Two Major Issues On Defense; one for 2024 and a bigger one for 2025

[mgteich]

DEFENSE ISSUE ONE - SAFETY
This is one place I could see us adding a player, or two if Dugger isn't on the 2024 team.

We still need a free safety. Perhaps it is Mapu, perhaps Hawkins, perhaps Bledsoe, perhaps Peppers and the same schemes as in 2023.
============
DEFENSE ISSUE TWO - 2025 FREE AGENCY
We need to start to start extending our 2025 free agents

DL: Barmore, Godchaux, Wise, Ekuale, Watts

LB: Judon, Uche, Tavai

CB: Jon Jones, Wade, Wilson, Austin (RFA)

S: Peppers, Hawkins, Dugger, Schooler (RFA), Bledsoe (RFA)
====
I don't list ERFA's, since they cannot sign anywhere else.

 

[Patriot Missile]

i love Peppers. I hope they work out an extension. We’ll see about Mapu. Hoping he breaks out this season.

 

[jmt57]

I believe that May 1 or May 2 is the date that teams can sign free agents, without it affecting potential 2025 compensatory picks. Perhaps that is part of the reason that we are seeing so few free agent signings right now, relative to the number of available free agents.

From what I have seen there are also a lot of good FS and SS that should be available in the late rounds of the draft. Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Jaden Hicks, Tykee Smith, Kitan Oladapo, Jaylon Carlies, Kenny Logan Jr, Evan Williams, Josh Proctor, Trey Taylor, Sione Vaki, Thomas Harper, Mark Perry, Dominique Hampton and Ryan Watts are all Day Three prospects to consider; in many cases are better options than the free agent safeties available now.


Free Agent Safeties
Bold = an available free agent under the age of 30 with at least some starting experience.

FS Antoine Winfield, Bucs - Franchise Tag: 1 yr, $17.1m
FS Justin Simmons, Broncos - age 30, available
FS Jordan Fuller, Rams - signed w/Panthers: 1 yr, $5.2m
FS DeShon Elliott, Dolphins - signed w/Pitt: 2 yr, $6m
FS Tashaun Gipson, 49ers - age 24, available
FS Alohi Gilman, Chargers - re-signed: 2 yr, $10m
FS Darnell Savage, Packers - signed w/Jax: 3 yr, $21m
FS Mike Edwards, Chiefs - signed w/Bills: 1 yr, $2.8m
FS Micah Hyde, Bufalo - age 33, available
FS Jalen Mills, Patriots - signed w/Giants: 1 yr, $1.38m
FS Eddie Jackson, Bears - age 31, available
FS/SS Geno Stone, Ravens - signed w/Cincy: 2 yr, $15m
FS Quandre Diggs, Seahawks - age 31, available
FS/SS John Johnson, Rams - age 28, available


SS Xavier McKinney, Giants - signed w/Packers: 4 yr, $68m
SS Kyle Dugger, Patriots - Transition Tag w/Pats: 1 yr, $13.8m
SS/FS Kamren Curl, Wash - age 25, available
SS Julian Blackmon, Colts - re-signed w/Colts: 1 yr, $7.7m
SS Jordan Whitehead, Jets - age 27, available
SS Jeremy Chin, Panthers - signed w/Wash: 1 yr, $4.1m
SS Jayron Kearse, Cowboys - age 30, available
SS Brandon Jones, Dolphins - signed w/Broncos: 3 yr, $20m
SS Kevin Byard, Philadelphia - signed w/Bears: 2 yr, $15m
FS/SS C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Lions- signed w/Phil: 3 yr, $27m
SS Jordan Poyer, Buffalo - signed w/Dolphins: 1 yr, $2m
SS Jordan Fuller, Rams - signed w/Panthers: 1 yr, $3.25m
SS/FS Taylor Rapp, Bills - re-signed w/Bills: 3 yr, $10.6m
SS Marcus Maye, Saints - age 31, available
SS Jamal Adams, Seahawks - age 29, available
SS Rayshawn Jenkins, Jax - signed by Seahawks: 2 yr, $12m
SS Terrell Edmunds, Titans - age 27, available
SS Rodney McLeod, Browns - re-signed w/Browns: 1 yr, $1.15m
SS/FS Duron Harmon, Browns - age 33, available


* Age is based on how old the player will be this season, not on today's date

 

[borisman]

DEFENSE ISSUE ONE - SAFETY
This is one place I could see us adding a player, or two if Dugger isn't on the 2024 team.

We still need a free safety. Perhaps it is Mapu, perhaps Hawkins, perhaps Bledsoe, perhaps Peppers and the same schemes as in 2023.
============
DEFENSE ISSUE TWO - 2025 FREE AGENCY
We need to start to start extending our 2025 free agents

DL: Godchaux, Wise, Ekuale, Watts

LB: Judon, Uche, Tavai

CB: Jon Jones, Wade, Wilson, Austin (RFA)

S: Peppers, Hawkins, Dugger, Schooler (RFA), Bledsoe (RFA)
====
I don't list ERFA's, since they cannot sign anywhere else.

Why isn’t Barmore on this list? Did I miss him signing an extension?

 

[mgteich]

Why isn’t Barmore on this list? Did I miss him signing an extension?

ty for the correction.

fixed!

 

[BTTA]

This is what the $50m is for.

 

[signbabybrady]

It's a passing league so I don't want to diminish FS. But the more and more that Nickel becomes the base across the league I think the more teams will want split safeties that both play equally against the run. I like our combo of Dugger and Peppers. And hopefully Mapu can develop into the role too.

Then just use a corner like we did last year with Mills for the more traditional FS looks.

 

[mgteich]

This is what the $50m is for.

and next year's $150M

But yes, I am a strong supporter of using much of remaining money for extensions.

I would point out that we have about $38M left after paying our rookies.

Also, about $8M or so is needed to pay for player put on IR (and replacements), for Player 52 and Player 53, for the Practice Squad, for those bonuses that come out of the current cap, and for replacement players during the season (including to be traded for before the trade deadline in November).
========
SO, WE HAVE CLOSER TO $30M AVAILABLE for
extensions
new free agents
trades

That is actually quite a lot if all new players have new contracts. It isn't a lot if we don't renegotiate contracts.

 

[Hyped]

I believe that May 1 or May 2 is the date that teams can sign free agents, without it affecting potential 2025 compensatory picks. Perhaps that is part of the reason that we are seeing so few free agent signings right now, relative to the number of available free agents.

From what I have seen there are also a lot of good FS and SS that should be available in the late rounds of the draft. Dadrion Taylor-Demerson, Jaden Hicks, Tykee Smith, Kitan Oladapo, Jaylon Carlies, Kenny Logan Jr, Evan Williams, Josh Proctor, Trey Taylor, Sione Vaki, Thomas Harper, Mark Perry, Dominique Hampton and Ryan Watts are all Day Three prospects to consider; in many cases are better options than the free agent safeties available now.


Free Agent Safeties
Bold = an available free agent under the age of 30 with at least some starting experience.

FS Antoine Winfield, Bucs - Franchise Tag: 1 yr, $17.1m
FS Justin Simmons, Broncos - age 30, available
FS Jordan Fuller, Rams - signed w/Panthers: 1 yr, $5.2m
FS DeShon Elliott, Dolphins - signed w/Pitt: 2 yr, $6m
FS Tashaun Gipson, 49ers - age 24, available
FS Alohi Gilman, Chargers - re-signed: 2 yr, $10m
FS Darnell Savage, Packers - signed w/Jax: 3 yr, $21m
FS Mike Edwards, Chiefs - signed w/Bills: 1 yr, $2.8m
FS Micah Hyde, Bufalo - age 33, available
FS Jalen Mills, Patriots - signed w/Giants: 1 yr, $1.38m
FS Eddie Jackson, Bears - age 31, available
FS/SS Geno Stone, Ravens - signed w/Cincy: 2 yr, $15m
FS Quandre Diggs, Seahawks - age 31, available
FS/SS John Johnson, Rams - age 28, available


SS Xavier McKinney, Giants - signed w/Packers: 4 yr, $68m
SS Kyle Dugger, Patriots - Transition Tag w/Pats: 1 yr, $13.8m
SS/FS Kamren Curl, Wash - age 25, available
SS Julian Blackmon, Colts - age 26, available
SS Jordan Whitehead, Jets - age 27, available
SS Jeremy Chin, Panthers - signed w/Wash: 1 yr, $4.1m
SS Jayron Kearse, Cowboys - age 30, available
SS Brandon Jones, Dolphins - signed w/Broncos: 3 yr, $20m
SS Kevin Byard, Philadelphia - signed w/Bears: 2 yr, $15m
FS/SS C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Lions- signed w/Phil: 3 yr, $27m
SS Jordan Poyer, Buffalo - signed w/Dolphins: 1 yr, $2m
SS Jordan Fuller, Rams - signed w/Panthers: 1 yr, $3.25m
SS/FS Taylor Rapp, Bills - re-signed w/Bills: 3 yr, $10.6m
SS Marcus Maye, Saints - age 31, available
SS Jamal Adams, Seahawks - age 29, available
SS Rayshawn Jenkins, Jax - signed by Seahawks: 2 yr, $12m
SS Terrell Edmunds, Titans - age 27, available
SS Rodney McLeod, Browns - re-signed w/Browns: 1 yr, $1.15m
SS/FS Duron Harmon, Browns - age 33, available


* Age is based on how old the player will be this season, not on today's date

Good list, Man.

Blackmon resigned with the Colts...IIRC....only in the last 48 hours.

 

[Zuma]

Jon Jones has shifted to FS on occasion. He should be considered if they think Marcus is ready for CB3.

 

[TheRainMaker]

Peppers or Dugger will go to FS. Mapu reminds me of Chung playing out of position. He had a rough year and I'm sure he's not happy playing S.

Sign Judon to an extension or trade him. Don't wait like Bill did with Gilmore.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Maybe Bledsoe is our 2024 free safety.

 

[Ivan]

Jon Jones has shifted to FS on occasion. He should be considered if they think Marcus is ready for CB3.

Love Jones, but he’s more of an underneath corner who plays against smaller slot receivers. It could just be size bias but I would rather see a lankier free safety who is a strong iat pen field tackling. Surprised they haven’t looked at Simmons.

 

[Ivan]

This is what the $50m is for.

It’s smart use of their cap money. They need to try and keep their defense at the top of the league while building the offense to the same level.

 

[signbabybrady]

and next year's $150M

But yes, I am a strong supporter of using much of remaining money for extensions.

I would point out that we have about $38M left after paying our rookies.

Also, about $8M or so is needed to pay for player put on IR (and replacements), for Player 52 and Player 53, for the Practice Squad, for those bonuses that come out of the current cap, and for replacement players during the season (including to be traded for before the trade deadline in November).
========
SO, WE HAVE CLOSER TO $30M AVAILABLE for
extensions
new free agents
trades

That is actually quite a lot if all new players have new contracts. It isn't a lot if we don't renegotiate contracts.

Mentioning the money for draft class and in season moves is pointless with so much future available cash they have way more available than 30 mil. We can pretty much do anything we want right now. But aside from a trade I don't see how they even spend the 30 mil so looks like it's being saved for the future.

 

[Uptown]

Somewhat related..

 

[captain stone]

DEFENSE ISSUE ONE - SAFETY
This is one place I could see us adding a player, or two if Dugger isn't on the 2024 team.

We still need a free safety. Perhaps it is Mapu,

McPoo is NOT a Safety, of either the Free or Strong variety.

perhaps Hawkins

Dude sucks.

, perhaps Bledsoe,

Sucks even worse.

perhaps Peppers and the same schemes as in 2023.

Peppers >> Uncle Dugg, but he’s not really at his best as a Free Safety either.

DEFENSE ISSUE TWO - 2025 FREE AGENCY
We need to start to start extending our 2025 free agents

DL: Barmore, Godchaux, Wise, Ekuale, Watts

LB: Judon, Uche, Tavai

CB: Jon Jones, Wade, Wilson, Austin (RFA)

S: Peppers, Hawkins, Dugger, Schooler (RFA), Bledsoe (RFA)
====
I don't list ERFA's, since they cannot sign anywhere else.

Surely you don’t intend to re-sign All of these people, do you?

 

[signbabybrady]

Somewhat related..

Judon and Gonzo don't get hurt and Covington will look brilliant

 

[mgteich]

McPoo is NOT a Safety, of either the Free or Strong variety.


Dude sucks.


Sucks even worse.


Peppers >> Uncle Dugg, but he’s not really at his best as a Free Safety either.


Surely you don’t intend to re-sign All of these people, do you?

Of course we won't try to re-sign all the 2025 free agents with a year left on their contracts.

Besides, all of them won't be interested; some, if not most, would prefer to wait. I would hope that we are already trying to work with Judon, Barmore and Peppers. Others could happen, but probably after the draft or even late in camp.

 

[State]

McPoo is NOT a Safety, of either the Free or Strong variety.

BB’s decision to go Marty of Sacramento State in the draft following the season where grotesque RT play held the team hostage and Dawand Jones had fallen into our laps is still reverberating. And not in a good way.