02-10-2022, 09:45 PM
Quick FA/Pre-SB mock
I kept free agency pretty simple.
Cut - trey waynes, trey hopkins.
Bates - is a stud, but I think he's going to out price himself and the Bengals would be smart to let him take that big deal and in return probably get a 3rd round comp.
Spain - solid interior olineman, but I think he's going to want to maximize his contract and personally he's not a top tier guard. Would resign, but for somewhere around 5-6mil per year. Could net a solid comp in return
Key resignings -
Uzo(leader and solid all-around TE)
BJ Hill(good interior pass rush and run stopper)
Reiff(vet depth that still can offer solid play)
Flowers(looked good going up against TE's and offers solid depth)
Apple(had an overall solid season, not top end, but offers another option out there)
Outside FA -
Ryan Jensen - a major upgrade at C. Can give us a few years to groom my draft picks.
Josh Reynolds - gives us an added deep threat that can come of the bench in case of injury.
Derek Barnett - was outstanding as a pass rusher his rookie season, has kind of turned more into a run defender, but I think adding him to our line and getting Ossai back could give him some better opportunities to put up better sack numbers here.
Draft - I made 2 small trade backs netting 2 late round picks and 2 mid round picks.
Pick 33(trade with Jacksonville to move out of 1st) - Daxton Hill(S) - good, tough safety, may not be a playmaker in the make of Bates, but gives us a good option on the backend with Bell
Pick 63 - Max Mitchell(OT) - a good all around prospect. he's going to rise up boards and I think he gives us a good guy to groom for the outside or possibly moves inside.
Pick 65(trade with Jacksonville to move out of 1st) - Travis Jones(DT) - Productive and powerful. He comes in a rotates with Hill and provides more interior pass rush
Pick 98(trade with New Orleans) - Troy Anderson(LB) - good athlete at lb position. gives us depth there and can compete for starting reps in a base 4-3.
Pick 120(trade with New Orleans) - Neil Farrel(DL) - highly graded interior dlineman to allow us to continue with a 5 man rotation, helping keep bodies fresh.
Pick 133 - Mario Goodrich(DB) - has the pedigree and wouldn't have to come in immediately and start. Offers depth behind Awuzie, Hilton, Apple, and Flowers
Pick 137 - Braxton Jones(OT) - Another highly rated polished tackle. Him and Mitchell give us options and more upside that the line is lacking.
Pick 172 - Jarret Patterson(C/G) - Patterson comes from ND, they continue to produce good offensive lineman and Patterson should be no different. He's the back up at center this season and takes over for Jensen in a couple of years. Allows Trey Hill to move to guard for depth there.
Pick 188 - Cordell Volson(OT) - yes another tackle prospect. The line is atrocious and needs over haul. In the event that we don't resign Reiff, we now have 3-4 guys who could come in and man RT. Plays nasty and while he may not play against top tier competition, he knows what it's like to play for a winner.
Pick 208 - Doug Kramer(C/G) - Another highly graded prospect. Use to playing in cold weather and against top tier comp. Gives us options along interior. I think Adenji should revert to PS and Carmen still needs to heal that back up. D' ante Smith could still move inside, but I think they should just use him as a tackle and make sure he understands that roll.
Pick 222 - Sam LePorta(TE) - guy who I've seen going from late 3rd to 7th round. Not as much of a freak athlete like Kittle or Fant, but offers some intriguing upside
Pick 248 - Danny Gray(WR) - super productive for SMU, definitely had his fair share of play making. Offers depth with the ability to develop into a useful reserve. adds value to special teams as well.
All in all, it may have been overkill to get the extra picks and draft 5 olineman, but we all know we have a need on the line and while it would have been easy just to sign 2 top tier lineman, I didn't want to overkill our salary cap as we have a lot of good players that will be up for FA in the next few years so it's nice to maintain a solid reserve of money. Of the 5 offensive lineman I drafted, I'd feel confident on hitting on at least 1-2 as being good starters and then adding Jensen and Jonah and Reiff gives us hopefully a more competent line also allowing Carmen, Hill, and Smith an extra year to develop. We probably cut or stash a lineman or 2 on ps. The rest of the draft was about building depth and potential stars in Daxton Hill and Travis Jones.
I kept free agency pretty simple.
Cut - trey waynes, trey hopkins.
Bates - is a stud, but I think he's going to out price himself and the Bengals would be smart to let him take that big deal and in return probably get a 3rd round comp.
Spain - solid interior olineman, but I think he's going to want to maximize his contract and personally he's not a top tier guard. Would resign, but for somewhere around 5-6mil per year. Could net a solid comp in return
Key resignings -
Uzo(leader and solid all-around TE)
BJ Hill(good interior pass rush and run stopper)
Reiff(vet depth that still can offer solid play)
Flowers(looked good going up against TE's and offers solid depth)
Apple(had an overall solid season, not top end, but offers another option out there)
Outside FA -
Ryan Jensen - a major upgrade at C. Can give us a few years to groom my draft picks.
Josh Reynolds - gives us an added deep threat that can come of the bench in case of injury.
Derek Barnett - was outstanding as a pass rusher his rookie season, has kind of turned more into a run defender, but I think adding him to our line and getting Ossai back could give him some better opportunities to put up better sack numbers here.
Draft - I made 2 small trade backs netting 2 late round picks and 2 mid round picks.
Pick 33(trade with Jacksonville to move out of 1st) - Daxton Hill(S) - good, tough safety, may not be a playmaker in the make of Bates, but gives us a good option on the backend with Bell
Pick 63 - Max Mitchell(OT) - a good all around prospect. he's going to rise up boards and I think he gives us a good guy to groom for the outside or possibly moves inside.
Pick 65(trade with Jacksonville to move out of 1st) - Travis Jones(DT) - Productive and powerful. He comes in a rotates with Hill and provides more interior pass rush
Pick 98(trade with New Orleans) - Troy Anderson(LB) - good athlete at lb position. gives us depth there and can compete for starting reps in a base 4-3.
Pick 120(trade with New Orleans) - Neil Farrel(DL) - highly graded interior dlineman to allow us to continue with a 5 man rotation, helping keep bodies fresh.
Pick 133 - Mario Goodrich(DB) - has the pedigree and wouldn't have to come in immediately and start. Offers depth behind Awuzie, Hilton, Apple, and Flowers
Pick 137 - Braxton Jones(OT) - Another highly rated polished tackle. Him and Mitchell give us options and more upside that the line is lacking.
Pick 172 - Jarret Patterson(C/G) - Patterson comes from ND, they continue to produce good offensive lineman and Patterson should be no different. He's the back up at center this season and takes over for Jensen in a couple of years. Allows Trey Hill to move to guard for depth there.
Pick 188 - Cordell Volson(OT) - yes another tackle prospect. The line is atrocious and needs over haul. In the event that we don't resign Reiff, we now have 3-4 guys who could come in and man RT. Plays nasty and while he may not play against top tier competition, he knows what it's like to play for a winner.
Pick 208 - Doug Kramer(C/G) - Another highly graded prospect. Use to playing in cold weather and against top tier comp. Gives us options along interior. I think Adenji should revert to PS and Carmen still needs to heal that back up. D' ante Smith could still move inside, but I think they should just use him as a tackle and make sure he understands that roll.
Pick 222 - Sam LePorta(TE) - guy who I've seen going from late 3rd to 7th round. Not as much of a freak athlete like Kittle or Fant, but offers some intriguing upside
Pick 248 - Danny Gray(WR) - super productive for SMU, definitely had his fair share of play making. Offers depth with the ability to develop into a useful reserve. adds value to special teams as well.
All in all, it may have been overkill to get the extra picks and draft 5 olineman, but we all know we have a need on the line and while it would have been easy just to sign 2 top tier lineman, I didn't want to overkill our salary cap as we have a lot of good players that will be up for FA in the next few years so it's nice to maintain a solid reserve of money. Of the 5 offensive lineman I drafted, I'd feel confident on hitting on at least 1-2 as being good starters and then adding Jensen and Jonah and Reiff gives us hopefully a more competent line also allowing Carmen, Hill, and Smith an extra year to develop. We probably cut or stash a lineman or 2 on ps. The rest of the draft was about building depth and potential stars in Daxton Hill and Travis Jones.
