03-19-2021, 09:20 AM
(03-18-2021, 02:53 PM)fredtoast Wrote: So far we have "lost" players that we have not replaced like starting LB Josh Bynes, SS Shawn Williams, P Kevin Huber, WR A J Green, C BJ Finney, and TE Cethan Carter (got 3 yr $7.8 million). So obviously we have gotten worse.
But overall I think we will end up a lot better before it is all over.
The Two CBs we signed (Hilton, Awuzie) are not as good as the two we lost (Jackson, Alexander).
Hendrickson is an upgrade over Lawson. Even if you think production is about the same Lawson's injury history was terrifying.
Ogunjobi is a huge upgrade at DT.
So let's wait and see what the result is after free agency is complete. I am pretty certain we will re-sign Huber and maybe even Bynes. I also think we will sign a WR in free agency.
The corner thing isn't as cut and dried to me. I liked Alexander, but I think Mike Hilton is the better player. He's a guy that does it all on the defense and does it pretty well. If he can replicate what he did in Pittsburgh, he's an upgrade. Awuzie isn't nearly the man corner that Jackson was, but I don't believe he's Jackson's replacement. That would be Waynes. Awuzie is a nice zone corner wit upside. If Waynes is the number 1 boundary corner and he's the 2, then to me that's an improvement over guys like Sims that were getting run out there last year, and a big one.
I like Darius Phillips, but like almost everyone here, the team wasn't ready to bet on him health-wise to hold down a starting boundary spot. It's all conjecture, but I think our secondary got better. I'd still like to see how he improves if/when injury presses him into a starting role. I think he's a starting-caliber player if he can stay on the field.
The pass rush is a concern, mainly at DE. Hendrickson and Hubbard aren't enough. They will need to draft a speed rusher to rotate in unless Kareem is a lot better than anyone knows. Ogunjobi is about the best they could do at DT. It was a weak market. He's young and has shown the ability to get it done, so we'll see if he can put in the work.
