Defend your draft strategy

[dabears70]

I think the draft will really be impacted a lot by what free agents we sign, more so than normal if that makes any sense. Reason being, is because we are close to being a competitive team, but still really far away somehow. It's really one of the strangest feelings going into the offseason that I've had in some time.

On one hand, you can make a case that we're solid on defense as a whole, but we're really missing impact players. Particularly with a pass rusher, and if we don't resign prince and fuller, another hole gets created at CB.

The offense was terrible this year, but you can make a case that outside of the WR spot, we don't have any true glaring holes, but upgrades at G and OT would be beneficial.

To top things off, I think the general consensus is that there aren't any blue chip WR in this draft but several that might go between picks 20-40. Meaning we might miss out on the top talents if we wait until the second round.

I think the best chance we have at a blue chip player falling to us is Nelson, but even if he is a hall of fame level gaurd, the impact of that position just isn't enough to take this team to the next level. That's not to say we should pass him up, just the reality of it.

And as a final kick in the ass, if one of the top 3-4 QBs falls to 8, the possibility of trading down with a QB needy team is hurt by the fact that the 2 teams picking directly behind us already have young QBs and teams won't have to jump them, making a trade less likely.

We need an impact player at an impact position, but if ones not there and there's no good offers to trade down, maybe Nelson is the way to go. It's going to be very interesting to see what pace does, but I get the feeling more and more that this offseason isn't lining up for us to be a playoff contender next season. We might have to suffer through another year of suck while we get more developmental players similar to last years draft.

This is a good post that i mostly agree with besides drafting Nelson at #8. The guy is gonna be a good one but the need to draft a guard that high just isn't there for us next season, maybe in another year or two the need will be there but not now.

Our two biggest needs are obvious at WR and OLB (IMO). Like you said, how we draft will depend on what we do in free agency and i think our best bet would be to get the WR position taken care of in free agency with hopefully getting one of A.Robinson or J.Landry and then also getting another speed guy as well with my top option being P.Richardson and if not him then John or Jaron Brown, M.Lee or maybe D.Moncrief. If we can't get one of the top two i mentioned then get P.Richardson and one of the others. Then keep one of or even both of K.Wright and D.Inman.


The other big need for me is OLB. The free agency list for OLB isn't great but there is some interesting guys i'd like Pace to get. E.Ansah and D.Lawrence will be the two biggest names but don't think either one will be there cause their teams will re-sign them or tag them so after those two there's still some guys that could really help us. A.Clayborn, A.Okafor, C.Barwin and my favorite J.Attaochu. Attaochu played very well for the Chargers when they were running a 3-4 defense but they switched to a 4-3 which he doesn't fit. I think he could be one of the steals of free agency. Now there's definitely enough names there that could keep us from having to draft OLB with our 1st round pick but if not then i go OLB in the 1st for sure.

Our biggest needs after WR and OLB are.......RT, ILB, DE and CB depending on if we bring K.Fuller and or P.Amukamara back and then of course we need plenty of depth needs of course.

 

[Myk]

Why would they cut Leno when they just signed him to an extension?

If they continue shuffling they wouldn't. That was in reply to someone saying "LT but Leno".

 

[Broc]

Ideally this offseason should be an offensively focused one with Pace putting as much talent around Mitch as he possibly can but sadly the defense still needs plenty of help and there are a ton of decisions to make on our own FA's as well as guys like McKnee and Freeman so to say Pace has his work cut out for him would be an understatement.

IMO the real key to next season is FA where Pace needs to be very aggressive in addressing the glaring issues at WR, OLB, CB, G, etc with people who will actually be legit role players and not complete wastes of roster spots and money guys like Glennon, Sanchez, Wheaton, Sims, etc were this past season. Ideally you'd like to see everything addressed to the point where he has the flexibility to simply take the best player available at any of those positions during the draft but we'll see how it shakes out.

For instance if Pace doesn't resign our 3 top CB's and instead splurges in FA on WR's/OLB/OL then clearly you'd hope he would use that 1st rounder on the best CB on the board. That said, since there isn't some Calvin Johnson freak WR or really any WR worth getting in the 1st and I'd love to see Pace make a bold move for a high ceiling guy like Watkins, Landry, or Gordon, and so they can go BPA in the draft at whichever position group is still the weakest after FA and pair that with another mid/late round WR.

 

[Bearly]

If they continue shuffling they wouldn't. That was in reply to someone saying "LT but Leno".

Just because he wasn't great at RT the one time he tried it early, doesn't mean he may not be VG there now. He's been a good run blocker and would be a great pass blocker on the right if he can flip his drop step effectively.

 

[Gustavus Adolphus]

If they continue shuffling they wouldn't. That was in reply to someone saying "LT but Leno".

I apologize. I misread. FTR, I could see them moving Leno to RT if they find a better LT.

 

[remydat]

Pass rusher, CB, LT. You take the best guy at one of those positions when you pick. I would only consider another position if we traded down in the 1st.

 

[dabears70]

^ What AssieBear said
If Pace has a bad FA period again this year or knocks it out of the park with some good signings. That all completely changes the draft.
Pace has said that they like to grab FA at the position of draft need so they can go BPA.

Pace has to know by now that WR is a weakness even with Meredith coming back. I expect another round of WR FAs. Hoping he sees that the last batch of bottom feeder means he will need to go against another of his plans. Going big in FA to sign a top available WR or look for a trade scenario.

To answer the OP though I want to trade back. A trade back makes taking a WR less of a reach. And if they go early grab the best OL.
But as stated... FA changes everything.

Well if the fans know WR is a huge need then Pace definitely knows so i'm sure WR will be at the top of his free agency list just like it's on the top of ours. I'm always down with trading down in any round as long as we're still rebuilding which we are of course. I think after this offseason we'll be very close to being a rebuilt team. We have a lot of starters on this team but we need those play makers to put around the starters now. Getting play makers at OLB, WR and ILB and maybe CB if we don't bring back Fuller back will be big for us and then hoping guys like E.Jackson, A.Shaheen, T.Cohen take that next step as well as J.Bullard and while i love what D.Trevathon does when he's healthy, he just can't be counted on to stay healthy so it would be nice to get a legit ILB as well. Maybe we can get N.Bowmann (especially if Fangio stays) or D.Davis in free agency.

As you and i and others have said, the draft all depends on what we do in free agency.

 

[Myk]

Just because he wasn't great at RT the one time he tried it early, doesn't mean he may not be VG there now. He's been a good run blocker and would be a great pass blocker on the right if he can flip his drop step effectively.

Didn't Long go from tackle to guard?