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2018 LA Bull - 5th Season


Techbert

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Salary Cap situation (all numbers are in 000's):

2018 Cap: $177,200

Current top51 contracts (without Peters): $97,324.951

Dead money (including Shelby): $3,461.430

Projected rookie pool (with Peters trade): $6,428.562

Cap room available: $69,985.057

Notable team free agents include:

Allen Robinson wr

Isaiah Crowell rb

Chris Boswell k

Quinton Spain og

Greg Mancz cg

Willie Snead wr

Mike Hull lb

Terrell Pryor wr

Greg Robinson ot

Derrick Shelby dl

Tyvon Branch db

Aaron Colvin cb

Phillip Gaines cb

Pierre Desir cb

Jake Brendel c

Zach Zenner rb

James Hurst ol

Anthony Chickillo de/lb

Plus 7 more.

Contract note: Sean Smith cb is expected to be cut, but there is no incentive to do so before June. There is no dead money on his contract, so that whole contract ($8,500 for 2018) can be used for a free agent signing.

 

 

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Pre-Draft Depth Chart with updating free agents:

QB Wentz Hundley /// Petty

RB Ajayi Dixon Crowell Lasco /// Zenner Ferguson

FB Nix Prosch

WR ARobinson Wallace Benjamin Mathews Snead /// McBride Jones Huff Bell

TE Howard Butt /// Alie-Cox Zaruba Cajuste

OL Solder Spain Pouncey Duvernay-Tardif Collins Hurst Wheeler Seumalo Mancz Brendel ///

DL Jordan LWilliams Jarrett Rivers Shelton Crawford Shelby Davis Walton /// Sh-ittu AJohnson

LB Campbell Trevathan Emanuel TSmith Hull Chickillo/// Cowser Calhoun Ochi Gwacham Bullough

CB Peters Sherman Colvin Shields King Alexander /// MBranch

S Church Burnett Amos *** /// DSmith IJohnson Thompson

K Boswell

P Lee /// Rehkow

ds Hennessy

Many of the asterisks will be replaced by house free agents, unrestricted free agents, and draft choices. Players to the right of "///" are not currently expected to make the final roster.

 

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Trade + Free Agent Buzz:

(Many items not finalized until March 14.)

 

Bull have gained pick 2-35 in Osweiler trade.

Bull have lost pick 4-118 in Ajayi trade.

Bull sign Richard Sherman cb SF to 3 years for up to $39.15MM. First year includes $3MM signing bonus, $2MM base, $2MM pass physical, $2MM per-game roster, $1MM playing time (90% snaps), $1MM pro bowl, $2MM AP All-Pro, $50K workout. The only thing fully guaranteed is the $3MM signing bonus. The base salaries for '19 and '20 are $7MM, up to $8MM if made the Pro Bowl the prior year. The incentives are the same each year. Base salaries guarantee on April 1, which will give the Bull a chance each year to see what alternatives they can get on the open market.

Bull continue to load up at cb by signing Sam Shields cb LAR to 1 year for $1+MM.

Conditional 2018 4th (up to 124th) plus 2019 2nd for 6-196 plus Marcus Peters cb LAR. Conditional pick defaults to 3rd (81) if a later pick in the range is not gainfully acquired by time to select.

Probable 3(19) for probable 5(Cle) plus Danny Shelton dt NE.

Signed Allen Robinson wr Chi, James Hurst gt Bal, Aaron Colvin cb Hou, Isaiah Crowell rb NYJ.

2nd round tenders on: Chris Boswell k Pit

Original round tenders on: Quinton Spain og Ten, Greg Mancz cg Hou, Willie Snead wr NO, Anthony Chickillo olb Pit

Exclusive rights on Jake Brendel c Mia, Mike Hull lb Mia, James Cowser edge Oak, Shilique Calhoun edge Oak

Cut Sean Smith, cb Big House, Julius Thomas te Mia

 

 

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UFA Signings:

Nate Solder ot NYG 4/62

Mike Pouncey c LAC 2/15

Morgan Burnett s Pit 3/14.5 (Probably, depending on terms)

Mike Wallace wr Phi 1/3

Derrick Shelby dl Atl 1/3.25

Jordan Mathews wr NE 1/1.0

 

Pre-Draft Speculation is Bull will use early picks on best player available, including a linebacker.

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Some words about the cornerback decisions:

It was a weakness last year, and I took steps to make it a strength.

Peters can ball but admits he needs to grow up. Sherman is a character but has a lot of pride and works hard. He is coming off injury and actually wanted an incentive-laden contract. I think these two will feed off each other. The goal is turnovers and tight coverage. Peters can physically do it. Sherman may not anymore, but his contract is cheap if he does not ball out (and if he does ball out, I am happy to pay him). I think Sherman will start, not be at the Pro Bowl, and get by on intelligence and edge. Playing with Sherman will rub off on Peters.

Sam Shields was to give the guy a chance, and provide insurance against Peters going into revolt. I don't think Sam will make the team, and I don't think he will take many snaps if he does. So my goal is to have a tight cover guy ready to come in if called, and play a few odd snaps. He can't play special teams, but he only makes the league minimum for his experience.

None of those guys are great tacklers. Aaron Colvin is. The team needs that. He will have a chip on his shoulder in Houston, and plenty of opportunity to prove he is not just a slot corner. Of course, the Bull hope to primarily use him at slot corner. He can blitz.

Desmond King has a great future and is being groomed. He can also slide over to safety if I need to get him on the field. I still think Mackensie Alexander will develop, but I'm not going to risk the team on that happening this year. I may have room for Pierre Desir.

I plan on signing Peters long-term, (otherwise I would not have spent the draft picks) but I have a couple of cheap years left on him. I don't plan on another contract on Sherman, who will give me 1 or 2 years. Shields is short term. Colvin, King, and hopefully Alexander will be on the team for quite a while.

I believe this plan is the best mix for Win Now, plan for the future, and do it on the cheap.

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2018 Speculation:

Offensive line should be very good. Quarterback should be very good. Tight end should be good. Running back committee should be sufficient. Wide receiver has a headliner and still needs to fill out.

Interior defensive line should be very good. Defensive end has promise but could use another pass rusher in the rotation. Cornerback should be very good. Safety is good. Linebacking is solid but lacks depth.

Special teams should be very good, but needs a return standout.

The team has a mid-first round pick and two second rounders in the first half of the round. They should get two starter-caliber players out of that. Alternately, if five quarterbacks go in the top 10, I could trade up to around pick ten and get a pro-bowl-caliber player to go along with a second-round starter.

Ownership expectations are, if injuries are controlled, the Bull should go deep into the playoffs.

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  • 1 month later...

Reports, gathered not from the Bull officials but from teams with picks in the 8 to 12 range, persist that the Bull are trying to trade up from #15. This speaks of a "win now" attitude missing during their first 4 years.

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Currently have the following picks:

1-15
2-35 Picked up in Osweiler trade
2-48
*
5-156
5-159   Picked up in Shelton trade
6-194
6-196   Picked up in Peters trade
7-239

Lost 4-118 in Ajayi trade
* Stand to lose 3-81 from Peters trade, but can trade down if fair trade and give a pick as low as 4-124

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With the 35th pick of the NFL draft, if there is no trade, the LA Bull select Justin Reid s Stan.

Sorry. Trade 2-35 and receive 2-57 & 3-89. Justin will have to wait. *** Actually, there are multiple trade offers on the table. ***

The Lions got in just in time. Actual trade is trade 2-35 and receive 2-51 and 4-117. The 4-117 is flipped to KC and the Bull get 3-81 back.

 

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