AZ54

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to slice up this offseason and fill our needs. From a value proposition a couple items stand out IMO. 1) OT has unusually good depth into the 2nd Rd this year. Seems almost a certainty we can get one with our first pick in Rd 2. This is an expensive position to fill in FA and we've already got a lot committed to it. Seems like a rookie backup/future starter is a must. DRAFT 2) WR FA is not loaded with good 2nd tier options for a speed WR unless there are some relative unknowns who are ready to step up and shine with more snaps. Conversely the draft has some very good options in Rd 2. DRAFT 3) TE is a critical need and one not likely to be filled proficiently by a rookie in a complex offense. Three good options are available in FA. That seems like a must have but if there is some confidence in Burton returning to form and the young players taking another step forward then there will be good options in Rd 2. Plus if the above happens we're looking for an inline TE which can be found later in the draft. There will be some decent options to add depth in Rd4/5 in the draft. If we sign one of the top FA TEs I don't think we draft one and we watch the young guys to see how they develop. FREE AGENCY 4) SS ...tough spot to fill. HHCD is not an ideal fit but he's not horrible either but at what price? If not him who? Bush or a rookie but it might be a late Rd pick given other more important needs and the new contract for EJack. Maybe we split the difference and grab a good 2nd tier FA like Karl Joseph or Vonn Bell while we add a rookie on day three. FREE AGENCY https://lastwordonprofootball.com/2020/01/21/oakland-raiders-karl-joseph-free-agency/ 5) RB ... It's not a popular choice but I still feel like we need a good 2nd option at RB and Cohen is not that. I'll take Kenyan Drake in FA with his estimated $5.5mil/yr contract. https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/arizona-cardinals/kenyan-drake-19023/market-value/ FREE AGENCY 6) IOL ... I'm expecting we stay in house for this one and Alex Bars starts at RG, and Whitehair/Daniels on his left in some order. Backups will be Coward/Lucas/rookie OT. IN HOUSE 7) Edge ... expensive spot to fill in FA, tough spot to fill via the draft. What we do with Floyd's contract definitely plays a part here. If he doesn't restructure Pace could simply walk away from him and go sign someone like Bud Dupree, Matt Judon, Markus Golden, Dante Fowler Jr. I don't think it's likely but there is the alternative possibility where Pace goes after an inside pass rusher like Chris Jones (dreaming of course with expected market value of $20mil), but players like JPP, Shaq Lawson, or maybe even Arik Armstead could be possible. Spotrac has us with $15mil cap space Cuts: Amukamara $9mil, Floyd $13mil, Gabriel $4.5mil, Shaheen $1.3mil, Braunecker $1.4mil (yes), New Cap Space = $44mil FA spending: TE Hooper $10mil, RB Drake $5.5mil, Safety Joseph $5mil, Edge (minus Floyd's 13) +4mil Dupree = $24.5mil Sign our FA: Kwit (guessing $4mil), KPL, RRH (guessing $3mil), Nick Williams, Lucas, Bush, Scales, Coward (guessing $3mil), Holtz, and Irving I'm over the cap by $8mil but normal creative structuring of contracts easily overcomes that. If I give Robinson a contract extension I can cut his cap hit in half too. Draft picks: 2nd Rd OT, 2nd Rd WR, CB: Tolliver takes over for Prince, Shelley is depth We'll need to do something at backup QB. I'd be ok with Chase again but not at $5mil.

The only way we have a shot is if his medicals leave some questions for teams using first round picks.

He'll be about $2-3mil cheaper than Hooper. He has his occasional drops but he'd still be the best TE by far on the roster. The bigger concern is his mental state surrounding these drops: https://www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2019/10/01/colts-tight-end-eric-ebron-aims-stop-thinking-too-much/3834371002/ In Chicago he'll be dealing with fans who are already short tempered when it comes to offense. He won't get much leeway before the boos start. Plus is he the confidence builder we need for Trubisky?

Finally found one I like but his injury history is a problem. Of course that is likely the only reason he'll be available in the 2nd Rd. Even in this game you can tell his right leg is still not 100%.

Wow you must have been opening a beer or something. Gabriel had 1 rec for 19 yds against the NY Football Giants.

State Farm yes. NFL not so sure. There's a ton of history on the 49ers side as well.

Not sure it's race as much as the Raiders issue but he deserves to be in the HoF.

Yes. What I'm also saying is Taylor Gabriel has played his last game for us.

Pretty short list but there are two fast WRs there. https://www.thedraftnetwork.com/articles/prospect-team-meeting-tracker-from-2020-shrine-bowl Chicago Bears WR Isaiah Wright, Temple WR Joe Reed, Virginia LB Michael Pinckney, Miami https://thedraftnetwork.com/player/joe-reed/BVj5rhAl14

For KC defenses are trying to limit big plays. Average separation for KC receivers at time of completion is first in the league at 3.8 yards.

Who was Ed Sprinkle? He was the man who brought smash mouth defense to Bears football (literally).

I thought we wanted Mitch to read defenses? I for one prefer to have him hit his plant foot and do one of two things: Throw or know he needs to move on to his second read. I'd also like him to have enough time in the pocket to do that.

Jason taught me well.

Very good point. Pace definitely can and will move on regardless of money if he thinks it's the right thing to do. One difference for Leno is that he's not a bad locker room guy.

Glad to see Jimbo earn the invite. I'll admit I gotta find some highlights of Sprinkle.

A bit of research about DeFilippo's stint as an OC... it didn't go so well even with his star pupil. DeFillipo may yet end up a good OC but he might not have been ready for the role. Leading an entire offensive unit with all the various position groups, and their coaches, is a lot different from being a QB coach. Most coaching careers go this route. I'm happy to have him in this role because he knows the system which means he's able to coach Trubisky from day one whereas Ragone had to go through offensive boot camp with Nagy. https://www.forbes.com/sites/debbitaylor/2020/01/13/jaguars-part-ways-with-offensive-coordinator-john-defilippo/#5b73a2245c79 DeFilippo joined the Jaguars last January before coveted free agent quarterback Nick Foles was signed by the team last March. Before coming to Jacksonville, DeFilippo was the Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator until he was let go in December of 2018. Prior to that he was the Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks’ coach who helped the team win Super Bowl LII. Foles notably earned Super Bowl LII honors that year. The two were reunited in Jacksonville but Foles suffered a Week 1 injury and later when healthy he was unable to lead the Jaguars into the win column. He was 0-6 as a starter. Rookie Gardner Minshew would finish the season as the starter with a 6-6 record while starting. Head coach Doug Marrone has left the position open for 2020.

Pace can throw everything at Andrew Luck as far as I'm concerned. I'm pretty sure he'd take one look at the Oline Trubisky was behind and happily stay in retirement.

I think we'll have enough money to do one big FA signing. Who do y'all want? https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/ My money is on Austin Hooper. It will be expensive. Spotrac has his estimated contract at $10mil/yr. We will have no choice but to hope Burton recovers for 2020 but if not, long term it'll be Hooper and someone else. Another long shot pipe dream would be Chris Jones DE KC who I wanted in the draft. I'd pay him and line him up with Hicks. Forget the edge rush issues with Floyd because Hicks, Goldman, Jones, and Mack would wreck Olines. We'd have Nichols and Williams as backups and maybe we can hang onto RRH.

Zero chance I'm not fixing the Oline this offseason (were I the GM ). You can scan through my past posts and see I was one of the first here calling out the Oline, or even asking for Kyle Long to get benched.

Or they could all be in the Superbowl. We were 8-8 with absolute worst Oline play in the NFL, subpar QB play for the first half of the year, and a lot of key defensive injuries. This isn't that hard to fix.

From what little I can find Lazor has a very good history of getting QBs to play well. Let's hope that trend continues. In this case do we keep Ragone? If that's why this guy is here, and it should be, I say Ragone must go for the new OC to have greater influence on Mitch.

We could really use a speed WR to stretch the field but I have to agree fixing the TE position if the first priority. We can get some production from our existing WRs. We got no production from our TEs.

What he said.