Right Tackle and Free Safety
 

Good morning folks, as the dust settles from free agency and as I peruse our roster I see 2 gaping holes at starting spots still on vacant on the team. Right tackle and free safety positions have been severe problems for way too long on this team and with the remaining market available its wont be solved be this method.

The draft is thin at Free, but at Tackle there are many versatile players available in the college ranks, but none seem talented enough for a top 5 pick.

I would still keep my eye on Goldson in Tampa to see if he will be released. While Im not a huge fan, he is talented enough to start and be productive in this league on a 1 year deal. Stevie Brown has connections here, he is another I would at least bring in to gauge interest.

Right Tackle, Barksdale is still available and probably the most talented free agent left. Where above I would settle for Goldson as talented enough to still be productive, I dont see it in Barksdale with what his price is gonna command. I think we need to spend at least our 2nd round pick on Right Tackle.


Its frustrating for the last 5 years we seem to have the same discussions for these same damn positions. Whats your plan at these starting spots for 2015?

Re: Right Tackle and Free Safety
 

Sure, an upgrade at Right Tackle is needed, but the 82 Hogs couldn't block for our starting QB. Bad QBs get sacked behind any line.

See Jason Campbell. Constantly under pressure, O-line blamed incessantly. Insert Todd Collins (not exactly a future hall of famer) and the pressure miraculously goes away.

The Line will play better when there's a capable QB behind them.

Re: Right Tackle and Free Safety
 

[quote=44Deezel;1109650]Sure, an upgrade at Right Tackle is needed, but the 82 Hogs couldn't block for our starting QB. Bad QBs get sacked behind any line.

See Jason Campbell. Constantly under pressure, O-line blamed incessantly. Insert Todd Collins (not exactly a future hall of famer) and the pressure miraculously goes away.

The Line will play better when there's a capable QB behind them.[/quote]

But who is your starter, Compton? You bringing back Polumbus?

Re: Right Tackle and Free Safety
 

My 2015 plan:

FS - Bandaid on 1 year contract. Draft FS in 3rd or 4th Round. Also, have Amerson or Breeland compete for that position if DHall can go at CB.

RT - Draft. Trade down in 1st Round or trade up into mid first round to get one. Our 2nd round pick will be too late to get a starting-quality player. Try Xavier Nixon at RT, as well.

Re: Right Tackle and Free Safety
 

Personally I am more alarmed that we have no starting QB that we can count on.

Re: Right Tackle and Free Safety
 

How about a blockibg TE? Sign Housler.

Re: Right Tackle and Free Safety
 

[quote=SFREDSKIN;1109656]How about a blockibg TE? Sign Housler.[/quote]

Fred tighten up, trying to focus on actual starters, which right now we have a full stable of TEs. And Housler is a pass catching TE, not really known for his blocking.

Re: Right Tackle and Free Safety
 

Trade down and draft Brandon Scherff in the first round.
Move Hall or Amerson to safety.
Problem solved.
But I would get more serious about safety next year.

Re: Right Tackle and Free Safety
 

RT - compton/polumbus

FS - thomas/duke/vet added late after roster trimming


there doesnt seem to be any real starting caliber options at FS and id rather wait another year than force a multi year deal on a player we dont really want.

next year is not a contending year so there is no urgency to force a move.

Re: Right Tackle and Free Safety
 

[quote=Alvin Walton;1109661]Trade down and draft Brandon Scherff in the first round.
Move Hall or Amerson to safety.
Problem solved.
But I would get more serious about safety next year.[/quote]

I dont think Hall would be a good fit for safety. I just dont see him being anywhere near physical enough to play in the middle of the field and running down hill to hit someone.

Hall is great at tracking the ball in the air and adjusting his body but has he slowed down so that he cant do that sideline to sideline?

Amerson has the size i could see him getting caught looking into the back field way too often and forgetting/missing assignments. i could see a lot of balls completed over the top bc amerson was caught looking in.

Re: Right Tackle and Free Safety
 

[quote=Alvin Walton;1109661]Trade down and draft Brandon Scherff in the first round.
[B]Move Hall or Amerson to safety.[/B]
Problem solved.
But I would get more serious about safety next year.[/quote]

People talk about DHall's lack of size being a detriment at FS but I look at his skill set. He has the ability to cover a lot of ground as well as exceptional ball skills to make a play when he gets there. He also has a nose for the ball when it's on the ground and he can return a turnover all the way to the house. I think we could possibly get some game-changing plays by moving DHall to FS. He certainly has the knowledge and experience to quickly make the transition.

Re: Right Tackle and Free Safety
 

[quote=over the mountain;1109663]RT - compton/[B]polumbus[/B]

FS - thomas/duke/vet added late after roster trimming


there doesnt seem to be any real starting caliber options at FS and id rather wait another year than force a multi year deal on a player we dont really want.

next year is not a contending year so there is no urgency to force a move.[/quote]

Polumbus?! Please change your location from "close to the edge" to "gone over the edge".

Re: Right Tackle and Free Safety
 

I think succumbing to the natural tendency to solve every roster spot in the first season is how you get yourself into trouble. Scot McCloughan has laid out a clear vision for the kind of player he wants on this team: eats sleeps breathes football, bigger is better though not the end all be all, has an incredible passion inside to be great, build from the trenches out, etc.

The last thing you want to do is bastardize that vision just because you have a need. I wouldn't just pick up the next best safety or RT to fill a hole. I would accept that in 2015 we're going to have a hole or two.

I would stay McCloughan's course. Continue bringing in free agents for visits. Continue to interview them and assess their inner passion and inner drive. Continue watching tape until I get a headache. And continue calling their high school coaches to get a sense of their character.

And if after doing all that I still haven't found a FS or RT who I think is a diamond in the rough, then I roll with Compton and Phillip Thomas.

The goal is not to make the playoffs this year. The goal is to win a Super Bowl sometime in the intermediate future.

Re: Right Tackle and Free Safety
 

We keep having these discussions b/c: (1) We haven't drafted to address the need - or when we have it didn't pan out immediately (Morgan); and (2) the free-agent market for these positions the last couple of years has been either pay big early or pick through a bunch of Just-A-Guys. On top of that, there didn't seem to be a plan in place for addressing problem areas.

We made a play for Rolle, he went elsewhere. It seemed like the marquee names at safety were at SS not FS. At tackle, outside of Baluga, who is there that is a definite upgrade over Polumbus? I agree, Compton doesn't look like the answer, but is there any reason to believe Barksdale is either?

I think we [I]should[/I] have spent money last year to address the FS position - not Byrd but one of the other guys getting $5-6M/yr. At tackle, they drafted a guy lots of folks wanted to take a round earlier and who was, as I remember, the best tackle on the board at the time. Still keeping my fingers crossed.

Don't know why these two positions are so difficult to fill but, in truth, every team has problem areas. By definition, every team can't have above average starters at every position. Just like every team has some above average starters, they are going to have some below average starters as well. We just keep getting stuck with them at these two positions.

Re: Right Tackle and Free Safety
 

^ good point Schneed, I think there were some really really bad contracts for Right Tackle in Free Agency this year. I mean really terrible

Last year, remember the Jarius Byrd contract for the best free agent Free Safety? horrible mistake which has cost the Saints on the field as well as this year in free agency.

Sure I expected us not to fill every hole this year, but we still need starters.

Im convinced Doug Free would have been a Redskin if he didnt resign in Dallas. And I think McC has a Free Safety eyed in the draft.