Plenty of big-name free agents remain available

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@Kentis said:


IDK, he sounds fairly athletic… 

I thought I read in mini camp he was hovering between 275 and 280 pounds. That's a 10-15 pound difference from his combine numbers, and regardless, he's not somebody I want flanking out into coverage. This was a point brought up by Pat Kirwin on NFL Radio is that teams will stack formations out wide to force either Hunter or Davenport into coverage and that's not a matchup that plays in our favor. 

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If Akiem Hicks is healthy I'd love to see him in purple wrecking someone else's IOL for a change!

[Guest]

@supafreak84 said:

@Wetlander said:
I wouldn't mind bringing Barr back as an OLB/pass rusher.  That was his position in college and he always seemed to be miscast as an OLB in a 4-3. Wonder if he'd want to come back?

I tend to think Davenport is also being miscast as a 3-4 OLB. He's a big guy and not particularly an incredible athlete. Which again begs the question, why are we playing 3-4 when our personnel is STILL better suited to play 4-3? I'd feel a lot better with Hunter and Davenport as our starting DE's, with Phillips, Tonga, Roy and whomever else rotating in at the DT positions. I also like the idea of more bodies up front covering our smaller linebackers and allowing them to seek and destroy without having to shed these massive lineman.

I don't think DCs pay as much attention to the idea of prototypical size per position as fans do. Flores was on board when we signed Davenport, so I'm guessing he had a big influence on the signing.

Another thing to keep in mind is that 3-4 teams aren't always in 3-4. Especially Flores, who uses more sub-packages than most DCs. In Miami, for example, Flores was in a standard 3-4 only 34% of the time. The rest of the time was either nickel, dime, 4-3 or some variation. 

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@MaroonBells said:

@supafreak84 said:

@Wetlander said:
I wouldn't mind bringing Barr back as an OLB/pass rusher.  That was his position in college and he always seemed to be miscast as an OLB in a 4-3. Wonder if he'd want to come back?

I tend to think Davenport is also being miscast as a 3-4 OLB. He's a big guy and not particularly an incredible athlete. Which again begs the question, why are we playing 3-4 when our personnel is STILL better suited to play 4-3? I'd feel a lot better with Hunter and Davenport as our starting DE's, with Phillips, Tonga, Roy and whomever else rotating in at the DT positions. I also like the idea of more bodies up front covering our smaller linebackers and allowing them to seek and destroy without having to shed these massive lineman.

I don't think DCs pay as much attention to the idea of prototypical size per position as fans do. Flores was on board when we signed Davenport, so I'm guessing he had a big influence on the signing.

Another thing to keep in mind is that 3-4 teams aren't always in 3-4. Especially Flores, who uses more sub-packages than most DCs. In Miami, for example, Flores was in a standard 3-4 only 34% of the time. The rest of the time was either nickel, dime, 4-3 or some variation. 

Maybe not, but there are clearly certain athletic/size characteristics you want at certain positions, especially as it relates to something as specific as a 3-4. To me we have a bunch of strange, miscast pieces that we are trying to force into this scheme they aren't suited for. 

And we were sold on scheme flexibility last year and that they'd be running different fronts and formations....never happened. We were a base 3-4 team that stayed in a base 3-4 front almost the entirety of the season. Hoping it's different under Flores, but I'll believe it when I see it 

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@supafreak84 said:

@MaroonBells said:

@supafreak84 said:

@Wetlander said:
I wouldn't mind bringing Barr back as an OLB/pass rusher.  That was his position in college and he always seemed to be miscast as an OLB in a 4-3. Wonder if he'd want to come back?

I tend to think Davenport is also being miscast as a 3-4 OLB. He's a big guy and not particularly an incredible athlete. Which again begs the question, why are we playing 3-4 when our personnel is STILL better suited to play 4-3? I'd feel a lot better with Hunter and Davenport as our starting DE's, with Phillips, Tonga, Roy and whomever else rotating in at the DT positions. I also like the idea of more bodies up front covering our smaller linebackers and allowing them to seek and destroy without having to shed these massive lineman.

I don't think DCs pay as much attention to the idea of prototypical size per position as fans do. Flores was on board when we signed Davenport, so I'm guessing he had a big influence on the signing.

Another thing to keep in mind is that 3-4 teams aren't always in 3-4. Especially Flores, who uses more sub-packages than most DCs. In Miami, for example, Flores was in a standard 3-4 only 34% of the time. The rest of the time was either nickel, dime, 4-3 or some variation. 

Maybe not, but there are clearly certain athletic/size characteristics you want at certain positions, especially as it relates to something as specific as a 3-4. To me we have a bunch of strange, miscast pieces that we are trying to force into this scheme they aren't suited for. 

And we were sold on scheme flexibility last year and that they'd be running different fronts and formations....never happened. We were a base 3-4 team that stayed in a base 3-4 front almost the entirety of the season. Hoping it's different under Flores, but I'll believe it when I see it 

seemed more like a 43 the second half of the season when they started playing Hunter on the LOS most every down.

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Netflix' QB has renewed my "ire" with our IOL...

There is one name on this list of big names Id love to see added and it's Risner

DeAndre Hopkins and Dalvin Cook lead a list of accomplished players who are still available a week before several NFL teams open training camp.Here are 10 more free agents who previously have had plenty of success in the NFL:

EZEKIEL ELLIOTT: The three-time Pro Bowl running back ran for 876 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging a career-low 3.8 yards per carry for Dallas last season. Elliott still could return to the Cowboys, who got 1,007 yards rushing from Tony Pollard last season.
JADEVEON CLOWNEY: The former No. 1 overall pick is seeking his fifth team in six years. A three-time Pro Bowl defensive end, Clowney had two sacks last season in Cleveland after getting nine in 2021.
YANNICK NGAKOUE: The 28-year-old defensive end is an ideal fit for any team that needs a pass rush specialist. Ngakoue has had at least eight sacks in each of his seven seasons in the NFL. He had 9 1/2 last season for the Colts after tallying 10 in 2021 with Las Vegas.
MARCUS PETERS: Peters, a ball-hawking, two-time All-Pro cornerback, is coming off a subpar season in Baltimore, but he's two years removed from an ACL injury and provides an experienced playmaker for a team that needs help in pass coverage.
JUSTIN HOUSTON: At 34, Houston may be past his prime, but he had 9 1/2 sacks last season for the Ravens. The four-time Pro Bowl edge could spark a defense as a rotational player.
CARSON WENTZ: His MVP-caliber 2017 season in Philadelphia is a distant memory, and he's looking for his fourth team in four years. Wentz got booted out of Indianapolis after a 2021 season in which he threw 27 TD passes and had just seven interceptions. He struggled in an injury-shortened year with Washington in 2022 and has run out of opportunities as a starter.
JOHN JOHNSON: The veteran safety has started 80 games in his six-year career, missing only two games over the past three seasons. He had 101 tackles last season for Cleveland. The versatile Johnson has filled several roles in the defensive backfield and should find a new home, perhaps Green Bay, before the season starts.
LEONARD FOURNETTE: ''Playoff Lenny'' helped Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers win the Super Bowl a few years ago, but he averaged just 3.5 yards per carry behind a mediocre offensive line last season. The bruising runner may have to wait for a team that loses a couple running backs to injuries.
KAREEM HUNT: He's far removed from his 2017 rookie season in which he ran for 1,327 yards for the Chiefs, but Hunt is a versatile back who would provide depth. He may be a fit in Washington where he would reunite with former Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and play behind Antonio Gibson and Brian Robinson.
DALTON RISNER: A left guard who started 62 games in four seasons in Denver, Risner shouldn't be unemployed too far into camp. He's a strong pass blocker and a potential fit for the Chargers or Vikings.


https://www.startribune.com/deandre-hopkins-and-dalvin-cook-lead-a-list-of-remaining-nfl-free-agents-ahead-of-training-camp/600288883/

[Guest]

Risner would be a good fit schematically, and he's a pretty good pass blocker.

But who are you replacing? The 2nd round, 4th year LG whose PFF grade as a run blocker is 30 points higher than Risner's? The 2nd round, 2nd year RG who was horrible early but improved dramatically as the season wore on? And whose run blocking grade is 10 points higher than Risner's? 

And if you do replace one of them, there goes all that continuity everyone's so excited about. I like Risner, loved him in the draft. It's just hard to see the Vikings messing with their starting five. 

For what it's worth, if you look at how all the rookie guards graded out last year, Ingram held his own, finishing in the top half, and ahead of 1st round guard Cole Strange. Not expecting Pro Bowls from Ingram, but I think we'll see a much better player in 2023. 

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I hate the idea of trading Hunter. But if we can get a 1st rounder for him and replace him with a marginally less effective, but cheaper player like Yannick, you might still get away with calling this rebuild a "competitive" one. 

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@MaroonBells said:
I hate the idea of trading Hunter. But if we can get a 1st rounder for him and replace him with a marginally less effective, but cheaper player like Yannick, you might still get away with calling this rebuild a "competitive" one. 

Can never say never, but I can't see Yannick being welcomed in Eagan again...

Horrible against the run. Not sure his salary demand is commensurate with a situational only player. 

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@purplefaithful said:

@MaroonBells said:
I hate the idea of trading Hunter. But if we can get a 1st rounder for him and replace him with a marginally less effective, but cheaper player like Yannick, you might still get away with calling this rebuild a "competitive" one. 

Can never say never, but I can't see Yannick being welcomed in Eagan again...

Horrible against the run. Not sure his salary demand is commensurate with a situational only player. 

Pretty significant downgrade. But we have Wonnum to stop the run. :-)

Just don't forget how handy two first rounders would be when it comes to drafting the QBOTF next April. And who knows? Maybe we get lucky and the team we trade him to has a top 5 pick?

That's what it's about in my mind. If you can do that and remain competitive, I'm listening...