looking ahead

[Langlier]

kind of a build off of the other thread but next year things are starting to come into focus.

McCown will be our backup with Walter competing

Fargas will be our starter with Bush fighting for minutes

McQ will compete to start at RT

Gallery will be back manning LG

Griffith and O'Neal will both be back as our 1 - 2 punch at FB



Areas of concern?

WR - Curry seems to have regressed badly. Porter is on again off again. We need a go to guy... Maybe its one of these 2 or Miller but one needs to step up.

DT - Sapp is a great wave guy but hes getting paid like a stud... id take him back at a reduced rate but we need more production here. Warren should be resigned as a starter. Where to Sands/Kelly fit in?

RDE - Richardson is a very good backup at both spots but isnt cut out for a starters role. A Chris Long would go a long way towards making our D much better.

LT/C/RG - Sims and Newberry have done very well this year. Better then expected. However how long does Newb hold up? Sims isnt a long term answer at LT but he can definately hold it down another year. Where does Henderson fit in? Carlisle has done about as well as I expected... but we can definately upgrade the position.

FS - Eugene has been an upgrade over schweig... neither are difference makers though. We need to look for one more piece to this secondary or shift Huff over and find a hard nosed SS.

Some depth in a few other areas should cover our Draft and FA needs. I'm starting the anti-Berrian jihad but leading the Bryant Johnson one. I'm cooling on Haynesworth but only because I think Ellis or Dorsey will end up Raiders on draft day. Though if we can somehow pull off Chris Long and get Haynesworth in FA... well then I'm going to be very excited for next year. i'm dreaming here but...

Haynesworth
Bryant Johnson

followed by
1. Chris Long
2. Mario Manningham (or Early Doucet)

would just about make my year

 

[Crow]

I don't know that McCown will even be retained, to be honest. I certainly wouldn't make any tremendous effort to keep him.

I think Bush wins the starting gig outright, with Huggy getting 10-15 snaps a game.

I think McQ's competition is himself. If he continues to play well, it's his job.

Gallery at LG is a lock.

Still not a fan of rotating FBs. If we're in short yardage, I'm good with putting Griff behind O'Neil...O'Neal...whatever. Unless it's a crucial play, then I want Oren on the sideline. I don't trust him to make his block consistently enough to put the game on his shoulders. In those cases, #36 needs to be leading someone else to the hole. Huggy, maybe some big smasher we pick up in FA or the draft.


A go-to guy would be nice. I think Curry can still be that guy, regardless of this down year. Kiffin just needs to call better plays where his WRs are concerned.

Madsen, Higgins, hopefully Dwight, and hopefully someone like Ernest Wilford, Bryant Johnson, or some other moderately priced FA will round out our WR corps. I'm certainly not opposed to drafting another burner. But I am opposed to taking one in the top two rounds. DL/DL, all the way. Much rather break the bank on Berrian so our draft focus remains where it needs to be.

If the OL's pass pro continues to improve, Miller working underneath should prove to be a reliable go-to guy. Not a big play guy, but a reliable chain mover.


Sapp is cashed. Warren is a #3, in my view. Turd is just that. Maybe a #4. Kelly is depth, maybe a base DE. Haynesworth is a pipe dream.

If we manage to land Dorsey in Rd1, then we can get by rotating the scrubs we have now...maybe. If it's Ellis, we have to find another competent starter to keep him free to fly into the backfield. Either way, grabbing another DT (Bryant, if he's there) in Rd2 makes the most sense regardless of our 1st round pick.


I think we need to consider addressing both DE spots. Burgess is a liability against the run. We have no RE. I think we can get by playing Kelly or Brayton at LE with Burgess coming in as a specialist. Chris Long would be amazing, and if he's there, he's ours. I just don't envision us having a shot at him.


I'm not overly concerned with Sims or Carlisle right now. But a center is a must. makes throwing away our 3rd round pick look even dumber, eh? Maybe we can pull someone out of our ass.


I'd bring in a lot of competition at safety again. But I think providing an actual pass rush is the primary need in our secondary.


I wouldn't touch Manningham. Fuckabuncha diva WRs. No, no, no.

Not impressed with Doucet.


Berrian and Aso should get the bulk of our FA $. There's always a semi-cheap, ZBS capable FA lineman out there, so I'm not too worried about the line.

Rd1. DL
Rd2. DL
Rd4. RB depth, OL depth, or DB depth.

 

[BigTron]

WR We need to find a legit #1 WR. Even if we make a trade for Fitzgerald, R.Williams etc. IM not sure Berrian is worth all the money he wants but maybe we should just overpay due to lack of options at WR. There arent any elite WR prospects in this years draft. Lets just hope for a M.Colston late round gem. I would like Mario Manningham in Rnd 2 because he runs great route's and can kill you in the deep passing game. He would be a killer fit for JR. He wont be expensive either. His attitude isnt great but his talent is. I would take a chance. As a Michigan fan he isnt the worst guy ever. Besides Moss and TO are doing great these days...

DL

We need help in this area. We basically need a monster DE. I would love to see V.Gohlston/C.Long/C.Campell starting next season opposite of a healthy Burgess. Clemons, Richardson and Kelly can all back-up and rotate in.

We also need another body at DT. Sands and Warren = 1 solid DT, neither can play too many snaps or they get pused around and get tired. Sapp can rush the passer still and would be effective on passing downs. We need to limit his snaps also. He might need to take a paycut to stay but I think his leadership and attitude earn him a spot so he can retire in S&B. Thats just my opinion. Adding Haynesworth would be ideal but i doubt he doesnt get franchised. The best bet is to draft F.Okam or the best DT in Rnd2. Either way i would draft D-Line in rnd 1 and 2 unless we get a shot at McFadden.

 

[jatfly]

Berrian is not a #1 WR, I have problem with him taking Porters spot as long as we have a STUD as the #1 WR.

Fargas and Aso deserve to get paid, just don't break the bank on Lil' Huggie.
Aso toss the truck at him.....

DL, maybe I am wrong but why isn't anyone mentioning Clemons? This kid deserves to be here next year as a back up of course, but he has played really well and I think it is part of the reason Burgess is now having a re-surgance.

Kelly can be brought back just give him Sands money.....

WE NEED BOB SANDERS FROM INDY!!!! I know it won't happen but man he is a hard hitter that can play the run and cover........

I would like to pick up the another DT or two and I know Robert Thomas has played well but we need some one equally skilled as Howard and Morrison there.

THERE IS NO ONE ON SPECIAL TEAMS (outside the two kickers) THAT IMPRESSES ME......on our coverage that is....We outran that kickback this past weekend. There was no reason for it.....

HOW fuggin Lechler isn't in the pro-bowl I will never know!!!

 

[Swords]

signing Aso and not "tagging " him is huge. I don't want to do the Charles to him. He deserves it and should be here for the rest of his career.

You can put the Bob Sanders talk to bed. He aint goin anywhere.

I like McCown. Sure he has no talent and is ugly as sin but when a guy is playing his heart out with injuries I call him a leader. There is NO way he should have played with his off hand jacked up the way it is. He is taking one for the team and has not bitched 1 word about the QB rotation. He can play on my team anyday.

 

[Crow]

Not really following the Berrian doubters here. Kid is damn good and exactly what we need. We have the intermediate receivers covered. Unless Higgins breaks out, we need a deep threat with great hands and YAC ability. Berrian is all of that.

 

[Langlier]

Not really following the Berrian doubters here. Kid is damn good and exactly what we need. We have the intermediate receivers covered. Unless Higgins breaks out, we need a deep threat with great hands and YAC ability. Berrian is all of that.

ive got the same problem with Berrian that you have with McCown... He's very inconsistant.

He drops as many big plays as he makes. Hes somewhat of a Diva. And while his speed is good that is all he brings to the table. I'd rather find a guy that can do the short to intermediate stuff and turn it into extra yardage.

 

[Crossbones]

Say what you want about Grossman but the guy has a major league arm. And when Berrian gets going he's a big problem. Even Rex has shopwn that.

If Russell can get on the same page with Berrian or a Berrian type defenses are not going to be putting 8 in the box for long. That is a very good thing.

 

[Crow]

ive got the same problem with Berrian that you have with McCown... He's very inconsistant.

He drops as many big plays as he makes. Hes somewhat of a Diva. And while his speed is good that is all he brings to the table. I'd rather find a guy that can do the short to intermediate stuff and turn it into extra yardage.

Never seen any diva symptoms in the guy personally. The illness he has that can be confirmed is Tim Brown's Disease. Shitty QB after shitty QB.

I also have to disagree that all he has is speed. His route running and intermediate work has developed leaps and bounds. He's not Jerry Rice, but then, who is? I also haven't seen him look like his fingers were covered in chicken grease. Not this year, anyway.

On a run first team, I think he's definitely capable of being a #1. He's a far cry better than Eddie Kennison for hell's sake.

 

[hawaiianboy]

Not really following the Berrian doubters here.

I don't know if I'm a doubter, but I'm also not 100% sold either... You gotta admit that when Bernard Berrian is sitting at the top of most people's FA list, it's a pretty weak year... In fact, that it's such a weak year makes me 99% sure that Jerry Porter will opt out... Obviously a team will be taking Berrian on the come if they opt to pay him the money he's going to get, but the whole 'it's his contract year' also has to enter the discussion I think...

Now that he has his QB of choice, it really wouldn't surprise me to see Al choose to take a band-aid approach to other needs (DT, safety, center) and go full bore after not only Berrian, but Javon Walker once he's released... I also think we need to take the rumors of both Chad Johnson and Roy Williams being available as more than just discussion fodder, and just hope Al gets the better end of any trade he chooses to make...

I just hope that Al leaves some money in the till to adequately address the D-line... I think Sapp either retires or looks for a way to land with a team that can compete for a Super Bowl (Indy), Clemmons cashes his 7-8 sack season into chips on the free agent market, Brayton opts out and Kelly goes to an east Coast team like the Jets... At the very least, we're looking at depleted depth...

 

[Byron2112]

Shit, is Clemons a free agent too?

With him ,Fargas, Aso looking to cash in I dunno if we'll be getting much help... Burgess will probably want to tow a hard line this offseason too since he's suffered in silence here the last couplea seasons.

I wonder if a legit deep threat could open things up some for Curry?

 

[Madturk]

Well it's almost a given that Al is going to throw some coin at a WR this offseason whether it's FA or via trade. I think that I'm in the majority on Berrian in that he's not really a bona fide #1, just happens to be the benefactor of a really weak FA crop in this cap friendly era and he has been inconsistent throughout his career. I've seen him drop his share of passes. If we're going to throw away that kind of money, I want it to go to someone with a decent resume.

I hope you're wrong about Al's "finger in the dike" mentality HB when it comes to some other critical areas such as the DL. We're totally fugged if we don't address the weakest link on this team via FA or the draft. I'd try to re-sign Warren cause Turd is a huge bust. I also hope we make an effort to re-sign Tommie Kelly. Really noticed a drop off in the DL play when he went down. I wouldn't mind seeing Clemmons back at the right price either. If someone is going to throw a boatload of cash at him, then more power to him.

 

[Crossbones]

After watching Chad Johndson this week in their game I'm not sure I want any part of him. I always loved Johnson but he wasn't on my team either. He's got al lthe markings of a Randy Moss/Terell Owns problem. we really don't have time for that nonsense. As Crow said to me, Johnson probably wants to go to a winner anyway. Good.

 

[Crow]

I don't know if I'm a doubter, but I'm also not 100% sold either... You gotta admit that when Bernard Berrian is sitting at the top of most people's FA list, it's a pretty weak year... In fact, that it's such a weak year makes me 99% sure that Jerry Porter will opt out... Obviously a team will be taking Berrian on the come if they opt to pay him the money he's going to get, but the whole 'it's his contract year' also has to enter the discussion I think...

It's part of the equation, but so is the shit QB play he's dealt with. I can't remember ever seeing him go TO on Grossman after a god awful throw. He's made some really nice adjustments to those fugly throws, and we're going to need that quality.

I rate the guy pretty highly. I ain't saying he's Marvin Harrison, but he's not Ashley Lelie either.

Now that he has his QB of choice, it really wouldn't surprise me to see Al choose to take a band-aid approach to other needs (DT, safety, center) and go full bore after not only Berrian, but Javon Walker once he's released... I also think we need to take the rumors of both Chad Johnson and Roy Williams being available as more than just discussion fodder, and just hope Al gets the better end of any trade he chooses to make...

We've tried the band-aid approach for way too long regarding the D-line. It doesn't work. If we do that again this year, especially if we have a Dorsey or Ellis available, I will get religious just long enough to pray for that old bastard's death.

I just hope that Al leaves some money in the till to adequately address the D-line... I think Sapp either retires or looks for a way to land with a team that can compete for a Super Bowl (Indy), Clemmons cashes his 7-8 sack season into chips on the free agent market, Brayton opts out and Kelly goes to an east Coast team like the Jets... At the very least, we're looking at depleted depth...

All the more reason to draft DLs in every damn round if we're able.

 

[Crow]

If Clemons gets a big payday, then we'll be one up in the compensation draft pick market.

None of our DLs are very good at this point. If some team wants to pay them like they are, that only benefits us in the future.

 

[Byron2112]

After watching Chad Johndson this week in their game I'm not sure I want any part of him. I always loved Johnson but he wasn't on my team either. He's got al lthe markings of a Randy Moss/Terell Owns problem. we really don't have time for that nonsense. As Crow said to me, Johnson probably wants to go to a winner anyway. Good.

I'm definatly not digging Johnson coming here. Aside from being near 30, he's just a guy who's personality is on the edge of destruction and I could see things going real sour for him and those around him pretty easily... he doesn't strike me as the type that reacts to adversity real well(kinda like some other douchbag all-world reciever we know), and I'm finished with those types... I don't care how much talent is involved. I recall watching a segment on Chad Johnson a year or two ago, they talked about how unstable he is. I think it was either his college position coach, or his highschool coach that checks in on him pretty frequently to keep him on an even keel.This guy is like the father figure and best friend in Johnson's life and he flat out said he often worries that Johnson will do something to lose all his success and everything he has... RIGHT NOW, even at this point in his life.

Screw that noise.

About Javon Walker, all the Bronko fans seem to think his knee injury is they type where he'll never be 100% for the rest of his career... they also believe that micro-fracture surgery is a possibility at pretty much any time.

 

[Madturk]

Then it's Nips boy James Hardy then!

 

[hawaiianboy]

I know my man crush falls under Crow's dreaded Diva WR category, but if Marshall can lie, cheat, yell of shoot his way out of Denver, I'll gladly take him with open arms...




MARSHALL MELTDOWN IN DENVER?

There's a rumor making the rounds that Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall got into a verbal altercation with one or more members of the coaching staff on Monday, and then stormed out of the facility.

The talk is that Marshall at one point challenged the team to "cut me."

We're in the process of confirming (and/or debunking) this rumor. But, hey, we've got a Live Blog to do.

The tall, speedy Marshall caught 11 passes for 107 yards in the team's most recent game, last Thursday night against the Texans.

 

[massraider]

Not really following the Berrian doubters here. Kid is damn good and exactly what we need. We have the intermediate receivers covered. Unless Higgins breaks out, we need a deep threat with great hands and YAC ability. Berrian is all of that.

While I don't think his hands are that great, I also think he's just what the team needs.

I've acually watched a LOT of Berrian. I've had several Bears on my fantasy teams the last two years, and liked berrian from 2006, and snapped him up whenever I could this year.

My scouting report:

As a deep threat, he can have a major impact. Alvin Harper, Willie Gault, Cliff Branch, pick your name. In fact, Cliff Branch is a good comparison to me, because Branch was mostly a deep threat, but more.

Which is what Berrian is. A Deep Threat+. He catches the intermediate stuff as well.

He has put up numbers with worse quarterbacking than the Raiders, and while I have sen stretches of drops, I don't put him in the Troy Williamson class. The guy has good hands.

Is he a #1 guy? No, but he is on his way to being a #1A guy. I could live with that.

And yeah, he'll probably get overpaid this spring. But we have room, and overpaid today is a bargain in two years. Everyone has cap room, salaries have begun spiking to make up for the extra room, people need to re-adjust what constitutes "market value".

 

[SoCalRaider]

You gotta admit that when Bernard Berrian is sitting at the top of most people's FA list, it's a pretty weak year...

No freakin kidding.......... I've never even heard of that guy until I popped this thread open. Bernard freakin' Berrian???? I suddenly miss Alvis Whitted.

All the more reason to draft DLs in every damn round if we're able.

I've been preaching this for years... which means it will never happen as long as Al's alive. There's only 3 positions that I like seeing drafted.... DE, DT, RB.... mostly because they play their best ball in the beginning of the careers. Though thanks to RR, I'm starting to come around to drafting LBs.... since we've had some success in getting a quicker ROI than normal.......