Ireland has re-signed the bull in the middle Solai when everyone thought he was gone. Great move. Signed a respected DB in Marshall to sure up either FS or nickel Freed up cap space this year and in the future and added some picks by trading Marshall. I'm torn on this one but this year is deep at WR, both in FA and the draft. I expect us to grab a couple. We now have a meeting with Flynn. Philbin needs to close that one. Obviously we would like a seam TE which I expect us to grab one in the draft. Worst case scenario that player is Clay. I also expect us draft a passrusher, Perry from USC More importantly we did not overspend and regardless of what fans think we have looked respectable this offseason. We could realistically be looking at this starting lineup on opening day: Flynn(Weeden as a backup plan) Bush/Thomas Fasano/Clay(Missouri TE?) Hartline/Bess/Wallace/Moore/Gates(Manninghan-Broyles-Streeter-etc.) Long/Incognito/Pouncey/Jerry/Murtha Solai/Starks/Odrick/Mcdaniels Wake/Perry Dansby/Burnett Davis/Smith/Wilson/Carroll Bell/Marshall/Jones Carpenter/Fields Remember Philbin made the Packers gameplans...when was the last time they looked unprepared? He can work around weakness and strengths. You can jump off the wagon if you want but don't come back.
I like shoring up our defense thru free agency. It's the core of our team until the offense finds some cohesion. If we stay at#8, I see a stud defensive pick that will immediately impact our front 7, then I see a lot of offensive players to give Philbin some more speed to go along with Bush, Bess and FA wide receiver to be named.
Do you mean drafting Weeden as a backup plan if we dont sign Flynn or drafting Weeden even if we sign Flynn? Because i dont see us using a draft pick on a QB if we sign either Manning or Flynn.
I think "not overspending" is a great point. Sometimes the best moves are the ones not made, like overspending for a Winston. If Miami signs Flynn I can't see Miami spending one of their top 4 picks on a QB is highly unlikely. Weeden is overrated by forum fin fans imo ... a respected member or two like him and hello bandwagon. WR (multiple), OL, TE, DE that can get after the QB would seem to be much bigger priorities than having a 28 year old rookie QB with limited mobility.
after thinking about this some more I have to say I think we are doing an excellent job in our franchise QB search. We are all in for Peyton and there's no doubt that we can land Flynn if manning doesn't choose us. The only thing I dont like about this offseason is getting rid of Brandon Marshall without an immediate replacement. Even if they have a plan its not a sure thing.
I still think it's worth overpaying a little for Winston. assuming healthy, having Long-Pouncey-Winston anchoring the line + Cogs and Murtha (?) at guards makes for a damn good line and Flynn's job a heckuva lot easier. I bet New England drafts a pass-rusher with their first pick + Williams in Buffalo now, we need some additional protection.
Marshall wasn't a sure thing even if we kept him though. Between possible suspensions and underwhelming play, there was no guarantee Marshall would be elite for us. He hasn't been so far. You know what is guaranteed at this point? We have 2 3 rd picks and cap room we didn't before.
I'll never jump off the wagon. Sometimes I just crawl up in the fetal position and cry in the back of the wagon.
Eric Winston and Matt Flynn would seal the deal for me. I think we could realistically get Blackmon/Floyd/Wright and Broyles. I can see Broyles dropping down to the 3rd round considering his injuries, and I suspect our 1st, 2nd, and 2/3 3rds might get up to the Vikings/Browns/Bucs pick if we want Blackmon. Floyd and Wright are locks if we want them and we could trade down. That said, I doubt we do all of that.
The picks we got from Marshall trade I would say is ammo to trade up to get Blackmon. There is no way they trade our #1 receiver without a plan to get one somehow. Knowing Jackson has gone somewhere else I say they have a master plan behind this. This organization has pretty much locked down on information of what they will do, it is a complete secret, which means they are about to pull off something amazing that we do not expect.
