Blow it up? Or go for a quick rebound?

[Au165]

Here is what you got to remember. No one replaces a bunch of people in a single year and are competitive right away, it's just not a thing. You want to keep the roster as close to as intact as you can while fixing the things you can. There are a finite amount of draft picks you could expect to start next year (even if our coach isn't Lewis), so the idea we can draft 5+ rookies to "fix" things right now isn't realistic. Everyone can point to FA, and we should look, but your not going to bring in a ton of guys that are going to fix things in a salary cap era. The realistic possibility is 1 or 2 may be able to come in and help. so with that all said...

Resigns:

• You have to keep Whitworth, but where he plays is anyone's guess. He said he is open to moving inside if need be so it gives us flexibility.
• LaFell should be retained at a similar contract (2.5 Million). He has been a good value and for those complaining about lack of depth behind AJ for that kind of money he can provide depth/spot start and help going forward.
• Kirpatrick is kept because I make another move later in the post. The guy has played well enough to be paid like an average NFL starting CB. In a league where even serviceable CBs are hard to come by he can get the job done.
  

Let Walk:

• Zeitler has had an up and down year, and to be fair this may be due to being sandwiched between two bad pieces. Either way, I don't think we pay two guards big money and I believe the pick of Westerman last year signaled the end for Zeitler. Similar to Kirkpatrick if the deal is right take it, but I don't see it being "team friendly"
• Billings is the answer to Peko. If your not comfortable with going in with Billings you still have Sims on a team friendly deal and you could bring Thompson back on one as well.  I am not one of those guys who hate on Peko, but his time here has run it's course.
• Dansby has not worked out like each of the last couple older LBs we have brought in to try and fill that last LB role. He is probably heading out to pasture after this season anyways.
  

Cuts:

• Rey Mauluga had a bit of a resurgence to his career here, but at this point he is a one or two down linebacker. I believe Vigil was drafted to be his heir and the coaches were high on him during camp. We may look back to the draft, but I believe it is Vigil who will get the call next season.
• Pacman is probably going to get cut and it isn't even as much about his play but his contract. He is a 7.6 million cap hit next year, but would only be 1.3 million in dead money. I think at some point we have to let some of these young guys play and if I had to choose between Pacman and Kirkpatrick right now I am going with Kirkpatrick. Cut Pacman and give Kirkpatrick a deal slightly below this.
  

The "others"

• Michael Johnson is not as bad as people like to think. He has strung together a couple good games lately and isn't a huge liability in the run game. If the plan is to let Hunt walk and draft a rookie you will want to keep Johnson one more year as a veteran presence. After next year his dead money is minimal, so it makes sense he stays one more year.
• Russell Bodine will be kept, that is just the way it is. He is on a cheap contract and at worst he will compete with someone. His contract expires after next season at which point they should let him walk assuming we got his replacement next season.
  

FA:

• We need a veteran tackle. This years draft class is week at the top end outside of Cam Robinson and I don't want to go in banking on that or what we have. Get a veteran tackle similar to Winston (hopefully a little better) and keep him as a back up incase what we has does not develop as needed.
• If we part with Peko and don't retain THompson we may need to at a DT. I could see them letting Sims walk due to his injury history so a veteran NT to once again hedge ourselves in case Billings doesn't work out may be a good move.
• I am not as worried about a veteran WR. The WR FA tend to be the most likely FA to flame out many come in and are decent but many flame out. I think LaFell type production is about the best your going to get unless you want to spend a lot of money, and I don't think this team looking ahead can afford to pay a second WR 7/8+ million a year especially at a position where scheme is a big deal when looking at production.
  

Draft

• The draft as mentioned is not deep at top end lineman. If we are a top 10 or even top 5 pick we need to grab a difference maker and that isn't a Tackle in this years class. 
• This class is a very good pass rushing class and I'd look to accomplish this in the first or second round. The thing is in the early second we still may have an option at a 1st round talent as far as pass rusher goes.
• If by chance we end up in the top 5 we could look to Peppers from Michigan to provide us a LB/S hybrid similar to Keanu Neal last year and Deone Buchannon in a more proven example.
• As much as I'd like to see it, I am not sure Mike WIlliams from Clemson is in play. The guy is in the class of a AJ, Julio, Amari Cooper in that he will be a high top 10 pick, but I can't see us taking a WR that high. If we were to want to consider a WR though the second round is full of guys that could be legit deep threats. I like Darboh from Michigan as a bit of an undervalued (as of now ) prospect in the 2/3 round.
• This center class has a lot of value in the 2nd and 3rd round. We could find a good replacement here, and kind of anecdotally, the 2nd round is historically the best round to draft a center.
• The 3rd and 4th round would be a great place to grab a HB if your not convinced you are resigning Hill next year and knowing Gio is out possibly to start the year. Nick Chub, Corey Clement,James Connor are all good options here. If you get lucky you could grab D'Onta Foreman or Samaje Perine at the top of the 3rd and have a star in the making.
• Once we hit the 4th and 5th round you enter a bit of an unknown. This is going to be heavily dependent on what we do in FA and who we keep and cut
  

So to make a long answer short, we don't need to rip it all down simply add a couple guys here and there. The key is to replace things slowly and do the best you can to minimize damage from your weaknesses. All teams have weaknesses and your never going to fix them all in one season.