by NorthHawk » Fri Jan 05, 2018 1:30 pm
No time like the present to look forward and speculate about who will be here next year and possible draft picks.
When I look at the Free Agents, I don't expect the following to be here next year.
Unrestricted FA's:
Jimmy Graham
Luke Joeckel
Eddie Lacy
Paul Richardson
Blair Walsh
Marcus Smith
Oday Aboushi
Dewey McDonald
Restricted FA:
Thomas Rawls
Exclusive Rights FA's:
Branden Jackson
Joey Hunt
Phil Dawson
Jordan Simone
Tyrus Thompson
Josh Forrest
Some of these EFA's might end up on the Practice Squad, but they will be challenged by draft picks and Free Agent signings.
There are some that are on the fence (as in I'm not sure about them) as well like Luke Willson, Michael Wilhoite, DeShawn Shead.
Who I think might be priority re-signings are but it will be difficult to keep some of them like S. Richardson:
UFA's:
Sheldon Richardson
Bradley McDougald
Byron Maxwell
Hope to re-sign:
DeShawn Shead
Terence Garvin
RFA's:
Dion Jordan
Justin Coleman
Mike Davis
ERFA's:
Tyler Ott (Long Snapper)
Garrison Smith
Tyrone Swoopes
JD McKissic
We might lose some veterans, too as Mike Bennett suggested he might not be back if the team goes on a youth movement and ET might be on the trading block after saying he wants to play for Dallas. Then there's the Sherman issue left over from last year along with probable Kam and Cliff retirements/Injury settlements. Who knows how it will all work out, but some Cap relief is needed.
The Draft will be interesting as we have the #18 selection.
I expect JS to trade down at least once to recoup at least a 2nd or 3rd round pick - maybe both.
It seems we might be in a good position as as many as 5 QBs might go in the 1st round and teams tend to value QBs higher in the draft than they might otherwise be.
There are 5 QBs that might be possible 1st round selections this year.
It doesn't mean teams who don't want a QB won't move up, rather with more QB's going early, other players could fall unexpectedly making them affordable for trading up.
For us, from what Pete has said, RB will be a focus and there are a lot to choose from in this draft.
The guy I like (other than Saquon Barkley) is Damien Harris from Alabama. He's big, strong, fast, has good vision, and blocks well. He wouldn't be a liability in pass protection. After him, Nick Chubb from Georgia.
We get to see both on Monday in the National Championship along with Chubb's running mate Sony Michel. The other RB in the game to consider is Bo Scarbrough of Alabama but he hasn't declared yet, if he does at all.
Outside this game, Kerryon Johnson from Auburn, Derrius Guice from LSU, Rashaad Perrry from San Diego State, Josh Adams from ND, Ronald Jones II from USC, and Royce Freeman from Oregon fit the physical profile Pete and John appear to look for at RB (5'10" to 6'2" and 200 to 220 lbs similar to Marshawn Lynch) in the draft.
Many of us would like them to take OL early, too but Pete sounded like they are going to fix the run game with a good and durable RB.
I would guess that if they traded down for more picks in the 2nd and 3rd, they might consider one if they have one ranked highly that's suddenly there, but mid to late might be the realistic result.
Last edited by
NorthHawk on Fri Jan 05, 2018 9:26 pm, edited 1 time in total.