Our Best Season in a Decade - some final thoughts

[Big C]

Going into next year, RB and offensive line are the two biggest needs on offense.

If everything is correct salary cap-wise, Mike Williams' release and the assumed release of pears, we should have quite a bit of money to play with. Once officially allowed to play, I'd love to get Adrian Peterson! I think he will be next years comeback player of the year. Get a couple linemen in the draft and maybe a Clint Bolings, bring in additional offensive coaching help...we shouldn't be thinking wild card we should be thinking AFC east champs

 

Do you get comeback player of the year after being suspended due to child abuse?

 

Money needs to be allocated for Hughes. Searcy and Wynn should be brought back for fairly cheap. Don't think AP would be worth it. Definitely gotta grab at least one more good guard - and one that has a track record of consistently good play.

Edited December 29, 2014 by Big C

[Sweet Lou]

If Fred Jackson doesn't make the roster next year, I hope the team offers him a coaching position. (RB Coach)

 

And not to hi-jack the thread; But read it somewhere, that Whaley also wanted to draft Hyde (RB)

[CSBill]

I am totally convinced Spiller has a vision problem. How many times did it seem like he had no ability to see to the left or right, where a big hole was, and just keep running right straight ahead into the back of one of his inept lineman?

 

Nice kid, but I think his vision and football IQ will always limit him. Then again, Chan somehow found a way to use him in both the running and passing game. Something the current regime couldn't figure out how to do.

 

I wish him well on a team other than any AFC east team.

[TC in St. Louis]

I am glad we won this game. We could have easily gone 11-5 this year, but it was just not going to be a playoff year. I think we need a new offensive line coach. We have some horses that need training. I hope they get a new offensive coordinator, because I have seen absolutely nothing exciting from Hackett this year. He's predictable and boring.

 

Some of our recent second round and beyond draft choices have become really good players. I don't mind Whaley and his guys making the choices. I'm waiting for the DB from Duke to become a player. The linebacker from Florida Atlantic? Who knows? Go back thru the last few drafts and most 6th round picks don't make much of an impact (Brady, yeah I know). Kiko was a surprise. Preston Brown. Seantrel. I still think we'll get starters in Cyrus and Cyril Richardson. They need coaching.

 

We need a QB.....

Edited December 29, 2014 by TC in St. Louis

[Don Beebe]

Despite a lot of head-shaking moments and devastating losses, we finish the season 9-7. A season of coulda-shoulda, perhaps, but unquestionably our best season in a decade.

 

I can't imagine the Dougs going anywhere, and I think they earned another season. Hackett up for debate. Don't see Schwartz as a HC candidate this year.

 

Some final thoughts:

 

Offense:

-Spiller is good as gone. Where was he in the second half? I still can't figure out who's at fault here, but I eagerly await what happens with his next team.

-Freddy is still shifty as ever, but next year will likely be his last. Are we content with Boobie and Bryce as his backups/successors? I like both, and feel an upgrade to OL will open things up for Brown in particular.

-I have no idea what the plan is at QB going into next year.

-Disappointed we couldn't get Sammy his 1000, but I love the kid and I can't wait to see him and Woods grow together over the coming years. OBJ has been a menace, but we were never going to draft him and I think in the end Sammy will be everything we expected of him when we traded up for him.

-Hogan was fun to bag on in the preseason, but I am pleasantly surprised with how he came into his own this year. He is a legitimate slot receiver.

-MarQuies Gray looks pretty good. A FB who can catch out of the backfield, a la Bruce Miller. Good pick up by Whaley. I don't miss Summers at all.

-OG and QB are clearly the biggest needs on this team. I thought Urbik at OG was going to be fine - thought he was good last year - whoops! I assume Chris Williams gets another shot (no idea what the contract dictates, but I think we plan to keep him on board). Cyril Richardson didn't seem to suck in his short time out there today, but he probably is just going to be a depth guy for us. Several great starting OGs have gone in the second and third the past few years and I hope Whaley hits on one.

-I won't give Whaley too much crap for Cyrus. Give him another offseason and see if we have anything at all there. Sammy, Preston and Seantrel were productive starters and outside of QB the roster was already solid.

 

Defense:

-Really hoping we bring Hughes back, and I think we will. His motor just keeps running.

-Run defense was much better today despite not have Dareus. Wynn was surprisingly good inside and I like his depth; he can be re-signed for cheap and I expect it.

-Stefan Charles will replace KW when his time comes (hopefully not for another 2-3 years). I like him a lot.

-Gilmore is always a late bloomer. Every year he seems to start slow and then lockdown (granted he was hurt at the beginning of last season). I really hope next year he is hot from the start.

-Searcy and Duke are both good safeties to keep around. Searcy will be inexpensive, Duke still working on his rookie contract of course. After that terrible PI, Duke really grew as a player. He is especially good against the run.

-AW was not particularly great this year, but I still like him better than Byrd. He is a little too aggressive pursuing runners in the open field, resulting in a lot of missed tackles, but outside of that I like his phyical play and leadership.

-Corey Graham had a career year. Wonder what the plan is with a healthy trio next year. They gave the nod to Leo, but I think Graham earned a starting spot. Nothing wrong with great depth.

-Brooks is a great gunner. Good for a 4th CB, big hitter and sure tackler. Lots of people giving him crap today, undeserved. He is our 4th string CB (not including Robey as they slot guy) and I'll take it.

-Robey is a fantastic slot corner. Not a lot of eye-popping plays like last year, but quietly reliable all season.

 

Special Teams:

-The "core special team players" thing was really true, wasn't it? We got much better this year.

-Congrats to Carpenter on setting a new franchise single season FG record. Dude is money.

-I don't mind having a kickoff specialist, but a kickoff specialist needs to be better than Gay was this year. His directional kicks and onside kicks were garbage. Why don't we just use Schmidt for kickoffs?

Really good post. I think Williams is a solid well balanced safety. Good coverage ability and solid against the run.

[Big C]

^I assume you're talking about AW and not Duke. Yeah, he is a good player, but I found that any time we were gashed in the run game it seemed AW had overpursued and missed the tackle. That is really the only issue I found with him this year. I like that he wants to be aggressive and physical, but he has some work to do if he wants to be a Weddle.