The Wp28 Off-season plan.

Respectfully submitted for your criticism.

Off-season FA Targets:
Luke Petitgout OT
Mark Dixon G/T
Kevin Johnson WR
Ricky Proehl WR
Jake Delhomme QB
Dre’ Bly CB

FA’s:
Michael Bates (re-sign veteran minimum assumed passed physical)
Nathan Black (re-sign for Spartanburg)
Anthony Bright (re-sign for Spartanburg)
Isaac Byrd (re-sign only after attempt to sign two quality FA’s from elseware)
Deke Cooper (re-sign has shown enough to keep)
Terry Fair (re-sign)
Mario Fatafehi (re-sign for Spartanburg)
Brad Franklin (staff seems enamored so I guess we re-sign)
Shayne Graham (gets Spartanburg to prove he can kick between 25-35 yards)
Brad Hoover (re-sign)
Reggie Howard (re-sign)
Brad Jackson (might as well re-sign he never goes away)
Jeno James (re-sign)
Rob Johnson (resign for Spartanburg)
Julian Jones (resign for Spartanburg)
Emmanuel McDaniel (re-sign)
Kory Minor (??????)
Joe Montgomery (thanks but no thanks)
Jamar Nesbit (re-sign)
Rodney Peete (Thanks but no thanks)
Tutan Reyes (need more info)
Damian Richardson (re-sign – quality depth)
Todd Sauerbrun (major re-sign)
Rod Smart (re-sign)
Fernando Smith (re-sign)
Tim Stuber (resign for Spartanburg)
Josh Taves (re-sign)
Lester Towns (??????)
Jermaine Wiggins (re-sign)
Louis Williams (no thanks)

Draft:
1 QB. (The franchise starts now.)
2 WR. (Another speed threat)
3 DT. (Buckners replacement down the line)
4a FB. (Smashmouth)
4b TE. (One who can catch and block)
5 DB (One with kick return skills)
6 K. (This might be the #5 pick???)
7 LS (competition for Kyle)

 

>>Luke Petitgout OT
Mark Dixon G/T
Kevin Johnson WR

I can get down with it to here. Those make sense based on the way we've done things in the past on the line and offensively, and Johnson's an impact player looking for somewhere to make impact. He's been somewhat overlooked in FA talks here.

>>Ricky Proehl WR
Jake Delhomme QB
Dre’ Bly CB

A little more iffy. Bly is solid, certainly, and would help fill a need, though I'd be interested to see what Howard and Wesley would do fighting for the job. Delhomme is a good QB who I'd wanted to see here since his early playing time a few years ago. He could start here for a year or so if needed and is a good backup at worst. But Proehl is very hard to get a read on and I'd rather draft a receiver for depth than get an aging player.

I'd be interested to see your cuts, just to get the picture clearer.

>>Draft:
1 QB. (The franchise starts now.)
2 WR. (Another speed threat)
3 DT. (Buckners replacement down the line)
4a FB. (Smashmouth)
4b TE. (One who can catch and block)
5 DB (One with kick return skills)
6 K. (This might be the #5 pick???)
7 LS (competition for Kyle)

There's your thing with Kyle again
QB makes sense, WR is probably again a good value in 2. I'd imagine that taking a DT before 3 is overkill, after 3 is useless, but I'd probably have to wait and see. Buckner's gone after 2003, unless we want to keep him, Burton and Jenkins are scheduled for 2004. I'd say we have good starters and depth right now. So many needs on the table as it is. The rest are basically cut and dry, get players that our position coaches and O'Brien can both be happy with, as that's been a theme while he's here.

The thing that gets this positively is Delhomme and KJ. That's a decent plan, though I'd have to go with the idea of having us legitimately look at challenging Fasani. He's owed nothing.

 

Keep (eyeing the 53 man roster and not bodies for camp)

Bates, agreed (if he can pass the physical) with Coop back that
almost immediately shores up the coverage teams.

Byrd, allows Smith to concentrate on KR duties where he's more of an asset to the team. He'll be the 4th and be paid like a 4th.

D. Cooper, talent wise better than Richardson, cheaper to boot.

Fair, I'd like to see what he could bring to the defense once healthy, quality backup at the least.

Howard, got to keep him

Jackson-knows Del Rio's system, can help the LB's to continue to adapt to it, decent special teamer

James, decent enough backup.

Minor, quality ST player

Nesbitt,only to a reasonable contract. He should be to the point where he's dominating some people but isn't consistantly. Could end up a backup at G/C where he'd be quality depth if we snag some one better to be the starter.

Sauerbrun, the ultimate no brainer

Smart, ST'er

Smith, if he passes the physical

Taves, good insurance policy to have

Wiggins, better potential than Mangum

I'm on the bubble about Hoover, he's the home town hero and all, but eventually he's gonna have to learn to block. We can do better here IMHO.

FA's

I'd say go with King as the near term starter and some one like Delhomme as the backup.

Johnson would be great at WR if we could some how manage to snag him. Gadsden has a little age on him but would be an upgrade. Some one like Stokley from the Ravens could give us some speed also. Maybe even Engram would be worth a look.

OL, it looks to be either high dollar or lesser talent here. Petitgout looks to be the likely suspect unless some one gets cut.
G we look at in the draft.

FB, Jon Ritchie interest anybody?

Cuts

Weinke's a goner. What's the savings/cap hit? Gilbert, Hurney should be busting his ass getting an injury settlement done. Anything we can do to increase the free cap space should be done. Donnalley could be a possiblity also if we can find a reasonable upgrade. Steussie could face a pay cut as could Moose (not worth 6 mil IMHO).

Draft

Rounds 1 and 2 are going to be tricky depending on where we draft and who is still available. Manning coming out is going to be key in who is there at our pick. We may luck into Leftwich in the 1st if Eli makes the jump. If not, we need to go WR or RB here.
I'm not sold on Foster coming back and if he does, it'll probably be mid season before he's fully ready. I don't want Williams, two WR's with chronic Hammy's isn't my idea of progress. Either of the two from Miami, McGahee or Johnson, would do the trick for me. We can still get a decent QB at 2 or even 3.

1 QB, WR, or RB
2 WR or QB
3 DT or RB
4a OT/G
4b CB/KR or G
5 TE or CB
6 OL for depth or K
7 LS/ST

 

I like the idea of a "younger" vet QB (late 20s as opposed to 30 something). If he was a pleasant surprise and blows up for us (like Maddox has) we would have more options than the "1 yr min and out the door once our rook develops" policy.

Delhomme looks good to me – Only 27 6’2” 210 Jake is described as Having excellent quickness and a good arm, throws well on the run. Has a good grasp of the Saints brand of West coast O.
I would be concerned that they will lock him in as a long term back up to Brooks but he is currently an UFA. If not would he be a better option than King?

I was interested in A.J. Feeley but Philly has him signed to a 3 year deal and he’s not going to be available. Koy Detmer is a currently a UFA though but I have always thought of him as a weak armed scrub until he did so well prior to that elbow dislocation.

Batch is currently being chatted up at Char.com by a couple of guys but I can’t get warm to the idea of Batch being here no matter how much untapped potential he may have. Like Plummer I think he’s just too comfortable with losing by now.

Any more thoughts on these guys?