Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Chad Johnson is still waiting for his first big FA payday, whether he actually is one or not, so this is not the time for him, though he seems to have a great rapport w/BB, for a guy not on our team.
I think Washington's a maybe on the restructure front, and Stallworth's a no. I also think we have Moss back this year - so it's Moss/Welker/Gaffney/Jackson (or Jackson/Gaffney,) plus a value pickup or draftee. Or hell, maybe old Bam Childress finally nudges up off the practice squad. I just don't think we look to bring in a big splashy guy at receiver... it's a matter of addition by subtraction, excluding the Moss re-sign.
At LB we now have TJ slaughter, and have made an offer to Zach Thomas, who's actually got game. I think Bru stays, and Seau tries to, 40 or not (Junior want ring. rrrrn.)
The question must be asked: what does it cost to pick up Jason Taylor, given Zach's migration North, if we land Zach? But in terms of "certainty?" Slaughter's not to be counted on for anything but camp competition. Thomas isn't inked, and Taylor's just a pipe dream at the moment.
Lance Briggs is usually considered -- at least here -- to be the "wrong" kind of guy for the 3-4, but he can play. At 240 he's not as tiny as a ZThomas , and he can hit. Trouble is he is looking for money and lots of it. If we try to work him in, we are looking at the grand total of our offseason expenditures for 08.
Karlos Dansby (250) gets you that extra 10 pounds, if you like that, and might be a little tired of the dessert by now (end of his rookie deal.) But again, he'll be looking for that first big payday... and I don't think that's us. We've made the big high-dollar splash with AD last year... I don't know that we do that 2 years in a row at LB, with Randy left to sign and with trouble in what wasn't paradise to start with, at CB.
Randall Godfrey? Pretty sure he's slowly dying... he's the kind of 35 yo guy we don't need. Man, if you want a reason to like how Seau and Bru are aging, this is your guy.
People like Mario Haggan's size. He's 28 and in three year's he's racked up a total of 60 tackles. Oh, and one sack. No int., no forced fumbles, no fumble recoveries, nada. Just 263 pounds of standout-free JAG.
Dhani Jones, anybody? He's pretty smart, pretty tough, etc. He's also pretty old and pretty old... but at least he can still contribute, if the numbers can be trusted. Not excel, but contribute... Eh.
Calvin Pace: Bring this guy to me. 272. Fast. third year guy. UFA. 80 solo tackles in 07, 6.5 sacks, an interception, a forced fumble, and 6 passes defensed. Trend line, nothing but up. What'll he cost? He was a first-rounder in 2003. He won't come cheap. But if you want a guy you can build on, he has all the earmarks. On the other hand... people can tell me all about how he can't transition here, etc. etc. I'm not so sure what's not to transition, but willing to hear it. This would be a marquee pickup, a big splash move... but if they could swing it, would love to see him with a flying elvis on the side of his head. Again: first big deal, and wants big money (one would assume.) But for this guy, I'd love to see us try to swing it.
Just taking my quick stab at the LB options.
PFnV
