Oldfaithful
Hall of Famer
Yeah. I was bored. Mock time! The offseason stuff is mostly going to be the same.
Offseason
I am operating under the assumption that we tender everyone. Yes, even him. So yeah.
Resign
· CJ Mosley: Pay the man. He’s a key component of a super bowl caliber defense and is akin to having another coach on the field.
· Terrell Suggs: Highly doubt he leaves. Won’t be too expensive
· Nick Boyle: I love you Maxx, but Boyle is a better blocker and we rely on this heavily.
· Brent Urban: Rotation defensive lineman that’s good at everything? Sign me up. Won’t be expensive either.
Cut
· Eric Weddle: I love you, but it’s time to move on.
Compensatory Picks
· 3rd rounder for Ryan Jensen
Free Agency
HaHa Clinton-Dix
In this year’s “what the hell” moment at the trade deadline, the Packers traded their franchise safety in Clinton-Dix to the Redskins for pennies on the dollar, but in typical Redskins fashion, they did not think about the future at all. The Redskins cannot afford to keep him unless they have a massive purge on the roster. The better question is, why would he stay? Well, we do need a safety and Clinton-Dix fits the bill of what we need. He’s a playmaker in coverage, is smart, and has good ball skills, and is in his prime. Weddle was better than many gave him credit for, but Clinton-Dix is a game changer, and a move I could easily see us making.
Shaquil Barrett
You might go “who” but remember who he’s playing behind. Whenever he was on the field, whether as a run stuffer or as a pass rusher he was very good at applying pressure on the quarterback. Barrett is going to come for pennies on the dollar for this reason and this is the typical bargain bin shopping Ozzie was coveted for early in his career. This could be an example of something that turns out to be beautiful. Barrett goes way under the radar and could provide a nice supplementation.
Olsen Pierre, DE
Pierre is a situational pass rusher through and through who is an abysmal fit in a 4-3 like the Cardinals are playing. He had 5.5 sacks 2017 which could serve us well.
Henry Anderson, DE
Anderson’s season was a bit of a fluke. He’s not as good of a pass rusher as people claim he is, but he is better than most of the guys we have on the roster. That said, he’s a high-level run defender. Having another Brent Urban on the roster is not a bad thing. Anderson likely comes at a more affordable price than some of his peers.
Now let’s get to the draft.
Round One: Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama
https://purpleflock.com/threads/958/#post-156574
Everything that you need to know about Josh Jacobs is in my first scouting report. Jacobs as a first rounder may seem absurd, especially with the amount of running backs you can find later, but Jacobs is a different breed of running back. He’s smooth, he’s powerful, and he’s smart. This isn’t just getting Lamar Jackson a weapon that we can run the offense through, this pick is an identity pick. One that shows the world that we are going to commit to running the ball down the defense’s throat. Most importantly, Jacobs is a guy Greg Roman is going to have fun with. Jacobs alone creates several mismatches and problems for opposing defenses. If you want to run read options, they suddenly become more dangerous because of Jacobs’ run blocking abilities. Same goes for two back sets. Two back sets suddenly become a nightmare for defenses to prep for because Jacobs can flex out to wide receiver and is a good route runner. Jacobs may not be an athletically dominant back, but he could be a consistent 1000-yard rusher for the next decade in a similar fashion to Frank Gore, Marcus Allen, and Curtis Martin before him. None of these names were particularly dominant athletes, but they were all consistently good for about a decade hence their spot in the hall of fame, Frank Gore being a future hall of famer. Josh Jacobs, if he can stay healthy, is a guy I could see doing that.
Round Three: Erik McCoy, C, Texas A & M.
Some people may think it’s crazy, but McCoy seems to have two opinions. Either he goes high in the second, or he goes in the fifth round (Matt Miller). I think this is a good spot for him. McCoy isn’t the best C in this class. He lacks the flash Michael Jordan, or Jenkins do. But he looks like the C version of Ronnie Stanley. He’s good at everything, he’s a good athlete, and he’s scheme versatile, but he’s not dominant in any one facet, or a freak of nature athletically. But what really gets McCoy high remarks from me is his intelligence and is scheme versatility. In my opinion, Jenkins is a better prospect as a C, but McCoy is a better scheme fit. He excels with pulls and traps, he’s strong enough to blast open holes if need be, and he’s mobile enough to run stretch zone concepts(this will come into play later on). McCoy has a pro bowl ceiling and is a guy who is easily going to be better than Matt Skura on day one. Some may complain about not having a receiver here for Lamar, but getting him protection comes first. I also think that this solidifies the offensive line, at least in 2019. I think Bradley Bozeman is a much better fit a G. He’s not immobile, but Bozeman is a good down blocker and we’d have to rely on the LG less for pulling. Josh Jacobs establishes this team’s identity, Erik McCoy gets this team to run a real offense, and not have to rely on Greg Roman to scheme out of any deficiencies. A line of Stanley-Bozeman-McCoy-Yanda-Brown has the potential to be a top 5 offensive line. If you have that line with Josh Jacobs, and everyone stays healthy, Jacobs could run away with the offensive rookie of the year award, literally. And stuff like that, not a receiving corps, is what is going to get this team to the playoffs in 2019.
Round Three(comp): Trysten Hill, DL, UCF
Thank you to @Edgar for pointing me onto this guy. Though I disagree with you heavily as to where he goes. Hill is a guy who I think blows up the combine, and because of that I think he’s going to go earlier. Not much earlier, but earlier nonetheless. Which is a good thing for us since Hill’s talent is undeniable, though he needs some polish. This wouldn’t be the first time we’ve taken a raw athlete and have turned him into a quality defensive lineman. See Michael Pierce, Willie Henry, Art Jones, Brent Urban, and the beat goes on. Hill’s first step is more explosive than Henry’s and he looks like he has comparable strength to Pierce, which should be a terrifying proposition for any offensive coordinator if he can ever develop. Personally, I think if he goes here he turns into a quality option. If there’s something we do really well, it’s develop defensive linemen.
Round Four: Terry McLaurin, WR, Ohio State
Terry McLaurin is a guy who falls under the radar because his athletic-freak teammate Parris Campbell gets all the attention and will likely go much higher than McLaurin in the draft. I like Parris Campbell and would not complain if we drafted him in the third round were he to fall to there. I just think McLaurin is a better player. McLaurin’s route running was put on display during senior bowl practice. He’s not a contested catches machine by any means, but he routinely can make difficult catches in tight coverage and is as good at separating as any player I’ve ever scouted. He’s just polished. His downside is that he’s not a particularly great athlete, which hinders him in my eyes. But not in a negative enough context. I think he does poorly at the combine, and falls to round four, which is a shame because personally I have a second round grade on him. He can get separation, makes tough catches, is a solid deep threat, can track the ball well, is a good route runner. He’s not an impressive athlete, but I think at the next level he’s a good #2 wide receiver because of his polish, and someone Lamar Jackson could really use as a safety valve. You can get yourself an explosive playmaker at the wide receiver position next year, there’s going to be plenty, but McLaurin as a receiver is a piece that can really help a young quarterback grow. He reminds me a lot of a Robert Woods type.
Round Four: Nate Davis, OG, Charlotte
You want your replacement to Marshal Yanda? Here is your replacement to Marshal Yanda. I really like Davis. He looks like a dominant run blocker, but really struggles in pass protection. He’s a guy that plays outside of his natural position, but still needs significant work done to him from a technical perspective. If Yanda decides to play another season, which I hope he does, this works out for the best. Davis could use his year on the bench to develop and when Yanda does decide to hang it up, Davis is ready to take over. It’s a win-win, and Davis has the tools to become a dominant guard at the next level anyways.
Round Five: Myles Gaskin, RB, Washington
It may seem absurd to draft two running backs, but I don’t think so. Kenneth Dixon is never healthy, Ty Montgomery, Buck Allen and Alex Collins are unlikely to return, and Gus Edwards is so obviously a product of the system and is really more of a complimentary piece anyways. Gaskin provides something we don’t have at the running back position even if we draft Josh Jacobs. Gaskin is a sparkplug. Josh Jacobs is smooth and shifty, with some power. Gaskin is different. Gaskin can put his shoulder down and has more power than people give him credit for, but Gaskin is electric in the open field. I find it absurd that he’s going in the sixth round in Matt Miller’s mock draft personally. Assuming that Dixon is hurt again, and that Montgomery, Allen, and Collins are unlikely to return, Edwards and Jacobs really lack companion that has breakaway speed. Sure, Lamar has that, but to preserve him we are likely going to be moving away from that slowly. Gaskin provides a nice change of pace from Jacobs and Edwards and would allow us to run more stretch zone looks. Since Jacobs has proven himself to several as a run blocker, this merely provides us with another weapon.
Round Six: Porter Gustin, OLB, USC
Poor Porter. What injuries have done to your stock is a crime. Now Miller and others have you as a later round pick due to injury history. That’s fine. This is a moment where your stock decline has a positive impact on the organization.
Round Six: Jaylen Smith, WR, Lousiville
If we are being totally honest here, I think Smith should be undrafted, but this is something we do that makes Lamar happy. Smith has issues with his hands and he’s not particularly good at anything, but he does have chemistry with Lamar back in their college days and at worst he should be decent depth.
Offseason
I am operating under the assumption that we tender everyone. Yes, even him. So yeah.
Resign
· CJ Mosley: Pay the man. He’s a key component of a super bowl caliber defense and is akin to having another coach on the field.
· Terrell Suggs: Highly doubt he leaves. Won’t be too expensive
· Nick Boyle: I love you Maxx, but Boyle is a better blocker and we rely on this heavily.
· Brent Urban: Rotation defensive lineman that’s good at everything? Sign me up. Won’t be expensive either.
Cut
· Eric Weddle: I love you, but it’s time to move on.
Compensatory Picks
· 3rd rounder for Ryan Jensen
Free Agency
HaHa Clinton-Dix
In this year’s “what the hell” moment at the trade deadline, the Packers traded their franchise safety in Clinton-Dix to the Redskins for pennies on the dollar, but in typical Redskins fashion, they did not think about the future at all. The Redskins cannot afford to keep him unless they have a massive purge on the roster. The better question is, why would he stay? Well, we do need a safety and Clinton-Dix fits the bill of what we need. He’s a playmaker in coverage, is smart, and has good ball skills, and is in his prime. Weddle was better than many gave him credit for, but Clinton-Dix is a game changer, and a move I could easily see us making.
Shaquil Barrett
You might go “who” but remember who he’s playing behind. Whenever he was on the field, whether as a run stuffer or as a pass rusher he was very good at applying pressure on the quarterback. Barrett is going to come for pennies on the dollar for this reason and this is the typical bargain bin shopping Ozzie was coveted for early in his career. This could be an example of something that turns out to be beautiful. Barrett goes way under the radar and could provide a nice supplementation.
Olsen Pierre, DE
Pierre is a situational pass rusher through and through who is an abysmal fit in a 4-3 like the Cardinals are playing. He had 5.5 sacks 2017 which could serve us well.
Henry Anderson, DE
Anderson’s season was a bit of a fluke. He’s not as good of a pass rusher as people claim he is, but he is better than most of the guys we have on the roster. That said, he’s a high-level run defender. Having another Brent Urban on the roster is not a bad thing. Anderson likely comes at a more affordable price than some of his peers.
Now let’s get to the draft.
Round One: Josh Jacobs, RB, Alabama
https://purpleflock.com/threads/958/#post-156574
Everything that you need to know about Josh Jacobs is in my first scouting report. Jacobs as a first rounder may seem absurd, especially with the amount of running backs you can find later, but Jacobs is a different breed of running back. He’s smooth, he’s powerful, and he’s smart. This isn’t just getting Lamar Jackson a weapon that we can run the offense through, this pick is an identity pick. One that shows the world that we are going to commit to running the ball down the defense’s throat. Most importantly, Jacobs is a guy Greg Roman is going to have fun with. Jacobs alone creates several mismatches and problems for opposing defenses. If you want to run read options, they suddenly become more dangerous because of Jacobs’ run blocking abilities. Same goes for two back sets. Two back sets suddenly become a nightmare for defenses to prep for because Jacobs can flex out to wide receiver and is a good route runner. Jacobs may not be an athletically dominant back, but he could be a consistent 1000-yard rusher for the next decade in a similar fashion to Frank Gore, Marcus Allen, and Curtis Martin before him. None of these names were particularly dominant athletes, but they were all consistently good for about a decade hence their spot in the hall of fame, Frank Gore being a future hall of famer. Josh Jacobs, if he can stay healthy, is a guy I could see doing that.
Round Three: Erik McCoy, C, Texas A & M.
Some people may think it’s crazy, but McCoy seems to have two opinions. Either he goes high in the second, or he goes in the fifth round (Matt Miller). I think this is a good spot for him. McCoy isn’t the best C in this class. He lacks the flash Michael Jordan, or Jenkins do. But he looks like the C version of Ronnie Stanley. He’s good at everything, he’s a good athlete, and he’s scheme versatile, but he’s not dominant in any one facet, or a freak of nature athletically. But what really gets McCoy high remarks from me is his intelligence and is scheme versatility. In my opinion, Jenkins is a better prospect as a C, but McCoy is a better scheme fit. He excels with pulls and traps, he’s strong enough to blast open holes if need be, and he’s mobile enough to run stretch zone concepts(this will come into play later on). McCoy has a pro bowl ceiling and is a guy who is easily going to be better than Matt Skura on day one. Some may complain about not having a receiver here for Lamar, but getting him protection comes first. I also think that this solidifies the offensive line, at least in 2019. I think Bradley Bozeman is a much better fit a G. He’s not immobile, but Bozeman is a good down blocker and we’d have to rely on the LG less for pulling. Josh Jacobs establishes this team’s identity, Erik McCoy gets this team to run a real offense, and not have to rely on Greg Roman to scheme out of any deficiencies. A line of Stanley-Bozeman-McCoy-Yanda-Brown has the potential to be a top 5 offensive line. If you have that line with Josh Jacobs, and everyone stays healthy, Jacobs could run away with the offensive rookie of the year award, literally. And stuff like that, not a receiving corps, is what is going to get this team to the playoffs in 2019.
Round Three(comp): Trysten Hill, DL, UCF
Thank you to @Edgar for pointing me onto this guy. Though I disagree with you heavily as to where he goes. Hill is a guy who I think blows up the combine, and because of that I think he’s going to go earlier. Not much earlier, but earlier nonetheless. Which is a good thing for us since Hill’s talent is undeniable, though he needs some polish. This wouldn’t be the first time we’ve taken a raw athlete and have turned him into a quality defensive lineman. See Michael Pierce, Willie Henry, Art Jones, Brent Urban, and the beat goes on. Hill’s first step is more explosive than Henry’s and he looks like he has comparable strength to Pierce, which should be a terrifying proposition for any offensive coordinator if he can ever develop. Personally, I think if he goes here he turns into a quality option. If there’s something we do really well, it’s develop defensive linemen.
Round Four: Terry McLaurin, WR, Ohio State
Terry McLaurin is a guy who falls under the radar because his athletic-freak teammate Parris Campbell gets all the attention and will likely go much higher than McLaurin in the draft. I like Parris Campbell and would not complain if we drafted him in the third round were he to fall to there. I just think McLaurin is a better player. McLaurin’s route running was put on display during senior bowl practice. He’s not a contested catches machine by any means, but he routinely can make difficult catches in tight coverage and is as good at separating as any player I’ve ever scouted. He’s just polished. His downside is that he’s not a particularly great athlete, which hinders him in my eyes. But not in a negative enough context. I think he does poorly at the combine, and falls to round four, which is a shame because personally I have a second round grade on him. He can get separation, makes tough catches, is a solid deep threat, can track the ball well, is a good route runner. He’s not an impressive athlete, but I think at the next level he’s a good #2 wide receiver because of his polish, and someone Lamar Jackson could really use as a safety valve. You can get yourself an explosive playmaker at the wide receiver position next year, there’s going to be plenty, but McLaurin as a receiver is a piece that can really help a young quarterback grow. He reminds me a lot of a Robert Woods type.
Round Four: Nate Davis, OG, Charlotte
You want your replacement to Marshal Yanda? Here is your replacement to Marshal Yanda. I really like Davis. He looks like a dominant run blocker, but really struggles in pass protection. He’s a guy that plays outside of his natural position, but still needs significant work done to him from a technical perspective. If Yanda decides to play another season, which I hope he does, this works out for the best. Davis could use his year on the bench to develop and when Yanda does decide to hang it up, Davis is ready to take over. It’s a win-win, and Davis has the tools to become a dominant guard at the next level anyways.
Round Five: Myles Gaskin, RB, Washington
It may seem absurd to draft two running backs, but I don’t think so. Kenneth Dixon is never healthy, Ty Montgomery, Buck Allen and Alex Collins are unlikely to return, and Gus Edwards is so obviously a product of the system and is really more of a complimentary piece anyways. Gaskin provides something we don’t have at the running back position even if we draft Josh Jacobs. Gaskin is a sparkplug. Josh Jacobs is smooth and shifty, with some power. Gaskin is different. Gaskin can put his shoulder down and has more power than people give him credit for, but Gaskin is electric in the open field. I find it absurd that he’s going in the sixth round in Matt Miller’s mock draft personally. Assuming that Dixon is hurt again, and that Montgomery, Allen, and Collins are unlikely to return, Edwards and Jacobs really lack companion that has breakaway speed. Sure, Lamar has that, but to preserve him we are likely going to be moving away from that slowly. Gaskin provides a nice change of pace from Jacobs and Edwards and would allow us to run more stretch zone looks. Since Jacobs has proven himself to several as a run blocker, this merely provides us with another weapon.
Round Six: Porter Gustin, OLB, USC
Poor Porter. What injuries have done to your stock is a crime. Now Miller and others have you as a later round pick due to injury history. That’s fine. This is a moment where your stock decline has a positive impact on the organization.
Round Six: Jaylen Smith, WR, Lousiville
If we are being totally honest here, I think Smith should be undrafted, but this is something we do that makes Lamar happy. Smith has issues with his hands and he’s not particularly good at anything, but he does have chemistry with Lamar back in their college days and at worst he should be decent depth.
