RECAP: Mickey's Ranch Report on Dunham and Miller

[InmanRoshi]

They’ve done all the contract negotiations with PacMan. They are waiting for Tenn to do their paperwork. It probably gets wrapped up today. It will be a sign and trade. They have purchase 3 forms of “insurance” for this to work, and they’ve already completed two. First, they get a draft pick back if he’s not reinstated. Secondy, they’ve negotiated a contract with no guaranteed money. The third step is on draft day they can’t rely on him as a solution to CB. The day you rely on that guy he will break your heart. So they have to get their 3rd insurance policy in the first day of the draft to make sure they have a starting caliber CB on the roster if PacMan gets in trouble again. If they depend on Alan Ball to step in right away if someone gets hurt next year, you’re in the same position as last year with Jacques Reeves. I don’t think you can bank of Pac Man for continued good behavior. If he has one bad night you’re in trouble.

I don’t think they’ll trade the #22nd unless someone blows them away with a trade proposal. The 28th pick, I could see them dropping back to the 2nd round. A lot of these WRs are second round guys. A bunch of RBs are second round guys. So they could get better value by dropping back a few spots and picking up a mid round pick that they used on PacMan. Now, if someone will offer their veteran WR for the 28th pick, Jerry will certainly do it. A lot of WRs were drafted high last year, and Dewayne Bowe was the only one who made an impact as a rookie. I’m not sure rookie drafted in that area is going to immediately beat out the young guys they already have on the roster who have been here a couple of years.

George Dunham: I really like Felix Jones. He’s a perfect compliment to Barber. He’s a great return guy.

Mickey: I look at him as a niche back. If you draft him, you better find yourself another guy, because do you know if Felix Jones can fill in for an injured Barber and carry 25 times a game? That’s the only thing .. I don’t know if you can spend a first round pick on a niche back. When Deuce McAllister went down Reggie Bush couldn’t carry the load as an every down back. He’s a guy you got to move around, put in the slot, run reverses … etc. He had a great ypc in college, but a lot of that came from reverses and stuff. So you’ll need to find another normal RB if you get Felix Jones. Maybe there is a veteran out there who can fill that role cheaply. I don’t know if Shaun Alexander is ready to accept NFL minimum wage.

 

[Angus]

Thanks for the post, IR. The bit about Alexander is interesting. He could be the insurance the team would need -- and who knows, he might revert to his good years.

 

[Doomsday]

Thanks for the recap.

I would trade the #22 for Roy Williams or Boldin in a heartbeat. The odds of finding a player of that calibur who can contribute right away are pretty low. I believe in building via the draft but sometimes you have to just go for it and I think this is a great opportunity to pick up a big time play maker.

 

[theogt]

George Dunham: I really like Felix Jones. He’s a perfect compliment to Barber. He’s a great return guy.

Mickey: I look at him as a niche back. If you draft him, you better find yourself another guy, because do you know if Felix Jones can fill in for an injured Barber and carry 25 times a game? That’s the only thing .. I don’t know if you can spend a first round pick on a niche back. When Deuce McAllister went down Reggie Bush couldn’t carry the load as an every down back. He’s a guy you got to move around, put in the slot, run reverses … etc. He had a great ypc in college, but a lot of that came from reverses and stuff. So you’ll need to find another normal RB if you get Felix Jones. Maybe there is a veteran out there who can fill that role cheaply. I don’t know if Shaun Alexander is ready to accept NFL minimum wage.

Mickey's just being infantile.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Ok, help me with this. We draft a FIRST round RB and pay FIRST round $$, but the guy can't be a feature RB, so we still have to make sure we have another guy at the position.

Someone explain to me the logic of drafting that type of RB in the FIRST round.

 

[Eskimo]

I agree with Mickey: Felix is a luxury we cannot afford in our cap situation. We need starters to repalce some young guys who will be exiting in FA for top dollar that we cannot afford to re-sign.

We need to be developing players who will be quality starters with our premium picks: not niche guys and backups.

Even if Felix is valued as the 21st player in the draft it doesn't mean he provides that value to this team which has a good KOR in Austin and needs to find a replacement for Barber and his $8-10 M/yr contract demands.

 

[Hostile]

Ok, help me with this. We draft a FIRST round RB and pay FIRST round $$, but the guy can't be a feature RB, so we still have to make sure we have another guy at the position.

Someone explain to me the logic of drafting that type of RB in the FIRST round.

Who says he can't be the top RB if he proves to be better?

 

[theebs]

Norm said he has some good info. He was speculating the first round might not bring a wr, rb or cb! He also said he expects a trade of some sort with miami tomorrow! For picks, not taylor.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

I'll say this, I think Felix can be a much better inside runner than Reggie Bush, if only because he'll actually try to do it. He doesn't have that -- sorry -- soft attitude that Bush has, like he's too good to do it. Plus, Felix has bigger legs and with some pro weight weight training will play at 215 or so, while Bush is more like 200.

That's one reason I've warmed up to Felix more -- I think he has some untapped upside.

Norm said he has some good info. He was speculating the first round might not bring a wr, rb or cb! He also said he expects a trade of some sort with miami tomorrow! For picks, not taylor.

When I saw Henne on Goose's list at the mid-20s, I almost wondered if we might not trade the 22 to them.

 

[theogt]

Norm said he has some good info. He was speculating the first round might not bring a wr, rb or cb! He also said he expects a trade of some sort with miami tomorrow! For picks, not taylor.

Branden Albert maybe?

I'll say this, I think Felix can be a much better inside runner than Reggie Bush, if only because he'll actually try to do it. He doesn't have that -- sorry -- soft attitude that Bush has, like he's too good to do it. Plus, Felix has bigger legs and with some pro weight weight training will play at 215 or so, while Bush is more like 200.

That's one reason I've warmed up to Felix more -- I think he has some untapped upside.

Yeah, my problem is -- he may have the ability to do it, but you just can't know that until he gets to the NFL because he didn't do it in college. Drafting guys to do things that you haven't seen them do isn't the best idea in the first round.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Another great job IR. Mucho apreciate it.

 

[theebs]

Branden Albert maybe?

not sure he is running his jabber about it in a few.

First we have to sit through probably ron washingtons last interview as the manager of the rangers.

 

[big dog cowboy]

The third step is on draft day they can’t rely on him as a solution to CB. The day you rely on that guy he will break your heart. So they have to get their 3rd insurance policy in the first day of the draft to make sure they have a starting caliber CB on the roster if PacMan gets in trouble again. If they depend on Alan Ball to step in right away if someone gets hurt next year, you’re in the same position as last year with Jacques Reeves. I don’t think you can bank of Pac Man for continued good behavior. If he has one bad night you’re in trouble.

I REALLY hope Jerry feels the same way.

 

[dbair1967]

I'll say this, I think Felix can be a much better inside runner than Reggie Bush, if only because he'll actually try to do it. He doesn't have that -- sorry -- soft attitude that Bush has, like he's too good to do it. Plus, Felix has bigger legs and with some pro weight weight training will play at 215 or so, while Bush is more like 200.

That's one reason I've warmed up to Felix more -- I think he has some untapped upside.
.

I dont know why more dont see it...he does have the ability to get bigger, and he isnt tiny right now anyway...

I think he'll be a very good player for somebody, maybe even us...he clearly has alot of talent and would have been a real star had he been somewhere else where he was the primary back....even their own coach (who used to be an asst here, David Lee) said they wished they'd have got him the ball more

people are way too hung up on the "starter" thing in regards to this anyway...we dont have a 1-2 situation here, we have (and have had) a 1A and 1B situation. The cap charges for guys drafted in the 20's arnt significant

David

 

[Stash]

Mickey's just being infantile.

You're always just ahead of me....

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

I'd rather have Ray Rice over Felix Jones if we go that route... Just my opinion though.

 

[Hostile]

You're always just ahead of me....

So you're saying you're stalking him?

 

[InmanRoshi]

I really don't know what Mickey's point was about "you're going to have to get another RB if you get Felix Jones." We're going to have to get another RB no matter who we draft. We only have one on the roster. We need two more.

As far as a "niche back" goes ... who isn't a "niche back" in today's NFL? Forget wondering if Felix Jones can be an every down back, we don't even know if Marion Barber can be an every down back. Brandon Jacobs is 6'4" 260 lbs and he splits carries. We're looking for a big play dynamic (I swore I'm not going to use "Wow" for the rest of the offseason ... but you get the idea). If you get a guy who can dynamically change the offense and keep opposing defense coordinators up at night, not to mention a threat to take it to the house every time he takes a kickoff, he's worth every bit of the #22 pick.

 

[superpunk]

Norm said he has some good info. He was speculating the first round might not bring a wr, rb or cb! He also said he expects a trade of some sort with miami tomorrow! For picks, not taylor.

My interest has been piqued.

 

[theogt]

I really don't know what Mickey's point was about "you're going to have to get another RB if you get Felix Jones." We're going to have to get another RB no matter who we draft. We only have one on the roster. We need two more.

As far as a "niche back" goes ... who isn't a "niche back" in today's NFL? Forget wondering if Felix Jones can be an every down back, we don't even know if Marion Barber can be an every down back. Brandon Jacobs is 6'4" 260 lbs and he splits carries. We're looking for a big play dynamic (I swore I'm not going to use "Wow" for the rest of the offseason ... but you get the idea). If you get a guy who can dynamically change the offense and keep opposing defense coordinators up at night, not to mention a threat to take it to the house every time he takes a kickoff, he's worth every bit of the #22 pick.

And where were Jacobs and Barber drafted? The 1st round or the 4th round?