2012 Offseason Biggest Need

[The Dirty Bird]

The draft forum has been all crickets lately so in a far look ahead, considering the current make up of our roster and taking player contracts into account, I think our biggest need after this season will be a:

Free Safety.

I know everyone loves the pairing of DeCoud and Moore, but DeCoud is going to be a free agent and unless we can re-sign him to a Ray Edwards-esque deal I think he will walk for bigger money (Dallas, Oakland). DeCoud has been steady but unspectacular and really needs to take a big leap forward this season. William Moore is turning into the safety I thought we stole in the 2nd round of last year's draft, but DeCoud has regressed year on year and in tonight's game he actually looked slow. You must remember that we took him as a safety project but primarily because he was a special teams stud. He's become a decent safety, but in a division going against the Saints and Bucs 2x a year we need a great secondary, not just a good one.

Important to remember that DeCoud will be a free agent, and with no depth at the position we currently have no one in place to take over for him if he leaves. I was really hoping we'd draft a mid-round project this year like Robert Sands to groom for 2012 if we needed a safety but we neglected to do that.

Next year's draft will have some good safeties, but the cream of the crop will go in the first two rounds and will be gone by our first pick in the draft (presumably a late 2nd round pick). I don't want to re-sign DeCoud just because we can't bring in anyone else -- if he doesn't take a big step forward this year I think he will end up being a weakness against the top teams in the playoffs (see: Green Bay performance). He did not look good tonight either in the most "important" preseason game.

I think it may be worth us packaging our 2nd and 3rd next year to get up into the very top of round 2 to get a safety that we covet: Ray Ray Armstrong, T.J. McDonald, Eddie Whitley or Robert Lester.

A good sleeper free safety prospect is Winston Guy Jr. from Kentucky. The 6'1, 210 lb safety has 4.4s speed. As a sophomore he had 60 tackles, 1 sack, and 5 passes broken up. Last year, he was all over the field with 106 tackles, 3 interceptions, and 2 passes broken up. Kentucky's corners aren't good and they don't have a pass rush so Guy won't be put in a position to excel like top safeties in recent years, but the kid has a non-stop motor for a defensive back and is just an impressive athlete. A repeat of his junior would put him in Round 3-4 range, and a studly combine would put him solidly in Round 2.

Although it's one year away, I'd love the 2012 offseason to be:

FA acquisition: Jermichael Finley, TE (or if they resign him we trade for Quarless)

Round 2: Top CB available (Minnifield, Harris, Denard)

Round 3: Top S available with speed (Guy Jr., Whitley, Lester)

Round 5: Top explosive TE project (Blake Ayles, Orson Charles)

after that it is a crap shoot

Let's get some life back on this board

Edited August 28, 2011 by The Dirty Bird

[The Dirty Bird]

Also if we are unable to sign Jermichael Finley who I think will not be retained in Green Bay due to wanting and likely deserving a monster contract, then TE is obviously a big need and we need an all-around stud threat at TE to keep our offense tops in the league.

Blake Ayles is a guy that comes to mind as a great value with high upside, as he left USC because he was unhappy with his lack of playing time and is now at Miami. He may be taken earlier than I think because he will draw Jimmy Graham comparisons even though he's always played football, but in his lone starting season as a senior he could explode onto the scene with a revamped Miami offense.

Ayles goes 6'5, 250 lbs with 4.6 speed and was a top HS recruit at his position. He has the physical tools to be the best all-around TE in his class, but he hasn't put it together yet.

The TE that will likely be the first off the board is someone we could get with our 2nd round pick, and he really fits the kind of player we look for: Michael Egnew from Missouri.

Egnew is a 6'6, 240 lbs TE with speed in the low 4.6 range who can stretch the field. Egnew has great hands, and is an experienced receiver -- last year he caught 90 balls for 762 yards and 5 TDs. With Gabbert now in the pros those numbers are set to drop, and perhaps his draft stock as well, but the kid can obviously play the TE position at a very high level. With his frame he can certainly add some weight, but it may affect his long speed a little bit. He was voted All-First Team Big 12, and more importantly for TD he was chosen as a 2011 LOWE’S Senior CLASS Award Candidate as one of 30 student-athletes for excellence both on and off the field. To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I FBS senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence – community, classroom, character and competition.

Add his skills together with the kind of player and person he is and you know he is a perfect fit for this football team. Right now he is more Jermichael Finley than Jason Witten, which is not necessarily a bad thing, but if he gets coached up on blocking more he could really be a guy that could help seal the edge on a run off-tackle or someone who could exploit the seam. If we don't bring in a tight end via trade or free agency, and if the top DBs are off the board in 2012, he could easily be BPA with our 2nd round pick and still fill a need.

In that case I'd then look for best S still in the 3rd, and then in the 5th try and nab a nickel CB.

[Rai]

DeCoud was solid last year and on the whole, I thought he was better than William Moore. Moore got his interceptions just by being in the right place at the right time. There was one good play he made for an interception where he tricked the QB and broke off his assignment to the guy in the flat and jumped another route. Apart from that, it was just deflected balls which fell into his hands. DeCoud looked more assure and has made some critical plays for us like his sack/ff on brees and what was effectively the game clinching tackle on Blount.

Just checked PFF and DeCoud was their 10th best Safety in coverage last year, out of at least 64 starters with many teams rotating in a third safety. Moore was pretty low. I like Moore a lot though. I think he can reach elite status and be a perennial pro bowler. This was just his first year starting so it's not surprising to see he looked lost at times. He's only going to get better. DeCoud is good enough to be a starting FS on a super bowl winning team.

I personally wouldn't target a Safety with our first pick. I think it'd be better if we go TE or OL or CB instead. Maybe DE, depending on Abraham and his backups. Or even RB, with Turner getting a little old.

[The Dirty Bird]

DeCoud was solid last year and on the whole, I thought he was better than William Moore. Moore got his interceptions just by being in the right place at the right time. There was one good play he made for an interception where he tricked the QB and broke off his assignment to the guy in the flat and jumped another route. Apart from that, it was just deflected balls which fell into his hands. DeCoud looked more assure and has made some critical plays for us like his sack/ff on brees and what was effectively the game clinching tackle on Blount.

Just checked PFF and DeCoud was their 10th best Safety in coverage last year, out of at least 64 starters with many teams rotating in a third safety. Moore was pretty low. I like Moore a lot though. I think he can reach elite status and be a perennial pro bowler. This was just his first year starting so it's not surprising to see he looked lost at times. He's only going to get better. DeCoud is good enough to be a starting FS on a super bowl winning team.

I personally wouldn't target a Safety with our first pick. I think it'd be better if we go TE or OL or CB instead. Maybe DE, depending on Abraham and his backups. Or even RB, with Turner getting a little old.

So we then agree that DeCoud is a solid safety. I don't go by PFF rankings, I go by what I see on the field and hear from the coaches through their statements. He will be a free agent, and we may be able to upgrade at the position with a high upside player.

Highly doubt we draft a DE with Biermann as our 3rd and Cliff as our 4th -- only way we bring in a DE is in free agency or trade (Mario Williams).

Same for RB -- a late 2nd round RB is not going to be better than Turner or Snelling, and maybe not Jacquizz either.

CB could be a consideration with our first pick, but we still have two starters and a good competition for our nickel spot whereas the safety position could have a glaring hole.

Edited August 28, 2011 by The Dirty Bird

[Kennesaw77]

not sure if Winston Guy is that fast. Keep in mind he will be playing LB this year at Kentucky.

I completely agree FS is a weakness on D but I gotta say I think we need a can't miss stud DT. I love the rotation that we have there but we need a stud at the spot.

I love Egnew. Dude is very very good. Keep in mind Orson Charles will be draft eligible!

TE is a concern. TG's replacement must be found.

OL is ok. I like our OT's and I think Baker will continue to improve. It's the interior of the line that concerns me. Reynolds is a ?, Johnson obviously isn't ready as we had to move Reynolds to OG, Hawley isn't ready, Mcclure is near the end but is still a nice player, obviously we all like Blalock.

DE isn't a concern for me unless we want to get Abraham's long term replacement. Edwards is a #2 DE not a #1.

I disagree on RB. Turner is near the end. Snelling is a backup type only. I like Rodgers alot but I don't think he'll ever be a starter. Maybe it would be best to wait another year on Turner's replacement unless Turner has a poor year.

[Rai]

What I'm saying is, there's more positions that need upgrading than at FS. If it ain't broke and all that.

[Kennesaw77]

What I'm saying is, there's more positions that need upgrading than at FS. If it ain't broke and all that.

great point but if you had to pick two weaknesses on D I would pick FS and a stud DT.

[bossFALCON™]

anybody know what FS will be available in FA next year?

[Kennesaw77]

anybody know what FS will be available in FA next year?

Dashon Goldson (49ers)

Michael Griffin (Titans)

Reggie Nelson (Bengals)

Abram Elam (Cowboys)

James Sanders (Pats)

Madieu Williams (49ers)

[The Dirty Bird]

Dashon Goldson (49ers)

Michael Griffin (Titans)

Reggie Nelson (Bengals)

Abram Elam (Cowboys)

James Sanders (Pats)

Madieu Williams (49ers)

Looks like we are going to sign Sanders. If it is for more than one year, then I think we will let DeCoud walk for more money if he isn't willing to come back for a reasonable deal. Then we'll have Moore and Sanders at safety until we can use a 1st or 2nd on a stud FS.

[The Dirty Bird]

If Sam Baker has a crappy year then our biggest need could actually be left tackle. Someone we really should have given a look was Jared Gaither -- we do not have a tackle on the roster that could feasibly play the LT spot well if Baker gets injured as well.

I will be keeping tabs of cuts from other teams that could fit our team in this thread:

Feel free to post your own ideas in the thread as well.

Cheers,

TDB

[Smiler11]

If Sam Baker has a crappy year then our biggest need could actually be left tackle. Someone we really should have given a look was Jared Gaither -- we do not have a tackle on the roster that could feasibly play the LT spot well if Baker gets injured as well.

I will be keeping tabs of cuts from other teams that could fit our team in this thread:

Feel free to post your own ideas in the thread as well.

Cheers,

TDB

The 2012 OT class is one of the best to come along for a number of years. If someone like Andrew Datko slides to the 2nd round then I'd love that pick.

I think we could go a number of different ways in the 2nd next year, I think you could make arguments for DE, OLB, OT, TE, CB, RB and S (perhaps DT if Jerry doesn't pan out).

[The Dirty Bird]

I wonder if people are still so confident in Thomas DeCoud. I've been advocating for a while that we need to upgrade the FS spot and when we signed Sanders I said we could end up starting him and people started to flame the idea.

....................

Looks like we'll be in the market for a safety sooner rather than later, unless James Sanders locks down the job and proves to be a serious upgrade.

[Rai]

Based on the game against the Eagles, I find it hard to believe DeCoud wouldn't have faired better than Sanders. I guess we can just give him the excuse that he's still learning the scheme.

[birdz4i]

right now the biggest need next year is a LT hands down.

[A-TowN.-]

we should be looking at Nate Potter right now for our first pick.

[mitunpatel2003]

I want Orson Charles at TE

[Rai]

Immediate Needs

CB - Chase Minnifield, Brandon Boykin, Donnie Fletcher

OT - Nate Potter, Blake DeChristopher

OC - Peter Konz, Ben Jones

Possible/Depth Need

TE - George Bryan, DeAngelo Peterson

RB - Lamar Miller, Montel Harris

DE - Devin Taylor, Jonathan Massaquoi, Julian Miller

DT - Devon Still, Kawann Short, Derek Wolfe, Renard Williams

[tophnjesus]

A little off topic, but I live in Indiana and the saying around here for the Colts is "suck for Luck". Haha

[AtlantaPride1986]

.

[madman88]

Man forget the S position... We need help on o-line and depending if we can get anyone ofFS depends on wat we do in the draft....

[Psychic Gibbon]

The biggest needs on this team are both sides of the trenches. They need to shore up the O-line above all else and add quality depth to the DT position since there is nothing there besides Babineaux and Peters. Improving the O-line will give Ryan more time in the pocket and will help the running game and improving the DTs will help collapse the pocket for the DEs which, in turn, will lead to more sacks and pressure which will lead to more turnovers. The game is won there on both sides of the ball and it is imperative that they take presedence this offseason.

Edited January 11, 2012 by Psychic Gibbon