is tape on Clemmings. Robinson just had such a huge ceiling.

I guess I would ask, do you not like anything about his game or just don't consider him a top 10 player? Where do you have him ranked, or is he just a guy you don't like? If you believe he is worthy of a Top 20 pick, then you probably don't need to be sold :) as I could see him going anywhere between 10-20 right now.
 

DR RAM

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He had a bad week at the SR bowl practices. But he was playing LT, not RT so that is a tall order on the fly against top competition. Yes, he is raw but he is a football player. Richard Sherman was a WR, Julian Edelman was a QB, Shaq Thompson (this year) played 4 positions and they have faired well or in the case of Thompson expect to fair well. I see the same for Clemmings. Physically he is a natural olineman, but will need to work on technique....which can be taught. He is quick and fluid enough that the technique will come.

I actually thought Robinson was more of a project last year than Clemmings is this year. Mostly because I watched just about every Auburn game and never seen Robinson on an island pass blocking. I had no idea if he could do it or not. Atleast there is tape on Clemmings. Robinson just had such a huge ceiling.

I guess I would ask, do you not like anything about his game or just don't consider him a top 10 player? Where do you have him ranked, or is he just a guy you don't like? If you believe he is worthy of a Top 20 pick, then you probably don't need to be sold :) as I could see him going anywhere between 10-20 right now.
I see him as a mid 2nd rounder. I'd take a flyer on him then, but not before.
 

WestCoastRam

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Seems like a lot of spending in FA. I can't see the RAMS spending on that many guys with some of our FA's needing to be signed.