If Shaq is gone 2019, LB in draft or FA

[MHS831]

1 hour ago, ncfan said:

Here is my thoughts on Shaq

He needs to be extended 

He needs to be a part of this team going forward 

Look, you can't afford to have superstars at every position.  When you have someone solid who isnt going to break the bank you keep him.

Shaq's biggest problem is TD and being under his Shadow.  People always argue, there isnt that big a difference between SLB and WLB.  

But when Shaq has slid over to TDs role when he's been suspended/injured etc.  Several will argue that he was better than Luke vs Dallas.

We had hoped, with his versatility that he could be a LB that could stay in on Nickel D (NFL you see more and more Nickel D with offenses going more and more spread out). But Shaq just cant.  Few to none even can.  How many OLBs out there do you see can matchup on a Ryan Switzer, Sanu, etc.  You let him play more up, blitz, etc like TD.  He has been a stud

Heck TD, a safety hybrid as well.  Despite injuries.  He didnt even start to take off until Beason left.  Shaq has been groomed under TD, and have the same play mentality who love to come through line and hit someone

He is due 9 mil next year.  Which needs to be brought down. Extending him a few years will do that.

Cutting him, and you now have another hole to fix ontop of the many you already have

Yes, cutting him leaves a hole, but can you fill that hole for less than  $8.8m?  A long-term contract in the $4-5m range is the best option, to your point, but paying him for 1 year at $9m is not a good idea.

We shall see--

[ncfan]

7 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

Yes, cutting him leaves a hole, but can you fill that hole for less than  $8.8m?  A long-term contract in the $4-5m range is the best option, to your point, but paying him for 1 year at $9m is not a good idea.

We shall see--

Youll be hard pressed to find a upgrade to him in the 4 mil range.

 

Again remember, dude has looked like a stud in TDs spot when he has been out.  We dont need to pay him the 9.  Thus a extension needs to be done.  Brings the $$$ down.  And still keep a solid player.

[Piff]

This team would be crazy to cut Shaq. He has been solid and nowhere near as bad as some people on here make him out to be. Let's not forget he was a converted safety/RB in college playing linebacker. For a player who came in the league with a steep learning curve he has done well. Not great yet but he is not the reason the team is losing games.

[Raleigh PF]

1 minute ago, Piff said:

This team would be crazy to cut Shaq. He has been solid and nowhere near as bad as some people on here make him out to be. Let's not forget he was a converted safety/RB in college playing linebacker. For a player who came in the league with a steep learning curve he has done well. Not great yet but he is not the reason the team is losing games.

You just qualified his ability. "For a player who came in the league with a steep learning curve he has done well. Not great yet but he is not the reason the team is losing games."

Are you willing to pay $9M next year to continue that learning? He's had FOUR YEARS. 

For those arguing we should re-sign/extend him at $5M/year, what incentive does he have to sign for that amount? 

[Piff]

26 minutes ago, Raleigh PF said:

You just qualified his ability. "For a player who came in the league with a steep learning curve he has done well. Not great yet but he is not the reason the team is losing games."

Are you willing to pay $9M next year to continue that learning? He's had FOUR YEARS. 

For those arguing we should re-sign/extend him at $5M/year, what incentive does he have to sign for that amount? 

I didn't "qualify" him as you say because I also mentioned that he is good now. He just had a learning curve. I believe he has come into his own and will get even better. As far as the cap goes that is something they will work out. If they have to pay him $9M next year then so be it. He has shown that he can play in a bigger role when he played TD's position for 4 games.   

[The Lobo]

5 hours ago, Jmac said:

If this does go down, do they resign TD one more year and grab a LB in draft or FA.....what u got?

Why would Shaq leave?

[Piff]

7 minutes ago, bull123 said:

Haven’t seen that bigger role...didn’t do much of anything when TD was out

You people see what you want to see. He played very good in the Dallas game.

[Piff]

2 minutes ago, bull123 said:

Well..he totally sucked the next week against atl

There were a lot more players that sucked on defense that game including Luke. The Falcons ran all over them.

[Frost]

 

49 minutes ago, The Lobo said:

Why would Shaq leave?

Seriously, I had no idea this many people had a problem with Shaq!! 

Why do you guys think he is so bad? Specifically? Genuinely Curious... 

But I don't think he is going anywhere soon.  His fifth year will be picked up and the only way he leaves is probably if some other team offers him more than we are willing to pay him.  Especially since TD will probably play only one more year.  But that's just my opinion.  

[ncfan]

1 hour ago, bull123 said:

Well..he totally sucked the next week against atl

So did Luke

Overall he has been Solid when in TDs role.

Your insane if you honestly think your going to get a LB betyer than him for under 5 mil.

We're in NO position to draft one

With Kalil opening a hole at Center

Poe playing like garbage at NT with ATL fans laughing at us saying told you so.

2 DEs (one of them a late round draft pick who is the size of a LB, and only active 2-3 games because he's 235 soaking wet) 2 under contract, Haynes and Addison

No worthwhile backup QB with a franchise QB who's future with injured throwing shoulder is uncertain

No #2 RB

No worthwhile Safety under contract.  The one starter that is, father time has done caught up with him

2 solid CBs, and a pathetic Nickel

1 solid OT under contract

1 worth while starter OG under contract.

To be able to keep a solid LB under contract for 5 mil ish (if extended) is a Grandslam

And again your not going to replace him cheap if we dont extend him.  AJ Fugging Klein is making 6 mil a year 

[ncfan]

5 minutes ago, bull123 said:

OK...all of the above I do agree with...we are in a tough situation 

i still say Shaq has consistently underperformed

at $5m yes...at $9m no

amd Poe has been pathetic

 

Just to give you an example

AJ Klein is making 6 mil a year

He is graded out lower than Shaq this season

We wont be able to extend him for under 5.  But im sure we'll get a resign with the home team deal.  We let Klein walk and hit the market because we already had Luke, TD, and Shaq 

Again

We let him walk

We wont be able to afford a upgrade

[Frost]

4 minutes ago, ncfan said:

Just to give you an example

AJ Klein is making 6 mil a year

He is graded out lower than Shaq this season

We wont be able to extend him for under 5.  But im sure we'll get a resign with the home team deal.  We let Klein walk and hit the market because we already had Luke, TD, and Shaq 

Again

We let him walk

We wont be able to afford a upgrade

I agree with this.  I just don't see where the upgrade would come from without spending a good bit more money. 

I do think it's fair to point out that we also let Klein walk because while he was a really great backup middle linebacker he wasn't great in coverage and didn't excel as an outside LB.  So he was going to get offered MLB money from someone and we just couldn't pay that when we had Luke in the center.  

[ForJimmy]

I think a 3 year $15 million is fair. $5 million a year vs the $9 million for his 5th year. Throw in some incentive bonuses. If TD wants to play next year it will need to be on a team friendly deal where his playing time can decrease like Peppers is at his age.

[Eazy-E]

Am I missing something? Besides the Dallas game where the entire defense played very well, the Next 3 games Shaq looked below average in TD’s roll. There were literally threads asking if TD being out was the reason for our defensive meltdowns.

TD came back and played pretty well imo. There is a night and day difference in pass coverage between TD and Shaq. Shaq is a really damn good 2 down line backer but I can’t see paying him almost 10 million for one season when he can’t defend the pass.

A lot will have to come down to new coaching if that happen. As it stands with Rivera’s defense, Shaq doesn’t fill TD’s roll as well as Davis does, even at age 36. It’s incredibly hard to find a hard hitting backer who can also cover at an above average level down the field.