Free Agents:
LG Andrew Norwell
*Carolina can't afford him. We need to sign him even if we have to make him the highest paid offensive lineman in NFL history.
CB EJ Gaines
*Risky because of his lack of durability, but his pro bowl talent is worth the risk. I believe we get one more year from Grimes by locking up a viable partner in crime, which gives us time to a)determine whether Gaines can be depended on as our #1 heading into the 2019 offseason and b)determine if Hargreaves can fit at nickel.
DT Dontari Poe
Played very well for the Falcons in their 4-3. Huge run stuffer plus some pass rush. Only 26.
FB Zach Line
We really haven't had a good, pure FB since Erik Lorig left us for New Orleans. The tables as turn as we take one of the best young FB blockers in the league from the Saints. Ingram and Kamara owe a great deal of their success last season to their offensive line but also to Zach Line for paving the way. After signing Malcolm Butler, New Orleans will not be able to match our offer.
*Bonus points if we do this, as we steal a key player from each division opponent: Norwell, Poe, Line*
Remaining needs:
RB, DE, S, CB
1 CLE Saquan Barkley
2 NYG Josh Rosen
3 MIA Sam Darnold-Colts trade down
4 CLE Baker Mayfield
5 DEN Quenton Nelson *Cousins at QB
6 NYJ Josh Allen
1(7) DE Bradley Chubb
With the Colts in rebuild mode across the board with their overall roster, and holding #3 overall they are prime candidates for a trade down with Miami or perhaps Arizona, who will need to jump ahead of Cleveland (4), and New York (6) to get their guy. After that, I don't see any team ahead of us taking a 4-3 end. Chubb will fall to us as four QBs, Barkley and Nelson go in the top 6.
1B(16) RB Soni Michel
Trade: TB - BAL
Tampa trades Round 2 (38), Round 4 (108) WR Desean Jackson and LB Kendall Beckwith for Baltimore's Round 1 (16).
Desperate for a running back, a bold move is needed. Without mortgaging future picks, we package together the WR the Ravens desperately need along with a 3-4 inside LB that would be an excellent fit beside CJ Mosely. In return, the Bucs come away with this year's version of Alvin Kamara/Kareem Hunt. A true every down back with tremendous speed and homerun ability but also top notch pass pro.
3(69) CB JC Jackson
Kicked off of FL for a charge he was acquitted of. Sounds like he was with a bad circle of peers that brought him down. He went to Maryland and their program has loved him on and off the field. He is a first round corner with great size, speed, and athleticism but will fall to us here due to the off field issues. Sidenote: another CB who was kicked off of FL and turned his act around to be a top NFL corner: Janoris Jenkins.
5(144) RG Colby Gossett
Power RG played 46 straight games in college. This season he didn't give up a sack and only had 3 penalties. Great insurance policy if Sweezy doesn't get his edge back.
QB Winston, Glennon
RB Michel, Barber, Sims
FB Line
TE Howard, Brate, Auclair, Cross
OT Smith, Dotson, Benenoch, Wester
G Norwell, Sweezy, Gossett, (low level depth signing)
C Marpet, (low level depth signing)
WR Evans, Godwin, Humphries, Brice Butler, Wilson
DE Chubb, Gholston, Spence, Ayers
DT McCoy, Poe, McDonald, Tui'kolavatu
LB David, Kwon, Bond, (post roster cut down signing)
CB Grimes, Gaines, Hargreaves, Jackson, Smith
S Evans, (post roster cut down signing), Conte
P Bryan Anger
K (free agent tbd/undrafted FA)
