That Guy's (way too early and unresearched) Mock Offseason

[That Guy]

Thought I would throw in an early mock for the offseason.  Since this is WAY to early to be reliably precise, I'm going for what I hope to happen (with moderate realism).

 

Cuts:

Andre Johnson

Trent Cole

 

Extension/Re-work:

Andrew Luck - This is going to hurt...  At least he's worth it...

Robert Mathis - Could we re-work his contract to save some cap space?

 

Notable Re-Signings:

Dwight Lowery - I'm fine with an Adams/Lowery/Geathers trio for another year

Jerrell Freeman - He's earned it!

Coby Fleener - Need and familiarity.

Jack Doyle - For the cost, I think I'll take him over Allen.

Matt Hasselbeck - One last year for the aging vet.  He deserves it after the punishment he took for us last year.

Adam Vinatieri - I get the feeling this man will play for us until he says otherwise and retires.

 

Notable Free Agents:

Olivier Vernon - This is our big splash and a complete steal.  Pay the man top dollar.

Trumaine Johnson - Creates a great pairing on the outsides.  We'll probably pay a little over market value.

 

Draft: Players in Red are players I think we could trade back and get.  Players in Blue are players I think we would probably need to trade up to get.

 

Round 1: Jack Conklin (T Michigan State) - Plug at RT and watch the line problems start to go away.  We could probably trade back a little here and get ammo to trade up in the second.

 

Round 2: Andrew Billings (NT Baylor) - I could see him slide because of his position.  We may need to trade up a little into the early second round to get him, but I would do so without thinking twice!

 

Round 3:Alex Collins (RB Arkansas) - Familiarity wins out here, and we get a pretty good player out of the deal.

 

Round 4: Jordan Jenkins (OLB Georgia) - An upgrade over Werner (who sticks around for depth and relatively low cost).  Jordan would make a great eventual backup/replacement for Walden.

 

Round 5: Christian Westerman (G/C Arizona State) - New RG or C (or LG if you prefer to move Mewhort).  Comes in ready to start right away.  GREAT value.

 

Round 7: Jeff Driskel (QB Louisiana Tech) Bring Hasselback back for one last year to mentor this kid.  He needs it.  Stash him on the practice squad until he can make better decisions.

 

This makes our depth chart look something like (Red is Free Agent, Blue is Rookie):

 

QB: Luck/Hasselbeck/Driskel

RB: Gore/Collins/Herron/Robinson

WR: Hilton/Moncrief/Dorsett/Whalen/Bray/Carter

TE: Fleener/Doyle

LT: Castonzo/Good

LG: Mewhort/Heenan

C: ???/???

RG: Westerman/Thornton

RT: Conklin/Reitz

 

DE: Langford/Okine

NT: Billings/Parry

DT: Jones/Anderson

OLB:Vernon/Mathis

ILB: Freeman/Jackson/Irving/Moore

OLB:Walden/Jenkins/Werner

CB: Davis/Johnson/Butler/Smith

FS: Lowery/Geathers

SS: Adams/Anderson

 

I would also love to get Osemele or Mack, but I think we will only be able to get two premiere players (at most).  If we get all three, we will automatically be declared the winners of free agency.  Without either of them, we will still be dangerous.  With either of them, we will be amazing.

[Defjamz26]

I would take Billings in round 1 instead of waiting and possibly having to trade up. Conklin is great but not can't miss great, so I'd take Billings over him. And take whoever you want round 2.

 

I like the rest of your draft though aside from some personal preferences. I also don't think Trumaine Johnson is leaving the Rams.

[That Guy]

8 minutes ago, Defjamz26 said:

I would take Billings in round 1 instead of waiting and possibly having to trade up. Conklin is great but not can't miss great, so I'd take Billings over him. And take whoever you want round 2.

 

I like the rest of your draft though aside from some personal preferences. I also don't think Trumaine Johnson is leaving the Rams.

I basically agree.  I think Conklin and Billings will both go in the late-first/early-second, and I would love to have both (without having to choose one and settle for a lesser player for the other).  I think Conklin will go first simply because his position is typically in greater demand, so I put him as our first.  Between our first and our second, I think we have the overall combined value we would need to get both; it would just take a bit of wheeling and dealing to position both our picks in the right spots. 

[Defjamz26]

6 minutes ago, That Guy said:

I basically agree.  I think Conklin and Billings will both go in the late-first/early-second, and I would love to have both (without having to choose one and settle for a lesser player for the other).  I think Conklin will go first simply because his position is typically in greater demand, so I put him as our first.  Between our first and our second, I think we have the overall combined value we would need to get both; it would just take a bit of wheeling and dealing to position both our picks in the right spots. 

 

I think Conklin is going to go higher than expected. He's making a case that he can play LT at the next level. He may not have the prototypical athleticism, but he's spent his career handling some of the best defensive players in college which is what a LT does. His technique is just too solid.

 

If he makes it past our pick, he won't wait long to hear his name called.

[12isthenew18]

vernon is a 4-3 de

[That Guy]

2 hours ago, 12isthenew18 said:

vernon is a 4-3 de

So was Mathis before he led the league in sacks for us.

 

So was Langford.

 

Bottom line: I think Vernon could fit our scheme as an OLB.

[Track Guy]

Like adding Conklin, Billings, and Westerman like that. Man, the trenches would be getting some kinda infusion.

 

Driskel is a bit underrated imo so I think that's kinda cool even though I doubt we draft a backup. 

[OffensivelyPC]

3 hours ago, 12isthenew18 said:

vernon is a 4-3 de

It's not that simple. If you can't explain why Vernon'S 4-3 characteristics don't translate to a 3-4 and vice versa, it is over your head.