2018 Free Agency -- Part 2

[long distance]

A note to keep in mind waiting on Vaccaro

 

[mgteich]

One of my questions is whether drafting a nickel back in the 2nd signals using 3 corners more.

IMHO, Logan was a fine nickel. Yes, we need the 2 top outside corners. We also do well when we have a top nickel. J Jones may beat out Dawson for that role, but the drafting of Dawson seems to be a step forward for 2018, in addition to be important for 2019 planning.

Oh there is no doubt B.B. concocted a 4 safety defense to combat some of the changes in offenses, particularly the Reid lineage.
Unfortunately Reid never really had that much success against us so we ended up worse off with this experiment.

We also struggled mightily when we tried to play 3 DL nickel and dime. But not having Hightower certainly was a part maybe a big part of that.

 

[Ring 6]

One of my questions is whether drafting a nickel back in the 2nd signals using 3 corners more.

IMHO, Logan was a fine nickel. Yes, we need the 2 top outside corners. We also do well when we have a top nickel. J Jones may beat out Dawson for that role, but the drafting of Dawson seems to be a step forward for 2018, in addition to be important for 2019 planning.

I think that calling Dawson a nickel only is wrong. He can play outside but seems perfectly suited as a nickel. In other words B.B. didn’t draft him to only be a nickel and not be considered viable in defenses with only 2 corners. But it seems likely when 3 corners are on the field he is inside as the nickel. It also seems likely that will be most of his use as a rookie.
To me, the fact that we drafted a corner in round 2 with Gilmore Rowe McCourty and both jones’ already on the team coupled with the struggles of the big nickel and big dime us what signals more traditional nickel instead of big nickel.

 

[mgteich]

As we agree, for 2018 Dawson is a nickel.

I agree that he may be good enough to play outside in 2019 if needed.

Also, Gilmore and Dawson are our 2 CB's signed for 2019. (no, I don't count C Jones).

I think that calling Dawson a nickel only is wrong. He can play outside but seems perfectly suited as a nickel. In other words B.B. didn’t draft him to only be a nickel and not be considered viable in defenses with only 2 corners. But it seems likely when 3 corners are on the field he is inside as the nickel. It also seems likely that will be most of his use as a rookie.
To me, the fact that we drafted a corner in round 2 with Gilmore Rowe McCourty and both jones’ already on the team coupled with the struggles of the big nickel and big dime us what signals more traditional nickel instead of big nickel.

 

[maineman209]

One of my questions is whether drafting a nickel back in the 2nd signals using 3 corners more.

IMHO, Logan was a fine nickel. Yes, we need the 2 top outside corners. We also do well when we have a top nickel. J Jones may beat out Dawson for that role, but the drafting of Dawson seems to be a step forward for 2018, in addition to be important for 2019 planning.

Ryan was a pretty good starting RCB for awhile there, too.

If either or both of Dawson or JJ are sufficiently athletic, strong, smart, aware and accomplished in their technique, they could play perimeter corner, and their relative lack of height may not come into play anywhere near as often, or as critically, as we fans think it will.

 

[Joey007]

Gruden’s grinders baby

 

[jah]

Gruden’s grinders baby

Bold prediction: Raiders are even worse this year than they were last year.

 

[WaterfallJumper]

Speaking of free agents from the Chiefs, what about Hali? I know he's dealt with injuries, and his salary in KC was too rich to justify his lack of recent production, but if he's healthy he could add a nice rush presence in a rotation. I wouldn't rely on him to solve all of our woes, but he's a strong player with good technique and an excellent motor. Could do worse for a one year deal.

 

[Deus Irae]

Speaking of free agents from the Chiefs, what about Hali? I know he's dealt with injuries, and his salary in KC was too rich to justify his lack of recent production, but if he's healthy he could add a nice rush presence in a rotation. I wouldn't rely on him to solve all of our woes, but he's a strong player with good technique and an excellent motor. Could do worse for a one year deal.

He's cooked. Bien cuit

 

[Joey007]

Bold prediction: Raiders are even worse this year than they were last year.

I had optimism for their prospects this season when he first was hired. But the more I’ve watched his moves, the more I’m convinced the man still thinks it’s 2009.

 

[long distance]

funny patscap

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Bold prediction: Raiders are even worse this year than they were last year.

Gruden will make that team better, especially the offense.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Speaking of free agents from the Chiefs, what about Hali? I know he's dealt with injuries, and his salary in KC was too rich to justify his lack of recent production, but if he's healthy he could add a nice rush presence in a rotation. I wouldn't rely on him to solve all of our woes, but he's a strong player with good technique and an excellent motor. Could do worse for a one year deal.

His sack numbers have dropped quite a bit since 2011.

 

[jah]

Gruden will make that team better, especially the offense.

Why? This is a guy who has gone on the record saying he's going to ignore modern football knowledge when running this team. The pinnacle of his career was inheriting a stacked team thanks to Dungy and getting lucky enough to face the only Super Bowl team dumb enough to use the exact same playbook the opposing coach installed. After years of mediocrity in TB, he was no longer allowed to coast on his one fluke success and fled to join the media. 10 years of saying unrealistically nice things about random guys every Monday night in the fall, and somehow he's automatically a top 5 coach in the 2018 version of the NFL?

His personality/ability to play politics is unparalleled. His coaching ability has a ceiling of "above average, can ride a good roster and some lucky breaks to a ring" and a floor of "Please come back Hue Jackson".

 

[SHOWTIME15]

Why? This is a guy who has gone on the record saying he's going to ignore modern football knowledge when running this team. The pinnacle of his career was inheriting a stacked team thanks to Dungy and getting lucky enough to face the only Super Bowl team dumb enough to use the exact same playbook the opposing coach installed. After years of mediocrity in TB, he was no longer allowed to coast on his one fluke success and fled to join the media. 10 years of saying unrealistically nice things about random guys every Monday night in the fall, and somehow he's automatically a top 5 coach in the 2018 version of the NFL?

His personality/ability to play politics is unparalleled. His coaching ability has a ceiling of "above average, can ride a good roster and some lucky breaks to a ring" and a floor of "Please come back Hue Jackson".

Above average is better than anything they’ve had in recent years.

 

[maineman209]

His sack numbers have dropped quite a bit since 2011.

He had 11 sacks in 2013, actually. That was at least his previous annual average.

However his sacks dropped to around 6 in both 2014 & 2015, with no significant coaching, scheme or personnel changes around him (although his tackle numbers stayed up). Seems fair to say that he probably lost a step around that time.

In 2016, he was put on a roughly 50-50 time-share/rotation with journeyman OLB, Frank Zombo. Even so, Hali had 3.5 sacks and his tackle rate stayed up.

He missed the first six games of 2017 with a knee injury, and was active for only five games during the rest of the season due to the knee issue.

Even if his knee is good-to-go now, it seems doubtful to me that he'd necessarily offer significant improvement out of an OLB spot for the pass rush. OTOH, he spent most of his time in KC's 3-4 at OLB rather than at on-the-line DE. So, it's possible that he might offer more pass-rush in a role-change. He'd certainly be better at setting the edge in Run-D than Marsh was, and has considerable experience dropping back to cover the short zone and flat.

 

[maineman209]

 

[maineman209]

 

[Uptown]

Excellent pickup for CAR. Tough, physical RB.
Right up their alley.

 

[maineman209]