- Joined
- Jan 14, 2013
- Messages
- 29,931
The Fisher firing has me super excited about all the possibilities. Plus, I have a lot of free time on my hands right now.
Hire
HC Todd Haley
OC Ken Whisenhunt
DC Dick Jauron
STC John Fassel
We bring in Haley to install the Erhardt-Perkins offense which is a great fit for Goff. Haley was previously a HC with the Chiefs. He had an up-and-down tenure which ultimately resulted in his firing. He was known for being arrogant there. Let's hope he learned from his failure. Haley offers some major benefits as a HC. The first is that he's a bright offensive mind who is known for working with QBs and running a QB friendly E-P offense. The second is that Haley is well-connected in the NFL. He came up under Bill Parcells but has connections to a number of staffs around the league. He should be able to pull an amazing coaching staff based on the guys he's worked with.
Our coordinators both previously worked with Haley. Actually, they both were head coaches of teams he worked for in his past. Whisenhunt comes over to join us after McCoy is fired in San Diego. Philip Rivers has done quite well under Whisenhunt as a OC. Whisenhunt has also gotten his second head coach shot and failed, so it'll be much tougher for him to get a third. That means stability for Goff. Dick Jauron is a guy who has been out of the spotlight for a few years. From what I understand, he stepped away from the game to take care of his sick wife. I wonder if he might be willing to come back. He was last a defensive coordinator with the Browns for two years. His first year in Cleveland, they ranked in the top 5 in the NFL in points allowed and top 10 in yards allowed. He'd be a heck of a get. If he's not able to return, Eric Mangini is another possible name to keep in mind.
Cut
HB Tre Mason
OG Rodger Saffold
C Tim Barnes
DE Eugene Sims
Re-sign
WR Kenny Britt - 3 years $21 million
K Greg Zuerlein - 3 years $6 million
HB Benny Cunningham - 3 years $6 million
DT Dominique Easley - RFA Tender
DE Matt Longacre - ERFA Tender
Let Walk
CB Trumaine Johnson (I like Trumaine, but there is a method to my madness.)
S T.J. McDonald (I like T.J., but Mo is a more natural fit at SS. Let's use the money we have elsewhere.)
Trade
Rams trade DE William Hayes
Giants trade Round 6 Pick #23
I like Hayes a lot, but he's always been tied to Fisher and his play has fallen off a bit this year. I'd see if I could trade him this off-season if we pull the FA DE I have later in this mock.
Position Changes
LaMarcus Joyner - CB -> FS
With Alexander moving to SS, Joyner moves to FS. I think it's his natural position. Joyner doesn't play well with his back to the ball. He's at his best attacking downhill. He has surprising strength for a guy his size. In college, he showed good range and no fear at FS. He will deliver knockout shots. Offers the same type of skill-set that McLeod did.
Free Agency
DE Jason Pierre-Paul - 5 years $55 million
I want to go back to the days where our pass rush singlehandedly dominated games. Quinn, JPP, Donald, and Brockers with Jones, Easley, and Longacre coming off the bench? Hell yes. JPP is still one of the best DEs in the game. This year, he moved to LDE with Vernon coming over from Miami and still looked great. Quinn and JPP on the edge with Donald and Brockers inside will be unfair for opposing QBs.
LT Andrew Whitworth - 2 years $18 million
We have to help Goff out. In this mock, Alshon Jeffery isn't available. We go after Whitworth to give Goff protection. Whitworth is a top 5 LT in the game, but he's also 35 years old. The Bengals need to retain OG Kevin Zeitler who is a FA. They already drafted Whitworth's replacement in Cedrick Ogbuehi. It makes sense for them to let Whitworth hit FA. We jump on the ability to sign a guy who can be a bridge at LT until we find his replacement. The added benefit to this FA signing is that if Greg Robinson shows significant improvement with the new coaching staff, Whitworth can slide inside and provides All Pro caliber play at OG.
LG Ronald Leary - 5 years $35 million
We need OL help. There were rumors that Dallas was trying to trade Leary before the season. With the injury to La'El Collins, Leary stepped back into his starting spot. He was also a starter on the dominant 2014 Cowboys OL. Leary is a mauling run blocker who has the versatility to play in either a ZBS or a PBS. He's an above average but not elite pass protector. Either ways, he's a huge upgrade on what we have.
SLCB Captain Munnerlyn - 3 years $15 million
No, Munnerlyn isn't a replacement for Tru. Instead, he allows us to shift Joyner to FS. That upgrades both FS and SLCB as Munnerlyn is one of the best slot CBs in the game.
WR Markus Wheaton - 1 year $3 million
I was a big fan of Wheaton when he was coming out of college. I still like the kid a lot. Pittsburgh's past few WRs who departed have done well elsewhere. We offer Wheaton a "prove it" deal with him missing almost the entire 2016 season with a shoulder injury. We also offer him a clear path to the #2 WR job. I think he's worth the chance. Wheaton comes in with knowledge of Haley's scheme.
DE Datone Jones - 1 year $1.5 million
Thus far, Jones has been a bust. We offer him a "prove it" deal with the opportunity to have a strong year on a very talented DL in a scheme that he better fits.
NFL Draft
Round 2 Pick #7 - Ethan Pocic C/OG/OT LSU
Round 3 Pick #6 - Gareon Conley CB Ohio State
Round 4 Pick #7 - Ahkello Witherspoon CB Colorado
Round 4 Comp Pick - J.J. Dielman OT/OG/C Utah
Round 5 Pick #6 - Ryan Glasgow DT Michigan
Round 6 Pick #7 - Obi Melifonwu FS/SS Connecticut
Round 6 Pick #23 - Jeremy Cutrer CB Middle Tennessee State
Round 6 Comp Pick - Nick DeLuca LB North Dakota State
Round 7 Pick #6 - Mack Hollins WR North Carolina
Projected Starters
QB: Jared Goff
HB: Todd Gurley
FB: Cory Harkey
XWR: Kenny Britt
ZWR: Markus Wheaton vs. Tavon Austin vs. Mike Thomas
SLWR: Pharoh Cooper
TE: Tyler Higbee vs. Lance Kendricks
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Ronald Leary
C: Ethan Pocic
RG: Greg Robinson vs. Jamon Brown
RT: Rob Havenstein
LDE: Jason Pierre-Paul
NT: Michael Brockers
UT: Aaron Donald
RDE: Robert Quinn
WLB: Mark Barron
MLB: Alec Ogletree
LCB: E.J. Gaines vs. Ahkello Witherspoon
RCB: Gareon Conley vs. Ahkello Witherspoon
SLCB: Captain Munnerlyn
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: Maurice Alexander
K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
KR: Benny Cunningham
PR: Tavon Austin
I recognize that there will be concern about the secondary. I completely understand it. However, I think our pass rush is able to compensate for it. I also picked the CBs I did with everything in mind (I am happy to explain if anyone is curious). I think JPP is a better DE than Tru is a CB and that DEs have a greater impact on the game. Thus, since we would have to pay a similar price for the two, I chose JPP over Tru.
Offensively, I did everything I could to ensure that Goff is protected and Gurley gets running lanes. I understand that I didn't do a ton to upgrade at WR, but I felt fixing the pass protection and run blocking was more important than WR this off-season. My plan in the future is to address WR. I just wanted to fix the OL first. I think winning in the trenches in more important. If Gurley can get running room, it'll start to put Goff in better situations (like 3rd and 3 instead of 3rd and 13).
I realize that some people will probably not like this mock because I changed so much. I totally understand. I do want to say that I think my philosophy is sound, though.
Also, if you're curious about any of the draft picks, I'm happy to give you a short summary of my initial observations on whomever. Don't hesitate to ask.
Hire
HC Todd Haley
OC Ken Whisenhunt
DC Dick Jauron
STC John Fassel
We bring in Haley to install the Erhardt-Perkins offense which is a great fit for Goff. Haley was previously a HC with the Chiefs. He had an up-and-down tenure which ultimately resulted in his firing. He was known for being arrogant there. Let's hope he learned from his failure. Haley offers some major benefits as a HC. The first is that he's a bright offensive mind who is known for working with QBs and running a QB friendly E-P offense. The second is that Haley is well-connected in the NFL. He came up under Bill Parcells but has connections to a number of staffs around the league. He should be able to pull an amazing coaching staff based on the guys he's worked with.
Our coordinators both previously worked with Haley. Actually, they both were head coaches of teams he worked for in his past. Whisenhunt comes over to join us after McCoy is fired in San Diego. Philip Rivers has done quite well under Whisenhunt as a OC. Whisenhunt has also gotten his second head coach shot and failed, so it'll be much tougher for him to get a third. That means stability for Goff. Dick Jauron is a guy who has been out of the spotlight for a few years. From what I understand, he stepped away from the game to take care of his sick wife. I wonder if he might be willing to come back. He was last a defensive coordinator with the Browns for two years. His first year in Cleveland, they ranked in the top 5 in the NFL in points allowed and top 10 in yards allowed. He'd be a heck of a get. If he's not able to return, Eric Mangini is another possible name to keep in mind.
Cut
HB Tre Mason
OG Rodger Saffold
C Tim Barnes
DE Eugene Sims
Re-sign
WR Kenny Britt - 3 years $21 million
K Greg Zuerlein - 3 years $6 million
HB Benny Cunningham - 3 years $6 million
DT Dominique Easley - RFA Tender
DE Matt Longacre - ERFA Tender
Let Walk
CB Trumaine Johnson (I like Trumaine, but there is a method to my madness.)
S T.J. McDonald (I like T.J., but Mo is a more natural fit at SS. Let's use the money we have elsewhere.)
Trade
Rams trade DE William Hayes
Giants trade Round 6 Pick #23
I like Hayes a lot, but he's always been tied to Fisher and his play has fallen off a bit this year. I'd see if I could trade him this off-season if we pull the FA DE I have later in this mock.
Position Changes
LaMarcus Joyner - CB -> FS
With Alexander moving to SS, Joyner moves to FS. I think it's his natural position. Joyner doesn't play well with his back to the ball. He's at his best attacking downhill. He has surprising strength for a guy his size. In college, he showed good range and no fear at FS. He will deliver knockout shots. Offers the same type of skill-set that McLeod did.
Free Agency
DE Jason Pierre-Paul - 5 years $55 million
I want to go back to the days where our pass rush singlehandedly dominated games. Quinn, JPP, Donald, and Brockers with Jones, Easley, and Longacre coming off the bench? Hell yes. JPP is still one of the best DEs in the game. This year, he moved to LDE with Vernon coming over from Miami and still looked great. Quinn and JPP on the edge with Donald and Brockers inside will be unfair for opposing QBs.
LT Andrew Whitworth - 2 years $18 million
We have to help Goff out. In this mock, Alshon Jeffery isn't available. We go after Whitworth to give Goff protection. Whitworth is a top 5 LT in the game, but he's also 35 years old. The Bengals need to retain OG Kevin Zeitler who is a FA. They already drafted Whitworth's replacement in Cedrick Ogbuehi. It makes sense for them to let Whitworth hit FA. We jump on the ability to sign a guy who can be a bridge at LT until we find his replacement. The added benefit to this FA signing is that if Greg Robinson shows significant improvement with the new coaching staff, Whitworth can slide inside and provides All Pro caliber play at OG.
LG Ronald Leary - 5 years $35 million
We need OL help. There were rumors that Dallas was trying to trade Leary before the season. With the injury to La'El Collins, Leary stepped back into his starting spot. He was also a starter on the dominant 2014 Cowboys OL. Leary is a mauling run blocker who has the versatility to play in either a ZBS or a PBS. He's an above average but not elite pass protector. Either ways, he's a huge upgrade on what we have.
SLCB Captain Munnerlyn - 3 years $15 million
No, Munnerlyn isn't a replacement for Tru. Instead, he allows us to shift Joyner to FS. That upgrades both FS and SLCB as Munnerlyn is one of the best slot CBs in the game.
WR Markus Wheaton - 1 year $3 million
I was a big fan of Wheaton when he was coming out of college. I still like the kid a lot. Pittsburgh's past few WRs who departed have done well elsewhere. We offer Wheaton a "prove it" deal with him missing almost the entire 2016 season with a shoulder injury. We also offer him a clear path to the #2 WR job. I think he's worth the chance. Wheaton comes in with knowledge of Haley's scheme.
DE Datone Jones - 1 year $1.5 million
Thus far, Jones has been a bust. We offer him a "prove it" deal with the opportunity to have a strong year on a very talented DL in a scheme that he better fits.
NFL Draft
Round 2 Pick #7 - Ethan Pocic C/OG/OT LSU
Round 3 Pick #6 - Gareon Conley CB Ohio State
Round 4 Pick #7 - Ahkello Witherspoon CB Colorado
Round 4 Comp Pick - J.J. Dielman OT/OG/C Utah
Round 5 Pick #6 - Ryan Glasgow DT Michigan
Round 6 Pick #7 - Obi Melifonwu FS/SS Connecticut
Round 6 Pick #23 - Jeremy Cutrer CB Middle Tennessee State
Round 6 Comp Pick - Nick DeLuca LB North Dakota State
Round 7 Pick #6 - Mack Hollins WR North Carolina
Projected Starters
QB: Jared Goff
HB: Todd Gurley
FB: Cory Harkey
XWR: Kenny Britt
ZWR: Markus Wheaton vs. Tavon Austin vs. Mike Thomas
SLWR: Pharoh Cooper
TE: Tyler Higbee vs. Lance Kendricks
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Ronald Leary
C: Ethan Pocic
RG: Greg Robinson vs. Jamon Brown
RT: Rob Havenstein
LDE: Jason Pierre-Paul
NT: Michael Brockers
UT: Aaron Donald
RDE: Robert Quinn
WLB: Mark Barron
MLB: Alec Ogletree
LCB: E.J. Gaines vs. Ahkello Witherspoon
RCB: Gareon Conley vs. Ahkello Witherspoon
SLCB: Captain Munnerlyn
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: Maurice Alexander
K: Greg Zuerlein
P: Johnny Hekker
LS: Jake McQuaide
KR: Benny Cunningham
PR: Tavon Austin
I recognize that there will be concern about the secondary. I completely understand it. However, I think our pass rush is able to compensate for it. I also picked the CBs I did with everything in mind (I am happy to explain if anyone is curious). I think JPP is a better DE than Tru is a CB and that DEs have a greater impact on the game. Thus, since we would have to pay a similar price for the two, I chose JPP over Tru.
Offensively, I did everything I could to ensure that Goff is protected and Gurley gets running lanes. I understand that I didn't do a ton to upgrade at WR, but I felt fixing the pass protection and run blocking was more important than WR this off-season. My plan in the future is to address WR. I just wanted to fix the OL first. I think winning in the trenches in more important. If Gurley can get running room, it'll start to put Goff in better situations (like 3rd and 3 instead of 3rd and 13).
I realize that some people will probably not like this mock because I changed so much. I totally understand. I do want to say that I think my philosophy is sound, though.
Also, if you're curious about any of the draft picks, I'm happy to give you a short summary of my initial observations on whomever. Don't hesitate to ask.
