You sign a top notch FA safety (Thomas, Collins or Amos) for multiple years and a good DT (McCoy, Richardson, Suh, etc.) for a one-year or two-year contract. You can also sign other players on offense and defense on cheap deals.
Draft
1st round: CB
2nd round: ILB and C/G
3rd round: CB
You restructure Houston. You tag Ford. You trade a 2020 2nd round pick for Patrick Peterson or a lower pick for a decent veteran player who has a year or two left on his contract. I guess you could sign instead a FA CB on a one-year deal.
You end up with:
Houston-Nnadi-Jones-Ford
O'Daniel-Hitchens-2nd round LB
Peterson-Collins-Berri-1st round CB (Fuller in the slot)
You have Speaks and Kpassagnon as backup at DE. You have your FA DT rotating with Nnadi/Jones.
With the Hithens contract, I just don't think you can afford paying big dollars to a FA LB. Plus, recent drafts have showed that you can have a good LB late 2nd round/early 3rd round (Anzalone, Carter, Warner, Cunningham, etc.) and those guys are good early.
The linebackers would be the weakest group but I think they can be decent, especially if Hitchens goes back to his Cowboys' form.
The secondary would be a strong group. Even if Berri doesn't play, you have Watts or Murray (I know he is poor) who can play there. You have Ward and a 3rd round pick as backup CBs. I guess that 3rd round pick could be a safety but I would rather get a CB. If Berri doesn't play, Veach needs to find a scrap heap safety like Dorsey did so well.
I think it would be a defense set up for the next two years where you can draft a 1st round DE in 2020 to replace Houston/Ford or something like that.
Originally Posted by Hoover:
I think we are wasting Speaks by keeping him on the bench. I'd let Houston walk.
Chances are that either Houston or Ford gets injured?
I would only have Speaks starting if Houston doesn't want to restructure.
But Speaks is a big unknown. If this team is to have a strong defense I would like him to be a backup this year. He can be a starter the following year. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Buckweath:
Chances are that either Houston or Ford gets injured?
I would only have Speaks starting if Houston doesn't want to restructure.
But Speaks is a big unknown. If this team is to have a strong defense I would like him to be a backup this year. He can be a starter the following year.
They drafted Speaks to play in this base defense. Last year was the year he sat, this year, he's in the ideal situation to start. [Reply]
Originally Posted by htismaqe:
They drafted Speaks to play in this base defense. Last year was the year he sat, this year, he's in the ideal situation to start.
He can start if Houston is released.
I know he was playing out of position in a 3-4 last year but it is not like he has shown much to be a clear starter. I wouldn't feel too much confident having Speaks as a starter next year. He could be good or he could be mediocre. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Buckweath:
He can start if Houston is released.
I know he was playing out of position in a 3-4 last year but it is not like he has shown much to be a clear starter. I wouldn't feel too much confident having Speaks as a starter next year. He could be good or he could be mediocre.
They can't afford to have yet another 2nd round pick sitting on the bench all year. These guys need to contribute now or they need to be cut. [Reply]
Originally Posted by YontsRBake:
You guys need to realize that we have to sign 70 mil+ within the next 2 years
Mahomes - 30 mil
Hill - 21 mil
Chris Jones - 15 mil
That’s 66 mil alone right there.
You need to stop expecting guys like Landon Collins in FA. It’s not happening and you’re just setting yourself up to be letdown.
I like the Peterson idea but feel like Cards will demand more.
you have to look at current cap hit which isnt that much but probably along the lines of 6-7 million for those three and a collins for probably be right at 10 million a year. Berrys terrible contract will eventually stop hurting so much. These things can be done. Look what the rams did last year [Reply]
Originally Posted by TambaBerry:
you have to look at current cap hit which isnt that much but probably along the lines of 6-7 million for those three and a collins for probably be right at 10 million a year. Berrys terrible contract will eventually stop hurting so much. These things can be done. Look what the rams did last year
I'm far more interested to find out what the Rams do in the next several years. If those contracts don't come back to bite them, then, and only then, will I believe that is a good model.
The rams went all-in for one year. KC should have a longer horizon. [Reply]
Originally Posted by YontsRBake:
You guys need to realize that we have to sign 70 mil+ within the next 2 years
Mahomes - 30 mil
Hill - 21 mil
Chris Jones - 15 mil
That’s 66 mil alone right there.
You need to stop expecting guys like Landon Collins in FA. It’s not happening and you’re just setting yourself up to be letdown.
I like the Peterson idea but feel like Cards will demand more.
And their cap hits won't be that much in years 1, 2 or 3 of the new deals they sign.
They are going to go out and sign a stud safety. Veach's past behavior has dictated future results. He wanted to upgrade safety in season last year and now he has his chance with a player like Collins that played his best under Spags.
People getting up in arms about the cap is hilarious. The cap has been manipulated by countless organizations. How many players have the Saints lost? Packers? If you want a player, there's always a way. [Reply]
Originally Posted by The Bad Guy:
And their cap hits won't be that much in years 1, 2 or 3 of the new deals they sign.
They are going to go out and sign a stud safety. Veach's past behavior has dictated future results. He wanted to upgrade safety in season last year and now he has his chance with a player like Collins that played his best under Spags.
People getting up in arms about the cap is hilarious. The cap has been manipulated by countless organizations. How many players have the Saints lost? Packers? If you want a player, there's always a way.
Your logic here requires the contracts to be backloaded. Almost every major QB and WR contract over the last 3 years has been front loaded, I wouldn’t expect this to be any different.
Veach trying to get Earl Thomas last season is a different situation, that’s a one year rental that does not effect the long term cap. Any of the big name DBs in this upcoming FA pool are gonna want long term high guarantee front or center loaded deals.
I hope I’m wrong, but really think a lot of you are setting yourself up for a huge letdown. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Hoover:
I think we are wasting Speaks by keeping him on the bench. I'd let Houston walk.
Honestly think they will rotate Speaks in a lot more with Houston this year, let him learn a bit more from him with the goal by the end of the year being that Houston is the 3rd guy who they can bring in and keep fresh and wreck havoc on the qb and also assist with outside runs [Reply]