Deal with some needs, or all?

[Chrisbob74]

Going into the off season, everyone has an opinion on what off season moves we need to make to our roster. I've read though several threads, both here and at CPND and there seems to be two trains of though.

The first is that as long as we get a DL, this team improves regardless of what happens at other positions.

The second is that we have lots of needs as well as DL, these include TE, RB, FB, C and safety.

Of course, it is impossible to predict what is going to happen to our roster and what moves are going to be made as the new coach will want to come in and look at everyone on the roster and decide from there what moves he would like the FO to make.

The way I see things is whilst there are areas we can upgrade, some of these areas can be improved just by upgrading at our most important areas.

I don't think there is a poster here that doesn't know we need to improve our DL drastically. As long as we do this, this should improve the whole defense. The play of our safeties has been questioned by some and this has people getting hot for Miami's Taylor to be drafted. Whilst I'm sure he is a good player my feeling is that by upgrading the DL we improve ourselves at other areas. Sure, Bowen looked poor at times but with a year of starting experience and better players in front of him I would hope to see improvement from him also. Some of our Super Bowl winning defenses never had the best safeties, just solid players.

The one other place I feel is a big need and I would consider adding at least two players here is on offense and it is not RB.

The current crop we have at TE is totally worthless, I wouldn't keep any of them so I feel this is a big, big need. Especially as a new coach is going to feature the TE much more than Spurrier ever did. Look at Shockey (and I'm using him as a general example, not because of Fassel, it applies whoever becomes our coach), when he came to the Giants he gave them an effective short range target and improved Collins, Toomer and Hillard just by the fact that he was another weapon and had to be respected by defenses.

I have heard people call for improvements and additions to be made at RB and center on offense. No doubt, at center, Moore was awful and he should be cut in my opinion, but I felt Freidman did a decent job once he was put in and the mistakes and penalties did subside. If he can be resigned we can allow Flore, who is returning from injury and has probably lost his LG spot to Dockery, and Freidman to compete for the starting center spot. Competition and hopefully, improved coaching can bring improvement to this position!

As for RB, I am not hot on Trung but I feel Betts deserves more of a chance and I just feel a coach who will commit to the run and use his backs correctly (something that didn't happen last season) will bring improvement to this position. Our line is a good run blocking line, if we get a good running scheme in here it will work though I would replace Trung, I would not consider it such a high need as TE.

I just feel we should not be overactive as we have been in FA the past few years and should concentrate on acquiring some extra draft picks to add to the 3 we have now. The only big free agent moves I would make would be a veteran DL man and maybe one veteran TE (I'd draft another). Of course, some other free agency moves will be made regarding depth and replacing players. CB may be one if Champ moves on (I like Winfield as a FA here if Champ goes)

If we go out and sign some other big name free agents, such as Brad Meester at center or swing a trade for Corey Dillion at RB they could well benifit the team, but they could also effect our future salary cap wise. We are in reasonable shape cap wise at the minute, but that can all change if we commit to much money to future years.

[KDawg]

I'm not sure we need a fullback... Rock will be starting there next season, we need a backup there.

Bowen is not a good safety. He's out of position, ALOT. He can't cover for crap and he takes some awful angles on tackles, which turns a potential 20 yard gain into a 70 yard gain and a touchdown ala the 'Phins game. There is a reason he was a backup in Green Bay. Ohalete on the other hand, is solid. But it appears Dan and company aren't too high on him and he's going to be gone, which is why I think they'd draft Taylor. Bowen is far from "solid."

I disagree with the entire TE corps being worthless. Robery Royal showed some promise up until he got injured. But you're right, we do need tight end help, and Ben Troupe could be a pickup late in the draft if we don't take care of the TE problem in the offseason.

As for the runninggame, I'd say our only major question mark is Mr. Canidate. He's got the ability, but he lacks strength, I think I've seen the wind tackle him a few times this season. Betts isn't a bad RB, and I'd be willing to give him a shot... as a second stringer behind whoever we pick up in the offseason. Betts would get carries, and he could prove his worth to us in the backup role as opposed to part of the runningback by committee threesome.

The free agent signings I'd like to see are Darren Howard and Bert Berry, keep Dalton, sign DT (I'll get flamed for this one, but I think in D.C. Gardener was behaved) Daryl Gardener. Our DLine would be bolstered right there, take another DT in the second or third round (Chad Lavailas) and we're golden. Which gives us room to draft the best defensive player in the draft, Sean Taylor.

[Chrisbob74]

I think Royal has shown promise on the field, but he can't get on the field very much due to injuries.

I just think we should use our RB's better, they were underused in the passing game badly. All of them can be effective in this part of the game.

I'd rather take a DL than Taylor but at this point the draft is all speculation, players are going to move up and down the ratings at the combine and private workouts!

I think we leave Gardener, we found out for once that we made the right decision in letting him go! But I won't rule out a move after June for him!

[Art]

I think you do just as you've done the last two years. Go after some needs based upon how you have graded out the players available. You won't fill everything. To fill everything it means you have to get guys who are lesser players at each spot. To fill some means you can take the best available on your grade sheet there and leave yourself with the following offseason to continue to address needs that you have and those that come up through injury or simply through failure to succeed in terms of who we sign.

Other than not being quite as down on Moore as you -- as he did a pretty fine job actually -- I think you are pretty well thought out in your assessment of the offseason and the personnel. Good post.

[marsbennett]

How much filling can be done with the current cap situation? I'm just curious, how much room do you have to sign your current free agents and go shopping for others?

[Art]

Mars,

When the cap goes up to its final number and we lose Bruce Smith off next year's cap, we're at approximately $13.5 million under the cap. Champ will take a chunk of that if we can't sign him to a less expensive deal. We have multiple millions of fun to play with.