Doesn't look like such a hard task to rebuild the defense now, does it.

[Chris Meck]

I'm kind of leaning towards this-

**** FA. Re-sign and extend your playmakers, let guys go that aren't worth their cap # (guys like Sorensen) and draft to re-stock. 2nd tier FA's maybe, to fill spots and compete with the young guys and draftees. Keep the core of the offense intact for the next several seasons and draft defense and o-line.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

I'm kind of leaning towards this-

**** FA. Re-sign and extend your playmakers, let guys go that aren't worth their cap # (guys like Sorensen) and draft to re-stock. 2nd tier FA's maybe, to fill spots and compete with the young guys and draftees. Keep the core of the offense intact for the next several seasons and draft defense and o-line.

I'm not sure I'd even limit it to 'playmakers' though it tends to work out the same way. Right now I like to look at guys who are simply a little unique.

For instance, Houston is a great player who's been huge for us in this run...but he's not truly a unique guy at this stage in his career. Meanwhile Dee Ford has a first step and get off that nobody in the league really has.

Sammy Watkins is a very good player when healthy but he doesn't have a standout tool; he's just very good in many ways. Meanwhile Tyreek Hill has Tyreek Hill speed.

Chris Jones isn't exactly unique because he exists in a world where Aaron Donald is a thing. But without Aaron Donald, Chris Jones would be something of a unicorn in his own right.

Target those guys who present novel matchup problems first. Get them extended and then look at how you keep the guys who do the same things as everyone else but maybe a little bit better (Fuller, Watkins, Houston, Berry). You'll be able to keep some of those guys still, but not all of them. The guys to make sure you do not lose are the ones that just create uniquely difficult matchups by virtue of some standout skill, IMO.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by Chris Meck

I'm kind of leaning towards this-

**** FA. Re-sign and extend your playmakers, let guys go that aren't worth their cap # (guys like Sorensen) and draft to re-stock. 2nd tier FA's maybe, to fill spots and compete with the young guys and draftees. Keep the core of the offense intact for the next several seasons and draft defense and o-line.

That's good in theory. And I'm totally down with not paying high ****ing dollar free agents. Man, there is real money being spent on either shit or no production. But relying on FA's for production is going to happen, like it or not - there is just too much turnover to not.

But like I keep saying, it comes down to production per unit Salary Cap.

I look back at the Sean Smith contract, and he was definitely worth 5.5 per. Is Josh Norman worth 15? I'd say resoundingly no. Even further down the list, is Talib worth 10? I'm thinking not.

I'd rather get 3 Sean Smtih's than 1 Josh Norman, even if you drafted Norman.

And drafting is super important because those are by far the cheapest dollars and any production at all is a huge value. But being smart with non-rookie deal money is the most important thing here. Whether you drafted them or not.

[DJ's left nut]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

That's good in theory. And I'm totally down with not paying high ****ing dollar free agents. Man, there is real money being spent on either shit or no production. But relying on FA's for production is going to happen, like it or not - there is just too much turnover to not.

But like I keep saying, it comes down to production per unit Salary Cap.

I look back at the Sean Smith contract, and he was definitely worth 5.5 per. Is Josh Norman worth 15? I'd say resoundingly no. Even further down the list, is Talib worth 10? I'm thinking not.

I'd rather get 3 Sean Smtih's than 1 Josh Norman, even if you drafted Norman.

And drafting is super important because those are by far the cheapest dollars and any production at all is a huge value. But being smart with non-rookie deal money is the most important thing here. Whether you drafted them or not.

That's how the Patriots have remained successful; they do a very good job of getting good production out of cheaper players.

Marcus Cannon, Julian Edelman, Kyle VanNoy, Adrian Clayborn, Cordarelle Patterson, Patrick Chung, etc...

Lots of guys that were either relatively low investment retentions or scrap heap FA veterans that they have gotten value out of. None of them are difference makers but they're guys that can help you win ballgames and cost very little of your overall cap.

Granted, it's easier to do that when you have an excellent head coach that can put those guys in positions to succeed, but that's just another way you can leverage that competitive advantage.

[kccrow]

Originally Posted by DJ's left nut

That's how the Patriots have remained successful; they do a very good job of getting good production out of cheaper players.

Marcus Cannon, Julian Edelman, Kyle VanNoy, Adrian Clayborn, Cordarelle Patterson, Patrick Chung, etc...

Lots of guys that were either relatively low investment retentions or scrap heap FA veterans that they have gotten value out of. None of them are difference makers but they're guys that can help you win ballgames and cost very little of your overall cap.

Granted, it's easier to do that when you have an excellent head coach that can put those guys in positions to succeed, but that's just another way you can leverage that competitive advantage.

Agree. There are a couple free agents that will likely be available this year that I think would fit on a relatively cheap deal. I really like the idea of picking up Jets DB Darryl Roberts the more I've thought about it. He's a guy that can play CB and FS and really has stepped up the past couple seasons. If the Chargers let Adrian Phillips get away, he's a guy I'd look at too.