Getting back to the point, I have 3 scenarios as to what I see...Scenario #1 is unlikely (putting it mildly), Scenario 2 has a possibility and is what I think NEEDS to happen, Scenario 3 is how I see it actually going:
In Each scenario, I see the following player movement:
Offense:
1) Bernadeau has earned his way on to the team on a semi-permanent basis. sign him to a reasonable 2 or 3 year deal to back up all interior line positions - make no mistakes here, he shouldn't be the starter unless injuries bring him into the game
2) For the love of God, commit one way or the other to the two TE set. IMO, I like the idea of doing this and Witten/Escobar should both be on the field together a lot; but, if the coaches can't do anything with it, then scrap the idea and potentially cut hanna in the process
3) Miles Austin - tough decisions need to be made and this isn't one of them; his brittle hammies seem to infect the entire team; cut bait with this guy unless he takes a DRASTIC pay cut to stay. At best, he should not be relied upon to be the #1 or #2 WR and thus, time for him to go
4) Try to bring Waters back for one more season; the guy is up there in age but proved that he belonged in the league; I want him more for his tutelage of the rest of the line; they seemed to learn a lot from him and the unit improved while he was in there and continued to improve after he was gone
5) DRAFT - select an interior OL in the first 3 picks; if a QB is there after the first round that is a potential starter in the league (i.e.: Bortles, McCarron, Mettenberg, Murray), then pull the trigger if they are there in the 3rd or later...I think our pick in the 2nd will be too high for a QB
Defense:
1) Time to part ways with Mr Ware - this is the definition of tough decision; a HOF/ROH player and if he is willing to take a Free-esque pay cut, then I would welcome him back - not at his current projections; I see him being cut after June 1st
2) DL - Hatcher, loved what he did for the team this year but I think he has priced himself out of the DC roster; Spencer, wouldn't mind seeing him back but not in a bidding war; if he doesn't get what he likes in FA, then sign him to a 1 year deal to "earn" his next payday; he owes us one...fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, then our FO sucks; Selvie and Hayden stay and we welcome back Crawford and Bass; the rest of the guys on the line should be fighting in TC just to make the team or they go back to bagging groceries...next year's DL needs to have a rotation that applies pressure without using blitzes as much as possible
3) Upgrade the DL with smart FA picks of YOUNG players - not sure who is available right now, but we don't need superstars, we need guys that when it is their turn, they produce
4) Continue to develop LBs and DB's; I think if healthy, we may have the right group there now; the problem is they can't stay healthy; guys like Sims would be gone in favor of keeping the younger guys like Holloman on the roster
5) Draft - first pick NEEDS to be DL, preferably a pass rusher if Ware is gone. I would like to see another DL in the first 3 picks depending on who is there (see offense draft as well - if we get a QB for example, then 4th rounder should be DL);
Scenario #1: JJ steps back, hires someone to be a legit football GM; I would love someone like Roger Staubach with his football background, familiarity to the team and business sense. Allow Roger to make the decision to keep or jettison any of the coaches, including Garrett. If he dumps Garrett and hires a new guy, give that coach some say in the players that he wants.
Scenario #2: JJ gets a new Head Coach, this time, he gets someone with experience as a head coach at some level; NFL experience as a HC trumps good college coaches (like Shaw, O'Brien, etc.); Let the HC decide whether to keep the OC and DC and if changes to either or both, then get on the stick immediately to put the plan together; this needs to happen, minimally, a month prior to the draft
Scenario #3: Garrett stays as head coach; someone is the fall guy for a 3rd straight average season (average only in record, not expectations - we are way below average there); Callahan is removed from play-caller and either Garrett takes that back over or they actually hire someone with an offensive mind-set to run the offense. Callahan stays on as OL coach, where he should be. I believe that Kiffin stays as well. He could not adjust on the fly and that alone should get him canned, but the enormous number of injuries to the DL is what caused this historic failure of the defense. No pressure on any NFL QB means that they can just sit there and survey the field. Must get healthy and instill pressure much like they instilled turnovers.
the bottom line for me is that changes MUST occur for this team to move to something better than fence-riders once again. Regardless of FO/coaching changes, the player moves must happen if they want to think of the future. The draft should be focused early on the lines with heavier focus on DL. As mentioned, if the right QB fell into our pick in the middle of the 3rd round, then pony up and take him, otherwise, stay the course of building the defense, with a hint of interior OL.
