How many of us remember the Dave McGinnis years? I remember routinely lose by 3-4 TDs a game, and just wishing we would field a competitive team. Right now, our team has been in almost every game this year, you don't blow this up, you fix the deficiencies and reload. We have 4 things we all know have stopped us this year:
1) Everything / everyone on special teams. We all know everything is wrong here, from Bobby Wagner repeatedly jumping over our entire line, to a kicker who can't kick and multiple punters who can't punt. If ST was even just competent this year, we would be playing for the NFC West in Seattle this week.
2) A lack of a consistent receiving threat outside of Fitz/Johnson. Palmer looks a lot better when receivers are open.
3) DBs that can't get aligned and lose track of the mental game. When the WR looks back for the ball, you should too. This is taught at the PW level, no excuse for it from Bethel, Cooper, and Williams.
4) Injuries along the O-Line. Palmer looks a lot better when not running for his life and getting crushed every other play.
Here's how I would attack it, in order of importance:
Special Teams Overhaul: Wile needs to show what he can do the next 2 weeks. His play against the Saints was uninspiring, but he did boom a couple amazing punts against us as a Falcon. Obviously replace the kicker, longsnapper, and draft a late round pick or two to replace Bethel, whom I expect we cut. We're probably seeing a coaching change here, whether BA likes it or not.
Sign a Free-Agent #2 WR: Forget the draft for WRs, we've done nothing with the draft recently, BA doesn't even use rookies, and I feel we can not just compete but contend in 2017 if we can add a solid #2 WR through free agency. This year is not too shabby for WRs, but there are definite blemishes. I personally would LOVE to see us land Alshon Jeffrey from the Bears. His big blemish is the 4 game suspension for PEDs, but if that is behind him and Bidwill is willing to take the risk on him, he's a HUGE and explosive target that could open up the offense immeasurably, much the same way it was when Floyd was performing last year. Alshon is 26 and can dominate games. He will come at a cost, but the PED scandal should drop his cap number a bit, and he will not be a Bear next year. Other options for WRs at or under 30 would be Kenny Britt, Pierre Garcon, and DeSean Jackson, and it wouldn't be too bad to see us remove Britt from a rival. Bottom line, we have to sign one of these guys and other than our own free agents, this should be the next most-vital part of the plan. Alshon and DeSean will sign day 1 of free agency, hopefully Keim acts fast.
Shore up the Defense as best you can: You have to resign your free agents if at all possible, and for the defense, I think it goes a long way if we can somehow keep Campbell, Jones, and Jefferson together. Might be a pipe dream though. IMO TJ is the up-and-coming Rashad Johnson "QB of the Defense" and needs a few more years' experience. Swearinger is a fun guy to watch and should be easy to re-sign, but if we lose him I'm honestly not concerned. I still think you draft CBs as most FA CBs are junk, but if we begin shedding players like Campbell and Jones to other teams, maybe we make a big run at Trumaine Johnson from the Rams. I still doubt he will really be available, the dude has 7 INTs this year, but man would that be so much fun to watch across from Patrick Peterson. No Fly Zone 2.0, even without a pass rush.
Fix the Center and RG position: Evan Mathis was good before he got injured, not sure if we bring him back. Either way we need to get a bit more solid along the middle of the offensive line. Joe Hawley, C, from Tampa will be available. If we have the cap room, I'd love to see him brought in. Or you know we could actually develop the Center we drafted last year. I think we're good at Tackle, and I really disliked DJ at RT. He's been very very good at LT IMO and I think you make the risky choice and move Veldheer to RT.
Resign our FAs: So much has been made of our free agents list being so long, but truly there are 4 we have to go hard after to try to keep:
Calais Campbell
Chandler Jones
Jermaine Gresham
Tony Jefferson
Make a moderate attempt to resign:
Frostee Rucker
D.J. Swearinger
Kevin Minter (I'd love to keep him as a backup and get better at ILB, but you can't fix every position in 1 year)
Alex Okafor (honestly we know he's gone, he will start for another team)
Sio Moore
Let walk:
Evan Mathis (still torn on this one)
Chris Johnson (Kerwyn Williams is better at this point)
Mike Jenkins
A.Q. Shipley
Jeremy Ross
Earl Watford (utility guy, but he's mediocre at every position)
Stepfan Taylor (Kerwyn Williams is better)
Andre Ellington (Williams over Ellington too, Williams will take a hit and is more explosive)
Marcus Cooper
1) Everything / everyone on special teams. We all know everything is wrong here, from Bobby Wagner repeatedly jumping over our entire line, to a kicker who can't kick and multiple punters who can't punt. If ST was even just competent this year, we would be playing for the NFC West in Seattle this week.
2) A lack of a consistent receiving threat outside of Fitz/Johnson. Palmer looks a lot better when receivers are open.
3) DBs that can't get aligned and lose track of the mental game. When the WR looks back for the ball, you should too. This is taught at the PW level, no excuse for it from Bethel, Cooper, and Williams.
4) Injuries along the O-Line. Palmer looks a lot better when not running for his life and getting crushed every other play.
Here's how I would attack it, in order of importance:
Special Teams Overhaul: Wile needs to show what he can do the next 2 weeks. His play against the Saints was uninspiring, but he did boom a couple amazing punts against us as a Falcon. Obviously replace the kicker, longsnapper, and draft a late round pick or two to replace Bethel, whom I expect we cut. We're probably seeing a coaching change here, whether BA likes it or not.
Sign a Free-Agent #2 WR: Forget the draft for WRs, we've done nothing with the draft recently, BA doesn't even use rookies, and I feel we can not just compete but contend in 2017 if we can add a solid #2 WR through free agency. This year is not too shabby for WRs, but there are definite blemishes. I personally would LOVE to see us land Alshon Jeffrey from the Bears. His big blemish is the 4 game suspension for PEDs, but if that is behind him and Bidwill is willing to take the risk on him, he's a HUGE and explosive target that could open up the offense immeasurably, much the same way it was when Floyd was performing last year. Alshon is 26 and can dominate games. He will come at a cost, but the PED scandal should drop his cap number a bit, and he will not be a Bear next year. Other options for WRs at or under 30 would be Kenny Britt, Pierre Garcon, and DeSean Jackson, and it wouldn't be too bad to see us remove Britt from a rival. Bottom line, we have to sign one of these guys and other than our own free agents, this should be the next most-vital part of the plan. Alshon and DeSean will sign day 1 of free agency, hopefully Keim acts fast.
Shore up the Defense as best you can: You have to resign your free agents if at all possible, and for the defense, I think it goes a long way if we can somehow keep Campbell, Jones, and Jefferson together. Might be a pipe dream though. IMO TJ is the up-and-coming Rashad Johnson "QB of the Defense" and needs a few more years' experience. Swearinger is a fun guy to watch and should be easy to re-sign, but if we lose him I'm honestly not concerned. I still think you draft CBs as most FA CBs are junk, but if we begin shedding players like Campbell and Jones to other teams, maybe we make a big run at Trumaine Johnson from the Rams. I still doubt he will really be available, the dude has 7 INTs this year, but man would that be so much fun to watch across from Patrick Peterson. No Fly Zone 2.0, even without a pass rush.
Fix the Center and RG position: Evan Mathis was good before he got injured, not sure if we bring him back. Either way we need to get a bit more solid along the middle of the offensive line. Joe Hawley, C, from Tampa will be available. If we have the cap room, I'd love to see him brought in. Or you know we could actually develop the Center we drafted last year. I think we're good at Tackle, and I really disliked DJ at RT. He's been very very good at LT IMO and I think you make the risky choice and move Veldheer to RT.
Resign our FAs: So much has been made of our free agents list being so long, but truly there are 4 we have to go hard after to try to keep:
Calais Campbell
Chandler Jones
Jermaine Gresham
Tony Jefferson
Make a moderate attempt to resign:
Frostee Rucker
D.J. Swearinger
Kevin Minter (I'd love to keep him as a backup and get better at ILB, but you can't fix every position in 1 year)
Alex Okafor (honestly we know he's gone, he will start for another team)
Sio Moore
Let walk:
Evan Mathis (still torn on this one)
Chris Johnson (Kerwyn Williams is better at this point)
Mike Jenkins
A.Q. Shipley
Jeremy Ross
Earl Watford (utility guy, but he's mediocre at every position)
Stepfan Taylor (Kerwyn Williams is better)
Andre Ellington (Williams over Ellington too, Williams will take a hit and is more explosive)
Marcus Cooper
