Turning the page to last player acquisition phase of off-season

[Teague31]

Bears with $45m in dead money

 

[jnday]

The dumpster diving phase?

Stephen will sign several free agents that are straight out of the dumpster and they will be lucky if one or two can make the final roster.

 

[ThatJerryKid]

Stephen's got some change in his purse.

What's the first thing he's going to spend it on?

I'm thinking a #2 WR.

I think they like Tolbert, of course, but I don't see them depending on him for the first several games of the season in that role.

I know we have to sign our draft picks but what happens to the rest of the money if we would sign nobody else?

 

[john van brocklin]

Stephen will sign several free agents that are straight out of the dumpster and they will be lucky if one or two can make the final roster.

Lol. Sounds like the 2020 season off-season free agency
What a tire fire that was!

 

[_sturt_]

what happens to the rest of the money if we would sign nobody else?

To my memory, it is true that there's typically been some budget held back as, in effect, a rainy-day fund if some player were to be cut unexpectedly that they want to go get.

 

[_sturt_]

Offensive lineman!!!!!!!

I think they need a backup plan in case Tyler Smith is not ready to be the starting LG.

Yah.

Have to believe that the same philosophy that says, "Sam Williams gets a shot at taking the starting RDE opening... but... we've got DA and Fowler signed, too"... is the same philosophy that says we have to have to start the season with at least one other viable vet option at each of LG and WR... and by "viable" I mean not someone who has shown enough that, in theory, he could be a fall-back position, but rather someone who has been in recent memory a starter.

Me, I like Trai Turner if the price is right for left guard. And as already said, I like Jarvis Landry for WR... but self-evidently, the price may be too high.

Second options, and likely cheaper, are Ereck Flowers and Keelan Cole.

Someone might say, "Well but the defensive line, by design, rotates players. So the philosophy might not translate to WR where there's less rotation, or the offensive line where they try to keep it static."

To which I would reply, but that only makes it more imperative... ie, since you really want to be able to count on one guy as your #2 (or #3 after Gallup returns) WR, and one as your starting left guard all season.

 

[RS12]

Stephen's got some change in his purse.

What's the first thing he's going to spend it on?

Probably a shopping mall, oil or gas well.

 

[tm1119]

Vet LB and S will be the primary targets. Nothing special but hopefully 1/2 decent depth. Maybe bring in Tevi as competition for swing tackle.

Not sure there’s a ton of roster spots left honestly

 

[john van brocklin]

Yah.

Have to believe that the same philosophy that says, "Sam Williams gets a shot at taking the starting RDE opening... but... we've got DA and Fowler signed, too"... is the same philosophy that says we have to have to start the season with at least one other viable vet option at each of LG and WR... and by "viable" I mean not someone who has shown enough that, in theory, he could be a fall-back position, but rather someone who has been in recent memory a starter.

Me, I like Trai Turner if the price is right for left guard. And as already said, I like Jarvis Landry for WR... but self-evidently, the price may be too high.

Second options, and likely cheaper, are Ereck Flowers and Keelan Cole.

Someone might say, "Well but the defensive line, by design, rotates players. So the philosophy might not translate to WR where there's less rotation, or the offensive line where they try to keep it static."

To which I would reply, but that only makes it more imperative... ie, since you really want to be able to count on one guy as your #2 (or #3 after Gallup returns) WR, and one as your starting left guard all season.

At this point I would be happy if they signed a back up water boy.

 

[conner01]

Stephen's got some change in his purse.

What's the first thing he's going to spend it on?

I'm thinking a #2 WR.

I think they like Tolbert, of course, but I don't see them depending on him for the first several games of the season in that role.

You still have to pay the guys you just drafted so it’s not as much as you think
We will add more players including a swing tackle I suspect

 

[conner01]

Vet LB and S will be the primary targets. Nothing special but hopefully 1/2 decent depth. Maybe bring in Tevi as competition for swing tackle.

Not sure there’s a ton of roster spots left honestly

He won’t have much competition lol

 

[conner01]

To my memory, it is true that there's typically been some budget held back as, in effect, a rainy-day fund if some player were to be cut unexpectedly that they want to go get.

They usually keep a few mil for in season signings

 

[CowboyRoy]

Stephen's got some change in his purse.

What's the first thing he's going to spend it on?

I'm thinking a #2 WR.

I think they like Tolbert, of course, but I don't see them depending on him for the first several games of the season in that role.

lol….you WR people are hilarious!

 

[conner01]

I know we have to sign our draft picks but what happens to the rest of the money if we would sign nobody else?

It rolls over to next year
But you need money during the season to sign guys who may get cut or replace someone injured
We get the money from Collins in June too

 

[conner01]

At this point I would be happy if they signed a back up water boy.

I think we need a true starter there

 

[ESisback]

As the chart says, they actually have just under 12 mil, and I would let it burn a hole in my pocket. Bolster the trenches if something comes up. If not, save it for a rainy day.

IMO, the OL should/could be better, and Zeke and Pollard should be healthier. If KM makes some adjustments, the running game could be more effective.

Just speculating…

 

[_sturt_]

Vet LB and S will be the primary targets.

Safety
Hooker
Kearse
Mukuamu
Wilson

Think, at most, you have 5 safeties on the opening game roster, and already you have these 4, 3 of which are highly likely, then 4.5 guys who will get a shot in training camp to impress: Coyle (2021 PS guy who was signed), plus Bell (FAMU), Thomas (GaTech) and Van Zandt (TCU) all fairly highly regarded UFDAs. Then, the 1/2 is Nahshon Wright who some consider a hybrid CB.

Not seeing it.

But LB is a different story....

Linebacker
Parsons
Vander Esch
Cox
Gifford

Last season had these plus 3 others (Jaylon, Neal and Bernard), so it's likely 7, or at least 6 LB slots will be occupied on the opening game roster. Drafted Harper in the 6th, and signed UDFA Hansford. (Drafted Clark, too, but of course, he's already ticketed for PUP at minimum.) Have a futures contract guy, Devante Bond who didn't play at all in 2021.

Not difficult to imagine adding another vet LB. However, Harper and Hansford likely will get every chance to fill Bernard's primarily-special-teams role. Cox was always considered the Jaylon Smith replacement. So, that leaves an opening for someone to claim Keanu Neal's function. There remains ample options on the market, and I wouldn't anticipate the salary number on this one to be daunting.

 

[john van brocklin]

I think we need a true starter there

Idea, Sign a new mascot in free agency !!! LOL

 

[Oh_Canada]

He’s going to sign a few has-beens to save face, than when they inevitably fail he will point to the failures as proof free agency is a waste of time.

 

[_sturt_]

the OL should/could be better

Hard for me to trust the LG slot will be won by a 21 yr-old, unless that 21 yr-old had Tyron Smith-like credentials coming out of college. I like Tyler to win the position eventually, maybe even this season, but it feels like we're asking a lot to pencil him in, or even to say he's the odds-on-favorite.

Trai Turner made $3m last season. I'm inclined toward something like that.