Free Agency Overview 1. Resign JuWaun James. This FA Oline class is older and, like this whole offensive FA class, underwhelming. 2. Decide if you’re targeting Trey Flowers. He’ll be a top five FA, but it’s not out of the question. Miami spent $30 million on Wake, Branch, and Quinn last year. Flowers would cost around $15/yr for a top five DE contract, and there’s ways to turn that into a top 15 contract by the time we’re competitive in 3-4 years. Trey Flowers, a good rookie, Harris/Woodard, is not a bad plan. 3. There’s two second-tier players I’m very interested in: Za’darius Smith DE/OLB (26) and Steven Nelson CB (26). Both would immediately and successfully solve a huge hole we have at each position, with the potential to be interval building blocks moving forward. 4. There’s a real cluster of talented run-stopping DTs, with varying amounts of pass rush potential, highlighted by David Irving (26), Christian Covington (25), and Darius Philon (25), followed by solid rotational players like Mike Pennel (28), Henry Anderson (28), Brent Urban (28). Get one. 5. If the price is right, it’s time to find quality players. Interesting names include: Ha Ha Clinton Dix (26), Pierre Desir (28), Adrian Phillips (26), Denzel Perryman (26), and Preston Smith (26). (Id even guiltily add Alex Collins (24) in here.) The under-the-radar name I’d like to highlight is Tre Boston S (27), one of the few bright spots in Arizona: 6. Find diamonds in the rough. Here maybe I would look at Olinemen like AJ Cann (27), George Fant (27), and EJ Finney (27), LaAdrian Waddle (27), or Jon Halapio (28). (But at some point keeping Josh Sitton may make more sense). I’d also look at OLB Shaq Barrett (26) and Kwon Alexander (24) as potential steals in free agency.
I think one thing missing is your plan. Are you trying to win in 2019? Is your first goal to win games or is it to develop your system and evaluate the current roster? Every coach says they want to win, but winning might not be the top priority.
I don't think it makes sense to target Trey Flowers. One of the parameters about that position IMO is that the Patriots want to acquire it cheaply, I don't think buying someone at the top of free agency is a good answer for that.
I completely agree BUT the Pats can go cheap because they're great at identifying and developing talent. That's the part we've missed out on for a very long time. But yeah, if you can find the right people young and get the most out of them, there's no reason to ever bring in veterans on max contracts before the season starts. Personally, I would re-sign James and rebuild the rest of the line thru the draft...which means keeping our banged up overpaid vets for now. I would skip free agency completely though other than grabbing scout team and rookie contract players I really liked. My main focus would be on the d-line.
I think the most we do is pick up some affordable free agents to massage the defensive scheme transition. OLB and NT, and that's probably it, unless they find an interior OL on the cheap that shows some nice upside.
IMO they've built the sub-position that Trey Flowers(and Geneo Grissom, Deatrich Wise, etc.) play around these guys who are under-valued, and as a substitute to the big two-gap ends that Belichick wasn't willing to pay a premium for anymore. They're going after guys who aren't athletic enough to be have that much upside as pure edge rushers, and they're too small to be every down interior players. It's possible that Tank Carradine might be their prime starter for the position this year.
Having a guy like Flowers who's played at a high level in this new scheme could be an asset. I't another guy who understands out of hte gate what's needs to be done.
I doubt we break bank for Flowers. Detroit will go hard at him. I think this is the year for finding undervalued assets and dumping bad salaries, not going after primo players at positions that will net huge contracts.
why do we think the giants dont wanna resign that kid..is his shortcomings obvious, or is there something bigger going on in the NfL, like making a move to bring down the average salary for all players and not signing players to big contracts anymore?
Why can’t we do both, why can’t we get player to fit this system and roll it out as the season goes along if we win games along the way awsome sauce everyone here has the thought that we have to suck for 2 years in order to get better. Better players better coaches and we can win and grow!!!
Well in years past I'd say it would be a solid workable approach. However we have a number of new sheriffs in town and from Ross's presser it's been pretty clear we will not be dabbling big time in FA like we have in the past. Since we have so much Patriot influence in the org now we should look how its been done up there. Once in a blue moon they may grab a name guy but mostly you don't hear a peep out of them until after the name guys are gone and they are picking up those lower valued guys that always make you scratch your head at the time. Due to that and the fact we don't have near the cap room of most teams this year I don't expect to hear much out of us in FA. Wasn't it Grier who recently said something along the lines of "I'd rather have two really good players instead of one great one". Bear that in mind as all this unfolds in the next few weeks.
It kind of goes against what I would initially think, but I can agree with this. Football is a team sport. The more guys we have that are assignment sound, and just do their job, the better. Not to mention great players eat up a lot of cap space and could leave our team with some holes for the opposing coordinator to exploit.
Unfortunately it just doesn't work like that unless you get lucky. A new staff is always way, way behind where the old staff would have been upon the start of the season, and it's going to take a while for the new coaches to evaluate their own players, no less try to win games.
the FA plan i'd like to see, is resign what we need, so prob james. and don't sign anyone else. miami has the 4th highest payroll and almost 0 talent. stop buying FA's.
