Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
How would you approach FA and the draft?
Here's what i would do.
1---use FA to add much needed leadership and toughness to the defense.
2---sign a TE and G in FA and then use the draft to add energy and juice to the offense and STs.
#1 FA target: Dont'a Hightower, ILB.
Salary: 5/$60M/$30Mg
Not only are we adding one of there top 5 inside linebackers in the NFL, we are securing 5 years of outstanding leadership---and a brand of mental and physical toughness that we need.
#2 FA target: Logan Ryan, CB.
Salary: 4/$30M/$16Mg
Ryan is the kind of physical press cover CB and stellar run supporter (92 tackles in 2016) we need opposite Patrick Peterson. The Patriots often put Ryan on the opponents' best WR and gave him safety help over the top. Imagine if the Cardinals did this and put Peterson on the opponents' #2 WR. That kind of scheme switch could be brilliant.
#3 FA target: D.J. Swearinger, FS.
Salary: 4/$22M/$11Mg
Swearinger showed great improvement in all aspect of FS play---and he is the kind of physical presence we want in the middle of the field. If he turns down this salary offer, then offer it to Duron Harmon, who has been in lock-step with Logan Ryan since their college days at Rutgers.
Departures on defense:
1. Calais Campbell, DE. Will go to the highest bidder.
2. Tony Jefferson, SS. With Tyrann Mathieu moving back to SS, Jefferson is not as much of a priority. The way the Cardinals use the SS position it is a glory position because of the way they blitz from that spot. It would be better to spend the money at ILB and CB.
3. Tyvon Branch, S. Releasing him saves $2.8M on the cap.
4. Daryl Washington, no show. Good riddance once and for all.
5. Marcus Cooper, CB. The addition of Ryan makes re-signing Cooper moot.
Defense in the draft: needs DE, OLB, S
See mock draft at end.
#1 FA Target on Offense: Jermaine Gresham, TE.
Salary: 3/$18M/$8Mg
Gresham can pick up where he left off last season when he went into beast mode.
#2 FA Target: John Jerry, G.
Salary: 2/$10M/$5Mg
Jerry graded out at 84.4% as a pass blocker in 2016. We need to protect Carson Palmer.
#3 FA Target: A.Q. Shipley, C.
Salary: 2/$4M/$2Mg
Put him in competition with Evan Boehm. Provides quality insurance.
Draft:
13. Derek Barnett, DE/OLB, Tennessee or Takkarist McKinley, DE/OLB, UCLA. We need depth on the edge and insurance in case we lose Chandler Jones to FA in 2018.
45. Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio St. or ArDavius Stewart, WR, Alabama or Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington or Zay Jones, East Carolina. Four of the best slot WRs in the draft. Samuel could be a coup because he can take snaps at RB as well.
77. Chris Wormley, DT/DE, Michigan or Jhaustin Thomas, DT/DE, Iowa St. or Davon Godchaux, DT/DE, LSU. Here's where we add another good young 34DE to the mix.
120. Rasul Douglas, CB, West Virginia or Damontae Kazee, CB, San Diego St. or S Eddie Jackson, Alabama or S Marcus Maye, Florida. 4 of the most aggressive DBs and STs aces in the draft.
157. Corey Clement, RB, Wisconsin or Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego St. or De'Veon Smith, RB Michigan. Good, versatile RBs and STs.
179. Keith Kelsey, LB, Louisville or Ben Boulware, LB, Clemson or Skia Moore, LB, South Carolina. Depth at LB and STs.
197. Jalen Robinette, WR, Air Force. Has good length (6-4, 215) and a nose for the end zone.
231. Matt Milano, SS, Boston Coillege. Plays very much like Tony Jefferson. Makes a ton of TFL plays and QB pressures. Good STs player.
Here's what i would do.
1---use FA to add much needed leadership and toughness to the defense.
2---sign a TE and G in FA and then use the draft to add energy and juice to the offense and STs.
#1 FA target: Dont'a Hightower, ILB.
Salary: 5/$60M/$30Mg
Not only are we adding one of there top 5 inside linebackers in the NFL, we are securing 5 years of outstanding leadership---and a brand of mental and physical toughness that we need.
#2 FA target: Logan Ryan, CB.
Salary: 4/$30M/$16Mg
Ryan is the kind of physical press cover CB and stellar run supporter (92 tackles in 2016) we need opposite Patrick Peterson. The Patriots often put Ryan on the opponents' best WR and gave him safety help over the top. Imagine if the Cardinals did this and put Peterson on the opponents' #2 WR. That kind of scheme switch could be brilliant.
#3 FA target: D.J. Swearinger, FS.
Salary: 4/$22M/$11Mg
Swearinger showed great improvement in all aspect of FS play---and he is the kind of physical presence we want in the middle of the field. If he turns down this salary offer, then offer it to Duron Harmon, who has been in lock-step with Logan Ryan since their college days at Rutgers.
Departures on defense:
1. Calais Campbell, DE. Will go to the highest bidder.
2. Tony Jefferson, SS. With Tyrann Mathieu moving back to SS, Jefferson is not as much of a priority. The way the Cardinals use the SS position it is a glory position because of the way they blitz from that spot. It would be better to spend the money at ILB and CB.
3. Tyvon Branch, S. Releasing him saves $2.8M on the cap.
4. Daryl Washington, no show. Good riddance once and for all.
5. Marcus Cooper, CB. The addition of Ryan makes re-signing Cooper moot.
Defense in the draft: needs DE, OLB, S
See mock draft at end.
#1 FA Target on Offense: Jermaine Gresham, TE.
Salary: 3/$18M/$8Mg
Gresham can pick up where he left off last season when he went into beast mode.
#2 FA Target: John Jerry, G.
Salary: 2/$10M/$5Mg
Jerry graded out at 84.4% as a pass blocker in 2016. We need to protect Carson Palmer.
#3 FA Target: A.Q. Shipley, C.
Salary: 2/$4M/$2Mg
Put him in competition with Evan Boehm. Provides quality insurance.
Draft:
13. Derek Barnett, DE/OLB, Tennessee or Takkarist McKinley, DE/OLB, UCLA. We need depth on the edge and insurance in case we lose Chandler Jones to FA in 2018.
45. Curtis Samuel, WR, Ohio St. or ArDavius Stewart, WR, Alabama or Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington or Zay Jones, East Carolina. Four of the best slot WRs in the draft. Samuel could be a coup because he can take snaps at RB as well.
77. Chris Wormley, DT/DE, Michigan or Jhaustin Thomas, DT/DE, Iowa St. or Davon Godchaux, DT/DE, LSU. Here's where we add another good young 34DE to the mix.
120. Rasul Douglas, CB, West Virginia or Damontae Kazee, CB, San Diego St. or S Eddie Jackson, Alabama or S Marcus Maye, Florida. 4 of the most aggressive DBs and STs aces in the draft.
157. Corey Clement, RB, Wisconsin or Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego St. or De'Veon Smith, RB Michigan. Good, versatile RBs and STs.
179. Keith Kelsey, LB, Louisville or Ben Boulware, LB, Clemson or Skia Moore, LB, South Carolina. Depth at LB and STs.
197. Jalen Robinette, WR, Air Force. Has good length (6-4, 215) and a nose for the end zone.
231. Matt Milano, SS, Boston Coillege. Plays very much like Tony Jefferson. Makes a ton of TFL plays and QB pressures. Good STs player.
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