2018 Free Agency Discussion Thread

[elliot878]

2 hours ago, paul-mac said:

Donald Stephenson has signed for the Browns, hallelujah! 

With the pay cuts he was taking last year I thought for sure there would be no market for him once he reached free agency.  Still not sure why there was a market for him lol.

[elliot878]

1 hour ago, AnAngryAmerican said:

The Browns have a legit OL, Stephenson will be a depth backup. Good move by Dorsey, actually. He’s been killing it this offseason. 

CLE does have a good OL, Stephenson is a terrible signing though, he can't play any position at an NFL level.  The other guy they just grabbed though, Hubbard, from the Steelers is a good get.  He graded pretty much average at right tackle last year, but he can play all 5 positions.

CLE is in on Solder too, makes me believe it's the end of the Joe Thomas era.

 

[Broncofan]

44 minutes ago, elliot878 said:

With the pay cuts he was taking last year I thought for sure there would be no market for him once he reached free agency.  Still not sure why there was a market for him lol.

Two words:  John Dorsey. 

KC connection.   Dorsey drafted him IIRC. 

EDIT:  Actually drafted year before. 

[broncos67]

So per Klis, our FA wishlist includes: RT, 3rd CB, and trading Siemian. I find that pretty interesting, but if we were able to lock up RT and CB pre draft, it really opens us up to truly take BPA.

[elliot878]

10 minutes ago, broncos67 said:

So per Klis, our FA wishlist includes: RT, 3rd CB, and trading Siemian. I find that pretty interesting, but if we were able to lock up RT and CB pre draft, it really opens us up to truly take BPA.

The pursuit of the higher end tackles leads me to believe the front office LOVES Quenton Nelson.  He'd be the 5th and final piece of the OL rebuild if a RT was found in free agency.  With that piece in place, it gives a young QB a much better chance at success.  Hopefully they've learned they need the line in place if they want to develop a QB successfully.

[AKRNA]

16 minutes ago, broncos67 said:

So per Klis, our FA wishlist includes: RT, 3rd CB, and trading Siemian. I find that pretty interesting, but if we were able to lock up RT and CB pre draft, it really opens us up to truly take BPA.

That's why I really like the idea of Solder. He'll be  a bit pricey but is an immediate upgrade on the left, lets Bolles apprentice on the right side and really raises the overall quanlity of our OL.

[DiehardBronxFan]

19 minutes ago, broncos67 said:

So per Klis, our FA wishlist includes: RT, 3rd CB, and trading Siemian. I find that pretty interesting, but if we were able to lock up RT and CB pre draft, it really opens us up to truly take BPA.

And that is exactly Elway’s MO.  Just messed up last year with Wentworth and Left tackle and got forced into Bolles.  

[broncos67]

28 minutes ago, AKRNA said:

That's why I really like the idea of Solder. He'll be  a bit pricey but is an immediate upgrade on the left, lets Bolles apprentice on the right side and really raises the overall quanlity of our OL.

I don't mind Solder, but I doubt we'll chase him. I just think he's out of our price range. You're right though, that approach would literally be perfect. 

[broncos67]

35 minutes ago, elliot878 said:

The pursuit of the higher end tackles leads me to believe the front office LOVES Quenton Nelson.  He'd be the 5th and final piece of the OL rebuild if a RT was found in free agency.  With that piece in place, it gives a young QB a much better chance at success.  Hopefully they've learned they need the line in place if they want to develop a QB successfully.

I am sure they're high on Nelson. They should be, he's quite good. I just think at 5 it's such a iffy pick positional-value wise. It's true though, he would be a major part in solidifying line. It does sound as if the team is incredibly high on Hernandez as well though.

[AKRNA]

7 minutes ago, DiehardBronxFan said:

And that is exactly Elway’s MO.  Just messed up last year with Wentworth and Left tackle and got forced into Bolles.  

So, lets flesh this out a bit. We sign Solder and draft Nelson at #5. Move Bolles to the right side for two years,

Our OL now looks like this:

LT- Solder

LG- Nelson

C-Paradis

RG- Leary

RT- Bolles

On the bench, we've got McGovern who can play at an above average level at the three interior spots, and Watson, as poor as he's been as our reserve OT. Leaves Garcia as our 8th man.

 I'm gonna go real "Susie sunshine" here and figure our new OL staff can actually coach and develop our young guys. Give Garcia a 30lb medicine ball, 2' long 2X4 and a jump rope, make him use them, and he could become even a tradable asset. Work and improve Bolles technique, that's what he lacks. It's a shame that with all the physical tools that kid has he was no more technically competent in game 16 than he was game 1. That's on coaching or lack thereof.

Anyway, in one offseason we would go from one of the worst OL's in the league to one of the best. Pretty good environment for any QB.

We'd need to add a WR, maybe in the draft. Lots of good analysts here but I'd like to hear what @broncos67 and @Counselor have to say about WR's at that spot. Historically they've been pretty good with the WR's.

Not sure I'd trade CJ. He could really thrive in that environment.

Anyway, just a thought. Seems to me we could end up with a vastly improved offense with not a lot of effort.

 

[Scoundrel]

27 minutes ago, AKRNA said:

So, lets flesh this out a bit. We sign Solder and draft Nelson at #5. Move Bolles to the right side for two years,

Our OL now looks like this:

LT- Solder

LG- Nelson

C-Paradis

RG- Leary

RT- Bolles

On the bench, we've got McGovern who can play at an above average level at the three interior spots, and Watson, as poor as he's been as our reserve OT. Leaves Garcia as our 8th man.

 I'm gonna go real "Susie sunshine" here and figure our new OL staff can actually coach and develop our young guys. Give Garcia a 30lb medicine ball, 2' long 2X4 and a jump rope, make him use them, and he could become even a tradable asset. Work and improve Bolles technique, that's what he lacks. It's a shame that with all the physical tools that kid has he was no more technically competent in game 16 than he was game 1. That's on coaching or lack thereof.

Anyway, in one offseason we would go from one of the worst OL's in the league to one of the best. Pretty good environment for any QB.

We'd need to add a WR, maybe in the draft. Lots of good analysts here but I'd like to hear what @broncos67 and @Counselor have to say about WR's at that spot. Historically they've been pretty good with the WR's.

Not sure I'd trade CJ. He could really thrive in that environment.

Anyway, just a thought. Seems to me we could end up with a vastly improved offense with not a lot of effort.

 

What round are you thinking WR?

[AKRNA]

3 minutes ago, Counselor said:

What round are you thinking WR?

Maybe 2nd? Just seems to me if we commit to an offensive upgrade that'd be a need.

[germ-x]

36 minutes ago, AKRNA said:

So, lets flesh this out a bit. We sign Solder and draft Nelson at #5. Move Bolles to the right side for two years,

Our OL now looks like this:

LT- Solder

LG- Nelson

C-Paradis

RG- Leary

RT- Bolles

On the bench, we've got McGovern who can play at an above average level at the three interior spots, and Watson, as poor as he's been as our reserve OT. Leaves Garcia as our 8th man.

 I'm gonna go real "Susie sunshine" here and figure our new OL staff can actually coach and develop our young guys. Give Garcia a 30lb medicine ball, 2' long 2X4 and a jump rope, make him use them, and he could become even a tradable asset. Work and improve Bolles technique, that's what he lacks. It's a shame that with all the physical tools that kid has he was no more technically competent in game 16 than he was game 1. That's on coaching or lack thereof.

Anyway, in one offseason we would go from one of the worst OL's in the league to one of the best. Pretty good environment for any QB.

We'd need to add a WR, maybe in the draft. Lots of good analysts here but I'd like to hear what @broncos67 and @Counselor have to say about WR's at that spot. Historically they've been pretty good with the WR's.

Not sure I'd trade CJ. He could really thrive in that environment.

Anyway, just a thought. Seems to me we could end up with a vastly improved offense with not a lot of effort.

 

I’m not against anything but the Solder deal.  He’ll be 30 and has been average his entire career with Tom Brady (the greatest of all time) masking his deficiencies.  He’s an extreme overpay if he ends up getting the $50-60 million over 4-5 years they’re projecting.

I personally think the Keenum deal was a mistake, but if Denver signs Solder to that type of contract that would be the worst move Denver’s made this offseason. 

Back to Keenum, though, since I haven’t posted on it.  That guy had SUCKED aside from 1 year with the Vikings.  Elway was petrified in putting his neck on the line and drafting a rookie QB at #5.  I also don’t want to hear any talk about Kubiak and his knowledge/ability to help this organization.  That Keenum signing has Kubiak influence written all over.  Kubiak was the guy that brought Keenum into the league.  Kubiak is the guy that wanted to roll with Trevor Siemian.  Kubiak is the guy who traded for Matt Schaub (the only QB decision he’s ever made that worked out, but who was a backup).  Just like his NFL career as an average backup behind Elway, it seems he has a chip on his shoulder to prove that average players can succeed in the NFL at QB in ways he didn’t.

[elliot878]

54 minutes ago, broncos67 said:

I am sure they're high on Nelson. They should be, he's quite good. I just think at 5 it's such a iffy pick positional-value wise. It's true though, he would be a major part in solidifying line. It does sound as if the team is incredibly high on Hernandez as well though.

 

It's weird to draft a guard that high, but we're talking about a generational talent in Nelson.  I liken it to the boost the Cowboys line saw the year they added Zach Martin.  The surrounding pieces aren't as good as what the Cowboys had, but if you draft Nelson you're elite at the position for 12 years.

[AnAngryAmerican]

1 hour ago, AKRNA said:

That's why I really like the idea of Solder. He'll be  a bit pricey but is an immediate upgrade on the left, lets Bolles apprentice on the right side and really raises the overall quanlity of our OL.

This I agree with whole-heartedly! As much as I don't like bringing in CU guys , especially CU guys who played in New England, signing Solder kills two birds with one stone - he upgrades LT over Bolles and Bolles upgrades RT over Watson/whomever.