Patrick Peterson will be 28 when pre season gets here. Generally the age of 30 is a dropoff point for corners much as it is with RBs. However history shows us that is not really the case with the elite corners. Looking at PP21's contract he is basically down to base salary for the next three seasons with almost zero dead money should he be let go. Obviously there is no reason to let him go but we do need to start looking for his replacement. Teams dont generally like to pay two guys elite money at a position. But I think due to the lack of guarantees in PP21's contract we could probably extend him a few years and save money by adding in bonus. currently he is scheduled for $11mil, $11mil, and $12mil over the next three seasons with no more bonus money coming. This locks him up through thirty. IMO, we should try to add three years at about $30mil,... keep his current salary structure and add the three years with salaries around $5mil per and spread out the $15mil bonus over the five years. This would increase his cap hit the next couple years by about $3mil... but he is still in his prime and top corners are getting $14-$15mil anyway... the benefit to us is we have him extended past 2020 at a reasonable cost of about $8mil per season. This helps us because somewhere in there we are going to have to pay his replacement $15mil a year... by extending him now we dont risk having to let him go later.... Then we have to find his replacement...which takes us to the NFL draft.
Round 1
pick 15. Josh Jackson...CB...Iowa..... Jackson is a Keim Pick. He is a fantastic athlete, he put up great production,... but he has only been a corner for three years. He started college as a WR. Considering our new HC's forte is developing DB's this pick makes perfect sense.. Jackson is big, strong, aggressive...and he has phenomenal ball skills.
Round 2
Pick 35 (frome Cleve for picks 182, 254, and 2019 2nd and fourth)
Leighton Van Der Esch MLB Boise State....... If we are gonna run a 4-3 we need a MLB and this is the best one in the draft. He is big, he is quick, and he makes plays all day long. This pick gets Wilks all gooey because it gives him his Keuchly type playmaker in the middle.
pick 47 E.Q. St. Brown....WR..... Notre Dame.... Larry is getting old and EQ is fully capable of being the next big thing in the desert at WR. Dont let the numbers fool you,..he was working without a QB at ND... St. Brown is big, he is fast, runs great routes...and has hands as soft as a babies ass... This guy is a steal in the second round.
Round 3
Pick 79. Frank Ragnow.....C.....Arkansas...... Ragnow is the big nasty bulldozer center we have need in the desert for the past decade..... he never allowed a single sack in college...let that sink in a minute,... then compare it to what we have had... not a single sack.... oh yeah, and he can run block too
Pick 97. Kevin Tolliver II....CB....LSU..... Tolliver is a solid first round talent who suffers from some attitude problems but arizona might just be the perfect place for him to realize his potential. First, the afore mentioned coach who is supposed to be a DB whisperer...secondly, PP21 is still a legend in Tigerland and playing here with him may motivate the kid to start listening.... if it works, he and Jackson can be a top tandem for years
Round 4
Pick 134. Dalton Schultz....TE....Stanford.... Schultz is a big smooth TE who can do it all... he blocks well and catches well... he can be our Greg Olsen, Jason Witten guy who rarely ever leaves the field
Round 5
Pick 152. Nyheim Hines....RB.....N.C. State...... Hines is a bit of a scat back but his strength is his abrupt and sudden route running combined with soft hands. He can be a third down back to give DJ a breather as well as a threat split wide on early downs... he is fast at 4.38 and also has experience in the return game.
I wanted to get an OT but the addition of Schultz made a tackle less important. I also wanted a DT but talent for talent there just was not enough value to go with a DT at any of these picks.
I think a draft like this can go a long way in securing our team for the future on both sides of the ball. I realize lots of people have Van Der Esch going in the first but if five QB's go in the first somebody has to slide, and MLB is not as premium as CB or OT...so it is more likely he slides than say, Mike Hughes or Connor Williams, or Christian Kirk.
It may take a bit of luck for Schultz to be there at that pick but if he isnt there, Smythe will be....and they are very similar players with Schultz just being slightly more polished.
Round 1
pick 15. Josh Jackson...CB...Iowa..... Jackson is a Keim Pick. He is a fantastic athlete, he put up great production,... but he has only been a corner for three years. He started college as a WR. Considering our new HC's forte is developing DB's this pick makes perfect sense.. Jackson is big, strong, aggressive...and he has phenomenal ball skills.
Round 2
Pick 35 (frome Cleve for picks 182, 254, and 2019 2nd and fourth)
Leighton Van Der Esch MLB Boise State....... If we are gonna run a 4-3 we need a MLB and this is the best one in the draft. He is big, he is quick, and he makes plays all day long. This pick gets Wilks all gooey because it gives him his Keuchly type playmaker in the middle.
pick 47 E.Q. St. Brown....WR..... Notre Dame.... Larry is getting old and EQ is fully capable of being the next big thing in the desert at WR. Dont let the numbers fool you,..he was working without a QB at ND... St. Brown is big, he is fast, runs great routes...and has hands as soft as a babies ass... This guy is a steal in the second round.
Round 3
Pick 79. Frank Ragnow.....C.....Arkansas...... Ragnow is the big nasty bulldozer center we have need in the desert for the past decade..... he never allowed a single sack in college...let that sink in a minute,... then compare it to what we have had... not a single sack.... oh yeah, and he can run block too
Pick 97. Kevin Tolliver II....CB....LSU..... Tolliver is a solid first round talent who suffers from some attitude problems but arizona might just be the perfect place for him to realize his potential. First, the afore mentioned coach who is supposed to be a DB whisperer...secondly, PP21 is still a legend in Tigerland and playing here with him may motivate the kid to start listening.... if it works, he and Jackson can be a top tandem for years
Round 4
Pick 134. Dalton Schultz....TE....Stanford.... Schultz is a big smooth TE who can do it all... he blocks well and catches well... he can be our Greg Olsen, Jason Witten guy who rarely ever leaves the field
Round 5
Pick 152. Nyheim Hines....RB.....N.C. State...... Hines is a bit of a scat back but his strength is his abrupt and sudden route running combined with soft hands. He can be a third down back to give DJ a breather as well as a threat split wide on early downs... he is fast at 4.38 and also has experience in the return game.
I wanted to get an OT but the addition of Schultz made a tackle less important. I also wanted a DT but talent for talent there just was not enough value to go with a DT at any of these picks.
I think a draft like this can go a long way in securing our team for the future on both sides of the ball. I realize lots of people have Van Der Esch going in the first but if five QB's go in the first somebody has to slide, and MLB is not as premium as CB or OT...so it is more likely he slides than say, Mike Hughes or Connor Williams, or Christian Kirk.
It may take a bit of luck for Schultz to be there at that pick but if he isnt there, Smythe will be....and they are very similar players with Schultz just being slightly more polished.