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- Jemma
(Yes, my dad's birthday is in February on the 10th. I decided to do this mock in his honor, given that he's the man I go to to talk sports...even if he doesn't recognize me as a transwoman.)
But on that happy note, here's a mock offseason with Stafford. I said it would be tough, but I just...well, here it is. Hope it helps. As a note, I will only include one of my draft crushes (sorry, Jaelon Darden and Mike Strachan) on the mock, so...yeah, here it is:
Cut:
Kenny Young
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
Justin Lawler
Nick Scott
(All of these players save valuable cap dollars, cap which will go to free agency.)
Re-sign:
Darious Williams - RFA (second round tender).
Coleman Shelton - ERFA
Travin Howard - ERFA
Raymond Calais - ERFA
JuJu Hughes - ERFA
(Darious Williams gets a tender, and we'll see if a team wants to pay it. Other than that, these are ERFAs.)
Restructure:
Aaron Donald
Jalen Ramsey
Robert Woods
(I hate to ask this of them because I don't know much about the cap this year, but I'm planning on a big ticket free agent or two, since we're going all in, especially considering some of the trades I'll be making.)
Release:
John Johnson III
Leonard Floyd
Troy Hill
Gerald Everett
Malcolm Brown
Josh Reynolds
Samson Ebukam
Johnny Mundt
Derek Rivers
Austin Blythe
Morgan Fox
Jake McQuaide
Kai Forbath
(I hate to let JJ3 and Floyd leave, but both of them could return a third round compensatory pick each - picks that will be useful with a lack of first round picks for the next two years. Hill has been a solid player, but I could see him going for a number 2 cornerback job. Brown should be replaced by Akers, Henderson, and a draft pick or two. Ebukam hasn't been effective this year and can be replaced by the combination of Hollins, Lewis, and three draft picks. Fox will go for a starting role. Blythe, Everett, and Reynolds can all leave without regrets. Rivers is gone as well, along with Mundt. McQuaide has been great, but I can't see us paying huge money for an aging long snapper, and with the latest long-snapper free agent signings, I doubt he stays. As for Forbath, I'd rather forget he was ever on the team.)
Free Agency:
Corey Linsley - four years, thirty-six million overall.
(My big ticket free agent signing this year. Linsley should be an automatic upgrade over Blythe in every aspect. He's still more technically inclined at 305 lbs., but he has the strength to at least hold up against most nose tackles, unlike Blythe, who struggled.)
Larry Warford - two years, twelve million overall.
(Warford, despite opting out of last season, should still get six million per year. He's an automatic upgrade at right guard, no offense meant to Corbett. This contract is worth 8 million in the beginning, so if Warford's play declines, we have an opt out.)
Alex Smith - one year, two million.
(Given that Stafford has had injuries in the past, I don't feel comfortable putting a quarterback who lacks experience behind him. And Smith, regardless of how you think of his abilities, is a smart quarterback and deserves a Super Bowl chance.)
Artie Burns - one year, one million overall.
(Burns had an ACL tear with the Bears after signing with them as a free agent, and I think we could get him at a cheap price. A former first round pick, I think Burns could fit into this system very well. I'm not sure it would cost a compensatory pick for us, but I think - along with a draft pick or two - he could be a solid replacement for Hill and Williams - yes, I believe that Williams will easily get poached at a second round price.)
Trades:
Darious Williams signed by the Denver Broncos, we refuse to sign, get second round pick.
(Is this a risk? Sure, but I can see someone with a huge cornerback need sign a player of ours for quite a bit of money. It would suck to lose Williams, but that's what will likely happen if we sign Linsley and Warford; we'll end up losing someone.
A'Shawn Robinson to the Tennessee Titans for 2021 fourth round pick.
(Tennessee needs good players on the defensive line; both DaQuan Jones and Jack Crawford are unrestricted free agents. Robinson could easily fit in the middle of that defense, and we could get much needed salary relief and a pick, to boot. And that's not even mentioning the amount of depth we have on our defensive line; even without Robinson, we have Joseph-Day and Gaines in the middle, Donald and Brockers as other starters, and Michael Hoecht and Jonah Williams ready for large roles - hell, even Marquise Copeland and Eric Banks could find potential roles on the D-line. We can afford to lose Robinson and Fox.)
Cooper Kupp to the Jacksonville Jaguars for 2021 second (formerly Vikings) and 2021 fourth (Jaguars).
(Kupp is a talented receiver for sure, but he does the same things that Woods and Jefferson do, and he has injury concerns. We need a deep threat or two for this system, and I think we can find them in the draft.)
Brycen Hopkins to the Houston Texans for 2021 sixth (theirs).
(Yeah, I've never been a fan of Hopkins, but Houston needs a tight end, and they have sixth round picks to spend.)
Tyler Higbee to the Carolina Panthers for 2021 fourth round pick.
(To me, Higbee is who he is: a decent receiver and a good blocker. His contract is a hold-up, but I think that a team like the Panthers, who desperately need weapons and help for their quarterback, could definitely be interested. And in case, you're worried about us having only Kendall Blanton at tight end? I have a plan to fix it, with two players who will be an upgrade over Higbee and Everett respectively.)
Joseph Noteboom to the Indianapolis Colts for 2021 fifth.
(After Anthony Castonzo retired, the Colts are without a left tackle and have a lot of cap space to play with. Noteboom goes for a fifth and fills their void.)
Rob Havenstein to the Cincinnati Bengals for 2021 fourth and 2021 seventh.
(Havenstein is easy to move; he has a large contract, and with Warford and Linsley signing here, I think that we could move one of Edwards or Evans to right tackle. Meanwhile, Cincy needs offensive line help for Burrow not to be killed.)
2021 third (Holmes comp) to the Minnesota Vikings for 2021 fourth (Chicago) and 2021 fourth (Buffalo).
(Minnesota moves up, we move down. Simple.)
2021 third round pick (Fowler comp) and 2021 fourth (Littleton comp) to the Philadelphia Eagles for 2021 third round pick.
(Stealing a bit from Jerry. We trade two picks to the cash-strapped Eagles for a higher pick.)
2021 second (Vikings) to Washington for 2021 second and 2021 third.
(Washington moves up for a wide receiver, while we move down and get picks.)
Draft:
2nd (Broncos) - Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State. (6'5", 250 lbs.)
(Freiermuth's called Baby Gronk for a reason, and it clearly shows. He's a physical do-it-all tight end who has the potential to dominate a game. In my mind, the only reason he's not a first round pick is because of his injury history, but he's flat-out the second best tight end in this class only to Pitts, and if he was healthy, in my opinion, he'd challenge him for that spot. You may wonder why I picked him this high over a cornerback. I say that he's the best player available, and Higbee, as much as I like him, is more of a blocking tight end with decent receiver skills. Freiermuth could potentially be elite.)
2nd (Washington) - Nico Collins, WR, Michigan. (6'4", 215 lbs.)
(Want size, speed, and a giant catch radius? Look no further than Collins. He sat out because of Covid, and that's the only reason he's here. His speed is for real, and he's got a my-ball mentality that some tall players don't have. Maybe we could even use those slants that we did with Watkins for Collins?)
2nd - Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson. (6'5", 345 lbs.)
(Carman is a dancing bear at left tackle. He's so big, carries his weight well, and is surprisingly-athletic for his size. If you're asking for a current replacement for Havenstein and an eventual replacement for Whitworth, you can't do much better.)
3rd (Eagles) - Pete Werner, ILB, Ohio State. (6'3", 242 lbs.)
(Werner has it all: sideline-to-sideline speed and coverage that - while it won't look impressive - does the job, tackling, and great run-stuffing ability. I have no idea why he's not regarded higher than the first round; his overall skillset is amazing.)
3rd (Washington) - Dayo Odeyingbo, OLB, Vanderbilt. (6'6", 265 lbs.)
(Odeyingbo is a moldable piece of clay for us. He's adept at both rushing the passer and defending against the run, has length and speed, and has amazing versatility; he has been in 4-3s and 3-4s alike in various roles, including a 3-4 pass-rusher, 4-3 end, and even defensive tackle at times. He's got a great get-off, which helps him a ton. He needs to learn how to refine his approach to rushing the passer, needs to learn moves and counter moves, but I can't think of a better teacher than Coach Henderson. This could be a pick that changes our edge rushers.)
4th (Jaguars) - Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue. (5'9", 175 lbs.)
(Moore is one of the most electrifying players in this year's draft, but he's also one of the biggest wildcards. Why? Because of his size and injury history. He missed a few games in his sophomore year and sat out his junior year due to Covid concerns. Still, with his blazing speed, his advanced route-running for a freshman, and his ability to return punts to the house, I'd love to have him.)
4th (Bengals) - Israel Mukuamu, CB, South Carolina. (6'3", 205 lbs.)
(Mukuamu is a tall and lengthy cornerback with great ball skills. He's had questions about his athleticism after being torched by Florida. I think he can stick at cornerback, and he thrives on man-to-man coverage.)
4th (Panthers) - Tommy Tremble, TE, Notre Dame. (6'4", 248 lbs.)
(Tremble could be our answer to the Whiners Juszczyk: a do-it-all blocker with good receiving upside. I love how Tremble blocks, I really do. He understands leverage, and has underrated strength. And his receiving, while he's played behind solid tight ends at Notre Dame and wasn't always the primary option, is quite good as well. He could be a very good tight end for us.)
4th (Vikings, originally Bears) - Malcolm Koonce, OLB, Buffalo. (6'3", 248 lbs.)
(Koonce provides a solid depth piece as an edge rusher. He struggles against the run and setting the edge; he'll need to gain significant lower-body strength for him to be trusted on anything other than pass-rushing downs. He also needs a counter-move when his original plan fails. But his speed to bend the edge, his length, and his motor could make him a great pass-rusher.)
4th (Titans) - Chris Rumph II, ILB/OLB, Duke. (6'3", 225 lbs.)
(Rumph II is underweight, and not likely to gain much more. That's all the bad I can see. I absolutely love his film; he's an intelligent, versatile player who has a motor that constantly runs hot. He has underrated athleticism, smart hand usage, and is a dangerous blitzer. I hope this kid is in horns.)
4th (Bills) - Tony Fields II, ILB, West Virginia. (6'1", 222 lbs.)
(Fields is another undersized player, but he reminds me a lot of Littleton, both good and bad. He's got great athleticism for the position, can cover with the best of them, has significant special teams value, and is better in run defense than one would think. He is undersized, though, and if an offensive lineman can get their hands on him, it's over; he struggles to disengage. But Fields could be a good player on special teams alone.)
5th (Colts) - Rodarius Williams, CB, Oklahoma State. (6'0", 193 lbs.)
(Williams is durable, aggressive, and lengthy, causing a lot of pass-breakups. His flaws stem from lack of interceptions and an unwillingness to bite on a double move so much that he'll allow other completions. In a press-man scheme, I can imagine him being a lot better.)
6th (Texans) - Divine Deablo, SS, Virginia Tech. (6'3", 226 lbs.)
(Deablo is someone who caught my eye. He has good ball skills, is instinctive, and is physical. He may not have the athleticism to stick at safety; he could end up being a nickel linebacker. But he'll be solid for special teams, and he should be a solid addition.)
6th - C.J. Verdell, RB/KR, Oregon. (5'9", 205 lbs.)
(Verdell is an interesting option as both a running back and a kick returner. He has the speed to completely break away from most defenders. He's been Oregon's main back and is also a solid receiving option. He's not a good blocker, and while he's a north-south runner, he's not especially elusive, and his vision on zone reads is worrisome. Still, Verdell could end up being a good kick-returner.)
7th (Bengals) - Rico Bussey Jr., WR, Hawaii. (6'2", 193 lbs.)
(
7th - Jah-Maine Martin, RB, North Carolina A&T. (5'10", 214 lbs.)
(Martin is not a three-down back. Let's make that perfectly clear. He's a decent blocker...but he does not have the hands to be a threat in the passing game, unless we're talking screens and maybe checkdowns - and even those are iffy. But he's a big physical back who dominated at his level, has breakaway speed, and is quite scary with the ball in his hands.)
Roster: (starters = bold; rookies = italics.)
QB - Matt Stafford, Alex Smith, John Wolford.)
(Stafford is obviously the starter. Still, he and Smith have had injury issues in the past, so I don't feel comfortable putting two quarterbacks on the roster. But Smith is one of the best backups you can find, and Wolford should be solid. I do like Perkins, but I think he'll be a solid practice squad option.)
RB - Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson Jr., C.J. Verdell (KR), Jah-Maine Martin.
(Akers and Henderson are your go-to one-two punch. Verdell provides a kick-returning option, while Martin is your Malcolm Brown replacement.)
WR - Robert Woods, Van Jefferson, Nico Collins, Rondale Moore (PR), Rico Bussey Jr.
(Woods and Jefferson provide options out of the slot and outside. Collins provides a big receiving threat, while Moore gets occasional snaps. Bussey will be a solid gunner for special teams for now, with the potential for more.)
TE - Pat Freiermuth, Brycen Hopkins, Tommy Tremble.
(Freiermuth should be a solid starter. Tremble provides a solid secondary receiving option and can block with the best of them. I still really like Blanton to make the team this year as an extra blocker and special teams.)
OL - Andrew Whitworth, Bobby Evans, Corey Linsley, Larry Warford, David Edwards, Austin Corbett, Chandler Brewer, Tremayne Anchrum, Jackson Carman.
(Yeah, I'm putting Evans at guard and Edwards at tackle. Corbett and Anchrum should be solid interior options in case of injury, or, in Anchrum's case, it'll be all over the line, Brewer - if he opts back in, which I think he will - should be a solid backup for guard and tackle, and Carman will redshirt this year, unless there's injuries.)
DL - Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Greg Gaines, Michael Hoecht, Jonah Williams.
(AD is AD. Brockers, SJD, and Gaines make for the veterans of the group. Hoecht and Williams are new, but I love their potential; I think both of them could be like Morgan Fox given time. Eric Banks and Marquise Copeland should also compete, and will be solid practice squad options, should they fail to grab a roster spot.)
LB - Terrell Lewis, Pete Werner, Travin Howard, Justin Hollins, Dayo Odeyingbo, Chris Rumph II, Malcolm Koonce, Micah Kiser, Tony Fields II, Christian Rozeboom.
(No Troy Reeder this time! Sorry, Reeder fans. Werner is one of the few starting rookies on this team, and I think Howard bounces back in a huge way. I also think that Lewis will earn a starting job, along with Hollins. Odeyingbo, Rumph, and Koonce start off as designated pass-rushers. Fields, Kiser, and Rozeboom should be solid backups in case of injury, and should also do well on special teams.)
DB - Jalen Ramsey, Artie Burns, Jordan Fuller, Taylor Rapp, Terrell Burgess, David Long, Israel Mukuamu, Rodarius Williams, J.R. Reed, Divine Deablo.
(Yeah, I'm putting Burns ahead of Long, but that could change if Long makes improvements. Either one of them could alternate between outside and slot. But I think Burgess wins the big nickel, and I think big nickel is where we go. Mukuamu and Williams wait their turn, while Reed and Deablo provide solid special teams play, along with being solid backups. And yes, I think Rapp wins the strong safety job, while Fuller moves to free safety.)
ST - Matt Gay, Johnny Hekker, LS (one of Colin Holba/Steven Wirtel).
(Thankfully, the kicker situation is settled. Our punter is the best in the business, and nobody will tell me otherwise. I'm not sure who wins the long-snapper job, but it's obviously not going to be McQuaide, since he'll cost too much.)
So, that's my mock. Feel free to shred it.
But on that happy note, here's a mock offseason with Stafford. I said it would be tough, but I just...well, here it is. Hope it helps. As a note, I will only include one of my draft crushes (sorry, Jaelon Darden and Mike Strachan) on the mock, so...yeah, here it is:
Cut:
Kenny Young
Ogbonnia Okoronkwo
Justin Lawler
Nick Scott
(All of these players save valuable cap dollars, cap which will go to free agency.)
Re-sign:
Darious Williams - RFA (second round tender).
Coleman Shelton - ERFA
Travin Howard - ERFA
Raymond Calais - ERFA
JuJu Hughes - ERFA
(Darious Williams gets a tender, and we'll see if a team wants to pay it. Other than that, these are ERFAs.)
Restructure:
Aaron Donald
Jalen Ramsey
Robert Woods
(I hate to ask this of them because I don't know much about the cap this year, but I'm planning on a big ticket free agent or two, since we're going all in, especially considering some of the trades I'll be making.)
Release:
John Johnson III
Leonard Floyd
Troy Hill
Gerald Everett
Malcolm Brown
Josh Reynolds
Samson Ebukam
Johnny Mundt
Derek Rivers
Austin Blythe
Morgan Fox
Jake McQuaide
Kai Forbath
(I hate to let JJ3 and Floyd leave, but both of them could return a third round compensatory pick each - picks that will be useful with a lack of first round picks for the next two years. Hill has been a solid player, but I could see him going for a number 2 cornerback job. Brown should be replaced by Akers, Henderson, and a draft pick or two. Ebukam hasn't been effective this year and can be replaced by the combination of Hollins, Lewis, and three draft picks. Fox will go for a starting role. Blythe, Everett, and Reynolds can all leave without regrets. Rivers is gone as well, along with Mundt. McQuaide has been great, but I can't see us paying huge money for an aging long snapper, and with the latest long-snapper free agent signings, I doubt he stays. As for Forbath, I'd rather forget he was ever on the team.)
Free Agency:
Corey Linsley - four years, thirty-six million overall.
(My big ticket free agent signing this year. Linsley should be an automatic upgrade over Blythe in every aspect. He's still more technically inclined at 305 lbs., but he has the strength to at least hold up against most nose tackles, unlike Blythe, who struggled.)
Larry Warford - two years, twelve million overall.
(Warford, despite opting out of last season, should still get six million per year. He's an automatic upgrade at right guard, no offense meant to Corbett. This contract is worth 8 million in the beginning, so if Warford's play declines, we have an opt out.)
Alex Smith - one year, two million.
(Given that Stafford has had injuries in the past, I don't feel comfortable putting a quarterback who lacks experience behind him. And Smith, regardless of how you think of his abilities, is a smart quarterback and deserves a Super Bowl chance.)
Artie Burns - one year, one million overall.
(Burns had an ACL tear with the Bears after signing with them as a free agent, and I think we could get him at a cheap price. A former first round pick, I think Burns could fit into this system very well. I'm not sure it would cost a compensatory pick for us, but I think - along with a draft pick or two - he could be a solid replacement for Hill and Williams - yes, I believe that Williams will easily get poached at a second round price.)
Trades:
Darious Williams signed by the Denver Broncos, we refuse to sign, get second round pick.
(Is this a risk? Sure, but I can see someone with a huge cornerback need sign a player of ours for quite a bit of money. It would suck to lose Williams, but that's what will likely happen if we sign Linsley and Warford; we'll end up losing someone.
A'Shawn Robinson to the Tennessee Titans for 2021 fourth round pick.
(Tennessee needs good players on the defensive line; both DaQuan Jones and Jack Crawford are unrestricted free agents. Robinson could easily fit in the middle of that defense, and we could get much needed salary relief and a pick, to boot. And that's not even mentioning the amount of depth we have on our defensive line; even without Robinson, we have Joseph-Day and Gaines in the middle, Donald and Brockers as other starters, and Michael Hoecht and Jonah Williams ready for large roles - hell, even Marquise Copeland and Eric Banks could find potential roles on the D-line. We can afford to lose Robinson and Fox.)
Cooper Kupp to the Jacksonville Jaguars for 2021 second (formerly Vikings) and 2021 fourth (Jaguars).
(Kupp is a talented receiver for sure, but he does the same things that Woods and Jefferson do, and he has injury concerns. We need a deep threat or two for this system, and I think we can find them in the draft.)
Brycen Hopkins to the Houston Texans for 2021 sixth (theirs).
(Yeah, I've never been a fan of Hopkins, but Houston needs a tight end, and they have sixth round picks to spend.)
Tyler Higbee to the Carolina Panthers for 2021 fourth round pick.
(To me, Higbee is who he is: a decent receiver and a good blocker. His contract is a hold-up, but I think that a team like the Panthers, who desperately need weapons and help for their quarterback, could definitely be interested. And in case, you're worried about us having only Kendall Blanton at tight end? I have a plan to fix it, with two players who will be an upgrade over Higbee and Everett respectively.)
Joseph Noteboom to the Indianapolis Colts for 2021 fifth.
(After Anthony Castonzo retired, the Colts are without a left tackle and have a lot of cap space to play with. Noteboom goes for a fifth and fills their void.)
Rob Havenstein to the Cincinnati Bengals for 2021 fourth and 2021 seventh.
(Havenstein is easy to move; he has a large contract, and with Warford and Linsley signing here, I think that we could move one of Edwards or Evans to right tackle. Meanwhile, Cincy needs offensive line help for Burrow not to be killed.)
2021 third (Holmes comp) to the Minnesota Vikings for 2021 fourth (Chicago) and 2021 fourth (Buffalo).
(Minnesota moves up, we move down. Simple.)
2021 third round pick (Fowler comp) and 2021 fourth (Littleton comp) to the Philadelphia Eagles for 2021 third round pick.
(Stealing a bit from Jerry. We trade two picks to the cash-strapped Eagles for a higher pick.)
2021 second (Vikings) to Washington for 2021 second and 2021 third.
(Washington moves up for a wide receiver, while we move down and get picks.)
Draft:
2nd (Broncos) - Pat Freiermuth, TE, Penn State. (6'5", 250 lbs.)
(Freiermuth's called Baby Gronk for a reason, and it clearly shows. He's a physical do-it-all tight end who has the potential to dominate a game. In my mind, the only reason he's not a first round pick is because of his injury history, but he's flat-out the second best tight end in this class only to Pitts, and if he was healthy, in my opinion, he'd challenge him for that spot. You may wonder why I picked him this high over a cornerback. I say that he's the best player available, and Higbee, as much as I like him, is more of a blocking tight end with decent receiver skills. Freiermuth could potentially be elite.)
2nd (Washington) - Nico Collins, WR, Michigan. (6'4", 215 lbs.)
(Want size, speed, and a giant catch radius? Look no further than Collins. He sat out because of Covid, and that's the only reason he's here. His speed is for real, and he's got a my-ball mentality that some tall players don't have. Maybe we could even use those slants that we did with Watkins for Collins?)
2nd - Jackson Carman, OT, Clemson. (6'5", 345 lbs.)
(Carman is a dancing bear at left tackle. He's so big, carries his weight well, and is surprisingly-athletic for his size. If you're asking for a current replacement for Havenstein and an eventual replacement for Whitworth, you can't do much better.)
3rd (Eagles) - Pete Werner, ILB, Ohio State. (6'3", 242 lbs.)
(Werner has it all: sideline-to-sideline speed and coverage that - while it won't look impressive - does the job, tackling, and great run-stuffing ability. I have no idea why he's not regarded higher than the first round; his overall skillset is amazing.)
3rd (Washington) - Dayo Odeyingbo, OLB, Vanderbilt. (6'6", 265 lbs.)
(Odeyingbo is a moldable piece of clay for us. He's adept at both rushing the passer and defending against the run, has length and speed, and has amazing versatility; he has been in 4-3s and 3-4s alike in various roles, including a 3-4 pass-rusher, 4-3 end, and even defensive tackle at times. He's got a great get-off, which helps him a ton. He needs to learn how to refine his approach to rushing the passer, needs to learn moves and counter moves, but I can't think of a better teacher than Coach Henderson. This could be a pick that changes our edge rushers.)
4th (Jaguars) - Rondale Moore, WR, Purdue. (5'9", 175 lbs.)
(Moore is one of the most electrifying players in this year's draft, but he's also one of the biggest wildcards. Why? Because of his size and injury history. He missed a few games in his sophomore year and sat out his junior year due to Covid concerns. Still, with his blazing speed, his advanced route-running for a freshman, and his ability to return punts to the house, I'd love to have him.)
4th (Bengals) - Israel Mukuamu, CB, South Carolina. (6'3", 205 lbs.)
(Mukuamu is a tall and lengthy cornerback with great ball skills. He's had questions about his athleticism after being torched by Florida. I think he can stick at cornerback, and he thrives on man-to-man coverage.)
4th (Panthers) - Tommy Tremble, TE, Notre Dame. (6'4", 248 lbs.)
(Tremble could be our answer to the Whiners Juszczyk: a do-it-all blocker with good receiving upside. I love how Tremble blocks, I really do. He understands leverage, and has underrated strength. And his receiving, while he's played behind solid tight ends at Notre Dame and wasn't always the primary option, is quite good as well. He could be a very good tight end for us.)
4th (Vikings, originally Bears) - Malcolm Koonce, OLB, Buffalo. (6'3", 248 lbs.)
(Koonce provides a solid depth piece as an edge rusher. He struggles against the run and setting the edge; he'll need to gain significant lower-body strength for him to be trusted on anything other than pass-rushing downs. He also needs a counter-move when his original plan fails. But his speed to bend the edge, his length, and his motor could make him a great pass-rusher.)
4th (Titans) - Chris Rumph II, ILB/OLB, Duke. (6'3", 225 lbs.)
(Rumph II is underweight, and not likely to gain much more. That's all the bad I can see. I absolutely love his film; he's an intelligent, versatile player who has a motor that constantly runs hot. He has underrated athleticism, smart hand usage, and is a dangerous blitzer. I hope this kid is in horns.)
4th (Bills) - Tony Fields II, ILB, West Virginia. (6'1", 222 lbs.)
(Fields is another undersized player, but he reminds me a lot of Littleton, both good and bad. He's got great athleticism for the position, can cover with the best of them, has significant special teams value, and is better in run defense than one would think. He is undersized, though, and if an offensive lineman can get their hands on him, it's over; he struggles to disengage. But Fields could be a good player on special teams alone.)
5th (Colts) - Rodarius Williams, CB, Oklahoma State. (6'0", 193 lbs.)
(Williams is durable, aggressive, and lengthy, causing a lot of pass-breakups. His flaws stem from lack of interceptions and an unwillingness to bite on a double move so much that he'll allow other completions. In a press-man scheme, I can imagine him being a lot better.)
6th (Texans) - Divine Deablo, SS, Virginia Tech. (6'3", 226 lbs.)
(Deablo is someone who caught my eye. He has good ball skills, is instinctive, and is physical. He may not have the athleticism to stick at safety; he could end up being a nickel linebacker. But he'll be solid for special teams, and he should be a solid addition.)
6th - C.J. Verdell, RB/KR, Oregon. (5'9", 205 lbs.)
(Verdell is an interesting option as both a running back and a kick returner. He has the speed to completely break away from most defenders. He's been Oregon's main back and is also a solid receiving option. He's not a good blocker, and while he's a north-south runner, he's not especially elusive, and his vision on zone reads is worrisome. Still, Verdell could end up being a good kick-returner.)
7th (Bengals) - Rico Bussey Jr., WR, Hawaii. (6'2", 193 lbs.)
(
7th - Jah-Maine Martin, RB, North Carolina A&T. (5'10", 214 lbs.)
(Martin is not a three-down back. Let's make that perfectly clear. He's a decent blocker...but he does not have the hands to be a threat in the passing game, unless we're talking screens and maybe checkdowns - and even those are iffy. But he's a big physical back who dominated at his level, has breakaway speed, and is quite scary with the ball in his hands.)
Roster: (starters = bold; rookies = italics.)
QB - Matt Stafford, Alex Smith, John Wolford.)
(Stafford is obviously the starter. Still, he and Smith have had injury issues in the past, so I don't feel comfortable putting two quarterbacks on the roster. But Smith is one of the best backups you can find, and Wolford should be solid. I do like Perkins, but I think he'll be a solid practice squad option.)
RB - Cam Akers, Darrell Henderson Jr., C.J. Verdell (KR), Jah-Maine Martin.
(Akers and Henderson are your go-to one-two punch. Verdell provides a kick-returning option, while Martin is your Malcolm Brown replacement.)
WR - Robert Woods, Van Jefferson, Nico Collins, Rondale Moore (PR), Rico Bussey Jr.
(Woods and Jefferson provide options out of the slot and outside. Collins provides a big receiving threat, while Moore gets occasional snaps. Bussey will be a solid gunner for special teams for now, with the potential for more.)
TE - Pat Freiermuth, Brycen Hopkins, Tommy Tremble.
(Freiermuth should be a solid starter. Tremble provides a solid secondary receiving option and can block with the best of them. I still really like Blanton to make the team this year as an extra blocker and special teams.)
OL - Andrew Whitworth, Bobby Evans, Corey Linsley, Larry Warford, David Edwards, Austin Corbett, Chandler Brewer, Tremayne Anchrum, Jackson Carman.
(Yeah, I'm putting Evans at guard and Edwards at tackle. Corbett and Anchrum should be solid interior options in case of injury, or, in Anchrum's case, it'll be all over the line, Brewer - if he opts back in, which I think he will - should be a solid backup for guard and tackle, and Carman will redshirt this year, unless there's injuries.)
DL - Aaron Donald, Michael Brockers, Sebastian Joseph-Day, Greg Gaines, Michael Hoecht, Jonah Williams.
(AD is AD. Brockers, SJD, and Gaines make for the veterans of the group. Hoecht and Williams are new, but I love their potential; I think both of them could be like Morgan Fox given time. Eric Banks and Marquise Copeland should also compete, and will be solid practice squad options, should they fail to grab a roster spot.)
LB - Terrell Lewis, Pete Werner, Travin Howard, Justin Hollins, Dayo Odeyingbo, Chris Rumph II, Malcolm Koonce, Micah Kiser, Tony Fields II, Christian Rozeboom.
(No Troy Reeder this time! Sorry, Reeder fans. Werner is one of the few starting rookies on this team, and I think Howard bounces back in a huge way. I also think that Lewis will earn a starting job, along with Hollins. Odeyingbo, Rumph, and Koonce start off as designated pass-rushers. Fields, Kiser, and Rozeboom should be solid backups in case of injury, and should also do well on special teams.)
DB - Jalen Ramsey, Artie Burns, Jordan Fuller, Taylor Rapp, Terrell Burgess, David Long, Israel Mukuamu, Rodarius Williams, J.R. Reed, Divine Deablo.
(Yeah, I'm putting Burns ahead of Long, but that could change if Long makes improvements. Either one of them could alternate between outside and slot. But I think Burgess wins the big nickel, and I think big nickel is where we go. Mukuamu and Williams wait their turn, while Reed and Deablo provide solid special teams play, along with being solid backups. And yes, I think Rapp wins the strong safety job, while Fuller moves to free safety.)
ST - Matt Gay, Johnny Hekker, LS (one of Colin Holba/Steven Wirtel).
(Thankfully, the kicker situation is settled. Our punter is the best in the business, and nobody will tell me otherwise. I'm not sure who wins the long-snapper job, but it's obviously not going to be McQuaide, since he'll cost too much.)
So, that's my mock. Feel free to shred it.
