2015 Could be a HUGE free agency year

[IsntLifeFunny]

Williamson is not stout enough at this point to be the SILB. Start him and Brown at MLB and our run defense could actually be worse than this year's.

[Face]

I don't think we should be replacing a very expensive overpaid FA guard with another guy who's probably going to be very expensive and overpaid in Iupati. I do like the Sheard and Williams ideas. JPP hasn't been the same productive player since 2011 and he's never played 3-4 OLB. I don't know what his market is going to be, but he's still only 25 I believe. I wouldn't go overboard on him, but I'd at least look into it

JPP is a guy I've thought about a lot lately. It almost definitely won't be worth it because despite his lack of production he's still a big name & a freakish athlete & will get paid. I don't even know how to describe him, he's tall & lean but at the same time he looks huge, his arms look so long, shoulders so wide. I really wouldn't be surprised if he's pushing 290, his frame is massive.

As for the 3-4, it may actually be a better scheme for him, despite his size. He doesn't have the greatest technique in the world & may need to be schemed more. The 4-3 may be a bit restrictive & I think he'd be better moving around rushing the QB from all over rather than lining up across from an OT every down. Horton would obviously use him creatively.

What could be an interesting role for him is to play OLB on the early downs & then move up next to Casey in the nickel. His ridiculous length & quickness could make him a terror for interior OL.

The bottom line is his contract will probably be for much more than his play has warranted. Whoever signs him will be taking a risk, hoping he finally becomes the player everyone thought he was going to be in 2011, when he looked like a future HOFer. He was absolutely unstoppable in his 2nd year. Since he came into the league in 2010 I think it was the best year from a front 7 player aside from Watt's years. Totally dominant.

We can't make mistakes, we need to nail all our signings, so he's not the best target.

[Face]

I'm against signing McCourty. Bill Belichick does not let anyone walk if they are worth anything in almost all circumstances. If McCourty walks it's probably because he's expendable.

I was just throwing his name out there because of his brother. But I think we need a really good, instinctual safety for this scheme. Griffin just makes too many mistakes which is a killer in a defense like this.

I'll say this though, Griffin had some awesome games against the run & blitzing. He's a very good blitzer. I was surprised by this after the 2012 debacle of moving him to SS.

[Dmeade-]

JPP is a guy I've thought about a lot lately. It almost definitely won't be worth it because despite his lack of production he's still a big name & a freakish athlete & will get paid. I don't even know how to describe him, he's tall & lean but at the same time he looks huge, his arms look so long, shoulders so wide. I really wouldn't be surprised if he's pushing 290, his frame is massive.

As for the 3-4, it may actually be a better scheme for him, despite his size. He doesn't have the greatest technique in the world & may need to be schemed more. The 4-3 may be a bit restrictive & I think he'd be better moving around rushing the QB from all over rather than lining up across from an OT every down. Horton would obviously use him creatively.

What could be an interesting role for him is to play OLB on the early downs & then move up next to Casey in the nickel. His ridiculous length & quickness could make him a terror for interior OL.

The bottom line is his contract will probably be for much more than his play has warranted. Whoever signs him will be taking a risk, hoping he finally becomes the player everyone thought he was going to be in 2011, when he looked like a future HOFer. He was absolutely unstoppable in his 2nd year. Since he came into the league in 2010 I think it was the best year from a front 7 player aside from Watt's years. Totally dominant.

We can't make mistakes, we need to nail all our signings, so he's not the best target.

I think he will excel in the 3-4, it will allow him to be more natural rushing. Any player we sign to a big contract is risky. That's just football. I would rather take risk with a freak, potential stud then someone like Wimbley. We desperately need true impact players and we have seen JPP be that guy.

[JLocker10]

If JPP was in this upcoming draft, and you stacked him up just based on being an athletic freak against the other guys, he'd be near the top with Gregory. Vic Beasley very small and short. Shane Ray a bit undersized and stubby armed. Dante Fowler Jr looks like a pretty good athlete, but not elite.

 

JPP athletically is definitely above those guys. Something to consider. Definitely comes with major risk. You're banking he can handle the 3-4 and can get back to what he once was. He has had some back injuries, which certainly could have a contributed to his declining production.

[kyle021]

Except those guys are much much cheaper and allow the $ on Paul to be used other areas

[Dmeade-]

I'm fine with drafting Gregory and signing JPP. It doesn't have to be either or. With a top 3 pick we HAVE to take the absolute best player available.

[cenj]

This is a terrible roster, but I actually think it's not unreasonable to turn things around quickly.

 

We lack talent, but we will also be dropping a lot of expensive players from the roster. Roos, Levitre (cut), Wimbley, Greene, D. Morgan, CJ left last year. This team will absolutely grab multiple big FAs and for two big reasons (outside the fact we need the talent):

1. We have to spend more because we're likely to have too low a cap it if we don't.
2. They have to get fans optimistic this offseason or sales could be brutal. Can't get a new coach, and we likely aren't getting a QB high, so gotta use FA.

Of course, Webster is totally incompetent at finding talent, so we could very well be just as bad next year. But in theory, there will be players in FA at positions we need, and we will have high draft picks to rebuild the roster. And I believe we have our QB, which is huge.

[JLocker10]

Teams can go from good to bad and vice versa quickly in this league

[titanskick8851]

Much like everyone else I believe if we can sign these players it will go a long way towards turning around the roster:
 

WR Jeremy Maclin

NT Dan Williams

OLB Jabaal Sheard/OLB Tamba Hali (Will be released after the sign Houston)

 

I also think adding someone like OLB/DE Cliff Avril would be good because he would bring a championship attitude into the locker room.

 

Then look for possible bargain guys such as:

CB Buster Skrine - Worked with Horton in CLE

CB Chris Harris - Solid outside CB

C Stefan Wisniewski - Started his career strong with OAK, but he's been hurt by a lack of assistance on the OL

ILB Mason Foster - Not suited for ILB in a Cover 2 in Tampa.

OLB Sam Acho - Having a turnaround season in AZ playing for John Abraham

ILB Brandon Spikes - Should have signed him last year!

ILB KJ Wright - Played well at ILB for Seahawks this year.

DL Kenderick Ellis - Can play all 3 spots on the DL.

OG Clint Bolling - Solid OL who could be had for a Jake Scott kind of contract

[IsntLifeFunny]

I was just throwing his name out there because of his brother. But I think we need a really good, instinctual safety for this scheme. Griffin just makes too many mistakes which is a killer in a defense like this.

I'll say this though, Griffin had some awesome games against the run & blitzing. He's a very good blitzer. I was surprised by this after the 2012 debacle of moving him to SS.

There are probably 10-12 safeties in the league who can adequately run this scheme. An upgrade would be awesome, but that's only going to come from a high draft pick. If McCourty is available and we think he can play, sure, get him, but I doubt he's an upgrade to Griffin.

Another thing is I bet we can re-sign him to a cheap deal. He knows we've paid him well. Now the CEO is talking like this? He knows he hasn't played his best football this year. We're leaving him on an island a ton. People forget that. We probably run more cover 0 blitzes than anyone. That's a tough job for any safety, especially one who's primarily played all zone, with a lot of it being cover 2. We're literally the polar opposite of the Shwartz/Cecil/Gray defense.

crossing thread, but I would hope the comments Smith made weren't off the cuff. He doesn't seem like someone to make such remarks in a careless manner. It signaled to me that they like him in this defense.

We're running a ton more man than he's ever experienced, and I think he's improved the past few games. They know they have to generate more pressure from less blitzers, which leaves us in more cover 1 robber and cover three. Maybe it allows us to do more than send fire blitzes in zone. Who knows. I could be wrong, but either way, they've put a lot on his shoulders this year, and I think he's embraced it, even during off games.

Last thing. He does make too many mistakes, but I see that coming from aggression and violence now while being a little stiff in the hips. He's never been this violent (I like Cyrus' use of that word).

He used to be hesitant and still slightly injury prone. Now he's attacking. A better pass rush would do wonders if he keeps playing like this.

[h4t]

Didn't the Titans upgrade their pro level scouting?  If so this should help Webster make better decisions on free agency and not overpay for damaged goods like Levitre.

[h4t]

Didn't the Titans upgrade their pro level scouting?  If so this should help Webster make better decisions on free agency and not overpay for damaged goods like Levitre.

[StephenIsLegend]

I see people throwing out Maclin's name a lot. Haven't seen much of the Eagles this year. Is he number one wr caliber? I saw his stats have been steadily climbing each year, but I'm just not sure. I've never seen him as a wr1. However, I don't watch then much.

Is he viable?

[Dmeade-]

There are probably 10-12 safeties in the league who can adequately run this scheme. An upgrade would be awesome, but that's only going to come from a high draft pick. If McCourty is available and we think he can play, sure, get him, but I doubt he's an upgrade to Griffin.

Another thing is I bet we can re-sign him to a cheap deal. He knows we've paid him well. Now the CEO is talking like this? He knows he hasn't played his best football this year. We're leaving him on an island a ton. People forget that. We probably run more cover 0 blitzes than anyone. That's a tough job for any safety, especially one who's primarily played all zone, with a lot of it being cover 2. We're literally the polar opposite of the Shwartz/Cecil/Gray defense.

crossing thread, but I would hope the comments Smith made weren't off the cuff. He doesn't seem like someone to make such remarks in a careless manner. It signaled to me that they like him in this defense.

We're running a ton more man than he's ever experienced, and I think he's improved the past few games. They know they have to generate more pressure from less blitzers, which leaves us in more cover 1 robber and cover three. Maybe it allows us to do more than send fire blitzes in zone. Who knows. I could be wrong, but either way, they've put a lot on his shoulders this year, and I think he's embraced it, even during off games.

Last thing. He does make too many mistakes, but I see that coming from aggression and violence now while being a little stiff in the hips. He's never been this violent (I like Cyrus' use of that word).

He used to be hesitant and still slightly injury prone. Now he's attacking. A better pass rush would do wonders if he keeps playing like this.

McCourty could play safety or corner.