Killerinstinct
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 4,013
- Reaction score
- 5,870
I know it looks iffy right now but going into this offseason I wanted to see several spots upgraded.
RT, WR/KR, SS, CB, CB and DE
RT
Free's retirement is going to force an upgrade here. Even if we do nothing else at the position I feel it has been upgraded. Chaz Green is better than Free. I know he has an injury history but there are several contingencies in place if he misses more time. Here are the options.
1. Chaz Green takes his spot. If he misses time then
2. Cleary steps in. If Cleary can't cut it then
3. Cooper to G and Lael Collins to RT If Cooper can't cut G then
4. Looney at G and Collins at RT If Collins can't cut it at RT then
5. Martin to RT and Collins back to G joined with Cooper or Looney
Some of these contingencies are less than ideal but these are only needed if Chaz is hurt and Cleary can't cut it and this doesn't even take into account that we could draft an OT.
WR/KR
Lucky's days are numbered and even a late round pick would be an upgrade. Thanks to re-signing Twill and Butler this will be easy to do. Even with a late draft pick or possibly a late FA signing of a cheap WR. There is even a chance that a WR drafted could not only make Lucky expendable but pass Butler on the depth chart.
SS
For the first time in forever I feel like we are finally going to draft an SS fairly high and what a great year to do so. There are tons of good ones in this draft. Church was a solid but unspectacular player. He had liabilities and this position will finally be upgraded and if we pick the right SS it could be a huge leap in talent.
CB,CB
This is another position that is deep in this draft and one that I feel will be upgraded easily.
Right now Scandrick Brown and Carroll are about even with what we had last year. Maybe a small step back during the time that Claiborne was healthy but if we draft one early we will have upgraded the position and if we take a second one then we have tremendously upgraded the position. In an ideal situation Scandrick, Brown and Carroll will be fighting for playing time in Nickle and DIme packages.
DE
I feel this position has been upgraded already due to several factors.
1. Dlaw is not starting the year under suspension and it is a contract year for him. I bet we see the best Dlaw yet.
2. Tapper is healthy and could be a big addition to the roster this year.
3. D Moore is an upgrade over J Crawford if he can keep his attitude in check.
4. Mayowa's second year in this system may see him make a leap over what was an up and down year.
5. Gregory might be back at the end of the year if he can avoid failing another test.
6. We will undoubtedly add one in the draft and even if it is a later pick than what we all want it will be an upgrade over Davis. I suspect we will get one at least within the first 4 rounds and even if it doesn't end up being the "war daddy" we all want we should end up with a solid contributor.
If the team really wants to continue to make the right moves they can Cut Morris, Wilber and Hanna(If Swaim is going to be healthy or Rico is showing promise).
Here is a bonus. With a little luck we will upgrade some other spots.
LB Jaylon Smith if healthy will be a major upgrade.
DT if Tyrone Crawford is moved back to DT because we no longer need him at DE then the DT spot is upgraded. There is even a chance Irving could end up back at DT if we end up with the right depth at DE.
RB A healthy Mcfadden taking over the backup roll will be an upgrade over Morris.
TE There is a good chance we end up with a better TE situation than we had last year. I suspect we might see one added although Witten takes up most of the snaps so I wouldn't want to waste an early pick on one. I like that Kittle kid from Iowa maybe in the 4th as an example.
So that is 10 spots we have or will upgrade over what we had last year.
and that brings me to the final one.
Last year we started the year with an injury prone QB and question marks at the backup QB position.
This year we start the year with an exciting new QB and as of right now we have the best backup QB in the league. Even if Romo is released or traded we will start the year with a better QB situation than we started last year with.
That is 11 count em, 11 positions that have been or will be upgraded if the team drafts the right players.
Plus we still have cap money and if we cut Morris, Wilber and Hanna we will have even more cap money. If we cut or Trade Romo then once again, more cap space.
Those late cuts usually provide a surprise or two and most years we are not in a position to take part in trying to land one. This year we might just be able to land one, two, or three of them.
I personally would have re-signed Claiborne but other than that I can't fault any of the moves.
Next year, if we draft right and a couple of other things go our way we will go into FA with an opportunity to have some real cap space for the first time in a long time. A chance to add a player or two of real significance and we will go into the draft with very few holes and an opportunity to simply upgrade good players with even better players. That is what I have been looking forward to for a long time.
RT, WR/KR, SS, CB, CB and DE
RT
Free's retirement is going to force an upgrade here. Even if we do nothing else at the position I feel it has been upgraded. Chaz Green is better than Free. I know he has an injury history but there are several contingencies in place if he misses more time. Here are the options.
1. Chaz Green takes his spot. If he misses time then
2. Cleary steps in. If Cleary can't cut it then
3. Cooper to G and Lael Collins to RT If Cooper can't cut G then
4. Looney at G and Collins at RT If Collins can't cut it at RT then
5. Martin to RT and Collins back to G joined with Cooper or Looney
Some of these contingencies are less than ideal but these are only needed if Chaz is hurt and Cleary can't cut it and this doesn't even take into account that we could draft an OT.
WR/KR
Lucky's days are numbered and even a late round pick would be an upgrade. Thanks to re-signing Twill and Butler this will be easy to do. Even with a late draft pick or possibly a late FA signing of a cheap WR. There is even a chance that a WR drafted could not only make Lucky expendable but pass Butler on the depth chart.
SS
For the first time in forever I feel like we are finally going to draft an SS fairly high and what a great year to do so. There are tons of good ones in this draft. Church was a solid but unspectacular player. He had liabilities and this position will finally be upgraded and if we pick the right SS it could be a huge leap in talent.
CB,CB
This is another position that is deep in this draft and one that I feel will be upgraded easily.
Right now Scandrick Brown and Carroll are about even with what we had last year. Maybe a small step back during the time that Claiborne was healthy but if we draft one early we will have upgraded the position and if we take a second one then we have tremendously upgraded the position. In an ideal situation Scandrick, Brown and Carroll will be fighting for playing time in Nickle and DIme packages.
DE
I feel this position has been upgraded already due to several factors.
1. Dlaw is not starting the year under suspension and it is a contract year for him. I bet we see the best Dlaw yet.
2. Tapper is healthy and could be a big addition to the roster this year.
3. D Moore is an upgrade over J Crawford if he can keep his attitude in check.
4. Mayowa's second year in this system may see him make a leap over what was an up and down year.
5. Gregory might be back at the end of the year if he can avoid failing another test.
6. We will undoubtedly add one in the draft and even if it is a later pick than what we all want it will be an upgrade over Davis. I suspect we will get one at least within the first 4 rounds and even if it doesn't end up being the "war daddy" we all want we should end up with a solid contributor.
If the team really wants to continue to make the right moves they can Cut Morris, Wilber and Hanna(If Swaim is going to be healthy or Rico is showing promise).
Here is a bonus. With a little luck we will upgrade some other spots.
LB Jaylon Smith if healthy will be a major upgrade.
DT if Tyrone Crawford is moved back to DT because we no longer need him at DE then the DT spot is upgraded. There is even a chance Irving could end up back at DT if we end up with the right depth at DE.
RB A healthy Mcfadden taking over the backup roll will be an upgrade over Morris.
TE There is a good chance we end up with a better TE situation than we had last year. I suspect we might see one added although Witten takes up most of the snaps so I wouldn't want to waste an early pick on one. I like that Kittle kid from Iowa maybe in the 4th as an example.
So that is 10 spots we have or will upgrade over what we had last year.
and that brings me to the final one.
Last year we started the year with an injury prone QB and question marks at the backup QB position.
This year we start the year with an exciting new QB and as of right now we have the best backup QB in the league. Even if Romo is released or traded we will start the year with a better QB situation than we started last year with.
That is 11 count em, 11 positions that have been or will be upgraded if the team drafts the right players.
Plus we still have cap money and if we cut Morris, Wilber and Hanna we will have even more cap money. If we cut or Trade Romo then once again, more cap space.
Those late cuts usually provide a surprise or two and most years we are not in a position to take part in trying to land one. This year we might just be able to land one, two, or three of them.
I personally would have re-signed Claiborne but other than that I can't fault any of the moves.
Next year, if we draft right and a couple of other things go our way we will go into FA with an opportunity to have some real cap space for the first time in a long time. A chance to add a player or two of real significance and we will go into the draft with very few holes and an opportunity to simply upgrade good players with even better players. That is what I have been looking forward to for a long time.
