Offseason Phase III - The Finite (Roster Space) War

[Klomp]

 

[Krauser]

2 hours ago, Klomp said:

You don't remember Howard Griffith?

Yeah but I was thinking more of the 2015 era Broncos. 

6 minutes ago, Cearbhall said:

FBs are used a fair amount in Kubiak's system.  From what I can tell, the FB can expect to catch more passes out of the backfield in this offense.  Ham is just okay at that.  The FB in the system needs to be more of an athlete than we are used to, not just a big back that can block.  The FB will need to be more versatile.

I think they mostly want an H-back who's a receiving target, and only secondarily a lead blocker. 

I hope and expect they're planning to leave Cousins in shotgun or pistol most of the time, with Cook/Mattison both very comfortable running from that formation. They're not going to have an I-formation fullback like Felton was in the Peterson era. 

Smith can line up in a wing-back / H-back position, a yard or two off the LOS and act as a lead blocker if needed while also threatening as a pass target from that position. 

If you watch his game films you can see how varied his positional usage was in college: in-line TE less than half the time, more often lining up as a slot receiver, wing-back, or sometimes even as an outside receiver.

First few plays of the Georgia game is a good example -- Smith lines up repeatedly as a wing-back, mostly running pass routes (mostly underneath, but one a deep corner), but also coming inside as a lead blocker on an inside run play. 

 I think the Vikings will use Smith at this position, and with him in that role they probably won't need a true FB like Ham. 

[Krauser]

8 minutes ago, battle2heaven said:

Ideally, we would have a FB that is similar to kyle juszczyk in a Kubiak/Shanahan type offense. Kyle Juszczyk has a 9.82 RAS score coming out. Can Blassingame become that for us? Who knows, but he fits the athletic profile.

Irv Smith isn't considered a freak by RAS because he's compared to TEs instead of RBs but he profiles as a similar athlete:

H/W: Smith 6'2" 242, Juszczyk 6'1" 248
40: Smith 4.63, Juszczyk 4.71
bench: Smith 19, Juszczyk 24
vert: Smith 32.5" Juszczyk 37"
3-cone Smith 7.32, Juszczyk 6.93

They're similar size, Smith is a bit faster, Juszczyk is a bit stronger, more explosive and agile (though it's worth noting that Juszczyk's numbers were from his pro day, while Smith didn't redo his combine drills).

Juszczyk played over 60% of snaps for the Niners last year as the TE2/FB. I think they'll want Smith to have a similar role, even if Rudolph stays on the team as the TE1. 

Unless Blasingame can run routes, catch and block like Smith it's hard to see him being used that much, despite his athleticism. 

[swede700]

Let's not stoop to everyone's level and forget that this is going to be Stefanski's offense, not Kubiak's.  

Yes, while it will have a heavy influence of Kubiak, Kubiak will not be calling the plays, and I imagine it will have a heavy Shurmur influence as well.  Evenso, Kubiak has always had FBs (Vonta Leach in Houston, Reuben Droughns and Mike Anderson (yes, they were also FBs) in his 1st stint in Denver and Andy Janovich in his 2nd.  The reality is that a FB has always been utilized in the Shanahan/Kubiak system...they're just used slightly differently.  

[Cearbhall]

On 4/28/2019 at 12:32 PM, Cearbhall said:

Here is my take on who is currently in the top 53 with expectation that plenty of players will do things to change the current pecking order:

Quarterbacks
Kirk Cousins
Kyle Sloter
Sean Mannion (UFA)
------
Jake Browning (R - UDFA)

Runningbacks
Dalvin Cook
Mike Boone
Alexander Mattison (R - 3rd)
Ameer Abdullah
CJ Ham (Fullback)
-------
Roc Thomsas
Khari Blasingame (R - UDFA)

Wide Receivers

A guy that isn't currently on the roster or one of the guys on the cut list would also be on the 53.

Stefon Diggs
Adam Thielen
Chad Beebe
Brandon Zylstra
---------
Jeff Badet
Laquon Treadwell
Taylor Jordan (UFA)
Dillon Mitchell (R - 7th)
Olabisi Johnson (R - 7th)
Davion Davis (R - UDFA)

Tight End
Kyle Rudolph
David Morgan
Irv Smith Jr (R - 2nd)
--------
Tyler Conklin
Cole Hikutini
Brandon Dillon (R - UDFA)    

Tackles
Riley Reiff
Brian O'Neill
Rashod Hill
--------
Storm Norton
Adam Bisnowaty
Oli Udoh (R - 6th)

Guards

Expect one of Collins, Dozier, and Isidora to make it too. Elflein will also soon enter the mix for that spot.

Josh Kline (UFA)
Brett Jones
Dru Samia (R - 4th)
---------------
Aviante Collins
Dakota Dozier (UFA)
Danny Isidora
John Keenoy (R - UDFA)

Centers
Pat Elflein
Garrett Bradbury (R - 1st)
-----------
Cornelius Edison

Defensive Ends
Danielle Hunter
Everson Griffen
Stephen Weatherly
Tashawn Bower
--------
Ade Aruna
Karter Schult (UFA)
Anree Saint-Armour (R - UDFA)

Defensive Tackles

The backup jobs are really up for grabs but for not I'll put in a couple of the players the Vikings have drafted and spent some developing. The team already chose Johnson and Holmes over Odenigbo once so that is where it will start.

Linval Joseph
Shamar Stephen (UFA)
Jaleel Johnson
Jalyn Holmes
---------
Ifeadi Odenigbo
Armon Watts (R - 6th)
Hercules Mata'afa
Curtis Cothran
Tito Odenigbo (R - UDFA)

Linebackers

Displacing Downs isn't a huge hurdle if any of the others that step up

Eric Kendricks
Anthony Barr
Ben Gedeon
Eric Wilson
Devante Downs
-------------
Kentrell Brothers
Cameron Smith (R - 5th)
Reshard Cliett
Greer Martini (UFA)

Cornerbacks
Xavier Rhodes
Trae Waynes
Mike Hughes
Mackensie Alexander
Holton Hill
------------
Kris Boyd (R - 7th)
Craig James
Duke Thomas (UFA)
Nate Meadors (R - UDFA)

Safeties
Harrison Smith
Anthony Harris
Jayron Kearse
Marcus Epps (R -6th)
----------
Derron Smith (UFA)
Jordan Martin (UFA)
Micah Prince Abernathy (R- UDFA)
Mar'Sean Diggs (R - UDFA)

Specialists
Dan Bailey
Matt Wile
Kevin McDemott
------------
Austin Cutting (R - 7th)  -- not on roster while serving military commitment.

Current Number (48/93) - This leaves five spots open to be earned by the guys I currently have below the line or street free agents that get signed.  I can see the team bringing in a FA WR and safety. Also, younger guys will make the practice squad.  Plenty will change as some of the rookies show what the team hopes to see and move up the rankings.

hmmm

Early roster projections were unsurprisingly not so good. I am happy to see some of the young guys jump above the cut line. On the flip side, guys like Sloter, Zylstra, and Downs sadly went the wrong direction.

A few of the misses it is easy to see where things changed since late April. For example, we didn't yet know about Holton Hill's suspensions, Morgan's inability to perform physically, Cutting's availability opening up after a change to military policy, Bower's injury, etc...

Edited September 1, 2019 by Cearbhall