The 'Hawks are 6-1 as we sit today and after analyzing the team's current state and comparing that to the players' contract statuses, here are my thoughts as to what the team should do after they win the Super Bowl (heh):
- The team should renegotiate lucerative contract extensions with Richard Sherman and Earl Thomas
- The team should sign veteran DT Jason Hatcher
- The team should prioritize re-signing, in order:
- Michael Bennett
- Golden Tate
- Walter Thurmond III
- Doug Baldwin
- Clinton McDonald
- Brandon Browner
- O'Brien Schofield
- Steven Hauschka
- This would leave the following players as free agents. If you can get 'em back cheap, great. If not, let 'em move on:
- Breno Giacomini
- Tarvaris Jackson
- Tony McDaniel
- Chris Maragos
- Jeron Johnson
- Lemuel Jeanpierre
- Anthony McCoy
- Mike Morgan
- Paul McQuistan
- If all the above is completed the team's priorities heading into the draft would be (along with the reason as to why the position is a position of need):
- OT - Talent/Depth
- TE - Talent/Depth
- DT - Talent/Value
- DE - Value
- FS - Depth
- SS - Depth
- CB - Value/Depth
- WR - Value/Depth
- C - Depth/Value
Now, addressing the quibbles:
Why would you let Giacomini and McDaniel walk if OT and DT are such a dire need?
Great question. Glad you've been paying attention. My premise in letting both go is that their respective upsides are limited. We are looking to upgrade the talent at the positions. Sure, both would be great for depth purposes but if this team is going to improve in any marked way (and they should always be looking to do so) they need to upgrade the upside, if you will.
Salary cap, yo. You can't just say 're-sign these guys.' and expect it to happen.
You're absolutely right. There are people more intelligent and more in tune with the salary cap situation than I am. I do not know how feasible this offseason would be as presented. I think and kinda feel it should be feasible. None of those feelings are backed up by solid data, however. Please, if you want to breakdown, with specific numbers and historical precedent, how feasible or not this scenario is, please present it in the comments. I'd love to nosh off of your expertiese.
Anthony McCoy? You're just casting him off?
Eeeehhh. I vascilated between having him on the re-sign list below Hauschka and letting him walk as a free agent. What it came down to is 1) He's been hurt all season and, thus, he shouldn't command too much on the open market and 2) His upside isn't all that great. He's servicable as depth but if you're bringing him back at any contract number that restricts cap space that should go to the stars, I'd say he's not worth it.
Who's going to be your back-up QB? Not B.J. surely?
Maybe. Why not? And don't call me Shirley.
Basically, I don't care enough about the back-up position to lose any sleep over it. If they can re-sign Tarvaris at the veteran minimum, great. But have you seen the QB play this year? There's no way he doesn't sign for a couple million $ and make it into a QB competition somewhere.
