9, 40, 104,137,168, 201

Preface by saying this assumes 2 things:

1.) Wharton is released.
2.) Antonio Garey (or the the likes is signed in FA)

9.) Cordy Glenn OT/G
40.) Brandon Boykin CB/PR
104.) OLB Keenan Robinson
137.) SS Brandon Taylor
168.) FS Tremaine Thomas
201.) CB Asa Jackson

 

Is there serious thought that Warton will be released? With Otah's future cloudy it seems like we might want to keep him and shift him back to tackle. He was pretty solid at tackle when he played there a few years ago.

 

It would save a little over $3.8 mil on the cap. The number 9 pick will have a cap number in 2012 of about $2.3 million (based on last year's #9). So swapping Wharton for one of the top guards in the draft could be an upgrade and a savings to the cap. Otah's rehab could certainly be a factor but it's likely we won't have any idea how the knee will hold up under the physical pounding until mini camps in May.

 

If we release Wharton and Otah can't come back and be effective then our OL starts getting really shaky. Gross and Kalil are solid but we would have question marks at both guards and RT. Otah has missed a lot of games over the past three years.

I would rather kick Wharton out to RT and try to fill the guard spots with draft picks or cheap free agents.

 

Even though he should put up with discomfort a lot more than I think he has so far, being it's a contract year, I still can't see viewing Otah as doing much besides riding a bike on the sideline.

 

It may not be Otah's fault. Really huge guys like him often have a hard time coming back from injuries. They are already putting a lot of stress on their bodies just being that big. He was a big part of the power run game we had with Fox but now that we have opened things up on offense it may not be necessary to have a guy like him at RT anyway. Wharton is a decent tackle and serviceable at pass protection, or at least he was. We are not going to line up and run over anyone any more so slightly smaller and more mobile offensive linemen might be better.

 

9. David DeCastro OG
40. Dwayne Allen TE
104. Janzen Jackson FS
137. Marcus Forston DT
168. Brandon Taylor SS
201. Donte Paige-Moss DE

 

9. Quinton Coples/Blackmon
104. RB LeMichael James

 

I would trade all of those picks away for Ricky Williams. It's the smart move.

 

http://www.gbnreport.com/top100.html

9. Riley Reiff OT Iowa
40. Chase Minnifield CB Virginia
104. George Iloka S Boise St
137. Terrell Manning LB NC St
168. Donte Paige-Moss DE UNC
201.