Fix one position on both sides of the ball

[krunk]

No way do ya get rid of our best D lineman and not know who the starters would be that would take his place, We do need a NT thats going to collapse the pocket more consistently and is able to shed a block

 

 

If I could waive a magic wand to fix the DL issue and I did it in FA I would get rid of Redding for Lamar Houston from the Raiders. Also I would bring in somebody like Randy Starks from the Dolphins as a hybrid NT/DE to split time with Chap instead of Aubrayo Franklin.  Houston to me would be a perfect replacement for Redding because he's stout in the run game, he's young at 26 years old and he's active in pass rush usually netting around 4 to 6 sacks each season in his career. Randy Starks is about 3 years younger than Redding so he's getting up in age a little but he's still effective against the run and he has averaged just about 4 sacks each year against the passing game.

 

My main group on the D Line would be Houston, Chapman, Hughes Starks. Backups would be RJF and maybe Pendleton.  Or you could roll with Houston, Chapman, RJF and Starks with Hughes and Pendleton rotating in as the backups. I think a line up like this would make us more disruptive along the D line in the running game and the passing game.

 

I only stated the DL because the OP said select one spot on both sides, but just to add more the ILB I would have would probably be Shane Skov in the draft and Jerrell Freeman, Mathis of course, and I hadn't made a decision for the other OLB. The depth would be Muamba(maybe) and Mcnary, or I would do Mcnary and Freeman with Skov and Muamba subbing in.  Either way..........

[ztboiler]

If I could waive a magic wand to fix the DL issue and I did it in FA I would get rid of Redding for Lamar Houston from the Raiders. Also I would bring in somebody like Randy Starks from the Dolphins as a hybrid NT/DE to split time with Chap instead of Aubrayo Franklin.  Houston to me would be a perfect replacement for Redding because he's stout in the run game, he's young at 26 years old and he's active in pass rush usually netting around 4 to 6 sacks each season in his career. Randy Starks is about 3 years younger than Redding so he's getting up in age a little but he's still effective against the run and he has averaged just about 4 sacks each year against the passing game.

 

My main group on the D Line would be Houston, Chapman, Hughes Starks. Backups would be RJF and maybe Pendleton.  Or you could roll with Houston, Chapman, RJF and Starks with Hughes and Pendleton rotating in as the backups. I think a line up like this would make us more disruptive along the D line in the running game and the passing game.

 

I only stated the DL because the OP said select one spot on both sides, but just to add more the ILB I would have would probably be Shane Skov in the draft and Jerrell Freeman, Mathis of course, and I hadn't made a decision for the other OLB. The depth would be Muamba(maybe) and Mcnary, or I would do Mcnary and Freeman with Skov and Muamba subbing in.  Either way..........

 

Redding is a big man...and he doesn't need me to defend him, but if there is one vet on our roster that is playing above his contract value, its Redding. He has not only been a huge piece of the fiber of our leadership, but provides numbers similar to those you suggest you would bring in.  If he was going to cost $8+M this year, fine, but he costs about $3.5M if I remember correctly.  Bargain from the home run bin.

 

That doesn't mean you don't sign Houston, Jones, Linval or Starks.  DLine looks like the strongest group of free agents in the market - we should capitalize given our lack of draft picks.  Go get one that fits our system, preferrably a young one who can either rotate with Redding then take over or play the other side and use the versatility of RJF to move him around.  RJF could take over the strongside then for Redding in 2015.

[Defjamz26]

Offense is simple: Get Mack (if he's available) or DLP at center. Move Thorton to his natural position.

 

Defense (Secondary): Cut Greg Toler and Bethea. Draft Keith McGill and Deone Buccannon.

[krunk]

Redding is a big man...and he doesn't need me to defend him, but if there is one vet on our roster that is playing above his contract value, its Redding. He has not only been a huge piece of the fiber of our leadership, but provides numbers similar to those you suggest you would bring in.  If he was going to cost $8+M this year, fine, but he costs about $3.5M if I remember correctly.  Bargain from the home run bin.

 

That doesn't mean you don't sign Houston, Jones, Linval or Starks.  DLine looks like the strongest group of free agents in the market - we should capitalize given our lack of draft picks.  Go get one that fits our system, preferrably a young one who can either rotate with Redding then take over or play the other side and use the versatility of RJF to move him around.  RJF could take over the strongside then for Redding in 2015.

 

 

I like Redding don't get me wrong, but I think he's getting over the hill somewhat.  I wouldn't mind keeping him at all if there was a way to keep him along with adding guys like Houston and Starks.  I also considered the fact that Grigs doesn't like to fill the team with too many old heads so that's why I kind of replaced him with a guy(Houston) who's been averaging 4 to 6 sacks a season.  Redding if you look across his career has averaged a little over 3 sacks sometimes less depending on the season.  As far as financials are concerned, the OP did not even factor that in, he said "If you could waive a magic wand".  This is all very much hypothetical so I didn't even factor in Reddings financials.  I also feel like Hughes and Chap would be much improved this year so I felt confident with the lineup I chose.  

 

Reddings leadership is very key as you say so it would certainly be something to factor when talking about choosing someone else.  I wanted to keep him in there but I coudn't find a way to do it without sitting somebody like Starks on the bench as a backup which wouldn't make sense, or sitting Redding as a backup which wouldn't make sense.

 

I would not start RJF over Houston or Starks.  I think RJF is best as a rotational back up the same as he was used in San Fran.

[krunk]

 

I like Redding don't get me wrong, but I think he's getting over the hill somewhat.  I wouldn't mind keeping him at all if there was a way to keep him along with adding guys like Houston and Starks.  I also considered the fact that Grigs doesn't like to fill the team with too many old heads so that's why I kind of replaced him with a  young guy(Houston) who's been averaging 4 to 6 sacks a season.  Redding if you look across his career has averaged a little over 3 sacks sometimes less depending on the season.  As far as financials are concerned, the OP did not even factor that in, he said "If you could waive a magic wand".  This is all very much hypothetical so I didn't even factor in Reddings financials.  I also feel like Hughes and Chap would be much improved this year so I felt confident with the lineup I chose.  

 

Reddings leadership is very key as you say so it would certainly be something to factor when talking about choosing someone else.  I wanted to keep him in there but I coudn't find a way to do it without sitting somebody like Starks on the bench as a backup which wouldn't make sense, or sitting Redding as a backup which wouldn't make sense.

 

I would not start RJF over Houston or Starks.  I think RJF is best as a rotational back up the same as he was used in San Fran.

[OffensivelyPC]

CENTER

 

1. Cut Satele and let McGlynn walk

2. Sign Jonathan Goodwin to a 2yr/3.5m deal

3. Draft C/OG Marcus Martin at #90 to compete with C/OG Holmes for the eventual starting role. They've both played C and OG and add young depth at both positions.

 

Reasoning: This approach spares us the monster contract Mack will command, if we even get a shot at him, and the market-inflated contracts EDS and De La Puente will likely get.

 

Okay, now I'm gonna go against the grain a little....

 

SAFETY

 

1. Let Bethea walk in free agency....it's been a nice ride, but unfortunately, his best days are behind him.

2. Sign Jairus Byrd

3. Trade down out of the #58 spot in round 2 for a high 3rd round pick and 4th round pick....an equitable trade. Draft SS Ahmad Dixon with the acquired 3rd round pick. Dixon plays a very physical brand of game at Safety and would be a good rotation player as he develops. Use the acquired 4th rounder for other needs.

 

Reasoning: I know....we need ILB's and Byrd wants a ton of $$$. The logic is that by re-signing Vontae Davis AND signing Byrd....pairing him with Landry and grooming Dixon at SS....we will have a vastly upgraded and young secondary, basically set for 4 years. And as a unit this helps our LB's in coverage and run support.

 

With Satele and Toler presumably being let go and 40M + in cap space....we can afford 2 high-dollar signings and I'd rather spend it on Davis and Byrd than on the O-line, given the rarity of ball-hawking Safeties like Byrd.

I agree with what you want to address and reasoning, though, disagree with how you planned it all out.  

 

For the C position -  I just don't think there's any way that Martin is available in the 3rd round, but if he were, he'd be an absolute steal.  I think that, depending on how/if we address the ILB position in free agency, and with who's available, Martin is worth of our 2nd round pick - and I'm not even sure he'd be available there.  But, depending on other team needs below us and where Martin ends up being on most teams draft boards, we could trade down and cash in a little bit before picking Martin if the situation dictated it.

 

I also like addressing the FS position in FA.  I think it is harder to find a good FS that can free up the SS to be more of a ball hawk than it is to find a serviceable 3-4 ILB.  Safeties don't really depend on the alignment of the front 7, so you dont' have to worry about whether he fits a 3-4 or 4-3.  With the ILB, I'd prefer to address this need in the draft.  I think that the market for ILBs is already somewhat scarce, and even if they are a traditioanl 3-4 ILB, you still don't know if they will be able to do well in your defense.  Best to draft a guy that's familiar with the 3-4 and then groom him up as a rookie, IMO.  At any rate, this will be Werner and Chapman's first offseason (I know Chapman has had an offseason, but he was injured the entire year, so you can't really say anything at all to his progression).  Most guys progress the most between years one and two, and I look for that to be the case with those two.  Naturally, our DL should improve as a unit.  With that in mind, and a strong seconary, I think we get more than we would than if we simply "fixed" ILB position by signing a top tier ILB. I wouldn't mind using the 3rd round pick for an ILB, but as noted above, I don't think we should trade down unless we are fairly confident that Martin would be available in the upper 3rd round.

[dgambill]

To fix one thing I would go with Center...by cutting Satele and saving 4 million in cap space it would almost pay for most if not at least half of what I would like to do. I'm hoping Thornton continues to improve and Thomas can bounce back and give us some movement up front in helping Trent in the running game and protecting Luck in the passing game.

 

On defense I would look at OLB like Orakpo to pair with Mathis. I know we have Walden and Werner but there is no substitute for a great pass rush and Orakpo also played the run very well as well. To me a pass rush is the hardest thing to get on defense....and it would make our corners even better. If we can't upgrade at OLB with Orakpo or Spencer for example than certainly another ILB is next priority....I just feel like there is a better chance to upgrade that through the draft and a second tier free agent.

[Gavin]

I question Marcus Martins mauling power and ability to consistently make contact and remain on him at the second level, Hand placement is inconsistent to, lets them outside the body and chooses to sometimes drop his hands and shoot them out(which he is slow to do at times which can cause a DT to blow right by him, also bends at the waist sometimes) instead of using his feet to guide his hands, I think he is stronger then Holmes was coming out but I think only adequate strength not overpowering ( I watched him vs Notre Dame, Utah and Stanford)

[Track Guy]

Obviously center is the biggest need on offense. Having recently taken the time to watch Evan Dietrich-Smith, I'd be happy to have him on the Colts. Rodger's comments about wanting to keep him make me think he's a guy we should target should the opportunity present itself. How much, would he realistically cost?

 

On defense I'll take an ILB that can both play the run and cover, if I have to pick one thing. But we have a few things to fix on D.