Draft Needs - What other positions?

[BuffaloBilliever]

We all know we need LB, RB, CB... (or at least most posters here do, though some claim CB is not a clear need). But this is "only" three positions, and we now have four first day picks in the draft.

 

What is the other position you think we will or should take on day one, and what are the positions filled with our four second-day picks? My positions and reasons are below, in the order I think they are important and likely to be selected.

Another Linebacker - I think this is our remaining first day pick. We lost both Spikes and Fletcher, and Stamer and Crowell are returning from injury. Haggan has looked (just) okay in pre-season, but is really more a special teams player than a LB we want in the game. I realise we took care of one of our vacancies (really we did) by making Wire a LB, but I think we're still very thin at this position even if we do get Patrick Willis in the first round. Does DiGiorgio make the team? (Does the practice squad count as "making the team?") 2007 is the last year under contract for Stamer and Haggan and I think it's very doubtful both will return next year.

Back-up/future Guard and/or Center - Preston is also our backup Center? In preseason the last couple years, Esposito snapped the ball with the second team in front of Preston. Esposito who? Exactly....

 

We lost both Gandy and Reyes this offseason. This is the last year under contract for Whittle and next year is the last for Preston, Fowler and Merz (time flies, doesn't it?). It is time to start grooming someone else and keep the "pipeline" full. Signing Dockery did not help our depth at guard, just our starting lineup.

Defensive End - Yes, I like Hargrove as a personality, but haven't really seen anything to make me think he can compete at this level. Given that Schobel, Kelsay and Denney would all line up on passing downs the last couple years, I'm not thrilled with our depth here. I think we keep 9 D-Linemen on the roster, but contray to popular thought, 5 of them are DE's (one is our the player we draft). I suspect DE will get the extra player because Denney or Hargove could line up as a DT in the rotation. I don't think any of our DTs could play on the end if needed.

Backup RB / FB - I am glad Shelton is gone; he plugged more wholes in front of McGahee the last two years than he opened. If we are going to use a fullback at all this year, it would be nice to draft someone with an "up-side" instead of using a vet like Ricard. I like Thomas and Williams, but they can't be expected to help us next year and beyond. Cieslak did fill in at FB last year because he was the best of a few very bad choices. (Also, this is Cieslak's last year under contract.) I haven't seen Jackson play, but don't put any weight in NFLE stats. (Wasn't Ken Simonton? the same kind of NFLE wonder?) I'd be thrilled if we do have a diamond in the rough, but assume Levy's comments about him are mainly to help us seem less desperate for contract negotiations with others.

Backup Safety - Bowen gone; Leonard is backing up both spots and Wire is now a LB. We are one bad play from having Simpson and Leonard being our safeties covering the deep part of the field (with a rookie MLB?) and no one backing them up, except Wire, who I'm sure will continue to be a team player and drop 15 pounds before the next game. And yes, for anyone who is superstitious, I was knocking on my wood desk with my left hand as I typed with my right hand.

Tight End - This is Cieslak and Nufeld's last year under contract and we still haven't seen Everett ("paging Kevin Everett... please report to the playing field as soon as possible...."). I'm happy with Royal for one of our TE positions, but remain depressed about our other players. If we don't take one this year, this position could be a first-day selection next year.

Wide Reciever - I don't think we're likely to take one this year, but think we need to keep the pressure of competition on our current players. George Wilson, Chris Denney and a couple ("camp fodder") FA's could provide this pressure. I want to see even more of Roscoe this year. If JP has a little more time, I think he could get enough separation to kill opposing secondaries.

Quarterback - Holcolm is gone, which is fine with me. I think he's a fine backup QB, but I take this as a sign that we're continuing to shift the playbook to JP's strengths and would rather not pay his salary or remember questioning if JP would start. I think Nall will be our backup this year, and there is little reason to use a draft pick on a 3rd QB unless we want to take on a project and think the pick is a better gamble than the other players left in the 7th round.

 

So you're saying we need a new team...

 

Uhm, we all know RB, CB, and ILB, we also need a FB, and a safety. IMO, those are the pressing issues.

 

Tight End is not an issue, there are much more pressing ones.

 

Reciever? Again, no, we're fairly set there for this year at least. Maybe Trannon in the 6th or 7th.

 

Quarterback: I believe we're ok with only 2 QB's here. We could use that extra roster spot on someone else.

 

DE: No? Schobel, Kelsay, Denney, and Hargrove.

[Pyrite Gal]

Hall wouldn't be on the bench all year Pyrite, unless he missed a lot of time like Youboty. Thomas might want to start but come on, he was signed as depth at best. I don't see a logjam situation at all, just an oppurtunity to add a legit starting CB. If things turn out well, we could be looking at a Hall and Youboty combo with McGee playing nickle where he belongs........

 

Given the fact that looking at the depth charts of all the teams a few weeks ago of the 32 1st round picks there were 18 of these players listed as starters at their positions while 14 were in back-up slots, from a statistical standpoint Hall might start immediately next year, but then again he might not be the starter even next year if drafted in the first round.

 

Perhaps you know something about Hall the rest of us do not know or can read the future, but in general the fact that even what was generally considered a strong draft almost 50% of the 1st round picks were not anywhere near being immediate starters, I think it is quite the prediction to say with any certainty that Hall would start.

 

Again, this gets balanced against the fact that the team quite likely will be looking for definite starters at LB and RB (again unless you want to say with stone cold certainty that we find two starters at LB from Ellison and the second round choice and/or we get Turner or the second riund choice at RB starts (or some other combination), it just seems that a lot of things have to happen just the right way to make Hall a useful choice.

[Matt in KC]

So you're saying we need a new team...

 

Uhm, we all know RB, CB, and ILB, we also need a FB, and a safety. IMO, those are the pressing issues.

 

Tight End is not an issue, there are much more pressing ones.

 

Reciever? Again, no, we're fairly set there for this year at least. Maybe Trannon in the 6th or 7th.

 

Quarterback: I believe we're ok with only 2 QB's here. We could use that extra roster spot on someone else.

 

DE: No? Schobel, Kelsay, Denney, and Hargrove.

If you look at the begining of my post, I say "My positions and reasons are below, in the order I think they are important and likely to be selected." If you count, you'll see that I agree with you that TE, WR and QB are not the most likely to be drafted with our eight selections, but are the next most pressing needs. (I list them after LB, RB, CB, LB, C/OG, DE, FB/RB and S).

 

As I mentioned, I'd like to start grooming another DE for depth since Schobel/Denney/Kelsay play regularly, and because I don't think Hargrove is more than a ST player and stop gap DE. If HargroveforMVP=Anthony Hargrove, then go prove me wrong!

 

Yes, with 3-4 year contracts the norm in the NFL, you have to (re)build 1/4 to 1/3 of your team in an average year. We have 8 draft picks and I listed 11 positions where I think we could use help.

 

I listed DE so high on this list because we could still use a better pass rush and it seems impossible to find affordable DE talent in free agency. Maybe we should start growing another one. The positions listed lower are more easily be found in FA IMO.

[KOKBILLS]

Could we trade down, get another pick, and still get Meacham?

 

Quite possible...It depends...I've been hearing some teams have him as the clear #2 WR in this Draft...Others have Ginn or Bowe...Tough to say who is who and who picks where...But certainly it's possible Meachem will still be on the Board at #15 or so...

[JStranger76]

I don't have a crystal ball Pyrite, just a gut feeling. If it did happen that we draft Hall, I'm not predicting him as a can't miss starter at first either, but he will get decent playing time for sure. What I'm really saying is the best case scenario if Hall was picked would be he and Youboty play very well and earn the starting roles, with McGee and the other guys filling the other roles in the defensive backfield. I think that would be what most of us would HOPE to have happen.

[stuckincincy]

As I mentioned, I'd like to start grooming another DE for depth

 

Yes, it is in IMO.

 

It seems a decent draft for stocking up DE talent, Matt. There are several "tweeners" out there too, a catagory with a renewed popularity with teams.

 

Day 2 may get some gems that show well in a few seasons.