I would sign Durant and Parnell to extensions during the bye

[21Savage]

Lee would be a better Will than SAM but it wouldn't be stupid given what Dallas has.
The SAM job here is to man cover occasionally, rush the passer and play the Tight End head up in the run game.
Sean Lee can handle those duties with ease.
His issue is playing Mike and staying healthy when ramming into 300 pounders every play.

Carter is also best at Mike. So is Ro. Durant is really good everywhere but he is best built to be a Will.

I think they'll go with Sean Lee at Will but it is VERY likely it won;t be SAM and if they decide to shift him to SAM he'll play it just fine.

Yes. Lee at Will is ideal but since Durant can't function anywhere but Will and his play this year will be acceptable to any defense, then I put Lee there. One of the most underrated aspects of his game has always been the use of his hands so I don't think he'll have issues there at all. And this is only for 10 or so plays per game when they are in base as he'll be one of the 2 ILBs in the nickel.

 

[21Savage]

I think Lee at Sam would be a real bad move. Alot more contact on that side. Lee needs less contact. I would like to bring them all back and Durant can play Sam or Will and Carter is better at Sam than Will. Carter was terrible last year and has played better this year at the Sam. I say bring them all back and let Carter and Durant battle for Sam and the other play back up and nickel. We need depth on this LB Corp as we can see this year.

The contact at Same is against a TE mostly as opposed to MLB where you are dealing with OGs and FBs. Lee is a lot better with his hands than you and most people realize.

 

[conner01]

Durant will be 30, another injury. I would only sign him if he is willing to take a Lee type of contract with playing time incentives.

i think you can sign durant for much less than lee. the incentives and base would be much lower

 

[LatinMind]

Durant came cheap initially and with his latest injury, I'd offer him the same deal, or one just a bit better, to come back. I think he fits the weak side spot to the T and I would be Lee on the strong side when he gets back.
Carter will be too expensive to sign and you can't keep everyone. I absolutely bring Mcclain back but I let the market dictate the price for him.

If Parnell plays the next 2 games like he did against Washington then I offer him a deal right now. We signed him to a deal that average just over 1 mil/yr so maybe 3 or 3.5/ yr would do it now. But I think you can get a steal with him right now. He's 2-3 yrs younger than Free but might be 5 in football age given the little wear and tear. He's more powerful (there were 2 different times I saw him pancake LBs in this past game and the double team blocks with him and Martin are more devastating than they were with Free), just as quick and is actually showing some technique that I didn't think he had. There were several plays that they tried to bull rush him and he just slapped their hands down and threw them off balance.

He went one on one against Kerrigan for most of the game and dominated. There were a couple of plays that I saw where he would have yielded some inside pressure after sustaining his block for a while but that's gonna be expected with most tackles, even first round picks. It looks like developing him has payed off and we need to reap the benefits.

The question is how it affects the chemistry with Free, knowing that they already signed his replacement. I really would look out for the future of the team here. And if he plays like this the next 2 games, I don't bench him for Free. The most I do is rotate both of them the rest of the year.

durant cant stay healthy.

 

[jterrell]

various:

Salary cap says we won't bring them all back.
Just not realistic.
None of them are looking at Sean Lee money but Carter won't be cheap and McClain has earned a real paycheck.
Durant is gonna get squeezed a bit by age and injury but he should get about double what he did his last deal based on his play.

What I would guesstimate in broad strokes for each dude:
McClain - 5 years 25m --lots of incentives but ~5m guaranteed. 2-3m cap hit year 1.
Carter - 4 years 16m --Similar structure to McClain and Lee. 4-6m Guaranteed. 2-3m cap hit year 1.
Durant - 3 years 10m. ~3m Guaranteed. 2m cap hit year 1.

I think Dallas grabs another backer next year mid round of draft.
With Wilber and Hitchens already locked in here as LB 4 and LB5 I don;t see us bringing back all 3 FA guys unless we somehow moved Sean Lee which seems VERY unlikely.
Lee can play all 3 spots at starting caliber and possibly even Pro Bowl level at all 3.

So I believe we'll see:

SAM: Durant, Wilber
MIKE: Ro, Hitchens
WILL: Sean, Rookie who can cover and play ST plus nickel like Telvin Smith of last year.

That 3some IF healthy all year might be the best 4-3 LB corps in the league.

 

[21Savage]

various:

Salary cap says we won't bring them all back.
Just not realistic.
None of them are looking at Sean Lee money but Carter won't be cheap and McClain has earned a real paycheck.
Durant is gonna get squeezed a bit by age and injury but he should get about double what he did his last deal based on his play.

What I would guesstimate in broad strokes for each dude:
McClain - 5 years 25m --lots of incentives but ~5m guaranteed. 2-3m cap hit year 1.
Carter - 4 years 16m --Similar structure to McClain and Lee. 4-6m Guaranteed. 2-3m cap hit year 1.
Durant - 3 years 10m. ~3m Guaranteed. 2m cap hit year 1.

I think Dallas grabs another backer next year mid round of draft.
With Wilber and Hitchens already locked in here as LB 4 and LB5 I don;t see us bringing back all 3 FA guys unless we somehow moved Sean Lee which seems VERY unlikely.
Lee can play all 3 spots at starting caliber and possibly even Pro Bowl level at all 3.

So I believe we'll see:

SAM: Durant, Wilber
MIKE: Ro, Hitchens
WILL: Sean, Rookie who can cover and play ST plus nickel like Telvin Smith of last year.

That 3some IF healthy all year might be the best 4-3 LB corps in the league.

I agree with all of this except I think Durant might be cheaper if you squeeze him now and with the way he's played at the Will this year compared to Sam in previous years, you don't wanna move him. Which is the only reason I have Lee as Sam. Like you said, Lee could probably play at a probowl level there. But I know for sure Durant might play at a probowl level at Will but he will be garbage at Sam.

 

[jobberone]

Between both choices I will go with the cheaper guy who has more upside. To me it's a no brainer if he keeps this level of play up.


Btw, does anyone know how to embed pictures on the forum? I have them uploaded to imageshack.

Put the address URL link in the image link box and they should embed. I copy the direct link from photobucket. I'm assuming imageshack has about the same. PM me if you have problems.

 

[jobberone]

Yes. Lee at Will is ideal but since Durant can't function anywhere but Will and his play this year will be acceptable to any defense, then I put Lee there. One of the most underrated aspects of his game has always been the use of his hands so I don't think he'll have issues there at all. And this is only for 10 or so plays per game when they are in base as he'll be one of the 2 ILBs in the nickel.

I disagree about Durant not being able to play Sam. But I'd put Lee back at the Mike and let him compete with Ro there. I still feel Ro is better suited for the Sam and Lee for the Mike but I think either can play either. I think Durant can play any of them. Carter seems to play better at the Sam but he should be a Will IMO. I have no idea why he can't play there at a very high level. I'd keep all four. All of them should be able to be signed at a bargain IMO. Ro may play himself to a higher level of pay so I'd get him signed now if possible.

I'm sure all the parties are aware of their worth.

 

[jterrell]

I agree with all of this except I think Durant might be cheaper if you squeeze him now and with the way he's played at the Will this year compared to Sam in previous years, you don't wanna move him. Which is the only reason I have Lee as Sam. Like you said, Lee could probably play at a probowl level there. But I know for sure Durant might play at a probowl level at Will but he will be garbage at Sam.

I could see playing it that way with Sean as Sam for sure.
It is kinda 6-1 half dozen to the other.

The deciding factor to me is probably that Sean is much younger (and already signed long-term) than Durant and you'd like to settle him in as a long-term starter.
If you can get 5 more years from Lee of Pro Bowl level LB play at Will it's worth a year or two of Durant fighting it out at SAM until he is displaced by a younger guy.

Of course they could just let Durant walk or test the market and sign Carter instead to play the SAM.
But again I think that is the more expensive option and we have so much money tied up on offense I am not sure it fits.

 

[21Savage]

Put the address URL link in the image link box and they should embed. I copy the direct link from photobucket. I'm assuming imageshack has about the same. PM me if you have problems.

Thanks. Someone else helped me out. I need the know how to make my Romo thread.

 

[jterrell]

I disagree about Durant not being able to play Sam. But I'd put Lee back at the Mike and let him compete with Ro there. I still feel Ro is better suited for the Sam and Lee for the Mike but I think either can play either. I think Durant can play any of them. Carter seems to play better at the Sam but he should be a Will IMO. I have no idea why he can't play there at a very high level. I'd keep all four. All of them should be able to be signed at a bargain IMO. Ro may play himself to a higher level of pay so I'd get him signed now if possible.

I'm sure all the parties are aware of their worth.

Ro is a pure Mike in this system. He is not a guy you want doing a lot of man coverage and you want his physicality in the middle versus interior OL.

Sean Lee is a perfect hybrid guy but McClain is not. McClain is a friggin monster.

Lee: 6'2" 229 pounds.
McClain: 6'4" 259 pounds.

 

[jrumann59]

i think you can sign durant for much less than lee. the incentives and base would be much lower

that is what I meant. Contract should be structured more like lee's

 

[supercowboy8]

The contact at Same is against a TE mostly as opposed to MLB where you are dealing with OGs and FBs. Lee is a lot better with his hands than you and most people realize.

No its also the strong side meaning where the offense rum to the most. You will see more pulling OGs at the Sam vs Will. You will see the RT more than you would the LT. You will see more double and more chips. There is a lot more contact on the Sam vs the Will.
The will drops in coverage more and plays the pass. Lee is also great in coverage and dropping zone. Will is his true position.

Lee McClain Carter is the best 3 and Durant to back up both OLB spot and play nickel.

 

[ilykdrama]

Durant can't stay healthy and it's pretty apparent he never will. Hard to resign a guy like that.

But we'll sign him long term.

 

[PoundTheRock]

Durant has been a JAG his entire career, now he's an injured former JAG. He should be able to be had for peanuts.

 

[21Savage]

No its also the strong side meaning where the offense rum to the most. You will see more pulling OGs at the Sam vs Will. You will see the RT more than you would the LT. You will see more double and more chips. There is a lot more contact on the Sam vs the Will.
The will drops in coverage more and plays the pass. Lee is also great in coverage and dropping zone. Will is his true position.

Lee McClain Carter is the best 3 and Durant to back up both OLB spot and play nickel.

Not anything more than a MLB would see and Lee has played that his whole career.

You are overstating the strong side, IMO. We didn't put Carter there because there's more stuff going on. We put him there because there's less stuff going on. As long as you can play the TE with your hands, you can play the strong side.

Plus he only has to do this for about 10 plays a game. He's still on the inside in the nickel.

 

[DiResta]

Durant will be 30, another injury. I would only sign him if he is willing to take a Lee type of contract with playing time incentives.

this will sound like I dont like Durant even though I really do and appreciate his effort. but he is exactly the kind of player you dont extend. a strong year, injuries with several missed games and worst of all he is going to be 30 before he sees field again at best.

 

[jobberone]

Thanks. Someone else helped me out. I need the know how to make my Romo thread.

YW

 

[jobberone]

Ro is a pure Mike in this system. He is not a guy you want doing a lot of man coverage and you want his physicality in the middle versus interior OL.

Sean Lee is a perfect hybrid guy but McClain is not. McClain is a friggin monster.

Lee: 6'2" 229 pounds.
McClain: 6'4" 259 pounds.

We ask all our LBers to cover but you Mike and Will are going to cover more generally but of course that depends on the offense against your base. We play two LBers over half the time in some SP/Nickel. So you have two cover LBers on the field over half the time mostly in coverage. Ro is not the cover LB that Lee is and the two are plus/minus playing the run and covering underneath IMO. A lot has been made of Ro but he's still not a Sean Lee instinctively and even tackle wise. I think he may be and he may very well move Lee out of his job. I'm fine with Lee at the Will.

I just want the best three LBers on the field in the base and the two best LBers in SPs. And we need a 4th LBer. I don't see Carter/Lee/Ro/Durant as being mutually exclusive. I'd keep the best four LBers and play the healthiest the most snaps come game day; if I had an option which will likely not be the case all the time maybe even most the time. We need a backup who will definitely get a decent amount of snaps in over the season.

I like Wilbur, Hitchens and the guy we got from Seattle for next year to compete for snaps.

PS: Lee is not less than 230 either.

 

[jobberone]

durant cant stay healthy.

Neither can Lee, Carter or Ro all in varying degrees over varying times.