2013 Free Agency Preview

[jorgecasasSD]

levitre y a good option along with a cb maybe cox or grimes
and then we can address all the tackle, passrush and receiver problems in the draft

[RyanMathews]

Not starting our own talent makes it so much more difficult to analyze what we need. We need to give Shareece Wright and Taylor an opportunity to show us what they have.

[909 Charger]

Originally Posted by RyanMathews

Not starting our own talent makes it so much more difficult to analyze what we need. We need to give Shareece Wright and Taylor an opportunity to show us what they have.

Agreed. But as much potential as Wright shows, it's concerning that he can't beat out Cason for the starting job. As bad as Cason has been in the games, we're not able to see what the coaches see in practice. I hope he pans out. That means we just need to make one solid CB signing, and ... wait for it ... move Jammer to SS.

[Kemp17]

Originally Posted by 909 Charger

Agreed. But as much potential as Wright shows, it's concerning that he can't beat out Cason for the starting job. As bad as Cason has been in the games, we're not able to see what the coaches see in practice. I hope he pans out. That means we just need to make one solid CB signing, and ... wait for it ... move Jammer to SS.

I've always laughed at the "Jammer to SS" stuff, simply because Norv has specifically said it won't happen. But perhaps a new staff will see things differently. I do believe that a Jammer/Taylor combo at SS in 2013 has more potential to do well than Bigby/Taylor, as Atari can't cover.

[909 Charger]

Originally Posted by Kemp17

I've always laughed at the "Jammer to SS" stuff, simply because Norv has specifically said it won't happen. But perhaps a new staff will see things differently. I do believe that a Jammer/Taylor combo at SS in 2013 has more potential to do well than Bigby/Taylor, as Atari can't cover.

There's only so much money to go around. Making the move will help. Plus, I'd rather have Taylor learning from Jammer than Bigby.

Great posts, by the way. I still believe RM will learn how to hold on to the ball. I really like Battle behind him. We bring back Vasquez and make a couple more decent signings on the OL (plus M.Bennett), I don't think we need to address our backfield at all.

I've seen enough from Ingram to be comfortable to roll with him as a starter for next year. JJ's got another good year in him. I would be fine with Barnes and English as depth.

Mouton's progress (or lack, thereof) concerns me. If Takeo's done, is there a decent FA option?

[Kemp17]

Originally Posted by 909 Charger

There's only so much money to go around. Making the move will help. Plus, I'd rather have Taylor learning from Jammer than Bigby.

Great posts, by the way. I still believe RM will learn how to hold on to the ball. I really like Battle behind him. We bring back Vasquez and make a couple more decent signings on the OL (plus M.Bennett), I don't think we need to address our backfield at all.

I've seen enough from Ingram to be comfortable to roll with him as a starter for next year. JJ's got another good year in him. I would be fine with Barnes and English as depth.

Mouton's progress (or lack, thereof) concerns me. If Takeo's done, is there a decent FA option?

Thanks man.

The best ILB option I see is Daryl Smith of the Jaguars. He's always been a 4-3 guy, but I don't see any reason why he couldn't transition. But ILB is a position where you generally should be saving money, not spending big (smart teams push more resources towards pass rushers and corners on defense). That's why I think we should sign a reasonable veteran like Bradie James as insurance and see what Mouton can do for us.

I don't have a big problem with the Mathews/Battle backfield, but if Ryan gets banged up as he typically does, then what? I think we need a free agent or mid round draft pick as insurance. Wouldn't hurt to bring in some home run ability as our backs don't typically pop big plays.

At OLB, I think Ingram needs to take over JJ's starter role next season. I'm fine with keeping Johnson for depth, but we need a better pass rusher to start at ROLB (Ingram and JJ both play LOLB and should both stay there). English has done nothing and Barnes seems to have taken a step back. Phillips is a free agent. All that rolled together is why I really think pass rusher is one of our top two needs and would like to see us address in the 1st or 2nd.

Bigby is due about 1.5M next season, so cutting him and using that money to keep Jammer around would be fine with me.

[909 Charger]

Originally Posted by Kemp17

Thanks man.

The best ILB option I see is Daryl Smith of the Jaguars. He's always been a 4-3 guy, but I don't see any reason why he couldn't transition. But ILB is a position where you generally should be saving money, not spending big (smart teams push more resources towards pass rushers and corners on defense). That's why I think we should sign a reasonable veteran like Bradie James as insurance and see what Mouton can do for us.

I don't have a big problem with the Mathews/Battle backfield, but if Ryan gets banged up as he typically does, then what? I think we need a free agent or mid round draft pick as insurance. Wouldn't hurt to bring in some home run ability as our backs don't typically pop big plays.

At OLB, I think Ingram needs to take over JJ's starter role next season. I'm fine with keeping Johnson for depth, but we need a better pass rusher to start at ROLB (Ingram and JJ both play LOLB and should both stay there). English has done nothing and Barnes seems to have taken a step back. Phillips is a free agent. All that rolled together is why I really think pass rusher is one of our top two needs and would like to see us address in the 1st or 2nd.

Bigby is due about 1.5M next season, so cutting him and using that money to keep Jammer around would be fine with me.

I'm definitely not an expert in the intricacies of the 3-4, but some of the biggest talk about Ingram is his versatility. You don't think he can excel on the right side?

[Kemp17]

Originally Posted by 909 Charger

I'm definitely not an expert in the intricacies of the 3-4, but some of the biggest talk about Ingram is his versatility. You don't think he can excel on the right side?

He is definitely versatile. And he will always move around the defense (ROLB, 5 technique, 3 technique, 9 technique, even ILB), but his basic skillset is best suited for LOLB IMO. So that's where I see him being "the starter." I think he could become one of the Woodley types that abuse right tackles, and he's so stout against the run that he's a real asset to our D on that side. To a lesser extent, LOLB's generally need to be better in coverage, and Ingram is no slouch there.

The "versatile" label came from being able to line up at linebacker, end, and tackle moreso than being a guy that could play both strong and weak (not to say he can't, that's just not where the label came from).

But even if he was going to be the starter on the right, I am not comfortable with JJ being the other starter. He's a fine player, but he's not a good pass rusher and lack of pass rush is killing our defense.

The rotation is great and all, but the best pass rushing teams have top notch talent that plays on three downs. I think the ideal situation is having three good pass rushers, two starters and a guy who gives them a blow on occasion (like Merriman, Foley, and Phillips). A little rotation keeps guys fresh, while too much makes it difficult for guys to get in a rhythm.

[909 Charger]

Originally Posted by Kemp17

He is definitely versatile. And he will always move around the defense (ROLB, 5 technique, 3 technique, 9 technique, even ILB), but his basic skillset is best suited for LOLB IMO. So that's where I see him being "the starter." I think he could become one of the Woodley types that abuse right tackles, and he's so stout against the run that he's a real asset to our D on that side. To a lesser extent, LOLB's generally need to be better in coverage, and Ingram is no slouch there.

The "versatile" label came from being able to line up at linebacker, end, and tackle moreso than being a guy that could play both strong and weak (not to say he can't, that's just not where the label came from).

But even if he was going to be the starter on the right, I am not comfortable with JJ being the other starter. He's a fine player, but he's not a good pass rusher and lack of pass rush is killing our defense.

The rotation is great and all, but the best pass rushing teams have top notch talent that plays on three downs. I think the ideal situation is having three good pass rushers, two starters and a guy who gives them a blow on occasion (like Merriman, Foley, and Phillips). A little rotation keeps guys fresh, while too much makes it difficult for guys to get in a rhythm.

Okay, makes sense. But it sure seems like that we have to make some concessions and "make do" whereever possible. JJ and Ingram as our starters, while not quite ideal, would be a very good situation, especially considering how the front 7 as a whole looks and continues to develop.

We need to spend money on a CB and on the OL. LG or RT can possibly be filled with a 2nd round draft pick, but that leaves us with a need for whichever isn't drafted plus depth at LT. I do like the idea of going after Loadholt since he would be very solid on the right side plus can swing over if need be.

At CB we definitely need a #1 guy. We need to pay up for the services of Cox or Grimes.

No thoughts on upgrading WR through FA? Or are we just stuck?

[Kemp17]

Originally Posted by 909 Charger

Okay, makes sense. But it sure seems like that we have to make some concessions and "make do" whereever possible. JJ and Ingram as our starters, while not quite ideal, would be a very good situation, especially considering how the front 7 as a whole looks and continues to develop.

We need to spend money on a CB and on the OL. LG or RT can possibly be filled with a 2nd round draft pick, but that leaves us with a need for whichever isn't drafted plus depth at LT. I do like the idea of going after Loadholt since he would be very solid on the right side plus can swing over if need be.

At CB we definitely need a #1 guy. We need to pay up for the services of Cox or Grimes.

No thoughts on upgrading WR through FA? Or are we just stuck?

I am sure we will have to make some concessions. But pass rusher is not the place to do it. In a good 3-4, the outside linebackers should be the primary pass rushers. Having Jarret Johnson man one of the positions isn't going to get the job done. It essentially would allow offensive lines to shift protection towards whatever side he wasn't lining up on. I would honestly rather address pass rusher over cornerback, though both would be ideal.

Loadholt is actually one of the guys who I think is strictly RT only. He doesn't have the footspeed to play the left side.

We've already paid to keep Floyd around, Alexander is looking like a contributor, and Brown is on his way back. It's not as though our WR is perfect at all, but I put it a lot farther down the priority list than the OL, the secondary, or pass rusher. I also think that the receivers have gotten a lot more of the blame for our passing issues than they deserve as people seek to defense PR. If he gets himself right, this group is fine.