Roster predictions 2023

[warfelg]

Let’s see it.  Give me your surprise cuts, your starting lineup predictions, your sub package thoughts.

 

My starters and sub-packages:

QB - Pickett

RB - Harris

WR1 - Pickens

WR2 - Johnson

SWR - Robinson/Freiermuth (Muth on in a big package where Robinson is outside)

LT - Jones

LG - Semualo

C - Cole

RG - Daniels

RT - Moore

Starting TE - Freiermuth

12 grouping TE - Gentry (to start the season)

12 grouping short yardage - Gentry/Washington (no Muth)

 

DE - Heyward

NT - Fehnko

DE - Ogunjobi

LOLB - Highsmith

ILB - Holcomb

ILB - Roberts/Robinson

ROLB - Watt

RCB - Peterson/Porter

LCB - Wallace

NCB - Peterson/Maulet (Peterson is more passing downs, Maulet on run downs)

LFS - Kazee

RFS - Fitzpatrick

(I designated LFS and RFS because I don’t think we’re going to see anyone drop in the box to the same level as before and both safeties will be playing 1/2 the field but starting high low to allow Minkah to react to where the ball is going)

Run Down Subpackage front:

EDGE - Leal

DT - Heyward

DT - Watts/Benton (great way to get his feet wet)

EDGE - Watt

“Big Nickel” LB grouping, for when you want to hit in the box for the run but they go 11 grouping:

EDGE - Highsmith

ILB - Holcomb

ILB/Box Safety - Neal

EDGE - Watt

NCB - Maulet

”Pass down nickel” LB grouping, for when you know they need to pass from 11 personnel (this would paired with 4 man front):

LB - Neal

LB - Holcomb

NCB - Peterson

 

Of note - I know you see Chuks missing.  I think we trade him before the start of camp, roll Moore to the RT and let him use that run blocking aggressiveness to his advantage.  I think in his rookie year you live with the pass blocking flaws because you are leaning on the run game and he’s a huge upgrade there.  Additionally I would expect Gentry/Washington to end up on the LT help side to chip and give Jones so help on resistance.

[MOSteelers56]

Nice thread idea. I’ll try to get one of these together for myself, though just seeing everyone else’s is pretty fun. Random thought, that RZ package is going to be crazy. Gentry/Washington inline, Muth in the slot, Robinson and Pickens outside. Picket should just throw it up like that old game 500(hopefully you east coasters played that when you were kids). 

[AFF]

I’ll believe it when I see it in terms of trading Chuks…but you never know.

[3rivers]

2 hours ago, warfelg said:

Of note - I know you see Chuks missing.  I think we trade him before the start of camp, roll Moore to the RT and let him use that run blocking aggressiveness to his advantage.  I think in his rookie year you live with the pass blocking flaws because you are leaning on the run game and he’s a huge upgrade there.  Additionally I would expect Gentry/Washington to end up on the LT help side to chip and give Jones so help on resistance.

Thats what I noticed right away, Chuks not on there. I don't see the urgency to trade him early, especially f Jones has issues early on in the pros. It makes more sense to keep Chuks and possibly trade before the trade deadline to a team that is desperate for OT due to injury. If not, then at least OT shouldn't be an issue all year while Jones learns. JOnes can get the pass pro issues corrected this year,  then draft OT + trade Chuks next year.

What do  we get for Chuks in a trade? Perhaps a player for player trade in season  might apply .

Leal playing Edge makes the most sense , and like Jones, Herbig can learn but still get some snaps.  If Dawand Jones is playing, good matchup in passing downs for Herbig.

[warfelg]

36 minutes ago, AFF said:

I’ll believe it when I see it in terms of trading Chuks…but you never know.

I know it’s a bold prediction

[3rivers]

1 hour ago, warfelg said:

I know it’s a bold prediction

will his trade value go up much if a contender  needs an OT just prior to the trade deadline?

jlistening to Ramon and DK saying  K.Green is still on the roster as if he has a chance  - laughable

 

[rlon]

I don’t think Highsmith is too shabby against the run, so I don’t really see the need to replace him with Leal, who I hope puts on, rather than takes off, weight. On the tackle front, right now they are 3 deep in terms of likely starter capability, I don’t want to see them go down to two.

[3rivers]

7 hours ago, rlon said:

I don’t think Highsmith is too shabby against the run, so I don’t really see the need to replace him with Leal, who I hope puts on, rather than takes off, weight. On the tackle front, right now they are 3 deep in terms of likely starter capability, I don’t want to see them go down to two.

whatever Leal plays DE best at is where he will be. There is lots of depth at IDL, but lacking depth at Edge if we take Leal out of the pic and if Herbig isn't quite ready.  He can get that spin move ready, and he is healthy . Last year he was out for a while too, I just remembered .

 

On 4/30/2023 at 2:24 PM, 3rivers said:

jlistening to Ramon and DK saying  K.Green is still on the roster as if he has a chance  - laughable

I usually like listening to them, but this indeed is laughable . It's obvious to all of us Green should be gone, but then again there is canada and mitch, so the team might have a few changes they will resist .  Every now and then clueless fans  can see something  vets/ sports writers don't?   Why defend a player that was drafted early  yet shouldn't have been on a roster after 2 years?

The both really liked the draft too, like most of us. When looking back at recent drafts that might compare   they brought up a few from the 2010's.  Just the idea of bringing up a  draft  that is to be one of the best yet not know the players was rather odd. Then for Jarvis to get mentioned, something didn't seem right there

Edited May 2, 2023 by 3rivers

[Dcash4]

53 Man roster

Offense (25)

QB: Kenny, Trubisky, Rudolph
RB: Harris, Warren, Snell
WR: Pickens, Johnson, Robinson, Austin, Boykin, Byrd
TE: Freiermuth, Washington, Gentry, Heyward
OT: Chuks, Moore, Jones, Anderson
OG: Daniels, Seumalo, Herbig
OC: Cole, Green

Defense (25)

DL: Heyward, Ogunjobi, Benton, Fehoko, Watts, Loudermilk
Edge: Watt, Highsmith, Leal, Herbig, Roche
ILB: Holcomb, Roberts, Robinson, Muse
CB: Peterson, Wallace, Porter, PTBNL, Pierre, Trice
S: Fitzpatrick, Kazee, Neal, Nelson

Specialist (3)

K: Boswell
P: Harvin
LS: Kuntz

Notes:

- Names you know getting cut: Maulet, Norwood, Witherspoon, Adams, Olszewski, Killebrew (saves about $12M off the cap)
- Dotson is a trade candidate ($3M in savings)
- Suprise name on the roster: Kendrick Green. Has more value on the 53 man roster than Dotson because he can play center. He is a "break in case of emergencies" use only. Daniels and Seumalo both probably play center in the event that Cole misses a chunk of time. Need an extra body who can snap, though. Hopefully loses to an UDFA.
- Player to be named later: I think they add someone else to the nickel conversation that isn't on the roster. The mid-draft signing makes me believe they had the makings of a plan that didn't work out or they pivoted from. Really don't love our options there. Scoured depth charts for a potential trade partner though, wasn't great either. 
- Rudolph and Snell both circle back. Can't go to the dance without a partners and those guys are going to be left waiting. Snell is a solid special teamer (maybe a backup-ish FB too?) and, well, Rudolph probably doesn't play in the NFL if it isn't here so feelings be damned. 
- Throwing Byrd's name onto the roster as the KR/PR....but that's a place I am not sure is settled yet either. 
- I plugged Anderson in at a tackle for the exercice, but he will be a mister do-it-all. 
- I know he is the hot name, but Chuks isn't going anywhere. The two other tackles would be a 21 year old player with 14 games of starting experience (remember how our veteran NFL players took to the new OL coach learning curve?) and a player who hasn't played on the right side of the line since his freshman year of college. 
- Trade candidates: Reality - Jalen Reagor (old Philly connection, KR/PR), Isaiah Simmons; OMFGKYCMFY* - Budda Baker
- Inactives in italics: Austin and Robinson better work their tails off to win a helmet. Austins path is likely showing that he can be a returner and Robinsons is being better than Roberts. 

 

*Oh my bleeping god khan, you crazy mother bleeper you

[3rivers]

Just now, Dcash4 said:

P: Harvin

NO

why haven't they signed Korsak yet ?

[43M]

@Dcash4

1.   Please....no Snell.   Anyone but him.  Give a rookie a shot.  At least he has upside.

2.  Im not sold on Witherspoon being cut.   He isnt getting paid much.   I think they at least take him into preseason and see how he plays.   Maybe try to trade him.

3.   Who is PTBNL?  (Player to be named later???)

4.  Green's ability to play center is irrelevant due to him being horrible there.   Dotson is meh, but has more value than KG.   Dotson could be traded, but if Cole went down, Daniels should slide over and Herbig to OG.   Green should be cut unless he shows significant progression...which is doubtful since he has yet to show any.

5.  Why is Leal listed as edge?

6.  Still hoping we can find another ILB.   That group just looks extremely underwhelming.   I know it will not look great, but I feel like thats the most glaring issue on paper.

[3rivers]

Leal can play 4-3 DE , Edge perhaps thats why listed.  They need to decide about him still so maybe not?

 

Edited May 2, 2023 by 3rivers

[3rivers]

1 hour ago, 43M said:

6.  Still hoping we can find another ILB.   That group just looks extremely underwhelming.   I know it will not look great, but I feel like thats the most glaring issue on paper.

seems like a mjor upgrade and overhaul to me, but of course that speaks volumes about what was here I guess. 

[Dcash4]

1 hour ago, 43M said:

Please....no Snell.   Anyone but him.  Give a rookie a shot.  At least he has upside.

IMO, we don’t need upside, we need a special teamer. The top two guys are set - and on contract through at least next year. So in order for someone to make this roster, special teams is the path and I already know what Snell is there. Hard to project a rookie being better than him in that phase when most starting college backs don’t play on teams. Snell doesn’t excite me, but he is a useful guy with a helmet for a depth spot. 

Running backs are usually pretty easy to pick up mid season if injuries happen, but we need guys on teams. 

1 hour ago, 43M said:

Im not sold on Witherspoon being cut.   He isnt getting paid much.   I think they at least take him into preseason and see how he plays.   Maybe try to trade him.

You are right about a potential trade. He could easily fall in that Dotson category to wait and see who needs someone. But I don’t see his place on the roster. He is outside only and we already have 4 guys who do that. $4M savings isn’t crazy, but it’s nothing to shake a stick at. I’m pretty sure that pays for the entire rookie class with change left over. 

1 hour ago, 43M said:

Who is PTBNL?  (Player to be named later???)

I came up pretty empty looking at all the rosters, so I reserve my right to come back to this at a later date. I just hope Maulet and the new guy who people completed 80% of their passes on are not it. 

1 hour ago, 43M said:

Dotson is meh, but has more value than KG

I won’t be an advocate for Greens abilities, but I will disagree with this. If Coles shoe comes off and has to come out for 2 plays I don’t want to have to shuffle my line in order to survive. Dotson or green both come down to emergency backup players. Two people need to get hurt before they play. Greens flexibility overrules the increase in ability IMO. And costing less is a bonus. 

Honestly hoping an UDFA or that Anderson guy takes the spot and can play C, but flexibility is the name of the game at the bottom of 53 man rosters, and Dotson has none. 

1 hour ago, 43M said:

Why is Leal listed as edge?

They have yet to really define his position so I think it’s open to interpretation. But our additions to the DL and lack-thereof to Edge combined with his play there last year make me think he is really next man up….for now at least. I think he is a hybrid, but we have multiple DL that can make the team too. 

1 hour ago, 43M said:

Still hoping we can find another ILB.   That group just looks extremely underwhelming.   I know it will not look great, but I feel like thats the most glaring issue on paper.

I agree. I scoured some rosters looking for trade candidates, but wasn’t really locked into anything. I offered up Isaiah simmons since his option wasn’t picked up and I think AZ is about to go on a fire sale. I don’t think he would make that group better, but he would make them different. And we know how much this team likes safeties at ILB. 

[bigben07MVP]

Isaiah Simmons is currently listed as a NB on Arizona’s depth chart, just an observation.

And I agree on Leal pretty much being considered a hybrid edge/DL at this point. We will get clarity on this in TC.