Memento's Revised 2019 Offseason (With Trades! Yay!)

[Memento]

All right, here it goes:

Cut:

John Sullivan
Mark Barron

(Sullivan has been a solid center, but I honestly think that Blythe could do a better job with less money. Barron is obvious.)

Re-sign:

Cory Littleton (four years)
Ethan Westbrooks (one year)
Sam Shields (one year)
Ramik Wilson (one year)
Troy Hill - RFA
Malcolm Brown - RFA
Kevin Peterson - ERFA
Blake Countess - RFA
Morgan Fox - RFA
JoJo Natson - ERFA
Dominique Hatfield - ERFA
KhaDarel Hodge - ERFA

(I'd gladly give Littleton an extension, as I think he's going to blow up next year. Westbrooks, Shields, and Wilson are cheap depth, whom I mistakenly neglected to include in my last mock. Brown is another addition who should help with depth behind running back. Fox deserves a chance to compete for an outside linebacker slot. Peterson deserves a chance to compete for a spot as well. I'm not a fan of Countess as a starter, but he's cheap depth, so he stays. Hill is depth, so he stays. Hatfield should never see the starting field, but he's a good special teams player, so he stays. Natson and Hodge are key special teams players. They stay.

Release:

Ndamukong Suh
Dante Fowler
Lamarcus Joyner
Rodger Saffold
C.J. Anderson
Dominique Easley
Matt Longacre
Bryce Hager
Sean Mannion
Garrett Sickels

(As much as I hate to lose Saffold, the fact of the matter is that he's an injury-prone lineman over thirty years old. It's not smart to give him a long-term contract. Suh and Joyner ask for too much for what they're being paid. I'd love to keep Anderson, but it's not feasible with Gurley and Brown in the backfield. Fowler asks for too much and we look elsewhere. Easley is injury prone, Longacre is ineffective, Hager is redundant with Wilson, Mannion isn't the answer for backup quarterback, and Sickels is practice squad material at best.)

Free Agents:

Justin Houston (three years)

(My biggest splurge of the offseason. Houston is a legitimate pass-rushing demon off the edge who also excels in run-stopping. Would I love to bring him in to not only mentor Ebukam, Okoronkwo, and Fox, but to also bring fear to a defense? You bet!)

Kwon Alexander (four years)

(I think that Alexander might cost less than one would think, as he has an ACL injury and suspension history. When on the field, though, he's one of the most talented inside linebackers there is. And I think that he'd be a huge fit in Wade's system next to Littleton behind Poe. And did I mention that Alexander is only twenty-five years old?)

Dontari Poe (one year)

(If Poe is released, we should be on this in a heartbeat. Imagine him next to Donald and Franklin-Myers. Imagine him filling gaps for Littleton and Alexander to fly through like heat-seeking missiles. Imagine him with his old teammate, Houston. Oh, my.)

Darian Stewart (two years)

(Stewart makes a dramatic return to the Rams. He'll move JJ3 to free safety, while being a physical leader in the secondary.)

Luis Perez (three years)

(Yeah, I went there. Perez deserves a shot at backup quarterback after the way he's played.)

Trades:

Marcus Peters and 2020 fourth round pick to the Indianapolis Colts for their second round pick (Jets second).

(Indianapolis desperately needs a cornerback to complete their secondary. We happen to have Marcus Peters available. Trade makes sense.)

2019 first round pick and 2019 seventh round pick (compensatory for Cody Davis) to the Cincinnati Bengals for their 2019 second and 2019 fourth.

(Cincy will likely want a young quarterback behind an offensive line pick (Daniel Jones, I guess, who probably won't get past the Giants' second round pick?) after a potential trade of Dalton. And we know Zac Taylor. I think that this is a fair price.)

Josh Reynolds to the Buffalo Bills for their 2019 third.

(Call me crazy? Perhaps. But you'll see why Reynolds was traded in a moment. As for why the Bills do this, they have nothing at receiver. They also have nothing at offensive line, and they'll probably use draft picks on both. But Reynolds will be attractive to Buffalo because he's a veteran receiver for Josh Allen to trust.)

Draft:

2nd round (Jets) - Jeffery Simmons, NT, Mississippi State.



(Simmons needs no explanation. I think he could still be here because of his injury.)

2nd round (Bengals) -

N'Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State.



(Harry is the reason why I can trade Reynolds. He's not fast (which drops him to the second round), but he's a good route runner, and he can high-point the ball and should be a solid receiver in the redzone.)​

3rd round (Buffalo) - Yodny Cajuste, OG, West Virginia.

(Cajuste probably isn't a good left tackle, but he can be an excellent guard. He has a mean streak the size of Canada, and he's a hell of a run blocker. He has gotten a few flags, especially in the Oklahoma game, but I think that he could improve tremendously with the help of Kromer.)
​

3rd round - Michael Deiter, OG/C, Wisconsin.

​

(Deiter can play everywhere on the line, but I like him most at right guard or center. He's technically sound, as is the norm for Wisconsin players, and unlike his counterpart in Benzschawel, Deiter fits in a zone-blocking skin because he's so light on his feet.)

3rd round (compensatory pick) -

Joejuan Williams, CB, Vanderbilt.​

(Williams is a big (6'3", 213 lbs.) press-man cornerback who fits Wade's system like a glove. He reminds me a lot of Brandon Browner.)​

4th round (Bengals) - Joe Jackson, OLB, Miami.

(Jackson is an edge defender with length, size, and speed. He's not consistent, and he has technical flaws he needs to work on, but he has upside.)​

4th round - Rodney Anderson, RB, Oklahoma.

(I know that Jrry had him first, but Anderson is such a good running back that I'd be happy to get him as well. The only problem he has are injuries. Everything else, he does well.)​

5th round - Hamp Cheevers, CB, Boston College.



(Cheevers is a ball-hawking slot cornerback who should fit on special teams for now before potentially replacing NRC next year.)

6th round - Youhanna Ghaifan, DT, Wyoming.



(Ghaifan falls because he's sushi-raw and has a harassment conviction (pleaded no contest to avoid a false imprisonment charge), but he's insanely talented.)

All thoughts are welcome!

 

[Petrowsky]

What’s up with Brockers? I don’t see him as a released player, but we are signing a DT, and drafting a NT.

Even with all this cap space being opened up by releasing a lot of players, I am concerned with cap space moving forward with Goff’s extension coming. That’s a lot of money invested in FAs.

I also don’t see a need to replace Reynolds. The guy is a solid #4. I just don’t see the point of replacing Reynolds, and using a 2nd round pick to do it. Just my .02 cents.

 

[jrry32]

I think you're doing too much, Memento. Continuity goes a long way. I wouldn't completely overhaul the team after we just made a Super Bowl run. But that's just my personal preference. Outside of that, I like the draft. I don't think Joejun Williams falls that far, and I'm not a fan of Ghaifan. But the other picks look good. However, I do wonder if we might prefer A.J. Brown to N'Keal Harry. With Brown being a 6'1" 230 pound WR who blocks like a TE and has a lot of experience in the slot, he would make a lot of sense for the sort of mismatches McVay likes to push (kind of like Humphrey in my mock).

 

[OldSchool]

Very interesting take on the off season. I think you’ll take a lot of heat for not keeping Saffold and especially for pointing out he’s had a history of injuries. Those trades look very favorable to the Adams and are likely be case scenario instead of likely scenario.

 

[Ram65]

Kwon Alexander (four years)

(I think that Alexander might cost less than one would think, as he has an ACL injury and suspension history. When on the field, though, he's one of the most talented inside linebackers there is. And I think that he'd be a huge fit in Wade's system next to Littleton behind Poe. And did I mention that Alexander is only twenty-five years old?)

Very interesting. Could be a very good match.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwon_Alexander

 

[FrantikRam]

It makes zero sense to trade Peters. He played really well in the playoffs and every game with Talib on the field.

 

[8to12]

I like many of the players you drafted. However, I think Michael Dieter's selection may be second guessed after his showing in the Senior Bowl practices. In the Day 2 & 3 sessions, he must have lost 9 out of 10 reps versus the varying D-lineman he faced.

 

[Memento]

What’s up with Brockers? I don’t see him as a released player, but we are signing a DT, and drafting a NT.

Even with all this cap space being opened up by releasing a lot of players, I am concerned with cap space moving forward with Goff’s extension coming. That’s a lot of money invested in FAs.

I also don’t see a need to replace Reynolds. The guy is a solid #4. I just don’t see the point of replacing Reynolds, and using a 2nd round pick to do it. Just my .02 cents.

Simmons won't be available to play for quite some time, as he tore his ACL recently. Brockers is only signed until next year. We're signing Poe to fill in the nose tackle spot.

Cap should be fine, since we're losing Sullivan, Barron, Peters, Suh, Joyner, and a few others who cost a lot against the cap.

As for Reynolds, I do like the guy. I just like Harry a whole lot more.

I think you're doing too much, Memento. Continuity goes a long way. I wouldn't completely overhaul the team after we just made a Super Bowl run. But that's just my personal preference. Outside of that, I like the draft. I don't think Joejun Williams falls that far, and I'm not a fan of Ghaifan. But the other picks look good. However, I do wonder if we might prefer A.J. Brown to N'Keal Harry. With Brown being a 6'1" 230 pound WR who blocks like a TE and has a lot of experience in the slot, he would make a lot of sense for the sort of mismatches McVay likes to push (kind of like Humphrey in my mock).

Finally on the Hamp Cheevers bandwagon?

Yeah, continuity goes a long way, but last year proved that we can make a lot of changes to our roster and still succeed. I trust in McSnead to do this right.

You're right in that Williams might not fall to that slot. I get why people may not be a fan of Ghaifan. Off-the-field issues and being sushi-raw on the field doesn't help. But that's why he's a sixth round pick.

As for Brown, he reminds me too much of Treadwell. I'd much rather have Harry.

Very interesting take on the off season. I think you’ll take a lot of heat for not keeping Saffold and especially for pointing out he’s had a history of injuries. Those trades look very favorable to the Adams and are likely be case scenario instead of likely scenario.

Fair enough on the trades. I tried to make them favor both teams, so I apologize if that wasn't the case. As for Saffold, if he's willing to sign a two-year contract, I'd be fine with keeping him. I just can't justify paying more than two years for a lineman over thirty with a history of injuries. Cajuste should be a solid replacement.

Very interesting. Could be a very good match.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kwon_Alexander

Yeah, I like Alexander a ton as a middle linebacker. I know that the move would make us light at ILB, but talent finds a way to manifest itself.

It makes zero sense to trade Peters. He played really well in the playoffs and every game with Talib on the field.

Peters did play really well in the playoffs. He also struggled a ton in the regular season and has a nine-million-dollar cap hit that would need to be alleviated to sign the players needed. So why not get something for him while the iron's hot?

I like many of the players you drafted. However, I think Michael Dieter's selection may be second guessed after his showing in the Senior Bowl practices. In the Day 2 & 3 sessions, he must have lost 9 out of 10 reps versus the varying D-lineman he faced.

Didn't realize that Deiter struggled in the Senior Bowl. If I'm not mistaken, though, I thought that Havenstein struggled in the Senior Bowl as well?

 

[jrry32]

Finally on the Hamp Cheevers bandwagon?

Yeah, continuity goes a long way, but last year proved that we can make a lot of changes to our roster and still succeed. I trust in McSnead to do this right.

You're right in that Williams might not fall to that slot. I get why people may not be a fan of Ghaifan. Off-the-field issues and being sushi-raw on the field doesn't help. But that's why he's a sixth round pick.

As for Brown, he reminds me too much of Treadwell. I'd much rather have Harry.

You know my opinion on Cheevers. No point in rehashing that one.

 

[Memento]

Here's an alteration of this draft, as I don't believe it's worth using an entirely new thread for a mere alteration:

Cut:

Mark Barron

(Barron is obvious.)

Re-sign:

Cory Littleton (four years)
Rodger Saffold (two years)
Ethan Westbrooks (one year)
Sam Shields (one year)
Malcolm Brown - RFA
Kevin Peterson - ERFA
Blake Countess - RFA
Morgan Fox - RFA
JoJo Natson - ERFA
Dominique Hatfield - ERFA
KhaDarel Hodge - ERFA

(Saffold settles for a two-year deal to stay on a Super Bowl contender. I'd gladly give Littleton an extension, as I think he's going to blow up next year. Westbrooks and Shields are cheap depth, whom I mistakenly neglected to include in my last mock. Brown is another addition who should help with depth behind running back. Fox deserves a chance to compete for an outside linebacker/defensive end slot. Peterson deserves a chance to compete for a spot as well. I'm not a fan of Countess as a starter, but he's cheap depth, so he stays. Hatfield should never see the starting field, but he's a good special teams player, so he stays. Natson and Hodge are key special teams players. They stay.

Release:

Ndamukong Suh
Dante Fowler
Lamarcus Joyner
C.J. Anderson
Dominique Easley
Matt Longacre
Troy Hill
Bryce Hager
Ramik Wilson
Sean Mannion
Garrett Sickels

(Suh and Joyner ask for too much for what they're being paid. I'd love to keep Anderson, but it's not feasible with Gurley and Brown in the backfield. Fowler asks for too much and we look elsewhere. I'm not sure if Hill is an UFA or not, but he's replaceable. Easley is injury prone, Longacre is ineffective, Hager and Wilson are replaceable, Mannion isn't the answer for backup quarterback, and Sickels is practice squad material at best.)

Free Agents:

Justin Houston (three years)

(My biggest splurge of the offseason. Houston is a legitimate pass-rushing demon off the edge who also excels in run-stopping. Would I love to bring him in to not only mentor Ebukam, Okoronkwo, and Fox, but to also bring fear to a defense? You bet!)

Kwon Alexander (four years)

(I think that Alexander might cost less than one would think, as he has an ACL injury and suspension history. When on the field, though, he's one of the most talented inside linebackers there is. And I think that he'd be a huge fit in Wade's system next to Littleton behind Poe. And did I mention that Alexander is only twenty-five years old?)

Dontari Poe (one year)

(If Poe is released, we should be on this in a heartbeat. Imagine him next to Donald and Franklin-Myers. Imagine him filling gaps for Littleton and Alexander to fly through like heat-seeking missiles. Imagine him with his old teammate, Houston. Oh, my.)

Luis Perez (three years)

(Yeah, I like Perez as a backup.)

Trades:

Marcus Peters and 2020 fourth to the Indianapolis Colts for #34 overall.

(Indy desperately needs a cornerback in their secondary. We happen to have Marcus Peters. Trade makes sense.)

Josh Reynolds and #94 overall to the Buffalo Bills for their 2019 second (#40 overall).

(Call me crazy? Perhaps. Still, the Bills have nothing at receiver. They also have nothing at offensive line, and they'll probably use draft picks on both. But Reynolds will be attractive to Buffalo because he's a veteran receiver for Josh Allen to trust.)

2019 first round pick (#31 overall) to the Jacksonville Jaguars for #38 overall and #98 overall.

(Stealing from Jrry's mock because it makes all kinds of sense.)

Draft:

#34 overall - Jeffery Simmons, NT, Mississippi State.



(I do get the feeling that Simmons will take a tumble down the draft because of his off-the-field stuff and ACL injury. We take him as a result. Simmons is very much like Ndamukong Suh.)

#38 - N'Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State.



(Here we get the replacement for Reynolds - and eventually, when his contract opts out, Woods - in Harry. The only reason he's here is because he's not fast. However, Harry is a possession-type with advanced route running abilities for a bigger receiver. I've heard Allen Robinson comparisons, and I think that fits.)

#40 - Taylor Rapp, SS, Washington.



(Rapp is just a solid safety in every aspect. I love his reliability and tone-setting hitting. And he doesn't just go for the kill-shot in hitting; he's arguably the most consistent tackler in this class. He has the ability to blitz, play man coverage against tight ends, and sniff out the run with his top-of-the-scale instincts and football IQ.)

#98 overall - Yodny Cajuste, OG, West Virginia.



(Cajuste, in my opinion, won't be a tackle. He simply takes too many holding penalties for that. He does fit at guard, though, and right guard looks like a great spot for him. Cajuste is lengthy and powerful; once he gets his hands on a rusher, it's all over. As I've said before, he has a mean streak the size of Canada. He wants to bully opposing defenders, and they'll have to like it.)

#99 overall - Kahale Warring, TE, San Diego State.



(Watch that Nevada tape throughout, and you'll see a top-notch receiver. Jrry made me notice him, and after watching film, he's on the top of my list for tight ends. Warring is a great blocker; he has to be because of the offense that SDSU runs. But he's simply so smooth as a route runner and knows how to high-point the ball. I want him in horns.)

#133 overall - Justin Layne, CB, Michigan State.



(Layne is the Peters replacement. I know that several have him going in the third round, but there's fourth round consideration, as he's a former receiver and still learning the nuances of the job at cornerback. He's 6'3" with long arms and excellent ball skills. He's also surprisingly sturdy against the run and will stick his nose into the fray. He can back up Sam Shields and Troy Hill until he's ready.)

#169 overall - Jalen Jelks, OLB, Oregon.



(A long and lean linebacker who played at defensive tackle early in his career, Jelks is still very much a work in progress. He's not sturdy against the run, but he's willing to stick his neck in there, unlike a lot of the designated pass-rushers in this class. He's a solid pass-rusher with advanced hand-to-hand work because of his past in the trenches, and he'll win with length and speed. Unfortunately, like I mentioned, he desperately needs to bulk up, and I'm not sure if he can. Still, he can be a solid backup, at least.)

#203 overall - Travis Homer, RB, Miami.



(Another one of Jrry's picks, Homer is simply solid in all phases, even though he's undersized. And even though he's undersized, he proves the old adage that it's the fight in the dog that matters. He simply plays bigger than he is. He's a willing pass-protector, and he's got great catching abilities out of the backfield.)

#251 overall - Sione Takitaki, ILB, BYU.



(This kid is flying under the radar because of his off-the-field issues (has been suspended multiple times), but he plays like his hair is on fire. He showed well against Wisconsin, playing good coverage and making several key tackles. He started out as a defensive end, but moved to linebacker and put up monster stats. Also, those off-the-field issues seem to be a thing of the past, as he's married and earned the team captaincy. Overall, I'd love to see this kid in blue-and-gold.)

Roster (italics are starters):

QB - Jared Goff, Luis Perez.
RB - Todd Gurley, Malcolm Brown, John Kelly, Travis Homer.
WR - Brandin Cooks, Robert Woods, Cooper Kupp, N'Keal Harry, KhaDerel Hodge, JoJo Natson.
TE - Gerald Everett, Tyler Higbee, Kahale Warring.
OL - Andrew Whitworth, Rodger Saffold, John Sullivan, Austin Blythe, Rob Havenstein, Joe Noteboom, Brian Allen, Yodny Cajuste, Jamil Demby.
DL - Aaron Donald, Dontari Poe, Michael Brockers, John Franklin-Myers, Ethan Westbrooks, Morgan Fox, Jeffery Simmons (PUP).
LB - Justin Houston, Cory Littleton, Kwon Alexander, Samson Ebukam, Ogbonnia Okoronkwo, Jalen Jelks, Micah Kiser, Sione Takitaki, Travin Howard, Trevon Young.
DB - Aqib Talib, Sam Shields, John Johnson III, Taylor Rapp, Nickell Robey-Coleman, Justin Layne, Kevin Peterson, Marqui Christian, Blake Countess, Dominique Hatfield.
ST - Greg Zuerlein, Johnny Hekker, Jake McQuaide.​

 

[Ramrocket]

I love the trades. Houston would be a great fit for us. If I had to get picky (and i would have to try real hard), my concern would be at CB. Peters went missing mid season but performed well in the post season. With an aging Talib and a CB in Shields who hasn't reached previous high levels of play to suggest that he can start, Layne, who I like, might be pressed into starting earlier than anticipated in his NFL career. That said, picking up Simmons, Harry and Cajuste for the loss of our 1st and Peters (and a 4th next year), just makes too much sense not to jump at it.