Are we being realistic with Free Agency expectations?

[CJD]

(02-21-2022, 10:53 AM)jj22 Wrote: I'm not sure starting 22 with only Connor Williams as a new Oline member gives much hope to having the Oline fixed. That's my only issue. Something's going to have to give. I'm thinking the DT. Sample and a draft pick can play 3t. Also a lot of money is already tied up on the Dline. So from a budget standpoint, I think they have to spread the money around some.

Well, I think if we did it this way, with retaining Spain and Reiff, then OT would be the pick at 31. But I understand your point. I did build in some margin to both the DT and CB signings (assuming 10 million for both). If we were to let Hill walk in free agency, that would give us about 9 million more to work with, which would mean we could sign a RT like Morgan Moses or Trent Brown. That would be a significant upgrade, along with keeping Spain and signing Connor Williams.

If we do that, then I think it would be wise to draft a DT in the first two rounds, though. We saw what our pass rush looked like without a rotation at 3T and it was, at times, anemic. Hubbard and Reader are excellent run defenders, but don't offer too much on the pass rushing front. Having that Ogunjobi/Hill rotation next to Hendrickson gave him a fair number of 1 on 1s, which is why I think he was as successful as he was this year. If we don't re-sign either and just draft a rookie to replace them, I would bet that our pass rush would be even worse this year and Hendrickson may regress.

Maybe we cheap out on CB and only sign Apple but draft a CB in the first or second round to make up that money to sign another impact offensive lineman.

We have options, but I think you're right. We can't sign everything this off season. We're going to have to pick an area where we rely on the draft.