2013 Starting Lineup

[HowAboutThemCowboys]

So pretty much the same thing again. You know we they are going to have key injuries, you know that some players are going to under perform, we know Redball's offense will still be high stats with low results and we now know there is a very very VERY good chance Romo will get them close only to throw it away in the end. A couple of draft picks a FA signing won't change much.

All good reasons to be optimist

[JeffInDC]

If Jerry is actually serious about making changes (maybe he finally has been embarrassed enough), I would love to see a 2013 Opening Day Lineup something like this:

Offense:

WR - Dez
LT - Smith
LG - Warmack/Cooper/Barrett Jones
C - Barrett Jones/Bernadeau/Costa/FA
RG - Livings/Bernadeau/Free
RT - Parnell/FA/Free
TE - Witten/Hanna/Rookie
WR - Miles/FA Speedster (Harris in the SLOT)
QB - Romo
FB - Vickers
RB - Murray


Defense:

LE - Rat
NT - FA/Brandon Williams
RE - Hatch
SOLB - Spencer
SILB - Lee
WILB - Carter
WOLB - Ware
CB - Carr
CB - Claiborne
SS - Church
FS - Phillip Thomas

Rookies are in italics

[xwalker]

Originally Posted by Woods

Nice analysis, but I think we have to get 1 OL via FA.

I don't think we can get both Cooper and an OC in the Draft PLUS we still need to get depth/starter material behind Parnell via the Draft I presume.

Let's say we get 1 OG in FA. Then move Berny to OC. Use a 2nd rounder on another OG/RT. A guy who has the versatility to play both positions but can provide competition for Parnell Day 1.

I agree that we need to also get 1 DL via FA. And I like Rat's role as you described. It has to be more limited snaps.

I think we'll have to use a 4th rounder on a RB as well.

Thanks for the input.

Yes, the next step up from this basic lineup would be to look at a Free Agent OG and/or Safety. I like the idea of getting one of the Jets OGs. They should both be experts in Callahan's system. This would be a safer approach since Free Agency is before the draft.

I think that finding a future starter at Center in the draft should be a priority; although, I don't want to force the pick over a better player. It seems that OG and RT normally available in FA or later in the draft; whereas, Center is almost never available in FA and is very limited in the draft.

Jonathan Cooper started 1 game at Center in college. If he can play Center or Guard in the NFL, then I can't foresee a better pick at #18; although there is a chance that he gets picked earlier.

The best OG/OT in the draft is Dallas Thomas, IMO. He could go anywhere from mid-1st to mid-2nd.

I expect a RB to be drafted around the 3rd or 4th round. I didn't show it in this projection because I was trying to focus on the starting lineup.

.

[jterrell]

ok, i'll play.

The changes from the 2012 roster are:
All players healthy.
Two draft picks.
One mid-level Free Agent.

Offense
QB - Romo
LT – Smith
LG – Livings
OC – Costa
RG – Leary
RT - Lane Johnson R2 rookie
WR – Dez, Johnny Knox (Texas kid and mid-level FA signing; replaces Austin at low yr 1 price tag), Harris ---Austin cut
TE – Witten, Hanna (Hanna de facto 4th WR)
RB - Murray
FB – Vickers


Defense
OLB – Ware, Spencer
ILB – Lee, Carter
DE – Hatcher, Crawford
NT – Ratliff, Lissemore
CB – Carr, Claiborne, Scandrick
Safety – Eric Reid r1 rookie, Church/Sensy

Key depth:
Harris at WR/returner
Parnell as Swing OT,
Cook as back up C and emergency OT.
Bern as swing interior Back up OL.
Orton
Matt Johnson as nickel back.
Ernie Sims resigned as 3rd ILB while Connor released to save the cap hit. Sims is ~2m cheaper

Will project to have a r4-6 RB as back up for Murray.

To me that is a sure-fire playoff team ON PAPER.
Then again give me sean lee and bruce carter for 16 and this 2012 team is as well imho.

[cowboy_ron]

Originally Posted by jterrell

ok, i'll play.

The changes from the 2012 roster are:
All players healthy.
Two draft picks.
One mid-level Free Agent.

Offense
QB - Romo
LT – Smith
LG – Livings
OC – Costa
RG – Leary
RT - Lane Johnson R2 rookie
WR – Dez, Johnny Knox (Texas kid and mid-level FA signing; replaces Austin at low yr 1 price tag), Harris ---Austin cut
TE – Witten, Hanna (Hanna de facto 4th WR)
RB - Murray
FB – Vickers


Defense
OLB – Ware, Spencer
ILB – Lee, Carter
DE – Hatcher, Crawford
NT – Ratliff, Lissemore
CB – Carr, Claiborne, Scandrick
Safety – Eric Reid r1 rookie, Church/Sensy

Key depth:
Harris at WR/returner
Parnell as Swing OT,
Cook as back up C and emergency OT.
Bern as swing interior Back up OL.
Orton
[View Full Quote]Matt Johnson as nickel back.
Ernie Sims resigned as 3rd ILB while Connor released to save the cap hit. Sims is ~2m cheaper

Will project to have a r4-6 RB as back up for Murray.

To me that is a sure-fire playoff team ON PAPER.
Then again give me sean lee and bruce carter for 16 and this 2012 team is as well imho.

Johnny Knox was broke in half last year..doubt he ever plays again


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15-yQO01Uwc

[jterrell]

Originally Posted by Manwiththeplan

Barrett Jones would be a day 1 starter

Possibly at RG he would.
He isn't better than Costa at OC though. Not right now.

Jones has had some really poor games this season in the SEC as an OC.
He was much better last year.

[jterrell]

Originally Posted by cowboy_ron

Johnny Knox was broke in half a couple of years ago..doubt he ever plays again


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15-yQO01Uwc

Knox has been rehabilitating for an entire year and expects to play in 2013. The Bears have spent big at WR on others so he likely won't return.

If he can pass a physical he will be the very definition of a mid-level FA signing.

He is a Texas kid and pure speedster who replaces Austin's game breaking ability. And we have a starting spot open.

I definitely agree though he'd have to pass a physical and that isn't guaranteed.

There are other WRs I'd rather have and I think that position has to be addressed if we release Austin but I tried to be very realistic about the state of our cap space and look for complete bargains. Others here have used 5+m per year guys as mid-level.

I look at him same as Columbo whom we also salvaged off the Bears scrap heap after time to fully heal.

[Deep_Freeze]

Originally Posted by kmp77

That looks way too close to our current 8-8 team :/

That team would go 8-8 again.

Good to talk about, but the probability of it happening is very low that we go 2 interior OL in a row that high.

[RastaRocket]

Originally Posted by cowboy_ron

It won't be too much thanks to Mara

We really didn't get hit that hard from Mara. Skins have to deal with much worse.

[xwalker]

Originally Posted by Deep_Freeze

That team would go 8-8 again.

Good to talk about, but the probability of it happening is very low that we go 2 interior OL in a row that high.

Khalad Holmes is currently projected to go in the 3rd.

[honyock]

Originally Posted by xwalker

I’m trying to make this simple and just look at a very basic upgrade to the starting lineup for 2013.

Obviously, there will be more draft picks on the roster and possibly more Free Agents, but for now I’m just going with a few basic changes to the starting lineup. I’m including the slot WR and slot CB as well as some co-starters at a couple of positions.

The changes from the 2012 roster are:
All players healthy.
Two draft picks.
One mid-level Free Agent.

Offense
LT – Smith
LG – draft pick Jonathan Cooper
OC – Costa or Kowalski or Bernadeau to start the season (work draft pick Khalad Holmes or Barrett Jones into the lineup as the season progresses)
RG – Move Livings to this side next to Parnell
RT - Parnell
WR – Dez, Austin, Harris (Only 2.36M cap hit in 2013 to cut Austin vs 8.3M to keep)
[View Full Quote] TE – Witten, Hanna
RB - Murray
FB – Vickers

Could cut Austin and use the 6M in cap space to sign a decent veteran WR.


Defense
OLB – Ware, Spencer (Franchise or sign to a new contract)
ILB – Lee, Carter
DE – Hatcher, Lissemore/Crawford
NT – Ratliff and Mid-level FA like Terrance Knighton (6-3, 330)
CB – Carr, Claiborne, Scandrick
Safety – Sensabaugh, Church (I expect a draft pick here but not a day-1 starter)

Play Ratliff primarily at DT in the 4-man line of the nickel defense.

.

If all we get is three additions to be starting by midseason, then this scenario makes sense. I'd love to see a safety added, but I'm suspecting that won't happen. Moving Livings to LG for a vet next to Parnell makes sense.

And we really need a NT, so I'd be okay with flipping it to a NT in the draft and
FA guard help.

It may be pretty realistic that this is all that will change in the starting 22...we may not make a big splash in FA.

The other option (called the Wishful Thinking option) is that one or more of either Arkin, Leary, or Johnson develops and makes an impact early on or as the season goes along.

By the way, I'm enjoying your Scenario threads the past couple of weeks. Makes all us armchair GM's think a little harder about what's possible and probable.

[Biggems]

hey xwalker, have you seen the latest drafttek mock? I found it to be quite nice....though now that matthews is supposedly going back to A&M, the mock will have to change.

[xwalker]

Originally Posted by honyock

And we really need a NT, so I'd be okay with flipping it to a NT in the draft and FA guard help.

I would really like to sign Brandon Moore from the Jets. He is a RG that knows Callahan's system. At age 32 he shouldn't be too expensive and would be the best option on day-1. Hopefully, a young player could be pushing to replace him and/or Livings by 2014.

Without knowing the exact salary cap numbers, I didn't put a 2nd FA in this base version of my roster projection.

Originally Posted by honyock

It may be pretty realistic that this is all that will change in the starting 22...we may not make a big splash in FA.

It would be great to add a top Safety in FA; however, I'll settle for a mid-level NT and possibly an OG in FA.

Originally Posted by honyock

The other option (called the Wishful Thinking option) is that one or more of either Arkin, Leary, or Johnson develops and makes an impact early on or as the season goes along.

Physically, Leary looks like he has all of the requirements of an NFL OG. It just depends on the learning curve for him.

They seem convinced that Matt Johnson can play if healthy.

Arkin gained weight last offseason. He must come into camp stronger than last year.

Originally Posted by honyock

By the way, I'm enjoying your Scenario threads the past couple of weeks. Makes all us armchair GM's think a little harder about what's possible and probable.

Thanks. My goal is just to make some football threads that push the "It's Jerry" threads off the page.

.

[xwalker]

Originally Posted by Biggems

hey xwalker, have you seen the latest drafttek mock? I found it to be quite nice....though now that matthews is supposedly going back to A&M, the mock will have to change.

No, I'll check it out. Thanks.

[Oh_Canada]

Two offensive lineman picked in the first three rounds is going to result in another 8-8 season

The team needs dlineman badly. Knighton is nothing more than a backup and Ratliff is a dice roll at this stage of his career.

I'm ok with the Cooper pick not thrilled by it, but I would settle for him as a fan if it meant two front seven (dline or olb) and/or safety followed.