Fewell733

IMO that would be a terrible trade for us. DE is not a major need for us and we lose a starting running back and a 3rd round pick?

from the sound of it the Bears are seeking similar compensation for Jones - it's not that outrageous - though I can see it being so from the perspective of those that think Willis is horrendous - but that simply isn't the view of him league wide.

I wouldn't be overly shocked. Teams seem to give up late 1st round picks for "sure things" - Bledsoe, Peerless Price, Deion Branch. Obviously it doesn't always work out

Thanks! I bet also there will be more popping up in the next few weeks.

I agree. It makes no sense to cut him now before we see how he is in the summer. If we were desperate for cap room for some reason, there are a few guys on the team that could be cut that really aren't in the plans and would clear nearly as much space - Reyes, Holcomb, and Villarial. There is another issue though - the SAM linebacker in the cover 2 is not really a very important position in the defense. In fact, its probably the least important position in the scheme as evidenced by the scrubs that play it on other cover-2 teams. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense to invest much money in that spot over the long term in a guy like Spikes. However, since Ellison and Wire seem to be the only backup options and both are very undersized for a SAM, I guess we should probably wait and see with Spikes for this season at least.

Been looking for some site that had a comprehensive list of those not under contract and haven't been able to find a good one (that actually keeps itself up to date)

no matter what defense you're playing you need cornerbacks that can cover good receivers. The cover 2 defense offers help deep so it does diminish the value of the team to a guy that is a "lockdown" type corner like Champ Bailey who can single cover the length of the field against anyone. Clements thinks he's that guy and he'll probably be paid like it - I'm not so sure he really is that guy though. Generally you're right I think though - you need good cornerbacks - but their skill set need not be the same as those "lock down" types - but more like Winfield, Ronde Barber, and Harper in Indy. Good instincts guys that are good tacklers but maybe not guys you want to always leave on an island.

isn't it 3.6 over the next two years? I think you are right though that our cap savings would be 4.5 this year. Additionally two very likely cuts will be Reyes and Villarial - which would save 2.5 mill this year. Add in Holcomb and its about 3.7 for cutting guys that aren't in the plans.

it's probably safe to assume that it's more than 4.5.

Pyrite, are you saying that when you cut a player the amortized bonuses re-accumulate to count against the cap the year that player is cut?

would it be a $4.5 million savings if we cut him? The amortized bonus still counts against the cap regardless, right?

well said. Also the window is so small for the players to actually cash in on all the work they've put in to make it into the NFL.

I'm a little curious about this move. Does this mean that Rivera is going to totally change SD's 3-4 defensive system which was highly successful? Does the Tampa 2 even really work with their personnel?

its a combination of factors. 1. the big injury 2. the little injuries that have stemmed from the big injury 3. the question as to whether he is going to be able to keep healthy down the line - getting older, linebackers don't last forever, can you count on him playing more than half the season? 4. his loss of speed - which is tantamount to a linebacker in the Tampa 2 5. the price tag - if he was making what a normal starting linebacker makes then it wouldn't be as big an issue - he is entering into the final few years of the contract where the big numbers are

interesting in that Anderson owns a pizzeria in the southtowns somewhere. I would guess that much of his hate could be from him sucking and the coaches knowing it to the point where he was benched the last week of the season.

In many ways you are correct - game speed is much more important. However the vast majority of players in college football aren't pro material. As a result it is very tough to tell how fast the players actually are because they very well may be tearing it up among inferior competition. Players on good teams or big programs also have a major advantage. The combine is a way for the scouts to be able to totally level the playing field and gauge how athletic the player actually is. The problem is though - and this is your point - that a great athlete may not be a great football player.

I think RT will be an open competition between Butler and Pennington. If Pennington wins, Butler could take Preston's job at RG. I think we'll try and bring in Steinbach to play at LG. I kind of hope we try to re-sign Gandy as insurance at LG and LT - but I doubt we will. I could see us drafting a guard in the 2nd or 3rd - though I think another FA may be more likely since we already have some young guards on the roster in Merz, Preston, and perhaps Butler. I think the 12th pick is way to high for Blalock. He had a rough Senior Bowl week and many believe he is not only not the best guard prospect and but is more likely a 2nd or even a 3rd rounder.

seriously. A friend of mine worked with an ex-Longhorn and it turns out that Big Mike was known as "Cupcake" among the team at Texas because he wouldn't do anything but the bare minimum and didn't even like doing that.

good point - he must be as good as gone. Also from the Butler/Pennington article it was interesting to hear that the coaching staff prefers taller guys at guard because of their better pass blocking. Steinbach totally fits this mold (6'6). I think we're actually going to make a serious run at him. Butler is actually about the exact same size as Steinbach. You can also take Josh Beekman off our draft board (6'1) for the first day. here's the article in case anybody missed it. http://buffalobills.com/news/news.jsp?news_id=4619

you have to remember that we had a very inexperienced team this year. The experience the young guys got will start paying dividends this year. Seriously we had like four or five rookies starting on defense and they played well - they're just going to get better and better. Also the first half of the year we had no O-line and JP was still trying to get it together - the second half was much better. We carry that with us into this next year.

Marv wasn't at his best but his honesty is still refreshing. It's amazing the amount of insight into their line of thinking is and where they stand with the players and what the needs are.

Crowell definitely attacks - though he often misses. Ellison does too. Not sure about Spikes since he was invisible last year. For the number of tackles Fletcher had, it seemed like the vast majority were 5 to 10 yards down field.

"there will be another RB brought in" - seemed to suggest it wouldn't be a FA too

"linebackers who attack, not just pursue" - that's a shot at Fletcher by Marv I would say (in one of the ways to correct the run D)

I disagree. Watching Foster in the payoffs against Atlanta was incredible. Then he gets terribly hurt again. His ability to make people miss is among the best in the league when he's healthy. However he's been too injured too often to really consider him as a reliable option.