Two starting level linebackers

Just when you thought we had one less need...

from ESPN.com:

"First-year coach John Fox acknowledged that he needs to add two starting-caliber linebackers in the next month or so. "

Wow. Now I see why we're stressing wanting a guy like Farrior. And since JF is wanting a lot, he'll have to wait a while so his price should come down. (Still, look who's already gone: Cowart, Little, Gildon, Trotter, Wong, Armstead, Fletcher...). I don't know that we can spend too many picks on it but I can pretty much concede that, if this is true, we'll be dropping a 3rd or 4th at worst on a LB.

 

Wow.

So from Fox, the needs have been stated as:

LB (2)
CB (maybe 2)
RB
FB (blocking)
TE (blocking, wonder about this one)

These are the things that Fox has stated himself.

Nothing about DE in there, is there?

 

Allright, CB concerns me.

I said it last year - from a cap standpoint it seemed impossibe NOT to cut both Hitch and Evans. Now we need at least one more guy.

Do we sign an 'affordable' FA, Pick Peppers with #2, Rumph (if there)with #34? Let Anderson, Rumph, and the FA all battle it out? Seems to be the best bet....

Sign an 'affordable' OLB FA, pick one with #56? RB could wait until day 2.....maybe OLB also since we've got all day to research who's left....

Fox is a secondary coach from the start. I'm guessing he's got some sort of plan, and I'm also guessing that he didn't like Evans and Hitch at all.

But damn. We got nothing.....Jammer seems like a waste of the #2, and I'm not really excited about Jammer at number 4, unless we get another first rounder, which ain't gonna happen. Fox just seems like a great defensive guy to turn Peppers into a great one.

 

You missed one... no he never said we needed a DE... BUT he DID say we needed a pass rush... and that's exactly what Peppers brings... I'm beginning to think we'll draft Peppers with the #2... pick up a LB at the #34... and a CB at #56... and pick up a FA LB and a FA CB... I honestly wouldn't be surprised to see Dean Wells and Doug Evans return at a lower cost

 

We may be able to snag Saleem Rasheed. I think he rated 4th for LB's at the past combine. Lacks size but has very good speed and can hit. He came out a year to early IMO but $$ talks.

 

No, I like Saleem a lot. Harris may be the number one guy, but IMO Sallem could sneak into the first round.

 

guess we could do worse than DE and then OLB. Might as well give one side a personality.

Rasheed isn't bad, I just wish he was a little bigger. 6'2 I can deal with but <230 is a turnoff to me. But he appears to be a strong pass defender and pursuit player...it's whether he can hold his gap inside the tackles that's my only worry. Having been a MLB in the past, I guess he'll hold his own, I don't know that any linebacker could be rated that high and not do allright v/s the run. He and Peppers would most definately add a lot of speed to the front seven, and Morgan/Rasheed make for a good nickel tandem. Kinda allows you to get a strongside guy in a certain mold.

That still leaves us dangling at CB, though. At any rate I expect we'll sign a CB before the draft and pretend like he's the starter.

If we got CB in the second and LB in the third, what do you guys think? Fisher?

What do you think a strongside guy like Keith Newman might bring...and would you be in favor of him coming aboard?

 

think he could go first round Piper? Next year..no doubt. I don't see us using our second pick on him but there is no way he makes it to our third. this is why I would trade down in the draft. Alot of good players in the draft..

 

I like him better than Faulk and Fisher. I'm somewhat ignorant about Harris, but it seems everyone is in love with his measurables. Saleem is productive. And Fast. And he could put on weight and still be fast.

 

Harris might be going to Texans at 33 if he's there. Might have higher 3-4 potential than Freeney.