Hawkscanner":1etuv2eo said:
Guys, if you'd like to comment I'm asking that it be back on point. I understand when people feel a little miffed and they want to vent. I get that. Honestly though from my perspective, I'm OK with the MOD's decision. Like all Refs, they have a tough job to do and even if I don't agree with a call from time to time ... I'll stick by it and accept it. I'm a teacher by trade, so know the importance of discipline and order.
That said, I'd like to get back to the topic at hand and ask you all ...
1) Do you see any of the names that I listed above that intrigue/excite you?
2) Do you see any of the names that I listed above as ones (in your opinion) Scneider could honestly target?
The more I've thought about it, the ones that I believe are MOST likely are ...
Paul Kruger (who again ISN'T a "Bargain" guy -- he's a Premium FA).
On the "Bargain" Shelf (i.e. guys who won't break the bank), the names I'm thinking JS will check in to are:
TE Fred Davis (the USC connection there, the talent, and the price tag alone)
DE Osi Umenyiora (we know Seattle has liked him in the past)
DT's Desmond Bryant and Vance Walker (I'd call them an upgrade over Branch - good, young talent)
CB Derek Cox
CB Bradley Fletcher (both Fletcher and Cox have experience as Nickel Backs and have done very well there. They're young, but injury history, other FA options at CB, and a good crop of corners in the draft will keep the cost down).
Thoughts guys on those names ... on any other of the names I listed above ... or any other perceived bargain guys floating around?
Yeah no problem taking back on topic (with one final comment to make - it's a football forum, not a classroom, order and discipline are far down the list of things required between football fans chatting with each other)
To be honest, whilst I can see the FO looking at cornerbacks to upgrade over Trufant, someone like Cox won't be cheap, and certainly I don't think expensive players with a history of injuries will be looked at to upgrade over Thurmond, who is good enough to be the guy but has that injury history himself - Fletcher is a similar situation, but would be a lot cheaper so I can see them considering it, however, I think the cornerback we are looking for will either be drafted this year, or perhaps already on the roster between Maxwell and Lane, both of whom played adequately in relief of Browner.
I don't perceive TE to be as much of a need as others either, Miller is a great all-around player, and McCoy is still young, improving every season and came up with some clutch catches himself, so a high-priced free agent signing is a low low priority (I know you're talking about bargains here, but do we really think Davis will go cheap? The Redskins franchised him last year and likely he will be looking for one of the bigger TE contracts out there - perhaps not Miller sized, but certainly something substantial.
Finally, the last of your picks I disagree with would be Kruger - who I agree would be a premium FA, but as a member of the soon-to-be-superbowl-champs ravens (in no universe can I ever consider the 49ers winning that game), he'll be looking to stay first and foremost, and while I'm not familiar with the Ravens' cap situation, I imagine they'll be happy to pay him what he deserves, especially with them losing Ray Lewis too - losing 2 starting linebackers in one offseason would be a difficult situation to overcome, so I imagine he'll fail to even reach the FA market.
Bryant I think is probably near the top of the list of guys JS is looking at, and for good reason, he'll probably reach FA unless the Raiders do some significant trimming elsewhere, and he's one of the top available players at the position - I don't think he'll come cheap, but he'd be a significant upgrade over Branch IMO, and of course Osi is always being touted as a possible addition to the roster, I think he'd be a good addition if we could get him relatively cheap (say 3 years for somewhere between 12-15 million I'd be OK with), if a guy like Raheem Brock can put up 9 sacks at 32 after posting 12.5 combined in the previous 4 years, then a far more talented guy in Osi should be able to match that - particularly with the looming possibility of an ineffective Clemons returning from injury (though personally I think he'll be fine).
Ideally I'd like to see the front office scouring for defensive ends and picking up 2 or 3, if we could rotate fresh defensive ends in against tiring tackles, sacks would build up, and towards the end of the game players like Irvin would be able to dominate and prevent those damn last second losses