Next Year

[Wade-A-Holic]

http://www.footballsfuture.com/2010/fa/rb.html

I really like the crop of available guys for next year as our playmaking back.

We aren't getting Ronnie Brown or Pierre Thomas.

I know there would be a lot of bidding for Sproles but that guy would solve 2-3 holes for this team. He can return, catch, (doesn't factor into the run game much), but is very good in pass protection.

Leon Washington maybe could be had for cheaper coming off the injury and Shonn Greene waiting in the wings. It might be a bit of a risk to see if he could return to full playmaking form, however.

Norwood has been hurt all year but with the emergence of Snelling, might be available. I believe he led the NFL in YPC because he has a penchant for breaking off huge runs and can also return kicks.

Even though I don't like Willie Parker I'd take a look at buying extremely low.

This list is useless if next season is uncapped. Most of those players will never make it to free agency. Try this link instead. http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d ... nfirm=true

[eagle13]

Its a little early to know for sure about FAs but at this point...

Overall with uncapped year I would resign most of our guys, because
Pack already have serious holes to fill w/o losing FAs.
Draft is good to produce one immediate solid starter much less several.
FA class is weak and TT doesn’t use anyway.
In most cases anyone lost, their replacement would be downgrade.
We’re getting better - Its time to keep some veterans.


Pickett should be kept. We need at least 4 good DL. No reason to weaken this unit. Pickett’s been healthy and a model citizen. Its time to keep some veterans.

Jolly is not a FA if year is uncapped. Good! TT might have let him walk b/c last offseason there was talk Jolly is allegedly a poor practice/attitude guy = Cory Williams. Jolly is playing well and now we don’t have to pay up until we see another season out of him.

Chillar should stay. He’s > Hawk. If we have to cut Hawk and/or Poppinga to afford him their play shows who stays.

Kampman unlikely. His situation is sketchy. Missed the trade window. Spend the $ elsewhere.

Collins should be kept. He has weaknesses but is talented and playmaker. With Bigby often hurt we can’t afford to have both S change. Whoever else we ended up with would be a downgrade.

Bigby should be cheap and as good as anything out there. Keep him for cheap.

Because our OL is so unclear it will take to year’s end to evaluate. At this point…
Clifton- normally I’d say no way but IF he finishes healthy and he’s reasonable in price? Then yes - even if we get LT in draft to start keep chad for depth at crucial spot. Its time to keep some veterans.
Tauscher = ditto.

Think both College & Spitz are not FAs in uncapped year? But if so…
College – NO WAY. Journal has rated worse starting OL so far. IF not a FA then give last shot at RT and cut if sux.
Spitz > College & versatility makes him worth keeping since there’s so few FAs better.

Players to be dumped no mater what – Montgomery, Thompson, Bush

Players to be dumped if $ needed – College, Poppinga, DLee, Hawk

[El Duderino]

So, who are the odd men out?

Pickett? With Jolly playin well(i know JJ is playin end) and Raji being the high pick. I hope not but i think he's gone.

Kampman? hasn't fit all that good. We'll see but i'll say yes, he's gone too.

Jolly? I think TT will try to keep him. Younger than the previous two. Stays

Collins? I hate to say is but I got a feelin he'll be gone. He and O.J. (maybe sharper) are the best two names out there at S and I see nick getting paid. I'll call him gone.

Chillar? I see him staying just because the LB market looks like it might be flooded with big names like Merriman, Ryans, Bullock etc and he might return on the cheap. Stays

Bigby? I kinda think that we've overrated him a tad and that he might be back just because I dont see him getting much on the market. Stays

Tramon Williams? Here's my wild-card. These next 5(+) games will really make or break this kid. If he plays well, he could get paid. If he's average to bad. I say keep him. He stays relatively healthy and has shown flashes in between some mental errors. Flipped a coin... Stays

I'm not touching offense because it's mainly OL talk and i'll be here all night.

Ted would be crazy to let Collins walk. He's talented and somewhat of a playmaker, we need guys like that. Plus, there is absolutely zero depth behind Collins and Bigby at safety.

Jolly and Pickett are the two i'm most curious about if a CBA was hammered out and Jolly ends up unrestricted. Jolly has played very well, but would Ted trust paying him? Pickett is getting up in age and Raji is here, Pickett is the type of guy Ted generally passes on paying.

[Wade-A-Holic]

Yep. Letting Collins go would put me firmly in the "fire Ted" camp, and I generally think he's done a pretty decent job. Safety play is probably right behind nose tackle and rush ends in importance in this system. Baltimore's defense struggled mightily in the secondary while Ed Reed was getting healthy earlier this season. Pittsburgh is a completely different team without Polamalu at safety, and our defense looked awful without Bigby. It's no coincidence that the two 3-4 teams with the best safeties are consistently achieving the best results (I'm not denying there aren't other factors). Besides, even if next year isn't uncapped, it's not like we're lacking cap space, and Kampman's monetary value just took a gigantic hit.

[El Duderino]

Yep. Letting Collins go would put me firmly in the "fire Ted" camp, and I generally think he's done a pretty decent job. Safety play is probably right behind nose tackle and rush ends in importance in this system. Baltimore's defense struggled mightily in the secondary while Ed Reed was getting healthy earlier this season. Pittsburgh is a completely different team without Polamalu at safety, and our defense looked awful without Bigby. It's no coincidence that the two 3-4 teams with the best safeties are consistently achieving the best results (I'm not denying there aren't other factors). Besides, even if next year isn't uncapped, it's not like we're lacking cap space, and Kampman's monetary value just took a gigantic hit.

I totally agree and wondered why Ted didn't sign Collins to an extension in the offseason where we could have likely got him cheaper than waiting until after this year is over? Collins isn't without flaw, but the guy is incredibly fast for a safety, is physical in run support, and has some ball hawking abilities. Looking at the roster, he's probably one of the top 5-7 players on the team.

[eagle13]

Either use it or lose it
Packers sit idle with loads of cap room
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/packers/78575357.html

I understand waiting on Collins and guys who may not become FAs due to uncapped year, BUT why don't we resign Chillar & Pickett with heavy frontload of this year's money? Maybe even Tausch and Clif ONLY IF they signed cheap.

I realize Raji is the future but we need depth and veterans. Pickett has been very solid.

Cut Poppinga or trade Hawk for a 4th if you need salary space, but resign Chillar.