Maelstrom787":2w9kd6po said:
FlyingGreg":2w9kd6po said:
I think they have played it fairly smart.
Too many people got suckered into that "60 million" in cap space thing that was thrown around but, (1) it was never that much in true cap space and, (2) we had to refill half the roster, so we were never going to be big spenders in FA, anyways.
When has this front office ever been very aggressive in first wave FA deals?? If anything, their big moves have always been trades. Those could still happen.
Based on the current available space remaining, I would guess they have a contingency to jettison the likes of Britt, Wright (I know, I know), Thompson (who has already been given permission to seek a trade), Hill, etc., if they are able to swing a deal for a front line player.
As it stands right now - without Clowney (and now Q Jeff) and still with Ken Norton as D coord (for some reason), this defense looks to be set up to struggle again. Bruce Irvin will help, but he's a complimentary piece at this point and not an "Alpha". Even if they do get Clowney back, we still need significant upgrades rushing the passer. I sure HOPE that they are not just hoping LJ Collier is going to bust out?
Offensively, Olsen is a great signing. Not bringing back Ifedi is a great move..and getting a guy like Finney is also pretty solid, in case they do move Britt (and I think they should, he is way too expensive (currently our 4th most expensive contract at an $11.4 million cap hit). I still think Josh Gordon will end up back in Seattle if he is reinstated.
My biggest concern, as usual, is the DRAFT. They have proven to be largely clueless with way too many of the picks they have made since 2014-2015. They have hit on a few diamonds, for sure (Lockett, Metcalf, Carson immediately come to mind) but, by and large, have not replenished the loss of so much talent that has left.
Their drafting, recently, has been excellent. 2018 was amazing. 2019 looks to have some good players. Collier has been a major disappointment, but there is some good talent in the rest of the 2019 class.
As of now, the only thing that has me truly disappointed is that Clowney hasn't been signed to a long term deal. Otherwise, Brandon Shell at RT for less than 6m a year is a steal, Finney looks to be our starting center should Britt be cut, Ogbuehi has a lot of potential in Fant's old role with an incentive laden contract that has low base pay, and Irvin significantly helps the pass rush rotation should Clowney be back.
All that BEFORE heading in to the draft, where the front office has been doing great the past 2 years, and we have 3 picks in the top 64.
I'm optimistic. There was a lot of holes to fill going into FA, especially on the lines, and they've done well plugging in some guys at a fantastic value. If Clowney comes back, then I think the team is already improved from where it was.
I respectfully disagree that their recent drafting has been "
excellent" or "
amazing". That's not even approaching accurate. I will agree it has gotten better the last few drafts.
However, of the 30 players they have selected in the 2017-2018-2019 drafts, I count
5 who have been clear hits (SO FAR): Metcalf, Green, Dickson, Shaquill Griffin, and Moore...and I'm being generous with Griffin and Moore, as both have significant flaws. This is, of course, debatable. There is a large swath of players in the next tier I'd call "have to prove it", then there are the certified disasters, for a variety of reasons, like Jennings (didn't even make our roster the same year he was drafted), McDowell (never played a snap), Darboh and others. I certainly don't expect them to draft 7 Pro Bowlers every year.
But, philosophically, the problem with having a franchise QB eating up roughly 1/5 of your cap is you have to replace the elite talent that leaves with ready to play college players. I don't think any of us would argue their drafting philosophy has been a bit questionable, and they tend to reach and over value players (Penny a classic example and Collier right on track to be the same). I think they do much better after the first few rounds, in general.
However, how many Pro Bowler starters have they drafted since 2015? No, that's not the best barometer of drafting success...but it's hard to argue that garnering Pro Bowl recognition is something that can be done with anything other than pretty good performance on the field.
I think the 2019 draft has a chance to be
damn good, especially with Metcalf already exceeding expectations. There is considerable hope for Blair, Barton and Amadi - and I like Homer as a complimentary piece and special teamer. Ursua could be a diamond in the rough. We will see what happens with Collier.
2018 was a pretty good draft. Penny, although drafted too high, has a lot of potential. He was just coming into his own last season. I'm worried about his weight and work out habits, especially coming off a devastating injury, but we'll see. Dissly is a stud with a MAJOR asterisk - he has had two shortened seasons due to terrible injuries, and likely will always be a risk factor. Green has quietly become a pretty good situational pass rusher. Shaquem Griffin looks to be kinda catching on as a pass rusher. Flowers was a major liability last season, but I think he will bounce back. Jones is a good depth piece on the OL.
Of those 2018 picks, I think only Dissly has Pro Bowl potential (outside of our elite punter, of course) - if he stays healthy.
