01-19-2019, 11:33 PM
(01-19-2019, 04:43 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Before we start talking about "upgrading" we need to address "replacing". Right now the following positions are missing the starter from 2018.
OFFENSE
RT...Hart is a free agent (as are Fisher, Smith, and Ogbuehi)
RG...Redmond is free agent (as is Trey Hopkins)
TE...Eifert, Uzomah, and Kroft are all free agents.
DEFENSE
LB...Preston Brown is a free agent.
CB...Dennard is a free agent (nickel corner usually plays twice as many snaps as one of the starting LBs in a 4-3)
DE...Michael Johnson is a free agent.
Possible new starters already here....Hubbard should step in for Johnson. Some people think Westerberg can start at OG, but I have yet to be convinced.
Possible free agents re-signed.....I think we will re-sign Dennard. Some of the others may be re-signed, but none of them look especially worthy of starting. The only exception is Preston Brown. I wonder if he just struggled due to his injury early in the season?
So ther than Hubbard and Dennard that leaves 4 holes with no returning starter. You can't bet on more than one or two starters from the draft. So we pretty much have to sign 2 or 3 starters in free agency.
Good post! I'll give my opinions so here's my take:
Offense:
1) I'd bring back Hart on another 1 year deal say @ 1 million as a backup.
2) Hopkins-good G/C type I'd bring back.
3) Uzomah-as a #3 is ok
--I think the rest we let walk, I think we sign a TE in FA and draft one fairly early.
Defense:
1) Hubbard and Lawson will fill MJ's spot at DE
2) Dennard I'd bring back but not more than 6 per year.
-I'd really like to address the defense in FA, I think we could land a solid ILB and a good #4 guy here for depth and then draft one early.
