Free Agency 2013 Edition
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With the start of free agency starting in about a month, let’s look at our team needs and how they should be addressed.
My opinion of needs from greatest to least
1)Line backer. Obvious because the move back to the 3-4.
2)Safety- Cornerback. While Joe Haden had his lapse in judgment early in the season it was obvious we were thin in the secondary. And with Skrine seemingly getting penalized every time he took the field we need some playmakers to shore up the def. backfield. With Ray Horton (former CB) now the D.C. may be able to teach some of these young guys already on the roster better technique. I think Buster has the skills he just has to quit relying on his biggest asset, speed.
3) Tight End . Like TCPO has brought up chud likes to run to run a lot of 2 tight end sets and with the age of Watson and the uncertainty of Cameron, and Gronkowski able to step up and fill the role we are weak in this area as well.
4) Wide Receiver. I like who we have all around except I would like to see us bring in a slot type receiver that we can count on for those tough 3rd downs. Such as what we had with Joe Jurevicious. Amendola, Welker,or Harvin in FA?
5) Quarterback. Honestly the future of Brandon Weeden is still yet to be determined, and with the front office stating weeds isn’t the starter, who we bring in is still up in the air as well. And now we have the Flacco rumor heating up, honestly I can’t see giving up 2 firsts for him and that kind of cash.
6) Offensive And, Defensive Line. A Guard and depth at this point.
7) Running Back. Change of pace type back T-Rich should be able to carry the load.
Kicker. Pay Dawson and be done with it.NFL trade rumors has a nice list of Free agents and they keep up on adding them as they become available.
http://nfltraderumors.co/2013-nfl-free-agents/
If you are looking for team by team salary cap numbers they also have a link for that also. The numbers are done by Clayton and have changed since players have started to be released.
With the start of free agency starting in about a month, let’s look at our team needs and how they should be addressed.
My opinion of needs from greatest to least
1)Line backer. Obvious because the move back to the 3-4.
2)Safety- Cornerback. While Joe Haden had his lapse in judgment early in the season it was obvious we were thin in the secondary. And with Skrine seemingly getting penalized every time he took the field we need some playmakers to shore up the def. backfield. With Ray Horton (former CB) now the D.C. may be able to teach some of these young guys already on the roster better technique. I think Buster has the skills he just has to quit relying on his biggest asset, speed.
3) Tight End . Like TCPO has brought up chud likes to run to run a lot of 2 tight end sets and with the age of Watson and the uncertainty of Cameron, and Gronkowski able to step up and fill the role we are weak in this area as well.
4) Wide Receiver. I like who we have all around except I would like to see us bring in a slot type receiver that we can count on for those tough 3rd downs. Such as what we had with Joe Jurevicious. Amendola, Welker,or Harvin in FA?
5) Quarterback. Honestly the future of Brandon Weeden is still yet to be determined, and with the front office stating weeds isn’t the starter, who we bring in is still up in the air as well. And now we have the Flacco rumor heating up, honestly I can’t see giving up 2 firsts for him and that kind of cash.
6) Offensive And, Defensive Line. A Guard and depth at this point.
7) Running Back. Change of pace type back T-Rich should be able to carry the load.
Kicker. Pay Dawson and be done with it.NFL trade rumors has a nice list of Free agents and they keep up on adding them as they become available.
http://nfltraderumors.co/2013-nfl-free-agents/
If you are looking for team by team salary cap numbers they also have a link for that also. The numbers are done by Clayton and have changed since players have started to be released.
I agree with number 1 completely. We need an intimidating Linebacker out there that forces an offense to account for. With DQ, and Sheard and Rubin and Taylor along with this new guy, offenses should have plenty to worry about! I didn't even mention Haden which brings me to your second need... Secondary. I think we MIGHT be able to get Tyrann Mathieu early in the third round which would give us Haden as the number 1 and Tyran in the slot, we would need to sign a FA Cornerback to challenge and force Sheldon Brown out to Free Safety.
Number 3- The TE. If we resign Watson we shouldn't need another TE except for depth. We'd have Watson, Cameron and Smelley. Which is a good group of guys that can do different things.
Wide Reciever, Quarterback and Runningback I PERSONALLY feel that we are good at those positions. WR is pretty stacked with a bunch of YOUNG GUNS comming of age. Colt and Weeden will duke it out for the number 1 and the other will be the number 2. Runningback- Trent Richardson 2.0 is going to be 5x better than the one we all seen this year. The guy is a MONSTER... I could go one about Trent for an hour but I'm tired and there's no use in beating a dead horse back to life...
We HAVE to RESIGN PHIL DAWSON and JOSH CRIBBS... if not, I've lost all faith in the Cleveland Browns to do the right thing. We honestly need to find a slobberknocker at FB and another Bruising Offensive Lineman on the interior... that's about it, besides getting ready for the Playoffs.
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PoeticG I didnt even give Full back a thought but it is indeed a need that has to be addressed.
Is alex smith the guy moving forward? To me he was a stop gap because whitey marisuck was worthless.
6'4" seems a little tall for a lead blocker.....
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Jerome Felton F/A Minnesota Vikings.
Blocked for Peterson.
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defense, even though ours was rated decently last year, has to be the #1 focal point in both FA and draft. LB, LB, FS, CB and DE.
if we don't (as usual) go after any FAs then that's how you have to draft. IMO.
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defense, even though ours was rated decently last year, has to be the #1 focal point in both FA and draft. LB, LB, FS, CB and DE.
if we don't (as usual) go after any FAs then that's how you have to draft. IMO.
defense, even though ours was rated decently last year, has to be the #1 focal point in both FA and draft. LB, LB, FS, CB and DE.
if we don't (as usual) go after any FAs then that's how you have to draft. IMO.
I don't disagree with the positions all that much, I just disagree it has to be that order. I still want the best players available even if we sell out and draft for need.
If everybody had like minds, we would never learn. -
Apparently Norv Turner may be interested in taking a look-see at Matt Moore. Not a bad idea
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defense, even though ours was rated decently last year, has to be the #1 focal point in both FA and draft. LB, LB, FS, CB and DE.
if we don't (as usual) go after any FAs then that's how you have to draft. IMO.
I don't disagree with the positions all that much, I just disagree it has to be that order. I still want the best players available even if we sell out and draft for need.
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Nice comments mdmuch. I especially like this comment, This would allow the Browns to cross Milliner off their first round draft board.
Not so much as it pertains to Millner as I would be fine getting him. I like it because it is imperative the Browns use free agency to be able to cross something off the list.
If you head in to the draft having not fixed anything, you are really limiting your ability to improve as a football team because you end up having to draft for needs, which limits your list of players.
Good teams don't pass up better players because they have to find someone to play a certain position.
Fill some needs in free agency so that you CAN build through the draft and get the best players you can find.
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^^ - The logical move to make if we want to start winning some games next year.
Considering the last splash the FO made was landing Sheldon Brown and Gocong... We got the cash this offseason, and it must be the one we've all been dying for.
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My hierarchy goes in the same order you listed. I think our most pressing need is getting a solid interior linebacker as well as a good pass rushing outside linebacker. As it stands now, I have Sheard playing Jack for us, but I'd like to see us add another threat to the pass rush while not sacrificing coverage abilities.
I'd also like to see us go for a good ball-hawking safety. I believe our run support from the secondary is strong enough, we need someone with a nose for the ball. At the same time, adding a solid #2 corner would enable us to move Brown to FS, like some have been proposing for the last 2 seasons. I would rather us address the FS position through FA, but any move that makes us better I am okay with.
My dream scenario would be for us to offer Flacco a ridiculous contract, assuming he's not franchised. Something like the $100 million he wants, but set up where 2013 would require a large cap hit. The Ravens aren't going to let him walk, they can't do it. They'll have to forsake either Ellerbe or Kruger, and probably both.
I would say our first priority would be Ellerbe. He's proven to be a solid starter, and his skill set would drastically improve our defense. He's solid in every phase of the game, and is a perfect fit for an inside LB in the 3-4 defense. With DQ's propensity for cleaning up broken plays and Ellerbe's solid all-around play, we can then invest in a pure pass-rusher.
I would love our linebacking corps to look like this:
Will- Dannell Ellerbe
Mike-D'Qwell Jackson
Sam- Jabaal Sheard
Jack- Jarvis Jones
I would possibly switch Sheard and Jones based on how well Sheard makes the transition.
By adding Ellerbe and not Kruger, we would also have the cap space to acquire Jairus Byrd at Safety or Sean Smith at CB. It's much more likely that Smith will leave Miami, but Byrd isn't a lock for returning to Buffalo either.
By adding Ellerbe and not Kruger, we would also have the cap space to acquire Jairus Byrd at Safety or Sean Smith at CB. It's much more likely that Smith will leave Miami, but Byrd isn't a lock for returning to Buffalo either.
Heard on the radio, that most likely neither Byrd or Smith will be available. The reason was that Miami loves smith to much to let'em walk he will get paid and Buffalo has been making cuts and possibly more to free up enough to keep Byrd.
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By adding Ellerbe and not Kruger, we would also have the cap space to acquire Jairus Byrd at Safety or Sean Smith at CB. It's much more likely that Smith will leave Miami, but Byrd isn't a lock for returning to Buffalo either.
Heard on the radio, that most likely neither Byrd or Smith will be available. The reason was that Miami loves smith to much to let'em walk he will get paid and Buffalo has been making cuts and possibly more to free up enough to keep Byrd.
Heard on the radio, that most likely neither Byrd or Smith will be available. The reason was that Miami loves smith to much to let'em walk he will get paid and Buffalo has been making cuts and possibly more to free up enough to keep Byrd.
I figured Byrd was a lock to return, but didnt think Miami wanted to pay Smith as much as he thought he deserved.
Oh well. We can still possobly add Toler and another safety...say Goldson or Moore.
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