DLCassidy said:
It's annoying that the two guys share the name "Winston"- makes it confusing to talk about. Not sure if this is the case with you, but Eric Winston's college experience is at LT and Winston Justice's has been at RT. Now Justice could probably make the switch, he was probably at RT because that's Leinart's blind side. But I really don't see any problem at all with Eric Winston playing RT either. My ideal draft is trading down to the bottom of the first and take Eric Winston and then trading up to the top of the 2nd to take Carpenter. I think Eric Winston could be plugged in at LG for a year or two and be Fabini's backup at RT. That would be a pretty solid, deep and flexible OL at that point. As Rack said, I like what I hear from Eric Winston. He wants to be a Cowboy, said he'd be willing to play guard if they took him (I wonder if they ASKED him that question- he didn't say).
Wouldn't it be nice to have both guys named Winston, and hopefully end some of the OL issues for a while ?
I would suggest getting Winston Justice @ 18 because I think Fabini is a stop gap 1-2 year BP guy who is on the decline. Most of the guys that BP has brought in here, are just that -- BP guys who get 1-2 years. I would move WJ in as backup RT (like he played in college) and expect him to be starting next year.
Drafting Eric Winston (or for that matter Johnathon Scott, McNeill, or several others) makes even more sense in the 2-3 round. Petitti was a LT in college, and could move back over there, or he has the size to move inside as a backup guard for Kosier. I'd move Peterson to the right side to backup Rivera. Either way, in the 2-3 round, you could pick up the nastiest guard or tackle to strengthen the line for years to come.
I know that SOLB is the biggest need and many here would like them to draft Lawson in the first. I like him, but you already have one extremely young OLB on the other side, and the mistakes made by him were pretty bad last year. What happens if he hits the sophomore slump, and you only have a rookie on the other side? It could derail this whole defense.
IMO, they should sign Arrington (big money but short term-3 years). That way they would have a known product that they know can get to the QB. Burnett will need at least another 2 years to get to starting quality due to his injuries. Arrington/Burnett @ SOLB and Ware/Thorton @ WOLB is a pretty good group -- possibly exceptional if healthy.
Then, if they really think they are close, then sign big Sam Adams for 2 years. He would provide a backup for Ferguson, and development time for Pepper Johnson. Cut him year 2 if Johnson develops, or he doesn't work out.
The team would have solid backups, everywhere, and solid starters.
They would still need to address FS, but they could do that in the 2-3 round as well. They didn't lose their starting FS (Davis), so he could play there till the younger player developed as well. Coleman might be available if they still don't feel comfortable. I think the FS's job gets much easier if they can get a rush from both sides.
WR depth, LB depth, flyer on a QB/DE tweener, any could be addressed on Day 2.
Of course, it is easy to play air-chair GM.
