Options at Corner

[Bengalpool]

(03-05-2022, 03:03 AM)Whatever Wrote: Hard to pin the loss on the secondary when they held Stafford to his lowest passer rating of the playoffs, especially with some of the calls against them that weren't called all game.  Our defense outperformed our offense during the playoffs and a big reason is almost all of the FA dollars have gone into the defense while the offense gets scraps.

I'm not saying we don't do anything except dump money into the OL, but we need starters at...

LG
RT
TE
3 tech
CB
FS

That's not even counting specialists, an actual competent RG, and depth needs.  We currently have just over $48 mil in cap space.  We'll be up around $58 mil when Waynes gets cut.  Jackson will likely want to become the highest paid CB in the league, so you have to estimate $21 mil APY for him, plus another $15 mil APY for Bates.  Based on projections, you're looking at another $8 mil APY to re-up Hill or Ogunjobi.  Yes, the cap hits won't be the APY, but we've safely spent well over half of our cap space on defense with this plan and we need a starting caliber LG, RG, RT, and TE.  TE will be $8 mil APY based on projections.  B tier G's are $7 mil APY and RT's $10 mil.  So, $32 mil APY on 4 players on offense to go with $44 mil with three players on defense.  That's $76 mil APY that we will have to manipulate down to probably a $48 mil '22 cap hit to leave enough room for rookie pool and injuries.  Then we basically have to get a QB, 2 WR's, 2 DT's, a LB, 2 CB's, and 2 S's out of the draft just to fill out the depth chart.  

Beyond that, you're talking about the team budgeting for position groups.  Do you really think they budget for both Bates and Jackson?  Jackson seems like a guy they'd go after if they can't reach a deal with Bates, not someone they would go after in addition to.

I may take heat for this, but Jackson > Bates. I LOVE LOVE LOVE Bates, but who doesn't believe it's easier to replace Bates, than it is to find a true #1 CB? Bates hasn't exactly been consistent. He was lights out when it mattered and that's the best argument anyone here has. And perhaps that's a good enough reason. We spent a shit ton on Waynes, if we cut him, and Bates doesn't get tagged/re-signed, you have to go out there and improve the secondary. It's not like we have a ton invested in it right now, so its justified imo if we did wanna go get JC. 

Not realistic and I would be head over heals to extend Bates. But the tag?.... Idk man. I don't want to have a disgruntled safety playing subpar cause he didn't get a multi-year deal. And I don't blame him, I'm just saying we gotta look at what is best for us. Bates isn't exactly Ed Reed. I think at times like the post season, he can be in that discussion. We'll see I guess.