I think we have improved player wise

[Howboutdemcowboys31]

Without question to me we've improved in these areas...
McCoy > Maliek
Dix > Heath
Jarwin > Witten

Some unknowns...
Gregory vs Quinn (I think their numbers will be similar)
Byron vs his replacement (though Byron is likely better)
Cobb vs his replacement

Gotta figure of those unknowns, probably 1 of the replacements will be better. I don't think we've done anything that makes us instant contenders player wise but I do think we've improved overall. Now go get me someone who failed PE at 1 Tech because they could never finish the mile despite having a 45 minute time limit.

 

[Rayman70]

Without question to me we've improved in these areas...
McCoy > Maliek
Dix > Heath
Jarwin > Witten

Some unknowns...
Gregory vs Quinn (I think their numbers will be similar)
Byron vs his replacement (though Byron is likely better)
Cobb vs his replacement

Gotta figure of those unknowns, probably 1 of the replacements will be better. I don't think we've done anything that makes us instant contenders player wise but I do think we've improved overall. Now go get me someone who failed PE at 1 Tech because they could never finish the mile despite having a 45 minute time limit.

don't count your chickens with Gregory. Its premature and borderline foolish to expect him to have similar numbers as Quinn. We ought to view him as a luxury not a guy we can count on. WE NEED TO DRAFT LEFT END. AJ Epenesa actually makes sense. OR Alton Robinson. The latter, tore it up at the senior bowl. WAS UNBLOCKABLE. Big man that plays with girth and power at the edge. I have Robinson as a 2nd round guy at 51. I know that's high praise, but the tape don't lie. He fits what we do. Epenesa does too..another bigger edge guy that relies on power not bend. I don't mind that. If we switch to a 3-4, or play a hybrid, they each fit.

 

[Corso]

I say to both sides on this subject:
IT'S TOO EARLY.

 

[buybuydandavis]

Without question to me we've improved in these areas...
McCoy > Maliek
Dix > Heath
Jarwin > Witten

Some unknowns...
Gregory vs Quinn (I think their numbers will be similar)
Byron vs his replacement (though Byron is likely better)
Cobb vs his replacement

Gotta figure of those unknowns, probably 1 of the replacements will be better. I don't think we've done anything that makes us instant contenders player wise but I do think we've improved overall. Now go get me someone who failed PE at 1 Tech because they could never finish the mile despite having a 45 minute time limit.

Jarwin was already here. The improvement would be playing him.

McCoy and Maliek are about a wash, especially considering that another year makes McCoy worse and Maliek better.

Dix is probably a real improvement. And surprisingly cheap. Only 4mil.

But Spotrac says Heath is only getting 2.8mil this year. For that, we should have kept him. Core special teamer, and can back up both S spots.

We still need adequate backups for both S spots, and I don't see either on the roster. *Maybe* Wilson can be one, but since we didn't play him last year, that's just a hope.

 

[ColoradoCowboy]

Gregory has NOT been reinstated and to the best of my knowledge has not even filed. There was a story a few weeks ago that he did file for reinstatement, but Gregory himself said that it was not true. So don't count those sacks (chickens?) just yet.

 

[big dog cowboy]

If the players signed (and draft) equally replace those that left, this is a better team.

McCarthy >>>>>>>>>>> Garrett

 

[buybuydandavis]

don't count your chickens with Gregory. ... We ought to view him as a luxury not a guy we can count on.

Not with the new CBA. His only problem ever staying with the team was the pot policy. Gregory should submit his reinstatement ASAP, but while there is *some* risk from Goodell capriciousness, and mental health issues for Gregory, he should be back, and should be able to deliver at least 2018 performance levels. Probably higher, as this year he shouldn't miss all of offseason/camp/preseason like in 2018.

 

[Howboutdemcowboys31]

If the players signed (and draft) equally replace those that left, this is a better team.

McCarthy >>>>>>>>>>> Garrett

Oh yeah the coaching staff is a huge upgrade. Nolan is the only one I'm not sure if he'll be much of an upgrade, but you can't get much worse then what we had

 

[OmerV]

I say to both sides on this subject:
IT'S TOO EARLY.

Not for a bird …

 

[ItzKelz]

MCCoy and Dix are well known names. Hopefully their play is similar to their best known reputations

 

[ESisback]

Without question to me we've improved in these areas...
McCoy > Maliek
Dix > Heath
Jarwin > Witten

Some unknowns...
Gregory vs Quinn (I think their numbers will be similar)
Byron vs his replacement (though Byron is likely better)
Cobb vs his replacement

Gotta figure of those unknowns, probably 1 of the replacements will be better. I don't think we've done anything that makes us instant contenders player wise but I do think we've improved overall. Now go get me someone who failed PE at 1 Tech because they could never finish the mile despite having a 45 minute time limit.

I agree. The unknowns? I think Gregory will be an upgrade because he’s better against the run. As for replacing Jones...he’s a freak athlete but not a ball hawk. If they draft well, I think they’ll have a more effective group overall. The Cobb replacement is yet unknown, but they’ll be better off if they sign Sanders, IMO.

Make special teams better, land another quality DT and a S, and they’ll be fine.

 

[EJK24]

I feel like we are slightly less talented so far but that cant necessarily be measured.

For example, I feel like McCoy is an upgrade over Collins, but I think losing Byron has been a huge loss that hasn't been addressed. Now we could draft his replacement in the first round and he may turn into something much better but I think that takes some time.

I wasnt a big fan of Heath and I think HaHa could be an upgrade there. I dont know what either player will do under their new coaching staffs but I'll give HaHa the benefit of the doubt that he plays better then Heath did here.

DE is a position I think that could be problematic for us. I dont doubt Gregory has the ability but hes been out of the league and hasn't proven to be able to stay committed to remaining on the field. I like some of what we saw when he was here but I think that assuming he will come back and be the kind of productive DE we need is a gamble. Maybe he surprises us and our investment in him and sticking with him actually begins to pay off but until we see it happen over the course of a whole season, I can't expect big things from him. Crawford? I feel the same way about him alot of others do in that hes way overpaid. I don't know where or how hes used under Nolan but I think its crazy to keep him at the salary hes at right now.

Cobb leaving without signing anyone else obviously means we are no better at the position at the moment but it doesnt mean after the draft we wont find his younger, cheaper, replacement.

Once again I cant say with a certainty that we are a worse team until FA and the draft are complete and even then, we need to see the rookies play to come to a conclusion.

I like that we have a new staff and I think that will help alot in different areas but speaking just on the topic of if we have improved player wise, I'm not sure I see that just yet. I hope I'm wrong and this turns out to be a great off season but I think for the most part all of us can say there were other players signed elsewhere that we could have afforded that would have made us better.

Im sure there are good arguments to be made at positions I didnt mention but these were just some that stuck out to me.

 

[ultron]

The biggest upgrade that any team has made this entire free agency is Robert Quinn leaving this team. That will automatically add at least 2 wins this season. We won’t have to put up with this guy rushing 12 yards up the field and trying to loop back for a sack EVERY. F-ING. PLAY. This guy would leave massive holes for RBs to run through and leave screen passes wide open, because he was trying to rack up sacks and get a big contract. He accomplished his mission and we are a better team with him gone.

 

[speedkilz88]

don't count your chickens with Gregory. Its premature and borderline foolish to expect him to have similar numbers as Quinn. We ought to view him as a luxury not a guy we can count on. WE NEED TO DRAFT LEFT END. AJ Epenesa actually makes sense. OR Alton Robinson. The latter, tore it up at the senior bowl. WAS UNBLOCKABLE. Big man that plays with girth and power at the edge. I have Robinson as a 2nd round guy at 51. I know that's high praise, but the tape don't lie. He fits what we do. Epenesa does too..another bigger edge guy that relies on power not bend. I don't mind that. If we switch to a 3-4, or play a hybrid, they each fit.

They need a RE.
Epenesa doesn't have the explosiveness to be a RE edge guy. Tank is the LE. Gregory is a RE.

 

[UpNorth]

The spin jobs we do as fans every off-season is some of the most fun I have

 

[nightrain]

What is most encouraging is that the team is addressing the glaring weaknesses (middle of the D and TE) providing an opportunity to seek developmental players lower in the draft for those positions and keep a best player available perspective with the first 3 or 4 rounds.

I think the Jones Clan has finally moved to the side and let the football guys run the show.

 

[RoboQB]

Dix is not, and has never been, a strong safety.
He plays free safety. Apparently, it has been reported that Xavier Woods
will play SS and Dix will play his natural FS position.

A quick reference on Wikipedia will support this fact on Dix's position.

 

[Canada180]

To raise a point...everyone may be improving player wise . Coaching is the biggest area we have improved. The Giants hired Garrett so that's a big < for them

 

[ESisback]

To raise a point...everyone may be improving player wise . Coaching is the biggest area we have improved. The Giants hired Garrett so that's a big < for them

He may actually improve them as an OC. HC is another matter....

 

[Verdict]

Without question to me we've improved in these areas...
McCoy > Maliek
Dix > Heath
Jarwin > Witten

Some unknowns...
Gregory vs Quinn (I think their numbers will be similar)
Byron vs his replacement (though Byron is likely better)
Cobb vs his replacement

Gotta figure of those unknowns, probably 1 of the replacements will be better. I don't think we've done anything that makes us instant contenders player wise but I do think we've improved overall. Now go get me someone who failed PE at 1 Tech because they could never finish the mile despite having a 45 minute time limit.

I think you are underrating Heath but good post otherwise.