02-13-2025, 01:22 PM
We have so many holes to fill. Creating another one at S by cutting Stone (or LB with Pratt) is fine in theory, but there is no one in the roster who is a clear upgrade.
At safety, Bell is a FA and has clearly lost a step and Anderson & Anthony never play. So we'd have to either spend in FA to replace Stone/Pratt (thus no savings) or spend draft capital. Day 1-2 pick, maybe early Day 3 to get a guy who would actually be an upgrade.
My preference would be to keep both guys through the draft. If someone like Starks or Watts falls to us, or Walker/Campbell at LB, then cut/trade. If not, hold unless we actually need the money for an upgrade elsewhere (OG, DT, DE), to bring back a more impactful in-house FA (Hilton, Hill, Gesicki), or upgrade LB/S/CB/WR.
For me the to do list breaks down into pretty easily recognizeable tiers. And Pratt/Stone are clearly Tier 3.
1. Tier 1: Let the Big Dogs Eat.
Sign Higgins. Chase & Hendrickson extensions. Burrow restructure (+19 mil in cap). Joe already said he is willing. We have north of $40 mil in cap space now, plus $19 mil will put us north of $60. More than enough to get this done.
2. Tier 2: Fix the trenches.
This can be FA or draft. But Cappa/Volson is the worst guard combo in the league in pass protection. We only have 2 DTs signed, and while both flashed, neither screamed starter quality. We need +2-3 more there. At least 1 starter level if not 2. And Trey has no pass rush help. Murphy/Hubbard is DE2 right now.
We don't have the space to sign high quality guys at all these spots. But if we let Rankins, Cappa, Hubbard, Moss, + Volson go, we save another $30 mil. That, plus what we have left over from the big dogs eating from that $60 should be enough for 2-3 pretty high quality trench guys. Or at least 2 plus some rotation level guys. Plus, say 2 of the first 4 picks (or more). And we should have our bases covered.
3. Tier 3: Decisions on our own guys.
Hilton, Hill, & Gesicki are the big ones. They are FA's & productive. Guys like Pratt, Stone, McPherson, and D. Sample are under contract, but shakier as contributors. If losing one or two of those guys lets me keep one of the top 3 or a Tier 2 trench help, I do it.
4. Tier 4. Depth pieces/Min guys.
Ford, T. Brown, ADG, Herbert, Hudson, Burton (are we giving up?). Adomitis & Rehkow should be back. Bachie? Bell? But not much cap impact here unless you think someone is a starter (ADG?).
At safety, Bell is a FA and has clearly lost a step and Anderson & Anthony never play. So we'd have to either spend in FA to replace Stone/Pratt (thus no savings) or spend draft capital. Day 1-2 pick, maybe early Day 3 to get a guy who would actually be an upgrade.
My preference would be to keep both guys through the draft. If someone like Starks or Watts falls to us, or Walker/Campbell at LB, then cut/trade. If not, hold unless we actually need the money for an upgrade elsewhere (OG, DT, DE), to bring back a more impactful in-house FA (Hilton, Hill, Gesicki), or upgrade LB/S/CB/WR.
For me the to do list breaks down into pretty easily recognizeable tiers. And Pratt/Stone are clearly Tier 3.
1. Tier 1: Let the Big Dogs Eat.
Sign Higgins. Chase & Hendrickson extensions. Burrow restructure (+19 mil in cap). Joe already said he is willing. We have north of $40 mil in cap space now, plus $19 mil will put us north of $60. More than enough to get this done.
2. Tier 2: Fix the trenches.
This can be FA or draft. But Cappa/Volson is the worst guard combo in the league in pass protection. We only have 2 DTs signed, and while both flashed, neither screamed starter quality. We need +2-3 more there. At least 1 starter level if not 2. And Trey has no pass rush help. Murphy/Hubbard is DE2 right now.
We don't have the space to sign high quality guys at all these spots. But if we let Rankins, Cappa, Hubbard, Moss, + Volson go, we save another $30 mil. That, plus what we have left over from the big dogs eating from that $60 should be enough for 2-3 pretty high quality trench guys. Or at least 2 plus some rotation level guys. Plus, say 2 of the first 4 picks (or more). And we should have our bases covered.
3. Tier 3: Decisions on our own guys.
Hilton, Hill, & Gesicki are the big ones. They are FA's & productive. Guys like Pratt, Stone, McPherson, and D. Sample are under contract, but shakier as contributors. If losing one or two of those guys lets me keep one of the top 3 or a Tier 2 trench help, I do it.
4. Tier 4. Depth pieces/Min guys.
Ford, T. Brown, ADG, Herbert, Hudson, Burton (are we giving up?). Adomitis & Rehkow should be back. Bachie? Bell? But not much cap impact here unless you think someone is a starter (ADG?).
