Free Agent Left Tackles

[RumHam]

But no matter who u put in, if matsko is still here, its a waste

[LinvilleGorge]

7 minutes ago, Peon Awesome said:

Hey, armchair gms, what is your plan for improving our defense? Because I can tell you that we could have had the best offensive line in the league and we would have still been a sub-.500 team. Did you notice that Little and Daley looked pretty decent when our line was healthy compared to when Daryl Williams stepped in at LG and they had to contend with DW and Paradis fending off that half of the pass rush? Cause I bet these free agents everyone wants, all of whom are either going to command 12-15+ million per year or are questionably even an upgrade over what a healthy Little or Daley would be next year at triple the price, would look pretty terrible next to those 2 as well. 

Our defense is the weakest link and is losing half of its starters to free agency (Addison, Irving, McCoy, Boston, Cockrell and Bradberry) and potentially at least one or more as a cap casualty (Poe). I know we like to pretend we have unlimited draft picks and money for free agency to shoreup every weakness but we don't sadly. We drafted 2 linemen in 2019 that we have under contract for 3 more years and at least flashed decent potential but were stymied by injuries and terrible line play aside them. I would much prefer we invest heavily in our defense (e.g defensive tackle R1, resign Bradberry, sign another d lineman, sign a couple pieces in the secondary) and then get a couple interior offensive linemen in the 2-5 round range. But sure, let's sign a 37 year old LT for 3 years, $45 million while we let either a rusty Cam, Kyle Allen or a rookie qb try to put up 45 points per game to keep up with our porous defense. That seems like a much more sound recipe for success than hoping either Little or Daley will put up competent LT play with a full offseason to recuperate, upgrades at LG and C through the draft, and another training camp to master the position. 

Outside of elite CBs and elite pass rushers, most defensive positions are easier to acquire via FA and the draft than LT is.

[kungfoodude]

3 minutes ago, RumHam said:

Id say make costanzo happen, find a capable center in the third, get van roten back in, and maybe grier or cam will look better

The issue with Costanzo is cap. Sure we'd be locking down LT for a long time but we'd also be nuking our cap for a while. 

If you make that move, it probably makes it tough to retain Cam(who can free up $19.1 mil) or keep guys like Addison, Bradberry, etc. I suspect Costanzo is going to warrant a mega-contract. At that rate, maybe it makes more sense to trade for a guy like Trent Williams, who would end up being a cheaper 2020 option, although you are then gambling on being able to extend him(2020 is the last year of his deal). 

[Waldo]

1 hour ago, cmichd said:

  Use our first two pick for a LT and a Center.  Moved Little to LG, Morton to RG, and Daley to RT. You would have the makings of a young line, but do we want Bradford back.  We know he is not a shutdown CB, but he is good enough to pay the 2 spot and we can trade Jackson. and pick up a solid CB this year with the #1.  

I would love a LT and C but I would also love a LT and NT. I think we could still get a very good OG or C in the 3rd and start rebuilding the foundation of our lines this year. At this point, I don't know where guys would be best but they need to have a look because some didn't look at that great at the spot they were playing this year. 

[RumHam]

12 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

The issue with Costanzo is cap. Sure we'd be locking down LT for a long time but we'd also be nuking our cap for a while. 

If you make that move, it probably makes it tough to retain Cam(who can free up $19.1 mil) or keep guys like Addison, Bradberry, etc. I suspect Costanzo is going to warrant a mega-contract. At that rate, maybe it makes more sense to trade for a guy like Trent Williams, who would end up being a cheaper 2020 option, although you are then gambling on being able to extend him(2020 is the last year of his deal). 

Tbf we aint missing addison and bradberry. Problem is hurneybwill overpay them to stay. However, we would have a hall of fame left tackle for a long time. Then again the colts have the money to retain him. 80% of these guys will be retained and the rest will be let go bc they suck.

[LinvilleGorge]

1 minute ago, Waldo said:

I would love a LT and C but I would also love a LT and NT. I think we could still get a very good OG or C in the 3rd and start rebuilding the foundation of our lines this year. At this point, I don't know where guys would be best but they need to have a look because some didn't look at that great at the spot they were playing this year. 

Yeah, our new coaching staff has it's work cut out for them in terms of figuring out who fits where and our new GM (please god) has his work cut out for him in terms of who to keep, who to chop, and who to target in FA and the draft. I expect at minimum two new starters on the OL and three wouldn't shock me. Trai and Paradis both are post-June 1st release candidates IMO.

[Waldo]

1 hour ago, Mr. Scot said:

It is just one season, and a rookie season, but the one thing I can say definitively in both cases is I wouldn't want either one as my primary option.

The fact that anyone we would be looking at has a shot of being better than those two is very telling. I don't have a problem with hoping a person improves, I would rather not rely on it if this is where they are working from until they do. Penciling in a backup and a guy that can't stay healthy so far would be incompetent.

[ncfan]

Not LT

But LG, Van Roten is a FA.  And rumor is Jax may cut Andrew Norwell this offseason as they have a potential out point in his contract after this season.  

Itll be a completely new regime here. But wonder if he'd be willing to come back here.

[Waldo]

3 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Yeah, our new coaching staff has it's work cut out for them in terms of figuring out who fits where and our new GM (please god) has his work cut out for him in terms of who to keep, who to chop, and who to target in FA and the draft. I expect at minimum two new starters on the OL and three wouldn't shock me. Trai and Paradis both are post-June 1st release candidates IMO.

I didn't think we had June 1st cuts this year with the CBA after this year. I wish tho! I wouldn't have an issue getting someone better and dumping ridiculously underplayed contracts. Over that crap. 

The new people are going to have their hands full for sure. I do wonder if some of our guys could be coached up and put in better spots to succeed than the past vision that has guided our decisions. But that is putting the cart before the horse. First we need to put together talent on the coaching staff and in the front office. 

[LinvilleGorge]

3 minutes ago, Waldo said:

I didn't think we had June 1st cuts this year with the CBA after this year. I wish tho! I wouldn't have an issue getting someone better and dumping ridiculously underplayed contracts. Over that crap. 

Oh poo. Yeah, I think you're right. :(

[kungfoodude]

17 minutes ago, RumHam said:

Tbf we aint missing addison and bradberry. Problem is hurneybwill overpay them to stay. However, we would have a hall of fame left tackle for a long time. Then again the colts have the money to retain him. 80% of these guys will be retained and the rest will be let go bc they suck.

I think we would miss Bradberry and Addison. Losing them would be two good productive starters that we would have to replace. That is another problem we are facing the next couple of seasons, we are staring down new contracts for just about every old and new core player. It's going to get rocky, which is why we need some help in that front office ASAP.

[kungfoodude]

4 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Oh poo. Yeah, I think you're right. :(

He is right. Since this is the "last league year" there are a few quirks to the normal operations. One is that you cannot spread those caps hits out over future seasons for 2020 cuts. It is going to get dicey.

[kungfoodude]

11 minutes ago, ncfan said:

Not LT

But LG, Van Roten is a FA.  And rumor is Jax may cut Andrew Norwell this offseason as they have a potential out point in his contract after this season.  

Itll be a completely new regime here. But wonder if he'd be willing to come back here.

He's going to have to take a far, far, far smaller contract. He wasn't worth the contract he signed there at all. IMO, it's going to be much easier to find those interior linemen(especially OG's). 

[Toomers]

21 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Yeah, our new coaching staff has it's work cut out for them in terms of figuring out who fits where and our new GM (please god) has his work cut out for him in terms of who to keep, who to chop, and who to target in FA and the draft. I expect at minimum two new starters on the OL and three wouldn't shock me. Trai and Paradis both are post-June 1st release candidates IMO.

There are no post June 1st designations this off-season due to CBA. Have to eat it all this year if we cut a player. 
 

As everyone has already pointed out...my bad.