QB Brady Quinn
RB Peyton Hillis
WR Jeremy Horne (RFA)
TE Jake O'Connell
OT Brandon Albert
OG Ryan Lilja
DE Glenn Dorsey
ILB Jovan Belcher
ILB Brandon Siler
CB Travis Daniels
CB Jacques Reeves
DB Kyle McCarthy (RFA)
FS Donald Washington (RFA)
P Dustin Colquitt
LS Thomas Gafford

With Dwayne Bowe on franchise tag, and Tyson Jackson facing a $15 million year.

The following players you can probably just resign (or cut) if you wanted to without having to face any imminent pressure:

After that, you've got guys you can tender or franchise:

Guys that are relatively easy to replace in free agency or the draft:

That gives us these guys, legitimate targets to work to resign:

You can get Belcher and Colquitt resigned during the season.

Dorsey you can let go, net you a nice draft pick when he finds a new situation. Bailey will do the trick.

That last puzzle piece is Jackson. You're going to have to get him signed long term somehow instead of paying him a full $15 million, which I believe the latest contract he signed makes him more likely to do.

So the gameplan:

1. Get Bowe signed before the season starts.

2. Get Belcher, Colquitt, and Jackson extended during the season (yikes).

3. Tag Albert at season's end.

4. Make sure you target QB, big RB, and linebacking depth in free agency/draft.

5. Profit.

I have one problem. Why does everyone assume Bailey can come in and start for us? Sure he's flashed, and can get some pressure, but how is he against the run?

I personally believe he was drafted to replace Gilberry, should he play his way out of our price range.

Dorsey is a top run defender at his position, and doesn't get a pass rush, b/c it's not his primary job to.

Also, I'm lost as to why people believe he and Tyson Jackson will cost so much. He and Dorsey's first contracts have nothing to do with their upcoming contracts. If anything, they will come MUCH cheaper...

You're right. Maybe he's not all that he's cracked up to be. But I have to believe that he was drafted to play the 5-technique, and with a full year of coaching now, we will begin to see if he can play the run.

Happens all the time. Look at Green Bay. They drafted Mike Neal in the 2nd round in 2010. Win the Super Bowl, let go of Cullen Jenkins to avoid a huge contract. Mike Neal ends up not being the answer. Whatever. So they went back to the drawing board and took Jerel Worthy in the draft this year. No harm no foul.

That's the point of drafting guys like Bailey and Mike Neal. You test them out as rotational players, see what they got, then at some point you have to just turn them loose and trust them to see if they REALLY have it. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don't. That's the NFL.

Just because we didn't spend a first rounder or big money free agent dollars on a replacement doesn't mean we should be tentative or afraid to start the guy.

So to answer your question, "Why does everyone assume Bailey can come in and start for us?" Because that's the goddamn plan, that's why.

Considering that group, I'd prioritize Bowe first, Albert and Belcher next, then Dorsey assuming he'd be realistic about his value

And yes I am captain obvious, sorry

Dorsey is restricted correct?