The big 4 heading into the offseason

[CGI_Ram]

(1) Safety
(2) Linebacker
(3) WR
(4) Oline

One could argue TE too, but I'd say those are our weakest units.

It feels like a lot of work, eh? I'm kinda bummed when I look at that list. It's a lot.

We got to get some via FA because the draft can't do it all.

 

[BatteringRambo]

(1) S- Viable options: Vaccarro and Elam. I know we will have a shot at both w/ #16. Oddly enough I watched a decent amount of TX and FL games to see both add extreme value to their secondary. FA wise I don't see any big names as appealing.

(2) OLB- this is where I'm temporarily behind. Just too many damn guys who are top rated, middle road, or pushed back. That's why I have you guys here for insight for draft and FA.

(3) WR- position that will continue to be talked about over and over. Personally do not see the draft being a focal point. I believe a lot hinges on what is done w/ Dolamite and Gibby. Right now we can just speculate. I'm still on the P-Harvin Let's Make A Deal fantasy.

(4) OL- like others have mentioned I would not mind AT ALL if at 16/22 assuming available we went after Barrett Jones or Chance Warmack. Don't see this being a big headline in FA since we have a ton of prosperous depth across each position. I feel Wells will be back to true form along w/ H. Dahl and of course Saffold as the LT mainstay. LG is still a glaring need and we need a bull to push Rok.

 

[F. Mulder]

I agree CGI. I think they come out of rounds 1 and 2 with OL, WR, and Safety in some order. As much as I want an OLB, I think they can find one who can run or can serve as a situational pass rusher/blitzer and get by. What's good about some of the higher OL is that they can play multiple positions so they can not only back up a current starter but could start at a position with the greatest need.

I think RB could obviously be in play if Jackson goes but to me this RB class doesn't wow me. IF they wanted another developmental type RB to throw in there with Pead, Richardson, and Gannaway, they could probably find one in the mid-rounds. I feel the same about TE. IF they loved one of the top 2-3 TEs more than where the WRs were sitting on their board they could go TE instead of WR and use more of a 2-headed monster approach.

 

[RamFan503]

While I'd agree that those positions could very well be our biggest areas of need, I'd place the top two as S and OL and of those two, a nasty, dare you to come across the middle, can cover TEs safety would top my list.

 

[-X-]

While I'd agree that those positions could very well be our biggest areas of need, I'd place the top two as S and OL and of those two, a nasty, dare you to come across the middle, can cover TEs safety would top my list.

Well, I want a TE. I want a "we dare you to leave the middle of the field uncovered" type TE, to be precise. IMO, pairing Kendricks with Eifert would give this offense an incredible boost. Both are good blockers (slight nod to Kendricks) and both are good receivers (slight nod to Eifert). Having both of them in a 2-TE set would wreak havoc. It would open up both edges for our running game, and it would make the defense "pick their poison" in the middle, while opening up isolation routes on the outside.

That's what I want; and when Kevin Demoff gets here, by god, he's gonna hear it!

 

[UnknownREknown]

Good thing about the draft is its 7 rounds, not one, and we have 3 picks in the first 2. I wouldnt mind going S, OLB or S, OL with the first 3 picks and stocking up on OLB and O-Line help with the rest of the picks.

 

[BatteringRambo]

Yo X! Did you like what the Colts did taking Fleener then Allen back to back last draft? I'm not staying we go that route but I wouldn't be surprised to see a TE in the first 4 rounds maybe even 2nd.

This is irrelevant now and at the time likely wasn't in the plans for Billy D but those damn Panthers murdered the Bears in the Greg Olsen deal. However I think if we do go TE it will be via draft. We already have 2 moose type blocking TE's w/ Mulligan and Harkey. Kendricks spent took much time in block formations which was justified but its time Schotty unleashed the beast into the open field. He may not be the fastest in sprint but we all saw what Sir Lance A lot is fully capable of.

Never know Harkey could be that missing dual threat we are looking for as well. :razzed:

 

[-X-]

Yo X! Did you like what the Colts did taking Fleener then Allen back to back last draft? I'm not staying we go that route but I wouldn't be surprised to see a TE in the first 4 rounds maybe even 2nd.

This is irrelevant now and at the time likely wasn't in the plans for Billy D but those damn Panthers murdered the Bears in the Greg Olsen deal. However I think if we do go TE it will be via draft. We already have 2 moose type blocking TE's w/ Mulligan and Harkey. Kendricks spent took much time in block formations which was justified but its time Schotty unleashed the beast into the open field. He may not be the fastest in sprint but we all saw what Sir Lance A lot is fully capable of.

Never know Harkey could be that missing dual threat we are looking for as well. :razzed:

I thought it was very smart taking Fleener because he already had that chemistry with Luck. With regards to Kendricks, I don't think we've seen his ceiling yet. He was a lot faster in college, I thought. But it looks like he's bulked up quite a bit since then, and his blocking skills are off the charts. Eifert has really refined his blocking from what I'm reading, and he's already a really good receiver. I continue to think that pairing them will pay huge dividends immediately.

The question, though, is whether or not Schotty is into using heavy 2-TE sets.

 

[Memento]

There's a ton of excellent tight ends in this year's draft. X has already mentioned Eifert, but there's also several other big receiving tight ends: Zach Ertz (6'6", Stanford), Levine Toilolo (6'8", Stanford), Joseph Fauria (6'7", UCLA), Gavin Escobar (6'6", San Diego State), Ryan Otten (6'6", San Jose State), Travis Kelce (6'6", Cincinnati), and Jake Stoneburner (6'5", Ohio State). That's not even mentioning guys like Jordan Reed (Florida) and Chris Gragg (Arkansas) who are receiving tight ends that aren't really tall. I particularly like Fauria; he's like a poor man's Jimmy Graham who's an inch taller. He was fantastic at UCLA.

 

[DR RAM]

Yo X! Did you like what the Colts did taking Fleener then Allen back to back last draft? I'm not staying we go that route but I wouldn't be surprised to see a TE in the first 4 rounds maybe even 2nd.

This is irrelevant now and at the time likely wasn't in the plans for Billy D but those damn Panthers murdered the Bears in the Greg Olsen deal. However I think if we do go TE it will be via draft. We already have 2 moose type blocking TE's w/ Mulligan and Harkey. Kendricks spent took much time in block formations which was justified but its time Schotty unleashed the beast into the open field. He may not be the fastest in sprint but we all saw what Sir Lance A lot is fully capable of.

Never know Harkey could be that missing dual threat we are looking for as well. :razzed:

Harkey is not that threat unless his hands improve dramatically. I am very familiar with him, he will be a really good blocker once he gets stronger. He did make a couple good catches this year, and I hope he does improve in that area, because with his blocking skills, he could be on the field a lot.

I would have no problem with drafting a TE fairly high. @memento - Fauria can run, jump, and catch, but he's not a great blocker. He would fit well on our team I think. The guy gets open a lot.

I hope that we draft a safety and a OLB with the first picks. I really want us to nail those positions and target starters. Then maybe an OL, TE, or, DL with the 2nd round pick. I still don't want to pick a WR, unless he is pro ready. I hope that we can manage a trade or pick up a top FA. If we can't accomplish that then a WR high in the draft would probably be a high priority.

 

[bluecoconuts]

I wouldn't mind getting a fast TE, because Kendricks looks really slow... But then he's got a better 40 time than most TE's (even the big ones like Gronk) so now I just don't know what I want.