Affording Changes To The Defensive Front Seven

[mgteich]

My guess is that 1-2 of our top four draft choices will be on front seven players. But that won't be known until draft time.

See below for players with their savings if cut. Basically, that would be the cap neutral amount available to replace them. Note that these are gross numbers. Someone will replace them on the 51. So, cutting Tavai and replacing him someone for $800K on the roster saves $400K.

I have not included Judon, since he is going nowhere. Also, I have not included players where the savings in under $1M and therefore the net cap savings would be under $200K.

$5.00M Godchaux
$5.00M Van Noy
$3.75M Guy
$2.70M Anderson
$2.50M Wise
$1.20M Tavai

Yes, we might cut Godchaux or Van Noy and sign someone to contract with about the same 2022 cap amount. Also, any of the top 3 could be extended with resulting cap savings.
===========================
Our other front players could be cut for very little cap savings, if any. I expect to them all in camp competing for roster spots.
McMillan
Cowart
Winovich
Jennings
Uche
McGrone
Perkins

Note that the above totals 13 players. We would have many more in camp. Anyone about $800K would have a cap cost.

BOTTOM LINE
I don't think that transactions with regard to front 7 players will affect our cap much (other than a top draft choice). If any of the above are cut, the cost to replace would be approximately the same.

 

[Triumph]

Winovich will never get to see Vermont because he wont be around much longer.

His 2021 playing time dropped off the face of the planet. Even his special teams snaps were being weaned down to a trickle.

Chase Winovich Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Chase Winovich Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

 

[mgteich]

Winovich will never get to see Vermont because he wont be around much longer.

His 2021 playing time dropped off the face of the planet. Even his special teams snaps were being weaned down to a trickle.

Chase Winovich Career Game Log | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Get Chase Winovich Career game log for regular season and playoff games on Pro-football-reference.com.

www.pro-football-reference.com

It costs nothing to have him in camp.

But, I agree that he is unlikely to make the 53.

 

[jah]

Anderson seems like a no brainer cap cut. He looked done even before the injury.

 

[Sicilian]

If two out of four from MacMillan, McGrone, Perkins, and Uche make leaps next year, it would go a long way to adding some athleticism to the LB group. That said, all four have major question marks, be it injury or "it" factor or both. But that's probably our best path to improving there without having to spend an additional dime.

I don't see any real potentials there on the DL, with the exception of Barmore getting better in year 2. So that's an area where they'll need to add pieces if they want to be better. We have pick #21, which happens to be where we selected Wilfork back in the day...

 

[ashley]

I agree with your presumption that possibly two of our top 4 draft choices will be front 7. A big fat/space eater would be ideal..ie...soemone like Jordan Davis from Georgia.

I don't expect Van Noy to be cut. I think he'll be back and I also think Guy and Godchaux will be back as well. BB has praised both this year.
Anderson, as others have mentioned will probably be gone as will Tavai. I also wouldn't rule out a contract restructuring for a few players as well.

I don't think we're that far off on the defensive side....we played really well most of the year on that side of the ball...I know the two Buffalo games weren't pretty, but Josh Allen was playing out of this world and I didn't see KC stop him.

We need to resign JC, add another corner, a DT and one speedy LB to compete with McGrone and McMillan. Hoping for the "step up" from Uche, Jennings, Perkins and I'll throw McGrone in there as well.

 

[XLIX]

If the team is having some money trouble, I got about $1,500 in an IRA I can spot them….

 

[BTTA]

If the team is having some money trouble, I got about $1,500 in an IRA I can spot them….

Better yet, set up a GoFundMe. It is already the country's #3 health care payment source. Why not add football?

 

[mister clyde]

We have pick #21, which happens to be where we selected Wilfork back in the day...

I remember watching that draft. I remember thinking there was no way Wilfork dropped to NE. Then he did, and it took about half a second for that card to reach the podium. My point is, Wilfork never really should have made it to us. Wilfork 2 could happen this draft but I wouldn't hold my breath. I may have rose colored memories, but I seem to remember Wilfork as one of those as close to a guaranteed top tier guy as you can get. The guy you never in a million years expect to be available in the last third of the round.

 

[Sicilian]

I remember watching that draft. I remember thinking there was no way Wilfork dropped to NE. Then he did, and it took about half a second for that card to reach the podium. My point is, Wilfork never really should have made it to us. Wilfork 2 could happen this draft but I wouldn't hold my breath. I may have rose colored memories, but I seem to remember Wilfork as one of those as close to a guaranteed top tier guy as you can get. The guy you never in a million years expect to be available in the last third of the round.

I remember that too, you're definitely right. Though I do feel like (especially in the modern NFL), those big DT types are going in the 20's more often in general. Maybe we don't get another Wilfork, but that's definitely the range where we could potentially get a good one, if the 20 teams ahead of us are busy taking the QB's, WR's, CB's, and OT's (not that we couldn't three of those positions as well). We got Barmore at the beginning of the 2nd round, after all.

 

[mister clyde]

I remember that too, you're definitely right. Though I do feel like (especially in the modern NFL), those big DT types are going in the 20's more often in general. Maybe we don't get another Wilfork, but that's definitely the range where we could potentially get a good one, if the 20 teams ahead of us are busy taking the QB's, WR's, CB's, and OT's (not that we couldn't three of those positions as well). We got Barmore at the beginning of the 2nd round, after all.

You are certainly right. Hell, we may already have Wilfork 2 on the roster in Barmore. But if we did get lucky with a later in the first round DL, can you imagine? What if we got a Ted Washington 2 or a Keith Traylor 2 to play beside our Wilfork 2 in Barmore. That could rival the Seymour/Wilfork/Warren line.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I don't think we're that far off on the defensive side....we played really well most of the year on that side of the ball...I know the two Buffalo games weren't pretty, but Josh Allen was playing out of this world and I didn't see KC stop him.

We need to resign JC, add another corner, a DT and one speedy LB to compete with McGrone and McMillan. Hoping for the "step up" from Uche, Jennings, Perkins and I'll throw McGrone in there as well.

We hung on defensively and lost because we could not get 3rd down stops. I think we need a big leap defensively to compete. We have a bunch of young LB types - not sure we need another new LB in the mix. I think we need 2 young DL. I am tired of getting pushed around on 1st down. I think Guy and HT are cooked. We need a NT like Davis from GA or equivalent (like you say), and a Barmore clone.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

You are certainly right. Hell, we may already have Wilfork 2 on the roster in Barmore. But if we did get lucky with a later in the first round DL, can you imagine? What if we got a Ted Washington 2 or a Keith Traylor 2 to play beside our Wilfork 2 in Barmore. That could rival the Seymour/Wilfork/Warren line.

Ted Washington 2 and Barmore are 2 guys. Seymour/Wilfork/Warren are 3 guys. How does 2 guys rival 3 guys? Seymour and Warren were top 15 guys - don't think we have any chance to rival them with this group. But it would be great to be more stout on the DL like you note.

 

[Sicilian]

Ted Washington 2 and Barmore are 2 guys. Seymour/Wilfork/Warren are 3 guys. How does 2 guys rival 3 guys? Seymour and Warren were top 15 guys - don't think we have any chance to rival them with this group. But it would be great to be more stout on the DL like you note.

I think we've run a slightly different front in the last ten years compared to that first ten. Typically now we have two big uglies in the middle, and then either a third light-DE or heavy-OLB playing that third hand in the dirt. Or two more traditional edge rushers for passing situations. I think having three top heavy DL was more important when we were running a more traditional 3-4 defense.

That said, I'd like multiple additions to the DL as well, for depth and insurance. Double dipping is a better bet if you need to guarantee you hit on one, and I think we need another good piece in that group.

 

[Triumph]

It costs nothing to have him in camp.

But, I agree that he is unlikely to make the 53.

I get the impression that he has worn his welcome out with Belichick.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I think we've run a slightly different front in the last ten years compared to that first ten. Typically now we have two big uglies in the middle, and then either a third light-DE or heavy-OLB playing that third hand in the dirt. Or two more traditional edge rushers for passing situations. I think having three top heavy DL was more important when we were running a more traditional 3-4 defense.

That said, I'd like multiple additions to the DL as well, for depth and insurance. Double dipping is a better bet if you need to guarantee you hit on one, and I think we need another good piece in that group.

If our young LBs work out, I would like to go back to the more traditional 3 - 4. We need two big bodies to go with Barmore.

 

[Triumph]

Some mocks have the Pats taking a DT in the 1st.

A bad run defense is a 2021 bad defense. The 2003 Pats defense was BBs GOAT thus far.

The 2003 unit allowed 1 - 100 yard rusher all season till the confetti rained down in Houston. Clinton Portis. That defense faced a pro bowl roster chock full of stud 2003 RBs.

Curtis Martin - 1308 yds - 2 TDs
Tiki Barber - 1016 yds - 2 TDs
Dominick Williams - 1031 yds - 8 TDs
Travis Henry - 1356 yds - 10 TDs
Eddie George - 1031 yds - 5 TDs
Ricky Williams - 1372 yds - 9 TDs
Edgerin James - 1259 yds - 11 TDs
Clinton Portis - 1591 yds - 14 TDs
Fred Taylor - 1572 yds - 6 TDs
Steven Davis - 1444 yds - 8 TDs

 

[Spiral]

This defense needs to be torn down to the studs and completely rebuilt. This will be a 2-year process at minimum. Any defensive player who is not likely to be able to contribute in 2024 should be gone. That's a long list. Do like BB did in the early years: draft d-linemen in the first round, ala Seymour, Warren, Wilfork. For this year, pick the best-available Georgia DT in round one.

 

[upstater1]

They need cornerbacks, and since it's much harder to find a cornerback in the lower rounds of the draft than it is to find a DT, I suggest they get one, especially in a year like this when many stud CBs are available.

 

[mgteich]

.

I don't think we're that far off on the defensive side....we played really well most of the year on that side of the ball...I know the two Buffalo games weren't pretty, but Josh Allen was playing out of this world and I didn't see KC stop him.

We need to resign JC, add another corner, a DT and one speedy LB to compete with McGrone and McMillan. Hoping for the "step up" from Uche, Jennings, Perkins and I'll throw McGrone in there as well.

JC re-signed
another corner (starter)
step up from two of the front seven
presumably Mills to do well at free safety
contributions from a couple of our draftees

I guess I see this as more "far off" than you do.