ESPN: NFC FA grades...

[Hoofbite]

Grading when free agency isn't over is like grading the draft when it's still the 4th round.

They do it every year though.

Nobody says the grades are chiseled in stone, just what they are at a specific point in time.

I really don't see the big deal. Up until now, here's a grade. So long as that grade is free to move based on subsequent additions both good and bad, why even worry about it?

And why is the end of the free agent period the cut off? If we need a totally inclusive picture, shouldn't we wait at least a year to see how the guys play?

 

[jobberone]

People on this board need to stop acting like Will Allen was brought in to be the starter. It is quite obvious that he signed to be a backup, ST and depth player for the team. If the team wanted a starter they would of grabbed Huff.

This just says that the team plans on grabbing a safety in the first 3 rounds, and to use Allen as a backup....

I don't know if we'll draft one i1-3 but I know I would. 2nd or 3rd for me. I'd target Wilcox.

 

[Szczepanik]

I don't know if we'll draft one i1-3 but I know I would. 2nd or 3rd for me. I'd target Wilcox.

Yeah I would too. I just hope that someone does not draft Vacarro early, because that sometimes creates a run on safeties.

 

[Gameover]

They'll do anything for clicks.

 

[fatboygixxer]

Regarding Will Allen..its easy to call somebody a below average Safety when he doesn't have a history of making big plays..but guess what, neither did Sensy..and although Sensy was solid, I consider Allen a sizeable upgrade. When Polumalu went down last season, he stepped in and that defense as a whole didn't miss a beat. That says alot about him right there..add to the fact he knows Monte's scheme and its a no brainer. So we essentially got a better safety than Sensy ,at a cheaper cost, that already knows the scheme. Plus we have the option to draft another potential starter at the position. Why is everyone so upset??

 

[gimmesix]

Yea, he just doesn't make plays.. ever.

Pittsburgh fans seemed pretty pleased with his play when he had to step in for the starters. I can't say Dallas fans felt the same about McCray, who as a starting safety is a pretty good special teammer.

 

[Shunpike]

Don't have ESPN insider. What grade did they give for rest of the NFC East?

 

[MonsterD]

If we get Moore or a RT I would say we are a B grade this year.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Pittsburgh fans seemed pretty pleased with his play when he had to step in for the starters. I can't say Dallas fans felt the same about McCray, who as a starting safety is a pretty good special teammer.

I felt just fine with McCray's performance. He made a lot of stops for us and was all over the field at times. He's not strong in coverage, but we knew that going in.

My point was.. Allen doesn't make plays. He's averaged a fraction of a pass breakup since 2006. He hasn't had an interception since 2005. He's averaged like 20 tackles per year since 2007, and he has yet to record a sack in his professional career.

If Pitt liked him so much, I wish they would have kept him. As it was, because of how much they liked his play last year, they let him go and he signed a contract for the vet minimum.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Regarding Will Allen..its easy to call somebody a below average Safety when he doesn't have a history of making big plays..but guess what, neither did Sensy..and although Sensy was solid, I consider Allen a sizeable upgrade. When Polumalu went down last season, he stepped in and that defense as a whole didn't miss a beat. That says alot about him right there..add to the fact he knows Monte's scheme and its a no brainer. So we essentially got a better safety than Sensy ,at a cheaper cost, that already knows the scheme. Plus we have the option to draft another potential starter at the position. Why is everyone so upset??

If you consider Allen a "sizeable" upgrade from Sense.. Lord knows what you're basing that on.. you're in for a disappointing season, my friend.

He knows Monte's scheme so well that Monte regulated him to the bench in their first go-round together. He played so well filling in in Pitt that they let him walk and he parlayed that great season into a one year deal for the vet minimum.

But yea.. great player.

 

[Szczepanik]

If you consider Allen a "sizeable" upgrade from Sense.. Lord knows what you're basing that on.. you're in for a disappointing season, my friend.

He knows Monte's scheme so well that Monte regulated him to the bench in their first go-round together. He played so well filling in in Pitt that they let him walk and he parlayed that great season into a one year deal for the vet minimum.

But yea.. great player.

When Will Allen was not re-signed by the Steelers I knew alot of fans ( both in real life and on the boards ) that were upset that they didn't retain him.

Steelers fans seemed to like his play.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

When Will Allen was not re-signed by the Steelers I knew alot of fans ( both in real life and on the boards ) that were upset that they didn't retain him.

Steelers fans seemed to like his play.

..and again, that's great. But it seems none of the people who actually matter (GM's and HC's in the Steelers organization, or any other organization in the NFL for that matter) seemed to think much at all of his play, considering.

For a defense like ours who's starving for a group that will force some turnovers, Allen is exactly what we don't need. Another Orlando Scandrick. Guy who will stay with his man, but ultimately his man is going to make the catch almost every time and Allen will be there to tackle him each time he does.

..and as we noted before, Kiffin regulated the guy to the bench in their first go round together. He's not a guy we're expecting to start, I know that.

 

[Szczepanik]

..and again, that's great. But it seems none of the people who actually matter (GM's and HC's in the Steelers organization, or any other organization in the NFL for that matter) seemed to think much at all of his play, considering.

For a defense like ours who's starving for a group that will force some turnovers, Allen is exactly what we don't need. Another Orlando Scandrick. Guy who will stay with his man, but ultimately his man is going to make the catch almost every time and Allen will be there to tackle him each time he does.

..and as we noted before, Kiffin regulated the guy to the bench in their first go round together. He's not a guy we're expecting to start, I know that.

I understand that but he isn't brought in to be the starter. He is here purely for depth purposes. Our biggest weakness aside from O-line last year was that our defense was shot. So adding depth to positions that had injuries last year is a good idea.

If we wanted a starter we would of signed Huff, imo.

 

[Idgit]

C- is generous, given how little we've actually done. I don't consider keeping our own players to be deserving of credit when it comes to how we've improved the roster in the offseason.

Big deal, though. By the time VFA's over, we'll have made a couple more significant changes. It pales in comparison to what we do in the draft, anyway.

 

[BotchedLobotomy]

Yeah, I remember the last time the media was falling all over the Eagles free agent class. How well did that work out for them?

 

[RoyTheHammer]

I understand that but he isn't brought in to be the starter. He is here purely for depth purposes. Our biggest weakness aside from O-line last year was that our defense was shot. So adding depth to positions that had injuries last year is a good idea.

If we wanted a starter we would of signed Huff, imo.

Depth is fine, I just don't see him giving us very much if one of our starting safeties goes down. Good ST player is all the value we're getting out of him, imo.. which is fine for that money.

 

[Idgit]

Yeah, I remember the last time the media was falling all over the Eagles free agent class. How well did that work out for them?

Not sure what you're referencing. I don't suppose you're suggesting C- is 'falling all over' anything, right?

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Not sure what you're referencing. I don't suppose you're suggesting C- is 'falling all over' anything, right?

I believe he was suggesting that you don't need an "A+" from the judges to wind up with a solid FA crop.

 

[Wood]

Brandon Moore or Eric Winston changes that grade dramatically. Not like grades matter before FA is even over.

that wouldn't change that grade much. Dallas just can't be players this FA season.

 

[fatboygixxer]

Yeah, I remember the last time the media was falling all over the Eagles free agent class. How well did that work out for them?

This quote should be stickied at the top of the forum..