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The 2021 Offseason Thread

And here's my 53 man roster guess as of now:

QB (3): Jackson, Huntley, McSorley*
RB (4): Dobbins, Edwards, Hill, Ricard (FB)
WR (6): Brown, Watkins, Bateman*, Duvernay, Wallace, Proche
TE (3): Andrews, Boyle, Oliver
OL (9): Stanley, Cleveland, Bozeman, Zeitler, Villanueva, Mekari, Phillips, Colon, Bredeson
DL (5): Campbell, Williams, Wolfe, Madubuike, Washington
OLB (6): Houston, Bowser, McPhee, Oweh, Hayes, Ferguson
ILB (4): Queen, Harrison, Fort, Board
CB (6): Humphrey, Peters, Smith, Young, Averett, Wade
S (4): Clark, Elliott, Stephens, Stone
ST (3): Tucker, Koch, Moore

*McSorley and Bateman both make the original 53, but go to IR shortly thereafter. Justin Ellis and Anthony Levine are cut as vested vets and return to the roster.

Last 3 in:
  1. Ben Bredeson - I think his performance the other night was a feather in his cap. I wasn't sure there was anything there but he looked to be one of the most competent of the iOL options.
  2. Jaylon Ferguson - I would have had him out just a few days ago but injuries have opened the roster space for him to stick around. He looks a lot leaner and I imagine they want to see that project through, even if it's as a weekly inactive.
  3. Geno Stone - I still think this could go a number of different ways, but Stone gets the nod due to his appearance on the 1st ST units.

First 5 out:
  1. Chris Westry - I think they'd like to keep him, but not sure there's a role unless injuries hit. Not going to be a defensive option and there are probably better STers. But he's my 1st one out.
  2. Miles Boykin - I'm not convinced they're done with Boykin either, but he's on the outside looking in right now until he can get back on the field and try to earn a spot.
  3. Ben Powers - Just an ugly showing the other night. Still think there's a chance for him but he's going to have to put out better tape if he wants to stick.
  4. Aaron Crawford - He quietly put up a really good performance the other night and could oust Justin Ellis at some point. Still think he's safe on the PS but could become a rotational option at some point this season.
  5. Kristian Welch - Not a household name but played a lot of ST for us last season. Could see him being the type of guy that goes to the PS, gets elevated, and eventually finds a spot on the 53 one the space opens.
 
And here's my 53 man roster guess as of now:

QB (3): Jackson, Huntley, McSorley*
RB (4): Dobbins, Edwards, Hill, Ricard (FB)
WR (6): Brown, Watkins, Bateman*, Duvernay, Wallace, Proche
TE (3): Andrews, Boyle, Oliver
OL (9): Stanley, Cleveland, Bozeman, Zeitler, Villanueva, Mekari, Phillips, Colon, Bredeson
DL (5): Campbell, Williams, Wolfe, Madubuike, Washington
OLB (6): Houston, Bowser, McPhee, Oweh, Hayes, Ferguson
ILB (4): Queen, Harrison, Fort, Board
CB (6): Humphrey, Peters, Smith, Young, Averett, Wade
S (4): Clark, Elliott, Stephens, Stone
ST (3): Tucker, Koch, Moore

*McSorley and Bateman both make the original 53, but go to IR shortly thereafter. Justin Ellis and Anthony Levine are cut as vested vets and return to the roster.

Last 3 in:
  1. Ben Bredeson - I think his performance the other night was a feather in his cap. I wasn't sure there was anything there but he looked to be one of the most competent of the iOL options.
  2. Jaylon Ferguson - I would have had him out just a few days ago but injuries have opened the roster space for him to stick around. He looks a lot leaner and I imagine they want to see that project through, even if it's as a weekly inactive.
  3. Geno Stone - I still think this could go a number of different ways, but Stone gets the nod due to his appearance on the 1st ST units.

First 5 out:
  1. Chris Westry - I think they'd like to keep him, but not sure there's a role unless injuries hit. Not going to be a defensive option and there are probably better STers. But he's my 1st one out.
  2. Miles Boykin - I'm not convinced they're done with Boykin either, but he's on the outside looking in right now until he can get back on the field and try to earn a spot.
  3. Ben Powers - Just an ugly showing the other night. Still think there's a chance for him but he's going to have to put out better tape if he wants to stick.
  4. Aaron Crawford - He quietly put up a really good performance the other night and could oust Justin Ellis at some point. Still think he's safe on the PS but could become a rotational option at some point this season.
  5. Kristian Welch - Not a household name but played a lot of ST for us last season. Could see him being the type of guy that goes to the PS, gets elevated, and eventually finds a spot on the 53 one the space opens.
I'd like to see you update this with each preseason game, if you get a chance. I'd like to see Ar'darius Washington make the team, but do feel the appearance on 1st st unit is a big deal. Although both Stone and Washington had good games the other night.
 
I'd like to see you update this with each preseason game, if you get a chance. I'd like to see Ar'darius Washington make the team, but do feel the appearance on 1st st unit is a big deal. Although both Stone and Washington had good games the other night.

Me too. That would be awesome from him (Simba)

I do feel like if Washington was one or two steps closer to getting the INT and pick six, he would be way higher up on everyone’s list of keeps
 
I'd like to see you update this with each preseason game, if you get a chance. I'd like to see Ar'darius Washington make the team, but do feel the appearance on 1st st unit is a big deal. Although both Stone and Washington had good games the other night.

Probably what will end up happening, but to note it'll be more about who is running with certain units and such and less about game by game performance.

Washington is an interesting case though. Was clearly at the back of the rotation but still got a lot of time. Had some flashes but I also some saw tweets that he was responsible for a couple blown coverages. Also didn't get much ST time (only 3 snaps) which doesn't bode well for him. But if he can do enough at S and start to get into the game sooner, I wouldn't count it out.
 
Beyond just the 53, it'll be interesting to see how the PS is constructed this year, at least off the bat. We have some positions that have prime PS candidates and some that have none.

Young guys likely vying for a spot there:
QB Bahar (with McSorley's injury), RB Williams, RB McCrary, TE Wolf, TE Poljan, WR Cain, WR Moore, WR Victor, OL Ealy, OL Sarell, DL Crawford, DL Swann, ILB Welch, CB Westry, CB Dorsey, DB Warrior, S Stone, S Washington

And we can still keep up to 6 vets and these guys are probably on the edge:
TE Tomlinson, OLB Smith, S Richards

With the names on the roster, we'd have virtually no one at iOL or OLB on the PS unless they want to go the vet route there. Almost an overabundance of options at WR and DB so not all of those guys are going to end up on the PS.

with the way the special teams snaps were handed out on saturday night - im not sure that westry and stone aren't prime candidates for back end of the 53 - not sure they're gonna need to vie for PS spots lol
 
I thought Averett was a 3rd round pick coming out of 'bama and feel he has turned into a dependable player who has improved every year. I could also see him starting on most teams in the league.

I agree with both you and @rossihunter2 that I wouldn't take the 5th rounder for this year as he's much more useful to have him on the roster this year.

i was even higher - had a late 2nd round grade on him
 
And not just for Washington, but for nearly everyone in the competition, pay attention to the ST snaps. You aren't going to be a backup on this team unless you offer ability on ST.

People think Ty'Son Williams has a chance to unseat Justice Hill... Williams played 2 ST snaps. McCrary played none. Those types of things factor.
 
with the way the special teams snaps were handed out on saturday night - im not sure that westry and stone aren't prime candidates for back end of the 53 - not sure they're gonna need to vie for PS spots lol

Oh I agree. They're definitely giving Westry in particular every opportunity to stick. Just not sure he's good enough on ST based on game 1. Saw him get stymied at the line as a gunner twice.
 
First 5 out:
  1. Chris Westry - I think they'd like to keep him, but not sure there's a role unless injuries hit. Not going to be a defensive option and there are probably better STers. But he's my 1st one out.
  2. Miles Boykin - I'm not convinced they're done with Boykin either, but he's on the outside looking in right now until he can get back on the field and try to earn a spot.
  3. Ben Powers - Just an ugly showing the other night. Still think there's a chance for him but he's going to have to put out better tape if he wants to stick.
  4. Aaron Crawford - He quietly put up a really good performance the other night and could oust Justin Ellis at some point. Still think he's safe on the PS but could become a rotational option at some point this season.
  5. Kristian Welch - Not a household name but played a lot of ST for us last season. Could see him being the type of guy that goes to the PS, gets elevated, and eventually finds a spot on the 53 one the space opens.

with westry it's interesting because he's not typically-sized for a special teamer - but its always telling who plays the first team special teams snaps (same as with your comments about geno making the roster) and westry was the first team gunner on saturday and was only taken out of that role later in the game once most of the starters at other positions were long gone... maybe they're fact-finding with him and seeing if he's got anything but for most of the first half it was him and averett at gunner

boykin's got a shot with bateman now going down but i just dont know that he's good enough at special teams to justify keeping him on the roster - he's a good blocker but sammy watkins and tylan wallace are also good blockers (they were even having tylan do some blocking with him almost lined up inside...)

im with you on powers - thought he was basically a lock until i saw last night's tape - of the guys with a chance to make it he stood out as being the worst by a very large amount at both guard and tackle

crawford's definitely a practice squad guy - think ellis showed out better than him but crawford's a guy that it's often reported that the coaching staff likes a lot so he'll stick and he showed some nice things in preseason

kristian welch is the kind of guy who nobody puts on the roster because it feels like there isn't space but will make it somehow anyway - was really good on special teams last year when he was elevated but you might also be right that he's the kind of guy who gets elevated mid-season due to injuries and never gives up his spot because of his special teams

if i were to re-order them on likelihood to make the team at this point im probably going: Westry, Welch, Powers, Boykin, Crawford
 
I'd like to see you update this with each preseason game, if you get a chance. I'd like to see Ar'darius Washington make the team, but do feel the appearance on 1st st unit is a big deal. Although both Stone and Washington had good games the other night.

i really want washington to force his way on but he'll need to get snaps earlier in the preseason games for me to predict him to make it at this point - he only played in the 2nd half in preseason 1 - he played well enough to earn an opportunity to play earlier in preseason 2 and 3 but he'll have to force the issue with unignorable play especially with how stacked the secondary (and even the backup secondary) is
 
Probably what will end up happening, but to note it'll be more about who is running with certain units and such and less about game by game performance.

Washington is an interesting case though. Was clearly at the back of the rotation but still got a lot of time. Had some flashes but I also some saw tweets that he was responsible for a couple blown coverages. Also didn't get much ST time (only 3 snaps) which doesn't bode well for him. But if he can do enough at S and start to get into the game sooner, I wouldn't count it out.

i think he blew the first play he was in when the saints ran something a little inventive but then settled into the game - i havent been able to watch any of the 2nd half but saw some tweets about it too

lack of special teams might be the death knell for him making the 53 this year and he's the kind of guy who had enough attention pre-draft and as a udfa that he's someone who could legitimately get claimed on waivers if we release him

if im honest he'd be the perfect stubbed toe phantom i/r candidate and see you in 2022 type guy
 
And not just for Washington, but for nearly everyone in the competition, pay attention to the ST snaps. You aren't going to be a backup on this team unless you offer ability on ST.

People think Ty'Son Williams has a chance to unseat Justice Hill... Williams played 2 ST snaps. McCrary played none. Those types of things factor.

the only reason i could see ty'son williams unseating hill is because hill's ST snaps get taken by other guys at other positions - hill's not an amazing special teamer but he is versatile and willing and at this point fairly experienced - but if there are lots of guys who are better than him on special teams i could see that RB 3 role come down to running instead again

but it is much more likely that hill's special teams get him in
 
the only reason i could see ty'son williams unseating hill is because hill's ST snaps get taken by other guys at other positions - hill's not an amazing special teamer but he is versatile and willing and at this point fairly experienced - but if there are lots of guys who are better than him on special teams i could see that RB 3 role come down to running instead again

but it is much more likely that hill's special teams get him in

ST is always so hard to predict, but you'll likely be looking at some combo of the following on the different units as more core guys:

Hill, Duvernay, Proche, Wallace, Oweh, Hayes, Harrison, Fort, Board, Averett, Wade, Levine, Stone, Stephens

Obviously skews a lot more toward the defensive side of the ball, but that's 14 guys for 9-10 slots of the respective units. So you can conceivably have a non-ST contributor on the roster but it's much more likely they end up as an inactive than one of the 48 on gameday. That's where it's hard for a gameday. Do you keep a guy like Williams and dress him and never play him, or do you keep a guy like Hill and dress him knowing he can provide some value on ST while Williams is on the PS? I'd lean toward the latter. But it's not totally out of the question I guess.

And not just on these 2 guys in particular... same goes for other positions as well.
 
holy shit guys they genuinely had Oweh at gunner on a punt lol - took on the double-team and got downfield haha

it's unfair how athletic he is at that size lol
Dont like this. We should not be putting Oweh in a position to get hurt on special teams. He looks like hes going to be a very good pass rusher.
 
ST is always so hard to predict, but you'll likely be looking at some combo of the following on the different units as more core guys:

Hill, Duvernay, Proche, Wallace, Oweh, Hayes, Harrison, Fort, Board, Averett, Wade, Levine, Stone, Stephens

Obviously skews a lot more toward the defensive side of the ball, but that's 14 guys for 9-10 slots of the respective units. So you can conceivably have a non-ST contributor on the roster but it's much more likely they end up as an inactive than one of the 48 on gameday. That's where it's hard for a gameday. Do you keep a guy like Williams and dress him and never play him, or do you keep a guy like Hill and dress him knowing he can provide some value on ST while Williams is on the PS? I'd lean toward the latter. But it's not totally out of the question I guess.

And not just on these 2 guys in particular... same goes for other positions as well.

yeah i lean that way too - just pointing out a scenario in which it's possible it makes sense for them to allow an open RB 3 competition

not sure proche and wallace will play a ton of ST snaps - but Ricard will, and whoever of richards, westry, welch makes the team will too...
 
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