BearFan PHX

I think we needed someone to take the top off of the defense, so Fields would have a chance of growing. We didnt have much cap space or draft capital to do it, so we reached on Velus. He may still become a decent player for us, but if he doesnt, he is a relic of the situation we were in. As we become more complete and sustainable, we shouldnt see reaches like that in the 3rd round any more. Also, in the future, I wont be upset if Poles takes some flyers on high risk high upside players, and I expect a decent percentage of them to fail. The way to judge Poles starting this year is wins and losses, not to nit pick over every player he chooses, since we know they wont all make the team as our roster gets stronger.

and he could extend players too. Plus if needed more money, he could restructure Eddie Jackson and/or cut or restructure Whitehair.

yes, and you might even package two of the low seconds (or the low second and top third) to move to the top part of the second round. But I like your idea of the swap, very creative. For sure, Poles has some flexibility in a draft that is deep at the areas we need help in. He has shown himself to be a shrewd wheeler dealer. Now we just need to talent evaluations on the OL and DL to be right.

That's what it looks like. And if for some odd reason Fields doesnt progress, you can pick up a top QB next year and have a stocked team waiting for him to grow into.

real gay, fake twitter lol

Oh cool! I thought it was part of the ongoing debate here about whether he can play DT full time!

The chart is excellent, but i think DeMarcus Walker is a DE, not a DT. He never played any 1st down DT, only passing downs moving a DE inside for pure pass rush.

nasty!

amen

oh man he is a squirty little problem for defenses. I would pick him high, but id def take a flyer on him with a later round pick. gadget guy, kick returner, change of pace back

I expect one player at 9 or dropping down a bit more maybe, and then yes, we could package two of the three grouped picks near the ned of the 2nd to move up for another player earlier, and still get a player at the top of the third (or higher).

I agree except for calling it ego - it's expected availability?

well he is cleared in a sense, he already pled no contest and got probation, and 80 hours of community service. In doing this, he cannot be prosecuted for any other crimes related to that day. We also found out today that he didnt leave the scene of the accident until after the police showed up, and they sppoke to him so he wasnt drunk. after they said he was free to go, he left, and then when they asked him to return two hours later he did. my issue has nothing to do with any of that, cuz hes clear to play, and i like my 3Ts nasty. my issue is that he is known to not have a love for the gmae, and his response to this was to get fat and not finish drills rather than to get angry and attack. I FULLY agree that different people respond to stress and depression differently. I dont judge him as a person., I judge him as a destroyer of the man in front him. when things get tough I want a fighter, not a runner.

I love this analysis and thread - it's great to see it all in one place. I still feel we dont have a RT at the level of some of these recent low cash signings on the roster (or better), so I'd add that to the list of holes?

yup. this is our bruiser back. Or a placeholder for one. Monty was great, but this guy is half the price.

right. you can cut them with no cap effect. this is draft insurance.

If Borom is still under contract, then yeah, youre probably right, its him. Id love to see Cody Mauch playing RT for us. Maybe they're gonna try Jenkins at RT again too?

I think Walker only played inside on passing downs. He was a rotational player, so a lot of his highlights came when he was on the field in passing situations, inside. And thats why his film makes him look like a DT, but i dont think he ever played DT on 1st or 2nd and less than 7?

fair enough. i just think our starting RT is coming in the draft. So we can disagree over whether Leatherwood is holding the space open, or if the space is empty, but I think we will get our RT in the draft. You may be right tho, if Poles signs another $4M a year type RT before the draft on a one or two year deal.

It's amazing to see someone who is looking toward a sustainable future and not just hoping to sneak in a short window to a playoff game. We will finally be a real team. Contending some years, building up others, but we will be pretty good even in the building years. This awful boom / bust cycle weve been in for decades is finally over.

We are not disagreeing. Im saying Leatherwood is a placeholder to be replaced by a draft pick. In other words that we dont have to sign another $3M one year contract with someone who is also terrible just so we dont have a hole at RT going into the draft.

This is a classic space filler move. Like Reiff, Schofield etc - no GM wants to go into the draft with any glaring holes. You take a rookie, and they develop until they can replace the placeholder - could be in camp, could be in November. I suspect we have Leatherwood as a placeholder at RT right now, which allowed to avoid desperation early in Free Agency. We will draft D Linemen, and we will draft a 3T, maybe not with 9 but in the first four picks. We will draft a RT too, again somewhere in the first 4 picks. But you can take it to the bank that the 9 pick will go to 3T, DE or OT and that player will be an excellent starter for us. We will sign more lower paid free agents on the DL and perhaps on the OL before the draft too. But if you're looking for that big name stud on the DL or OL for our future, that players is coming in the draft.

I think at this point, they are proving to themselves that they are right to pass on him even at 9 - like giving him a last chance to break that belief. I dont see him on the Bears. He's a Raider lol

Plus, Moore will teach Claypool route running.

its still way early. if the OL (or DL!) looks like this opening day, then youll have a point, but it wont.