Originally posted by Garlicboy:
Originally posted by jreff22:
Okoye is a nice story but won't make this roster. If Tank comes back 100%, he will sit behind Smith. Obviously we will need another body to replace RayMac and/or be the primary swing backup but we can't really control the draft. If we can't trade up, the targets could be gone before we pick.
Either way our needs will change in 10 months. If Kap takes a step back one could argue that QB might be the biggest priority in 2015. No way to know yet.
The biggest need going into this draft was WR and CB...did we half ass address it or are we just running in circles?
We addressed WR with Stevie Johnson, but Michael Crabtree is a free agent next year and Anquan Boldin the year after.
CB: We have 3 free agents in 2015: Chris Culliver, Eric Wright and Perrish Cox.
We addressed the positions, but we have more free agents at WR and CB coming up in 2015.
If Cully can unscrew his head out of his ass we should resign him...but cheaply. I think his level of stupidity is tied with Aldon but both have a year to prove they aren't retarded. Cully won't command big money. He hasn't played enough and has more negative headlines than interceptions. At best he's a full time starter. At worst he's the primary backup at CB and an emergency FS if everybody gets diarrhea. If he comes in under 3 mill per year on a 4-5 yr deal it's golden for us. Having 3 starting CB's for the price of Sherman is a smart financial plan.
Cox and Wright won't be here very long.
Johnson is good but not #1 take over a game good. Especially with the occasional suspect hands he's known for. Quinton and Bruce should be complementary WR's that we keep for years. All Johnson will get from us is this contract (with a probable small extention). So we could have Crabs gone, then Boldin, then Johnson. I agree we need a viable long term answer at the position but that guy may not come for a while. If we do dump Crabs after the year I would hope we go WR early to find the next guy. But again who knows what the needs could be or who is available.
If we win the Super Bowl, Boldin could retire and Crabs could still walk. That leaves a big void and only 3 actual WR's under contract. And if we assume the normal WR maturation of 3 years...still leaves Patton 1 year from "getting it" and Bruce 2 years away.
The point in this rant is that we have many potential variables. You can look at who we drafted and see possible replacements but nothing is a given. Thinking the kid drafted in the 7th will replace a starter is wishful thinking. Likewise the kid we drafted in the 1st may never get off the bench. Had 2012 been a solid draft many of these picks probably don't happen. Same thing happened shortly after 2008 and 2009. If you don't destroy a draft you won't ever been in a draft pinch and forced to take a position of dire need. With AJ busting we got f**ked. We burned a high pick, lost a roster spot, had no speed threat, and had to go trade for one this year. Positions where we do these little 1-2 year deals and draft poorly is normally where we struggle. Outside of Boone how many non 1st round OL have stuck around recently? The only one is Kilgore and we have no idea how he will be. But the point is bad drafting and poo FA contracts means we needed a guy like Snyder who is trash. If any of the top guys from this year bomb, look for those positions to be a "need" again.