Art Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 Uniformly I imagine everyone here would like to see some solidifying moves made along the defensive line. Whether you are overwhelmed by depression over the current state of the line or whether you think the line is generally going to be acceptable, I doubt any of us would say we don't want to see further additions made. So, that begs the question as to what type of addition would you prefer. On the one hand we could add players like Bernard Holsey and Tony Brackens/Kenny Holmes to provide us with veteran depth and ability to extend our line to seven deep of players who have recently had starting experience. But, you have no legitimate upside or future if you make this type of move. You merely improve the rotation by adding players similar in most ways to what you already have. The second choice is to stick with the guys you have which has five guys who are starting level NFL players and Haley who was a highly thought of reserve in Miami AS a reserve. In addition to this core of six guys, would you like to see us identify four or five guys as unrestricted rookie free agents and tell them that two or three will make the team to improve the competition and hope they pan out if not immediately then for the future? My view is I'd like to see us add Holsey and Brackens/Holmes as that protects better against injury and allows an immediate rotation that could lift the level of each guy. But, this is another issue in which I'm starting to waiver that it might be better to hope you can mine a couple of contributing players through unrestricted free agency that might do nothing this year, but could be players we can count on next year and beyond. What do you guys think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atloldskin Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 Holsey deserves to be added IMO. I don't like Holmes or Brackens. I want to see our FA signings after the draft and the June cuts. I would be in favor of a trade. I really think we only need a good pass rushing DE for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
citigent Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 i like the idea of adding the vets , plus i would still bring in a couple of FA rookies in to see if we might get one gem. if not for those comp picks there are a few guys that could be brought in and maybe get on the roster. hope these teams making comp. picks atay away form all the d-line left. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spanishomelette Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 I'd prefer to do the mining, however, when it comes to linemen we haven't been too successful in either selection or development in recent years. I'm always hoping for one of those guys to rise to the top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. S Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 I definitely think we should try and add one FA DE, maybe Brackens or Holmes if cheap enough. I still dont like Wynn much and havent seen Daniels play yet. We should add at least one proven veteran to go with Upshaw, Wynn, and Daniels. The DT position may actually be ok, with Noble and Griffin, maybe put Holsey back in there. We should hopefully be ok next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiefhogskin48 Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 Holmes is at least an NFL calibre starter, if only a mediocre one. Brackens' issue is injuries. I think guys like Hugh Douglas and Joe Johnson are gonna shake loose on June 1st, and they can come in and be at least the type of player that Marco Coleman was for us in 2000 and 2001. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
inmate running the asylum Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 I would like to see a trade for Darren Howard if it doesn't cost an arm and leg in picks, players and money. After that I would take either Brackens or Holmes as a free agent. Holsey? He couldn't do anything last year, so why bring him back? Certainly we can do better than a former Arena league player? :puke: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 the Skins actually need both. we need a Kenny Holmes type DE that can get some pressure on the QB and we need to sign a DL or two as UDFAs to bring along and hopefully contribute in 2005. Right now I think there are 6 guys who are going to make the team: Upshaw, Wynn, Daniels, Haley, Griffin and Noble. That leaves 2-3 spots up for grabs depending on how many LBs the team carries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bubba9497 Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 I think we might snag some UFA that might work into role positions, and maybe sign one more FA after the June 1st cuts to add depth to what we have already. With Williams system the areas he applies pressure we have addressed tremendously with Taylor, the CB's and the LBs signings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monk in the Hall! Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 My preference would be to add some very inexpensive, young labor to the team. Polish some diamonds and all that stuff. If we could get guys like Douglas and Brackens CHEAP! I would not be opposed. But, ideally we would find some diamonds. I have to agree with Art though that we dont have much success with developing late round picks in the past. If we had been more successful, we would not have to steal the Johnnie Mortons or Bowens of the world. But, one thing has changed, In Gibbs we trust... Maybe now we can start to find some UDFA to really step up and add depth. (No disrespect to Iffy). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisbob74 Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 Originally posted by inmate running the asylum I would like to see a trade for Darren Howard if it doesn't cost an arm and leg in picks, players and money. After that I would take either Brackens or Holmes as a free agent. Holsey? He couldn't do anything last year, so why bring him back? Certainly we can do better than a former Arena league player? :puke: Not saying Hosley is a superstar or anything but he showed some hustle in patches last year, New England and Miami are two games that stick out to me where he made plays. I'd bring him back and we will definitely bring in some UDFA's anyway so as Holsey will only get the vets minimum what's the harm in having him in for camp and if Gibbs/Wililiams think he isn't cutting it we say TTFN. Nothing lost! I doubt Brackens or Holmes would come for the minimum, they will probably get something a little better, but if they would come for the minimum I'd bring them in, same situation as Hosley, fight for your spot, if you don't cut it you're gone and we have lost nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hauss Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 I would do both. If the undrafted free agents show any promise stiick them on the practice squad--this season, the NFL has increased the number of practice squad members. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bulldog Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 what would be interesting ChrisBob74 is to see if the Redskins moved Holsey back to DE whether he would be more productive he played his first several years in the NFL at DE and at 28 could be worth a look as a depth player at 6'3 and 285. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsNorth Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 I'd be all for adding a cheap veteran. I think the team will also explore trades involving DE's. The DL will be improved for no other reason than improved coaching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Destino Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 With our salary cap situation vets are out of the question. Old guys that suck aren't worth the money anyway. The key is to draft. We didn't. Love it or hate it the line we have now will remain largely unchanged this year IMO. Hopefully next year we can draft for theline but I doubt it. We already gave away our 2nd and I don't see Gibbs taking a DL in the first round. According to reports Williams had to give Gibbs the hard sell just to have him pick Taylor. It seems this team has refused to learn a football 101 lesson despite a decade of examples. Veteran lineman are worthless if you didn't draft them, they rarely are worth the money teams pay to get them as FA grossly overprices players i nthe DL becasue so few teams let good ones go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Art Posted April 25, 2004 Author Share Posted April 25, 2004 Originally posted by Destino With our salary cap situation vets are out of the question. Old guys that suck aren't worth the money anyway. The key is to draft. We didn't. Love it or hate it the line we have now will remain largely unchanged this year IMO. Hopefully next year we can draft for theline but I doubt it. We already gave away our 2nd and I don't see Gibbs taking a DL in the first round. According to reports Williams had to give Gibbs the hard sell just to have him pick Taylor. It seems this team has refused to learn a football 101 lesson despite a decade of examples. Veteran lineman are worthless if you didn't draft them, they rarely are worth the money teams pay to get them as FA grossly overprices players i nthe DL becasue so few teams let good ones go. We're not talking about big money veteran signings. We're talking about guys who would largely expect to make the veteran minimum. The cap consequences are not really part of the equation. Certainly if we try to reach for a hotter guy -- say Joe Johnson if he is released and teams make a play for him -- that might cause another decision to be made for cap reasons, but, it's unlikely to be a real issue otherwise. As for Williams, I think the process we work under is that everyone puts up their ideas and we come to a conclusion. It's not surprising that Williams would favor Taylor and Gibbs might have liked Winslow. It's not surprising that Williams had to build a case for Taylor just as Joe would do for Winslow and that based on the strength of that case the decision was made. I'm fairly confident in saying this is a shining example of how it should work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tex Posted April 25, 2004 Share Posted April 25, 2004 The D-line is in flux with no consensus stud DTs or DEs to speak of. So for now muster the best lineman currently onboard and set them as starters. Fill in the gaps (Noble?) with a cheap FA or two, grab some talented UDFAs for depth and go from there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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