Re: Burner's Burning Questions: Free Agency, Mocks, Camps, OTAs, Roster Predictions,
Burner's Burning Questions: Free Agency, Mocks, Camps, OTAs, Roster Predictions, 2019
Greetings from BBQ to everyone in BGO land and guests from social media – we hope you become a member here.
Today, we bring you the first guest mock of the off-season and it comes from a familiar friend – Steve Seufert, aka “SteveDraft_â€, on twitter. He has provided draft analysis for several football sites and publications over the years and continues to hone his craft each off-season. He is one of the best Redskins draft specialists out there and it is always an honor and pleasure to feature his work here.
In fact, we may feature him several times this off-season. BBQ plans to resume the guest mocks next month and we will feature a Redskins fan/mock specialist each week until early April. It became a popular feature last year and we are happy to bring it back to BGO.
In this mock from Steve, he also provides what the Redskins could do in free agency – all with detailed analysis. I enjoyed reading it earlier and I hope you enjoy it as well.
Be sure to follow him on twitter at:
https://twitter.com/SteveDraft_
Without any further delays, let's take a look at Steve's mock and free agency prognostication.
Intro:
I really want to preface this by saying that I'm trying to be as realistic as possible. We all know that we are in cap hell when it comes to the quarterback position and it's not going to be fixed overnight. For this exercise, my goal is to keep us competitive in 2019, but also have a sight on the future. If you plan on scrolling down and seeing a trade for Antonio Brown, you might want to move along. While keeping us competitive in 2019, my plan is to fill holes and build a solid foundation for our future quarterback.
Cuts:
Josh Norman (Save 8.5M in cap space): I've wanted to keep Norman around for one more year but as the general manager of this exercise, I have a plan in place. I'm looking to move Fabian Moreau out on the boundary and I have identified several nickel cornerbacks in both free agency and the draft.
Stacey McGee (Save 2.275M in cap space): Believe it or not, McGee is far better than people think but he just can't stay healthy. With the defense being built around Jonathan Allen and Da'Ron Payne, I don't see the need to keep McGee on the roster. I've decided to cut ties and save a little over 2 million dollars.
Mason Foster (Save 2M in cap space): From calling out the organization in private messages, and threatening a high school student on Instagram, this guy has done everything a captain shouldn't. A lot of fans will point to his tackle statistics, but the guy was nothing short of awful in 2018. With the emergence of Shaun Dion-Hamilton and Reuben Foster waiting in the wings, Foster can be cut and leave only 250,000 in dead cap.
Zach Brown (Save 5.75M in cap space): This guy might be the most gifted linebacker in all of football but unfortunately, he's also the most undisciplined football player I have ever laid my eyes on. Brown shows very little interest in getting to his landmarks in coverage and very little interest in filling his run fits. His undisciplined style of play makes him nothing more than a role player and expendable at that cap figure.
Vernon Davis (Save 5M in cap space): He can still run, and he can still play. Davis is everything you want in a professional but my goal this offseason is to get a little younger. That 5 million cap figure can come in handy when trying to retain someone like Preston Smith.
Keeping:
Jordan Reed (Could save 6.01M): A lot of people are talking about cutting Jordan Reed and I just don't think that it's realistic, so I'm not even going to entertain the idea. I don't think the cap savings is enough to cut your best receiving weapon, healthy or not. I have a plan in place to play Reed sparingly and draft someone to groom and handle the blocking duties.
CAP SPACE UPDATE: 42.61M Avail
Take Care of Your Own:
Preston Smith (5 Years, 60M) (20M guaranteed): Nick Perry of the Green Bay Packers signed a 5 year, 59-million-dollar deal in 2016. From a statistical standpoint, Preston Smith matches up closely with Perry. This could make things a bit complicated with Ryan Kerrigan because Smith will now be slated to make more money than his running mate. Unfortunately, this is just how the market works. Smith has flashed throughout his entire rookie deal and hasn't missed a single game. Without a doubt, Smith's best football is ahead of him.
HaHa Clinton-Dix (4 Years, 36M) (19M guaranteed): Clinton-Dix had a couple key blunders on the national stage and everyone assumed he just sucked. There were clearly some effort concerns towards the end of the season but judging by some of his comments, it's clear the guy wants to be in Washington. I'm always baffled when people try to evaluate safety play without the all-22 film. I will be the first to admit, I was disappointed in Clinton-Dix's play. However, after watching some of the all-22 tape, it's evident the guy is still one of the better safeties in the NFL. Against Tampa Bay, Clinton-Dix was a key reason the Buccaneers couldn't score in the red zone. Against Houston, he might've been the best Redskins defender on the field. When you think back to the Tennessee game, he dropped what looked like an easy pick 6. Although he had a couple blunders, he played decently. With another year in the scheme, Clinton-Dix should return to Pro Bowl form, and I'm willing to take that gamble.
Adrian Peterson (1 Year, 2M) (Incentives): The future hall of famer was awesome to watch in 2018. He was without a doubt the highlight and MVP of the entire season. It seems that Peterson and Guice have a friendship brewing and Peterson would make the perfect mentor. Easy decision.
Ty Nsekhe (1 Year, 3.5M) (Incentives): I believe that Nsekhe could start on half of the teams in the NFL. 2018 third round pick, Geron Christian went down with a season-ending injury and didn't look close to being the swing tackle of the future. For an offensive line that lacks depth, it is crucial to re-sign Nsekhe.
CAP SPACE UPDATE: Roughly 20M Avail
Free Agency:
Eli Harold, EDGE, Detroit Lions (3 Years, 8M): This is probably not the first name you were expecting to see but Harold recorded 4 sacks in just 183 snaps for the Lions. The former 3rd round pick played his college ball at Virginia and is from Virginia Beach. Harold would make a solid 4th man in an edge rotation and has the speed the Redskins desperately lack off the edge. At just 25 years old, this would be the epitome of a low risk and high reward signing.
Denzel Perryman, ILB, LA Chargers (2 years, 9M): I'm probably overpaying for an injury prone two-down thumper but I'm also paying for the upside and the intangibles. The cool part about studying these players in college is that I can remember what I liked about them when they first hit free agency. Perryman has yet to play a 16-game season and has only played 16 games over the last two years. However, he profiles as someone who can become a special teams demon and even grow into a starting role. Washington is appealing because you'd give him the opportunity to compete at the MIKE LB spot with a day three rookie in Shaun Dion-Hamilton.
Bryce Callahan, CB, Chicago Bears (4 years, 29M): Sorry, this probably isn't the splash signing you were hoping for, but I did tell you I had a plan for the nickel corner position. Callahan absolutely balled over the last two seasons for Vic Fangio and the Chicago Bears. He broke his foot in December but I'm no doctor. I feel comfortable giving this guy a four-year deal as one of the best nickel corners in the entire NFL.
Justin Bethel, CB, Atlanta Falcons (1 year, 1.5M): Who? Well, Bethel is regarded as one of the better special teamers in the entire NFL. I'm looking for a little insurance at the boundary corner position and found it by adding a special teams demon that will be active on game day.
Draft:
Round One: DK Metcalf, WR, Mississippi I've gone on record calling DK Metcalf the best receiving prospect I have ever scouted and the best receiving prospect since Julio Jones/AJ Green. The Ole Miss receiver has an injury history and it will be talked about throughout the entire draft process. Medical red flags aside (I'm not a doctor), Metcalf has the footwork and release to destroy press-coverage on the boundary. He has the long speed to take the top off the defense and the rare burst to present a threat after the catch. He is your prototypical X – receiver, which is currently being occupied by a guy that couldn't beat press-coverage to save his life (Doctson). This draft pick would allow Doctson to move to a different position and play off the line of scrimmage.
Round Two: Michael Deiter, IOL, Wisconsin The fifth-year senior has spent time at three different offensive line positions throughout his career. He most recently played at left guard, which Redskins fans have been dying to fill for years. Deiter is without a doubt the best run blocking guard in the entire class. He has impressive mobility for a 6'6, 320 pound mountain. Like most Wisconsin offensive lineman, Deiter is fundamentally sound and will be ready to contribute from day one. It's about time we plug a stud in next to Trent Williams.
Round Three: Darnell Savage, S/CB, Maryland The Maryland swiss-army knife is by far my favorite player in this draft class. He reminds me of Kyshoen Jarrett but has the coverage skills of Chris Harris (Broncos). I've currently graded Savage as a first round player (with a first round name), even though I don't expect him to go that high. Savage plays well above his size and can fill a variety of roles. He can play as a strong safety and cover some of those short zones, he can match up with tight ends thanks to his physicality and he can play nickel corner thanks to his coverage skills.
Round Three (COMP): Dawson Knox, TE, Mississippi I swear, I'm not an Ole Miss fan. Knox is an interesting story because he was a walk-on quarterback. He moved to tight end and now standing at 6'4, 250 pounds, he is one of the top tight end prospects in the 2019 draft. Knox was criminally underutilized at Ole Miss and flashed as a heady receiving tight end. He plays with excellent body control and has the burst to create for himself after the catch. As a former walk-on quarterback, you might be surprised that he's also a pretty good blocker. I came away impressed with his strength and technique at the point of attack despite being so new to blocking.
Round Five: Gardner Minshew, QB, Washington St. I really want to select Brett Rypien but I think he will have quite a bit of helium heading into draft day. Minshew is a product of the Mike Leach air-raid offense and put up some gaudy numbers at Washington State. The Wazzu quarterback plays with the poise of a ten-year veteran. He's willing to stare down the gun barrel and let it rip. There's a lot of mechanical issues to work on – mainly in his throwing base. But, with the way the league is trending, the air-raid experience could pay off.
Round Five (COMP): Bryce Love, RB, Stanford The former Heisman hopeful had his stock trending in the wrong direction even before the recent ACL tear. Now with the December ACL injury, his draft status is in serious jeopardy. Love wasn't used much as a receiver which makes the evaluation even tougher, especially since he won't be able to work out for teams. I'm willing to take a shot on Love because he has legit 4.3 speed on tape. With Chris Thompson on the roster, Love could take his time rehabbing and eventually serve as an outside zone change-of-pace back.
Round Six (COMP): Lamont Gaillard, IOL, Georgia Fun prospect to watch and led the way for some dominant rushing attacks. Gaillard has experience at both guard and center. He was recruited as a four-star defensive tackle and likely moved to the offensive line because of his below average athleticism. Athletic profiles don't necessarily correlate to the center position and I'm willing to take a shot on a guy with some toughness, SEC experience and versatility.
Round Seven: Ulysees Gilbert, ILB, Akron At this point in the draft I'm just looking for athletic upside and special team profiles. Gilbert is flashing at East-West Shrine practices, specifically in coverage. On tape, he dominated inside and off the edge, showing a little juice as a pass rusher. I see someone who profiles as a special teamer that could eventually fill a sub-package LB role.
Hopefully, you all enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Feedback and questions are encouraged! You can find me on Twitter: @SteveDraft_
BBQ's Thoughts:
Thanks to Steve for a highly detailed examination of what the Redskins could do in free agency and the draft. He put a lot of thought and work to it. Feel free to comment on any aspect of what he has written here.
BBQ will have a prospects update early this afternoon and two more mocks tomorrow.
Again, be sure to follow Steve on twitter at:
https://twitter.com/SteveDraft_