Here's a bit of an off the wall topic, prompted by Phans whose patience is at an end. We will go after a FA RB, and chances are VG we will get one. Other than that, we want a QB but pickings are slim. Although I'm sure we will sign one, chances are he will not do much. We also want a pass rusher, like most other teams, but no one is out there. So, should we take a shot with other FAs, spend a ton of money, and take our chances it works out? Sign a Zach Miller or Kevin Boss as a "second TE?" Sign a Sidney Rice, Vincent Jackson (longshot) or a Brad Smith as a "second WR?" Sign a Mankins, Dahl, Nicks, Blaylock, or Yanda to fill out the OL? Sign a Posluszny at ILB and/or a Weddle, Landry, Mickell or Huff at S? Forget about youth, go crazy with proven talent and win something. It's been waaay tooo long since we have, and patience is at an end. Thoughts?
nuts would be great, at least I expect an agressive approach, i sure hope we stay away from posluszny though, he is made of glass, i dont know i still hope that ross is still embarrassed about the harbaugh thing and he will open his wallet to get some good guys in here, like a DWilliams or Bradshaw, since its kind of clear that the 4 year guys will also be UFA`s i want zach miller badly on this team
You're right, but there's still a kernel of truth in what he's saying. Anyway, as to the OP's question… I don't know about "nuts", but we do need to come away with a few guys. One, maybe two running backs; maybe an offensive lineman; a pass rusher to help out and step in for Wake if he gets injured; and Ireland seems to like stocking defensive backs so there's a good chance we come away with one. My personal shopping list includes Marshal Yanda, Quintin Mikell, Josh Wilson, Reggie Bush, and Michael Bush. Then go after the best rushing linebackers available, maybe a Manny Lawson or Antwan Barnes. An inside linebacker to challenge and possibly supplant Channing Crowder, maybe a Brandon Siler, wouldn't hurt either. The important thing to note is that apparently the new CBA will have a very high salary floor, so teams won't be able to push cap money from year to year through phony incentives and will actually have to spend. There are three years worth of free agents ready to hit the market, and the NFL is going to look very different after they get paid.
Yep, Irish is much better at small ball deals then choosing the big money FA's, how much of that was Parcells, and how much Irish remains to be seen. I do think the Draft is a good barometer for FA, in approach anyway, so the idea that the Dolphins are going to have Shula 95 Redux is not likely to happen. My "dream" would be: Carl Nicks Darren Sproiles Manny Lawson Lesser guy would be Brodney Poole/
Go look at how other teams have drafted during the same time frame and then look at the Dolphins. There's really no way to justify the concept that they draft poorly, or really anything worse than pretty good. They haven't had a draft in the same caliber as say the Ravens in 2008, but those are few and far between on a league-wide level.
That's a good list Padre. With this team, I'm wondering how much a difference a Zach Miller or Kevin Boss would make? I don't know if it's affordable but, either one, with Fasano, would most definitely change our team for the better.
Davis is such a nut job, with so little time left, I think bush or miller leaving is just not going to happen, he overpays. Problem with Boss is he does not do anything differently from Fasano, we need a Te who can get down the field, with the Texans resigning Daniels, and having Casey, have to wonder if we make a move for Dressler and Slaton this offseason, say a 4th and a 7th for them?
Depends on what the cap number will be. Got to remember over the next 2 seasons we have a lot of our own young players who will need to be re-signed.
Exactly, most of the Wanny/Saban/Cameron "core" is now gone save for maybe..3 players? 5? (Carey, Crowder, Allen, Denny, Bell) The 08 class will be hitting FA next season, and Soliai will need a long term deal. What Irish has been really good at is hitting guys with extensions the yr prior to their being FA eligible, some of the cap money may go to resigning the Langford's of the roster.
We will absolutely sign one of the premiere Running backs available..My choice is Bradshaw..But were gonna sign someone good, bet it..
I'd really have to look at those fumbles to determine what the problems were before I take the most electric, toughest player available, off the board Des. Maybe a couple of them were the QB's fault, maybe 1 was a great hit..you just don't know ya know.
Bradshaw's neither the most electric or the toughest RB in this class. DeAngelo Williams and Reggie Bush are more electric; Michael Bush and Mike Tolbert are tougher runners. Bradshaw is very good, but let's not exaggerate his abilities here. The fact remains that his fumbles/lost are very high for a guy who would demand 275+ carries based on the contract he's going to get.
Nicks got hit with a 1st round tender before the lockout...not sure how that plays into things as they stand. http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/4828/player?r=1
Bradshaw might have chronic foot problems, stemming from his tendency to run bow-legged. I certainly wouldnt want to invest a significant amount of money in him. From what I hear, the salary cap is going to be around $121M. By my estimation, we have about $106M committed to the 2011 cap (I could be wrong though, based upon how the CBA ends up. There is a good chance the number is lower). So I'm not necessarily sure if we'll have the ability to go "nuts". Regardless, whats most promising to me, is that the New York Jets look to be around $130M in committed salaries for 2011.
Tenders would not matter as he would be a UFA in the first place (?) The owners of course, realize this: Meaning they can match offers?
I think you might want to look at how they've done with free agents as opposed to the draft and rethink this....
Brad Smith, C'mon down. He can return kicks & cover kicks, add some spice to the WC, and add depth at WR. Plus we'd be weakening the Jests, I say we sprinkle some dough on the man.
The RFA tenders will be invalidated, supposedly. Everyone with 4, 5, and 6 years of service who was scheduled to become a UFA will become a UFA. This means we're going to have three years of free agents compressed into about 3 weeks before training camp begins, at most. The cap number won't matter as much as how much actual cash is being spent. Teams inflate their cap numbers by carrying phony contract incentives from year to year. The Bucs are a master of that. They and every other team are going to have to spend big money to get to the salary floor in real dollars.
That is what..33% of the fmr NFLPA's membership who is in line to become FA's, inow they could easily block a deal if they vote the same way. It also would mean crushing the "SIGN Bradshaw!" "Sign Williams!" dreams some may have... That will be a thorny issue as it will be yr #2 of essentailly no FA for a huge swath of NFL players, the lack of FA for that class of player last season has been estimated to have saved ownership hundreds of millions of dollars.
Personally, I don't think going nuts in FA has proven to be a good strategy most of the time. Of course it depends on your definition of "nuts". I do think that if you have the chance to bring in a young, premier talent that you should do so. I don't see that as nuts. I think "nuts" is when you bring in "good" talent and pay them "premier" money. I think if you do that too often it bites you in the long run and fails to pay dividends in the short run.
Now that is more along the lines of what I expect to happen, though Ireland also likes to sign players maybe no one has really heard of but he likes so maybe some small signings as well, maybe Daryn Colledge from GB.
My "wish" list is simple......... QUARTERBACK!!!!!!!!! As bad as the availibility is at this position in FA, not to mention a probable late training camp start, the thought of watching Chad Henne hobble up and down a few seconds before throwing the football out of bounds all season kringes my stomach. I think we'd seriously do better with Vince Young.
On the other hand, Sparano would love his pass blocking ability. Top 2 in the NFL over the past 3 seasons according to PFF. He would also love his toughness and ability and willingness to play through pain.
Ya never know with Padre. Sproles we all know from his time in SD and many recall him from K State. But, maybe there is also a Sproiles from Corncob State, who is on some CFL practice squad, flying under the radar, that Padre has his eye on as a super sleeper.
I'd be tickled to death if that were our haul. Alternatives could be Harvey Dahl, Antwan Barnes (who is from Sou Fla), and we may go for a bigger name at RB, like one of the top 3 mentioned, DWill, Bradshaw or M. Bush. Cannot think of any better FA veteran backup QB option than Bulger.
Except for the fact that we've failed to grab a franchise QB but that's such a minor position anyway. But the last two seasons appears to have been pretty weak on the QB front so I'll give them a pass for now but if Henne doesn't pan out then everything they've done is all for naught!
His name is Tim Brown... Thing with Sproles is he is so durable and so productive, he just is one of those players that good teams seem to have on the roster.