Its going to be a difficult final cut-down for this team. We're going to put some quality football players on the street at these positions.
Some thoughts/questions pertaining to the above:
LB - The team isn't jettisoning Bond for Riley Bullough, but they obviously like him. Is the team actually going to keep 6 (likely not)? If so, does that say anything about how multiple this team wants to be (3-4 teams keep 9ish LBs) or is just about how much they like these players (and their ability to contribute to teams?
TE - Is Stocker finally in trouble? There is all kinds of talk about keeping 4. Even without Stocker, they actually have the best run blocking TE situation they've had on this team that I can recall in a good long while. Howard, an improved Brate, Auclair is apparently doing fairly well there and is a threat in the pass game. Alan Cross has shown a lot of chops as a move TE who can play H-Back. Further, they've shown Benenoch as a Tackle-Eligible in Big packages.
WR - Huff gives the team multiple dimensions of play-making (which Koetter loves), but has a propensity for mistakes both mental and physical (which everyone hates). It seems to me that the 5th (and maybe 6th) receiver(s) needs to be able to play both X and Z receivers and contribute well to special teams. Ryan Smith and Josh Robinson are starting gunners. Do we know if any of the other receivers are (a) playing both X and Z and (b) are playing gunner well on STs?
RB - This team loves Barber. Quizz hasn't shown much, but he is a known commodity. Simms has made plays when he has been on the field. McNichols is drowning in his playbook and struggling to play fast and is struggling to get meaningful reps because of it. The 4th PS game is huge for McNichols. If feels like he and Simms are angling for the same roster spot, but Simms is light years ahead of him in understanding the offense and playing instinctively. You can't even judge the kid's ability at the NFL level because of it. They all probably make the roster until Doug gets back, but once Doug returns, you have to figure one goes if they keep 4 TEs (specifically Cross). Does this team try to swing a trade for Simms in the first 3 weeks of the season when someone loses a RB? They aren't getting their 3rd round value back, but they may be able to get a 4th?
