Players 30 yrs old+ and 2015 free agents and other factors that can help determine our draft

[panther4life]

Players that are 30 or over

Colin Cole-33

Dwan Edwards- 32

Jericho Cotchery -31

Thomas Davis-31

Roman Harper 31

Derek Anderson -30

Jason Avant -30

Chase Blackburn -30

Deangelo WIlliams -30

Notable 2015 free agents

1.Greg Hardy----this could change soon

2. Byron Bell

3.Dwan Edwards

4. Chase Blackburn

5. Jason Avant

6. Colin Cole

7. Gary Williams

8. Nate Chandler(restricted)

9. Antoine Cason

10. Josh Thomas

11. Chris Scott (restricted)

12. Mario Addison

13. Ed Dickson

Players who made both list

Dwan Edwards

Colin Cole

Chase Blackburn

Jason Avant

Dwan leaving would suck but Short will likely be ready to take over the full time role as a starter

Blackburn could be easily replaced by A.J Klein

Cole may come back cheap again next year if he still has anything left in the tank( he benefited from having a year off before joining us) and if not then he won't be too hard to replace since he's a rotational guy

Avant is nothing special but he's one of 3 receivers with any kind of experience on the team.

So our top 2 needs are quite obvious Tackle and WR

Tackle gets the nod for number 1 priority from me. We have 3 guys who shouldn't be starting competing for the bookend jobs in Bell,Chandler, and Gary Williams. All 3 will be free agents next year...(granted Williams is restricted). To me this means we have to find some talent here somehow some way but I don't want to reach for the wrong guy.

WR- We are lacking a proven playmaker here in a major way. Our top guy on paper is Cotchery and at best he's a

Solid number 2 plus he'll be 32 by the time the season starts. Avant is the 2nd most experienced and he's better suited as 3. Been in the league since 06 and only has 12 career TD's and never got much above 500 yards in a single season. Not to mention hell be 31 next week and a free agent next year. That leaves Underwood who's on his 4th team since being drafted in the 7th round of the 2010 draft. He has improved the past 2 years with bucs but still never played in 16 games or had a year better than Lafells worst. He's got some potential but that's it at this point.

Then the next tier would have to be CB (Cason and Thomas are free agents, who knows what will happen with Norman and White in terms of progression)....if nothing else we are young there.

Guard is up next in terms of immediate need- yes we have bodies and young bodies at that but none are really proven yet. So this would be next on my list

Safety isn't an immediate need since we have some vets that should be okay for the next 2 years under contract. However I could see us looking at a guy to groom for the future at some point in the draft.

DE could become a need quickly pending what happens with Hardy and if Johnson can keep up his production to make it worth extending him(lower his cap and keep him here long term). However I feel Gettleman will be keeping both around for a while if it all possible. Either way not an immediate need for this year.

OLB- Davis is getting up there in age and Blackburn who's a 15 free agent is too. Granted Klein can take over for Blackburn here soon but if we come across an athletic linebacker with coverage skills like TD to groom behind him it would be worth a look at some point but not a dire need right now.

DT- we will need to eventually get some backups to Star and Short but I doubt they will invest another an early round pick at this position anytime soon.

TE- this is a bit of a wildcard for me. I know Shula has mentioned wanting to go with more 2 tight end sets moving forward but unless an elite talent fell I would work on finding receiver and tackle help first.

The rest really would just be depth with maybe the most important finding a decent backup to replace Anderson down the road.

[iamhubby1]

Pretty much cements our philosophy. Fill in the back end with cheap 1 year rentals. We still have room to grow, but the roots are in place for long term success. Weather this storm 1 more year, and the fruits of you labor will be many.

Keep your core. Draft well. Keys to financial long term success. Oh, and having Cam, and Keek don't hurt.

[Man Strength]

FYI , short played the second most snaps at DT last year after Star, and by a decent margin over dwan. Thus short was basically the starter.

[Ruff]

Don't be surprised when we draft a DT like Justin Ellis in the 4th.

[Man Strength]

Yah I wouldn't be shocked if dwan or cole or both don't make the final 53

[bleys]

TE- this is a bit of a wildcard for me. I know Shula has mentioned wanting to go with more 2 tight end sets moving forward but unless an elite talent fell I would work on finding receiver and tackle help first.

 

 

 

great write up..  not trying to nitpick but this is an idea I think is backwards.  The perk of finding a TE that can stretch the field and catch a football should be easier to locate in later rounds and still be productive.  That philosphy isn't requiring a world beater but someone athletic enough to stretch the field and hands to catch the ball.  

 

Route running becomes less of a major factor when facing slower, shorter defenders in LBs and overall smaller defenders in safeties.  Olsen is still there to take away most of the coverage at that point.

 

If we discuss working from the inside out, I just think you can get more with less at that 2nd TE position than hoping a #2 talent receiver is going to be that much more of an impact to the rest of the team.  

[Rise of The Hive]

Yah I wouldn't be shocked if dwan or cole or both don't make the final 53

 

Maybe Cole will not make it.

[Pejorative Miscreant]

Don't be surprised when we draft a DT like Justin Ellis in the 4th.

I agree and think there is much more to be had in this draft than just WR and OT.

[PantherWake]

Good Lord. I'm glad I'm not a GM.