State of the Franchise thread

[49ersfan]

A place to post what you think your team needs. I'm hoping this will be helpful to forum mock drafters, mock draft makers, and regular old fans. I'll start us off with the niners: OT, OG, DE, NT, WR, QB, FB (in no real order).

Inspired by: http://www.nfldraftcountdown.com/for...ad.php?t=13730

[Matt McGuire]

Good idea, but **** NFLDC. This is Walter Football and what we do here now is a State of the Franchise thread. Post needs, players your team will put on the trading block, FA strategy, or anything else you want to say.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers:

*Franchise Quarterback - Not sure if Gruden likes McCown a lot or not. I don't think we will address this position this year because we have bigger needs on our team and Garcia has another good year left in him. Hopefully we will be healthier throughout next season on offense.

*Center - John Wade is an UFA...and he sucks. Horrible. I've hated this guy for years. Only thing he does well is line calls...that is IT. Some Buc fans think Dan Buenning will be our center, but he can't seem to stay healthy. I think we will draft a guy in the mid-late rounds.

*Left Tackle - Penn played very good as a backup but we could use an upgrade as a starter and Petitgout can't be relied upon.

*Wide Receiver - Our lack of a deep threat hurt us vs. the Giants. I think we will look at a slot guy that is also a...

...*Return Specialist - Spurlock isn't consistent and the fumble vs. the Giants cost us the game.

*Defensive Tackle - I'm not sure how much along Cowyer feels Greg Peterson is on his development...can he ever play under tackle? Ryan Sims was blah this season. Hovan is solid but offers nothing vs. the pass.

*Cornerback - Barber and Kelly are old...Buchanon got picked on towards the end of the season and got exposed some what...better suited for nickle. We need a shut down guy. I'm looking at Antoine Cason and Chevis Jackson as Tampa 2 corners. Kelly also might demand a trade.

*Depth at Defensive End - Adams will be a beast, but on the left side Carter doesn't have much left in him and can Greg White be an every down guy? I think this is more of a future need for 2009...we might address this in free agency.

Players we will put on the trading block -
QB Chris Simms
QB Bruce Gradkowski
QB Luke McCown (for a 3rd rounder if we draft a QB early)
WR Michael Clayton
DT Jovan Haye
CB Brian Kelly
SS Jermaine Phillips (if we can get a 2nd for him we will do it...otherwise keep him)

Free Agency Strategy -
We will have 30M in cap space after we cut Greg Spires and a few other guys. Allen and Gruden have said that they want to bring in a big name. Allen says we are 40-50M under the cap for 2009. What big names will we target? I think really nobody. Most great players in the FA market will be franchised. I think we will sign 3-4 very solid/inexpensive players.

[49ersfan]

Greg White is pretty old as well if I remember correctly.

[bills_red]

State of the Franchise

I wonder were you got that from...

[Matt McGuire]

Greg White is pretty old as well if I remember correctly.

He's like 28 or 29 I think....not that old.

[Matt McGuire]

State of the Franchise

I wonder were you got that from...

[49ersfan]

NFLDC isn't that bad, but it has nothing on the epitome of excellence, Walterfootball.

[Mark]

Here is what I believe are the Panthers team needs.

Not listed in order of importance.

1. Quarterback: Delhomme may only have a year or two left, while Matt Moore looked pretty good toward the end of the season. Is Moore that future? That is yet to be determined. The Panthers need an insurance policy.

2. Running Back: I am not a fan of DeShaun Foster. He has had three years to fill Stephen Davis's shoes and he has failed, failing to go for over 800 yards in three straight years of starting. An injury liability and fumbled the ball a lot this year. DeAngelo Williams should be the starting RB next season, and Foster should be cut, or traded for draft picks. With Williams starting, the Panthers need a big punishing running back who is money in short yardage and goal line situations.

3. Wide Receiver: The Panthers need a solid number two option for Delhomme . Smith will be double covered and even triple covered for most of the time. Colbert has been a bust, Drew Carter looks better suited for a number three receiver role, while Dwayne Jarrett (who I won't write off yet because of injuries and trying to make a transition to becoming a NFL WR) looked bad.

4. Tight End: I like Jeff King. I think he can be a pretty decent TE in the league given proper time to develop. The Panthers need a goal line TE like what Bubba Franks used to be.

5. Left Tackle: Not a big fan of Travelle Wharton. He is an Unrestricted Free Agent, though I think the Panthers will try to re-sign him (they have a knack for bringing back people who I don't like ).

6. Defensive End: It read the stats everyday and I still cannot believe Julius Peppers registered only 2.5 sacks this year! That is crazy! A lack of a secondary pass rusher can be blamed, but a lot has to be on Peppers who seemed to be more interested in hoping to get a giant extension rather then trying to produce on the field. I would like to see what Charles Johnson can do. One thing is for sure, Rucker needs to go.

7. Defensive Tackle: Maake Kemoeatu takes up a lot of space, but Kris Jenkins doesn't seem interested to play for the Panthers anymore. I used to marvel at his ability to dominate the line of scrimmage in 2002 and 2003. Now, he just does not seem interested and I believe he needs a fresh start, on another team.

8. Outside Linebacker: With Morgan most likely done, he will not be missed. Beason finally adds stability and a reliable staple in the middle of the field. Unlike Morgan, he can actually stay on the field. With Beason moving inside, the outside LB position needs to be addressed. Nail Diggs isn't a starting in my mind (he just got a three-year extension). Thomas Davis is a pretty good LB. He is still learning the position. Diggs needs to go back to his reserve roll and bring in a OLB who will be a good compliment to Beason and Davis.

9. Free Safety: Deke Cooper is not a horrible FS, but he is not a great FS. The Panthers really need a play-maker on defense. The Panthers really missed Mike Minter's leadership on defense this season.

10. Cornerback: If Ken Lucas is let go as a cap move, Gamble would step up to the number one CB and Richard Marshall would move into the starting line-up (well deserved too). A number three CB would be needed if this happens.

[GridIron NUt]

Cincinnati Bengals:

*Franchise Quarterback - Carson Palmer is solid and with a healthy O LINE and a running game will return to his 2005 glory. He needs a solid backup though.

*Running Back - If you ask me Rudi Johnson is a bum and is on his way out to make way for Kenny Irons, Watson and Dorsey.

*Linebacker - Do I pray Odel Thurman will be reinstated? Dam straight. Ahmad Brooks still has potential to be great other than that the Bengals will look to the draft.

*Tackle - Anderson and Jones are getting hurt to much and Anderson is getting old.

*Return Specialist - Glenn Holt has done well but had fumbles that costed us.

*Defensive Tackle - Domata Peko has turned out to be a pleasent suprise, now all we need to do is find someone to play next to him.

*Cornerback - We have some great young starting corners in Joseph and Hall and did pretty well in the safety positon too. Now all we need is depth, and to get rid of that bum Dexter Jackson. Blue Adams has actually come on and done great as a backup and is the best open feild tackler in the secondary.

*Defensive End - Justin Smith is getting Old and really doesn't pressure the Qb, Excuse? He is a run stopping DE. Thats not what the new DC Zimmer needs or wants with his style of defense. He wants a fast DE that can rush the passer. On the other side Geathers is a good DE and could probably play the Hybrid Linebacker spot as well but he is getting a tid bit old.

Players we will put on the trading block -
RB - Rudi Johnson
SS - Dexter Jackson
DE - Justin Smith
(Think of all the money we would save.)

Free Agency Strategy -
We will have over 35M in cap space after we cut these guys. Lewis and Brown should try and bring in a guy like Michael Turner so Carson can actually not be throwing against 9 deffensive backs.

[starqb14]

didn't we do this a couple weeks ago?

[49ersfan]

Don't think so, and besides, priorities and needs may have changed in that time.

[49ersfan]

Walter, if you can change the thread name to "State of the Franchise thread" I'd be much obliged.

[Matt McGuire]

How can you trade Rudi Johnson with his monster contract?

[GridIron NUt]

Its not so much trade him as it is get rid of him.

[bulldog0123]

G, T, DL, ILB, CB, FS, Power RB