Free Agents I Want Most

[Kayoh]

1. DT Desmond Bryant

2. LB Philip Wheeler

3. LB Kaluka Maiava

4. RG Geoff Schwartz

5. DE Junior Galette

5 guys, nobody high profile, and it fills our biggest needs.

Desmond Bryant was the 4th most productive pass rushing DT this season, behind only Geno Atkins, Ndamukong Suh and Kyle Williams. He's somewhat inconsistent, but his best is as good as the best DTs in the entire NFL, and he's a Harvard graduate which tells me that he's got drive and ambition to not let himself get lazy.

Philip Wheeler is a very good strong side LB to come in and basically instantly replace Stephen Nicholas. A better pass rusher than Nicholas and SIGNIFICANTLY better in coverage. Better in the run game, too, so basically Wheeler is a full upgrade over S.Nicholas in every aspect of the game. Turns a weakness into a strength.

Kaluka Maiava is somewhat of a flier but he made the most of the playing time he got with Cleveland this year. He won't be expensive as he has never been a full time starter, but his ceiling means he can compete at every LB spot, brings versatility, and shows potential to take over as a starter. Worst case scenario he replaces Mike Peterson's spot on the roster as quality backup player.

Geoff Schwartz is a stud. Had a dominant 2010, didn't play in 2011, and had a great, if not scarce, 2012. Played much better than Brandon Fusco in the time he had, but still for some reason didn't get the starting job. I don't know why, but the fact remains he is a diamond in the rough. Worst case scenario, he pushes Garrett Reynolds to up his game and provides a quality backup in case Reynolds gets hurt again. Best case scenario, he returns to his 2010 form and becomes a mainstay on the OL.

Finally, Junior Galette is the guy that New Orleans used as a situational pass rusher at LDE. He had 5 sacks, 6 hits and 19 hurries in 225 pass rush snaps, meaning he effected QBs on 13.3% of his pass rushes. That's very good. Better than Bruce Irvin (12.0%), actually.

These are the guys that I want us to target in free agency. If we land all five of them, we draft one DE, one CB, and spend the rest of our draft on improving our offense. 2 new TEs, a slot WR, an OT, a RB and a return man.

[LookAboutFalcon]

I want Benjamin Watson as a stop gap for a year, if Tony does not comeback.

[Kayoh]

I want Benjamin Watson as a stop gap for a year, if Tony does not comeback.

It doesn't really make sense to bring in a one year past his prime stopgap when THIS SEASON has one of the strongest rookie TE classes of all time.

[LookAboutFalcon]

I think its a good option to have a veteran out there without souling relying on Chase and Palmer having very limited action in their careers and a rookie having no experience.

The man can still play.

[Kayoh]

I think its a good option to have a veteran out there without souling relying on Chase and Palmer having very limited action in their careers and a rookie having no experience.

The man can still play.

Rookie TEs contribute right away. That's been proven over the course of the last 3-4 seasons. They're NFL ready on day 1. Especially ones that went to prestigious schools like Stanford (Ertz/Toilolo) and Notre Dame(Eifert) where you don't necessarily need to worry about their intelligence or maturity.

[hjerry]

I still think that Daryl Smith makes sense as Peterson's replacement, b/c of the Smith connection, and it's his third contract so I wouldn't expect it to be huge. Isaac Sopoaga would also make sense as a vet NG while we develop whoever we draft in the later rounds. I do really like Schwartz and have been calling for his signing since early into the season.

[Kennesaw77]

THIS SEASON has one of the strongest rookie TE classes of all time.

How? This year is not the best of all time

2013: Ertz, Eifert, Kelce, Escobar. The athletic guys- McDonald and Reed

2010: Gronk, Graham, Dickson, Moeaki, Pitta (Athletic guy- Hernandez)

2008: Keller, Bennett, Davis, Carlson, Finley, Davis, (Athletic guy- Tamme)

2006: Davis, Lewis, Fasano, Scheffler

2004: Winslow, Troupe, Watson, Cooley

I've left out obvious busts

[mumblesjr]

wheeler would be nice.

[mumblesjr]

How? This year is not the best of all time

2013: Ertz, Eifert, Kelce, Escobar. The athletic guys- McDonald and Reed -seems like a good class

2010: Gronk, Graham, Dickson, Moeaki, Pitta (Athletic guy- Hernandez) good class

2008: Keller, Bennett, Davis, Carlson, Finley, Davis, (Athletic guy- Tamme)- crap

2006: Davis, Lewis, Fasano, Scheffler -crap

2004: Winslow, Troupe, Watson, Cooley -crap

I've left out obvious busts

TE is all the rage thanks to 2010 class. if the pats didn't have use those two, and they went to other teams, i don't think TE would be so hot now. they're is only a couple of TE's duringany given year(s) worth a hoot.

you didn't mention any of the between years, i wonder why...

Edited February 7, 2013 by mumblesjr

[Kayoh]

How? This year is not the best of all time

2010: Gronk, Graham, Dickson, Moeaki, Pitta (Athletic guy- Hernandez)

2008: Keller, Bennett, Davis, Carlson, Finley, Davis, (Athletic guy- Tamme)

2006: Davis, Lewis, Fasano, Scheffler

2004: Winslow, Troupe, Watson, Cooley

I've left out obvious busts

2013: Ertz, Eifert, Kelce, Escobar, Fauria, Toilolo, Sudfeld. The blockers - Sims & Williams. The athletic guys- McDonald, Reed, Rivera and Otten

[Kennesaw77]

you didn't mention any of the between years, i wonder why...

Because there weren't as many quality TE's. The point is calling this year's draft "the best for TE's ever" is ridiculous

Fauria, Toilolo, Sudfeld. Rivera and Otten

These guys are not starters.

[Kayoh]

Because there weren't as many quality TE's. The point is calling this year's draft "the best for TE's ever" is ridiculous

These guys are not starters.

Fauria, Sudfield and Toilolo have starting potential. ESPECIALLY Fauria. Toilolo is 6'8, teams will give him a shot based on that alone. Fauria has natural hands, goes up to high spot passes, is a great red zone threat, and flashes blocking ability.

[Kennesaw77]

Fauria, Sudfield and Toilolo have starting potential. ESPECIALLY Fauria. Toilolo is 6'8, teams will give him a shot based on that alone. Fauria has natural hands, goes up to high spot passes, is a great red zone threat, and flashes blocking ability.

I'm saying none of them are going to be projected as long term starters.

[Rai]

3 players I want us to get:

DE/OLB Paul Kruger

NT Terrance Knighton

OG Geoff Schwartz

LB Daryl Smith would be nice but not sure if we got the money with the above signings. I'd rather take Ogletree or Te'o in the draft in the 1st.

@ Kayoh, I see you've finally warmed up to Schwartz as our Guard

Edited February 7, 2013 by Rai

[dmo_dlo]

I don't know based on what metric you consider Bryant the 4th most productive DT. Also, Galette in an RFA so he's staying in NO for at least another year.

[kiwifalcon]

Sammie Lee Hill.

[Kayoh]

I don't know based on what metric you consider Bryant the 4th most productive DT. Also, Galette in an RFA so he's staying in NO for at least another year.

The metric is ((Sacks) + (Hits+Hurries)(3/4))/Pass Rush Snaps

[Gujuboyz85]

The free agent that I want is Ahmad Bradshaw and we cut Michael turner.

[RYNE]

I like Phillip Wheeler a lot. I always have for some reason.

I like Chris Canty (why can't he) for cheap.

Love Kruger if he somehow gets out of Baltimore

[head busta from augusta]

DT Desmond Bryant

[Grnbakz]

If we are going to won the super bowl next year I have two options

1st with TG go get either Paul Krueger or cliff avril cut Turner trade HD RESTRUCTURE Drob bring back Grimes and sign Fa running back either Bradshaw or Jackson just off strength experience more in Bradshaw two rings

Draft eifert future rb and the rest of the picks defense for the next two years

2nd option w/o tg

Cut Turner Abe dunta and hd

Sign Krueger and/or kvb/osi

Sign Hill and Bradshaw

Move McClain to nickel

and look at Rolando McClain from the raiders cheap young linebacker

Trade down 1st round for two second round

Get eifert and top Corner on board

Stephan Taylor or lacy 3rd round

And the rest of the picks and next year picks defense

[atlbaby]

1. Will Beatty "LT" NYG

2. Richard Seymour "DT" OAK

3. Dwight Freeney "DE" IND

4. Daryl Smith "OLB" JAC

[The Dirty Bird]

3 players I want us to get:

DE/OLB Paul Kruger

NT Terrance Knighton

OG Geoff Schwartz

LB Daryl Smith would be nice but not sure if we got the money with the above signings. I'd rather take Ogletree or Te'o in the draft in the 1st.

@ Kayoh, I see you've finally warmed up to Schwartz as our Guard

DE/OLB Cliff Avril

NT Terrance Knighton

OG Louis Vasquez

DT/DE Glenn Dorsey

Same situation as you, but I don't think we have the money to also add Dorsey. Personally, Avril is better than Kruger imo. Kruger without Suggs was terrible -- check roto for analysis on that. I like Kruger and wanted him out of Utah, but Avril is the higher upside choice. Vasquez is a superior pass blocker to Schwartz, and with our offense firmly pass-first sans Turner next season I think he's a better fit.

Dorsey is an ideal fit in Atlanta, because he'd presumably get to spend 80% of the time in an attacking 4-3 as a DT which is the position he was born to play, but also 20% as a 3-4 DE when we go to those looks season and he's been very solid there for the Chiefs. I think he's a waste in a 3-4, but we need versatile defenders to move between the two.

Perhaps we don't need Vasquez and can get Dorsey, shift Clabo inside to RG and play Holmes at RT, etc. Then our 3-4 would be Babs, Knighton, Dorsey in the front with Abe/Kroy and Avril on the outside and Spoon and Dent/Nicholas on the inside. That's pretty darn good.

For 4-3, just slide Avril into LDE and Dorsey into DT next to Babs and watch the magic happen. I really think Dorsey would crush it in a 4-3 as a DT. Would not be shocked AT ALL if the Cowboys sign him to play next to Ratliff in Monte Kiffin's Tampa 2. Dorsey would be Sapp-esque in that, if he still has the same kind of juice and motivation he had coming out of LSU. If Matt Ryan went #1 or #2 in that draft we'd have Dorsey and I think he would have been one of the best DTs in the entire league over the last several years in our 4-3.

[Kayoh]

I absolutely do not want Cliff Avril. Let somebody else overpay him. If you feel like we should address DE in Free Agency, let it be somebody like Kruger, Bennett, Johnson, Hayes, Galette, Kruger, even Victor Butler. I'd rather have any of those guys than Cliff Avril and then some. I can't stand the hype Avril has on these boards, it's 100% undeserved and he's never been anything more than AVERAGE. He has literally NEVER been able to stop the run and he isn't the ELITE pass rusher that he would need to be to pay him the kind of contract that he's going to demand. Even if he had the same exact pass rush numbers that he's had, but just put more pressure on the QB on a regular basis, I'd understand the want for bringing him in as our RDE of the future, but the guy has EVEN WORSE pass rush productivity than Kroy Biermann who we've all admitted was a subpar pass rusher. It's all about ratios, and Biermann has 3 sacks, 9 hits and 24 hurries in 375 pass rush snaps (36 pressures in 375 snaps = pressure on 9.60% of snaps) while Avril had 10 sacks, 5 hits and 20 hurries in 391 pass rush snaps (35 pressures in 391 snaps = pressure on 8.95% of snaps) and that just isn't good enough. Compare that to, say, Michael Bennett. 9 sacks, 14 hits, 48 hurries in 569 pass rush snaps. Good for a pass rush productivity of 12.48%. Paul Kruger was even better, 10 sacks, 12 hits, 33 hurries in 359 pass rush snaps, a pass rush productivity of 15.32%. Avril is OVERRATED and will end up being OVERPAID, I just hope Thomas Dimitroff doesn't make the mistake of being that guy.

[Kayoh]

let it be somebody like Kruger, Bennett, Johnson, Hayes, Galette, Kruger, even Victor Butler. I'd rather have any of those guys than Cliff Avril and then some.