Post by FSUVike on Sept 25, 2023 9:01:30 GMT -6
Earlier than expected, but other than QBOTF it's time to rank the Positions of Need.
1. Edge. Hunter is gone. Either via a trade or after the season. He only signed that stopgap deal because of the CBA. There's enough bad blood there now that I can virtually guarantee he's walking unless the FO overpays.
So Edge has to be it. Even if Davenport miraculously gets healthy, stays healthy and produces (that's 3 miracles, even the Pope would be impressed) they need another pass rusher. And no, interior pass rusher is not a higher need. Look around the League, just how many Teams have a difference maker rushing from the inside?
This is why Kwesi needs to trade Hunter. The existing 1st Round pick needs to be spent on the QBOTF. Wherever they end up there will be someone within reach. Be it Penix, Travis, Ewers, McCarthy, Hartman or someone else.
Minnesota needs another 1st Round pick in order to get an Edge that hopefully can contribute right away. I don't see Free Agency addressing this need. None of the names are can't miss, be it injury history or inconsistent performance.
A high Round pick along with a mid-round pick, Carter and Villain and a Melvin Ingram type of vet signing is what I'm advocating for.
2. Center. Why? A Rookie QBOTF will need a solid presence hiking him the ball and making protecion calls. Bradbury is below average and becoming injury prone. It's not as great of a FA Class as the last two years but there are still enough upgrades to be had while Kwesi nabs someone in the later rounds to develop.
3. DT: This is where I start to struggle. Guard could certainly be the right position here. But the IDL sucks after Phillips. And Phillips is just a run stuffing only NT that can't get after the passer at all. What better way to take some, erm, pressure off of a young Edge Unit than consistently getting after the QB from the middle while also shutting down the run.
And there's some serious fire in this FA group. Wilkins has history with Flores, of course, and there are two other awesome options. But here's where I get bold...let's get Chris Jones. Ok, that's likely a pipe dream. But finding true difference makers on the inside in the Draft is very hard to do. Wilkins, Williams, Jones. 3 difference makers. Get one and you instantly change the trajectory of your Defense.
But they also need some more draft capital. Roy looks promising and I think you keep Tonga as a backup run stuffer to Phillips, but the rest of the cupboard is bare. I'm not keeping Bullard, Lynch or whatshisname from the Packers who hasn't done anything so far. Lowry. Has he even played? Anyway, tons of work to do here.
4. Guard. I'm assuming Risner starts soon and plays well enough to get extended. The question then becomes does Cleveland get overpaid somewhere. After looking at a pretty pedestrian FA Class I'm thinking the answer is yes. Some Team will convince themselves that they can combine the run blocking from the past couple of years with the pass blocking from this season.
And that's fine. His ceiling is League Average, and he's yet to even hit it IMO. Get someone younger with a higher ceiling. Likely in the 2nd or 3rd Round.
Do I think the back 7 is set? Hell no. But with Murphy, Evans and Blackmon all being on the younger to just a baby side of things there is at least the potential for improvement. Pace and Asamoah with a vet behind them should be fine. They have plenty of Safeties.
If we've learned anything the past 5+ years it's that Teams that are stronger in the Trenches will almost always beat the Vikings. It's well past time to address that.
What do you all think?
1. Edge. Hunter is gone. Either via a trade or after the season. He only signed that stopgap deal because of the CBA. There's enough bad blood there now that I can virtually guarantee he's walking unless the FO overpays.
So Edge has to be it. Even if Davenport miraculously gets healthy, stays healthy and produces (that's 3 miracles, even the Pope would be impressed) they need another pass rusher. And no, interior pass rusher is not a higher need. Look around the League, just how many Teams have a difference maker rushing from the inside?
This is why Kwesi needs to trade Hunter. The existing 1st Round pick needs to be spent on the QBOTF. Wherever they end up there will be someone within reach. Be it Penix, Travis, Ewers, McCarthy, Hartman or someone else.
Minnesota needs another 1st Round pick in order to get an Edge that hopefully can contribute right away. I don't see Free Agency addressing this need. None of the names are can't miss, be it injury history or inconsistent performance.
A high Round pick along with a mid-round pick, Carter and Villain and a Melvin Ingram type of vet signing is what I'm advocating for.
2. Center. Why? A Rookie QBOTF will need a solid presence hiking him the ball and making protecion calls. Bradbury is below average and becoming injury prone. It's not as great of a FA Class as the last two years but there are still enough upgrades to be had while Kwesi nabs someone in the later rounds to develop.
3. DT: This is where I start to struggle. Guard could certainly be the right position here. But the IDL sucks after Phillips. And Phillips is just a run stuffing only NT that can't get after the passer at all. What better way to take some, erm, pressure off of a young Edge Unit than consistently getting after the QB from the middle while also shutting down the run.
And there's some serious fire in this FA group. Wilkins has history with Flores, of course, and there are two other awesome options. But here's where I get bold...let's get Chris Jones. Ok, that's likely a pipe dream. But finding true difference makers on the inside in the Draft is very hard to do. Wilkins, Williams, Jones. 3 difference makers. Get one and you instantly change the trajectory of your Defense.
But they also need some more draft capital. Roy looks promising and I think you keep Tonga as a backup run stuffer to Phillips, but the rest of the cupboard is bare. I'm not keeping Bullard, Lynch or whatshisname from the Packers who hasn't done anything so far. Lowry. Has he even played? Anyway, tons of work to do here.
4. Guard. I'm assuming Risner starts soon and plays well enough to get extended. The question then becomes does Cleveland get overpaid somewhere. After looking at a pretty pedestrian FA Class I'm thinking the answer is yes. Some Team will convince themselves that they can combine the run blocking from the past couple of years with the pass blocking from this season.
And that's fine. His ceiling is League Average, and he's yet to even hit it IMO. Get someone younger with a higher ceiling. Likely in the 2nd or 3rd Round.
Do I think the back 7 is set? Hell no. But with Murphy, Evans and Blackmon all being on the younger to just a baby side of things there is at least the potential for improvement. Pace and Asamoah with a vet behind them should be fine. They have plenty of Safeties.
If we've learned anything the past 5+ years it's that Teams that are stronger in the Trenches will almost always beat the Vikings. It's well past time to address that.
What do you all think?
... and neither is this Chris guy.