You're Tom Heckert: A Role Play!

[Enigmatic Evil]

If we're switching to a 4-3, the front seven is going to need a bit of an overhaul. I think we've got ... two linemen, maybe three. So we need at LEAST one there, and then a DT to cut Rogers some slack. Linebacker, I'm not sold we have a MLB... Bye bye DQJ, maybe Fujita? Who backs him up because he got injured last season and our whole D seemed to lose its strength. Do we go for Casey Matthews? HELL YES we do! I think we NEED that new key LB prospect. Someone like Matthews who plays with a fire to begin with, that's the kind of player we need on our D, we have veterans he could learn the NFL ropes from and I think we could build a good LB core with adding someone like Matthews in the draft.

Offense, I like your approach Sez and I agree that you go for at least two, but maybe 3 free agents. I'd love to see us grab some WR's like James Jones and Mike Sims-Walker in a perfect world... I honestly think we have the talent to round out our WR pool from there. If we don't have to worry about starting MoMass that might take some of the pressure off of them but both he and Robo are going to have to bring their A game if they want to make this team next year. That's the impression I get. Holmren isn't impressed. Shurmur knows what he likes in his offense and he probably won't like MoMass' ho-hum route running. He probably won't be too taken by Robo's inability to get separation either.

[PlaygroundLegend]

With our team in the shape its in, were going to need another pick in the 2nd or third pick, so I think we might need to make some trades of our future picks.

As far as free agents...

Im sure cinci is going to cut ochocinco, no way are they going to pay the last year of his contract and the roster bonus (I think the bonus is 3 mil, with a salary of 8)

1. Ochocinco is a Pickup for me
2. If Ocho is a no go, I'd Say Floyd or Rice
3. Darren Sproles would be the PERFECT addition to our backfield
4. We need Depth at the DT position, Benard and Roth can play DE in a 4-3, but we have alot of pieces that dont fit. I can see our starting line looking like: Roth, Rogers, Rubin, & Benard.

In the draft:
1.Cannot pass up on Robert Quinn DE/OLB, that will be the pick
2. Titus Young or Jonathan Baldwin (WR)... If Baldwin is available at this spot
3. Casey Matthews (MLB)
4. A right tackle is necessary

[Sez.EJ]

Casey Mattews could play in any system. i also agree that BPA who is a playmaker can be smarter than filling a need.. our thing is.. BPA probably fills a need anyway. We just have that many holes. As for the Raven F/A Wr's.. we all know Housh is done..that's why Seattle cut him and he could not even take the #2 spot in Balt.. Boldin..not his fault Flacco only threw at him 3x the whole game. We have seen what he can do with opportunities. Give some credit to Flacco's suckiness in the game and the Squeeler D.

[Brown Warrior]

Two guys who were set to leave the Browns because they'd be better in a 4-3: D'Qwell Jackson and Matt Roth. I'd sign both immediately. The small-ish and quicker DQJ makes great sense if he can stay healthy as our MLB... and Roth just feels like Aaron Kampmann off the edge at DE. He's 6'4" and 275, the prototype, and we know he can rush the passer. We also know we were going to look for more speed at his spot if we'd stayed in the 3-4.

Fujita was an OLB in a 4-3 in New Orleans and a very good one. He's not a spectacular pass rusher so he makes MORE sense in the 4-3, just like DQJ and Roth.

Rubin would be set as a starter. Who do you put next to him? Lord knows we have some candidates: Rogers, Smith, Coleman (great year), Ivey, and Shaefering, who just might be a terrific 4-3 DT. Benard is probably a pass rush specialist.

We'd need one starting DE, I think. Don't know if Gocong goes back to 4-3 OLB, which he played in Philly, or we look elsewhere.

[Sez.EJ]

Brown..no doubt we have guys who fit the 4-3.. but we MUST (and WILL, per Shurmur's presser) get younger.. and need some game changers.. Let's hope we can get 2 playmakers in the front 7 in this spring's draft.

[Brown Warrior]

Agree, Sez. I personally think we'll draft Green or Jones, then turn to the D with picks 2 and 3... but if free agency actually happens and we get a Breaston or Floyd, we could wait until pick #38 at WR if we really want Bowers or a DE like that.

My keepers for the front seven would be Roth, Rubin, Rogers, Coleman, Shaefering, and Benard on the line, which leaves open a space or two for a rookie and a young free agent. The latter might be replaced by Jaiyme Mitchell, or however you spell it, if he looks promising.

At LB, I'd like to have Jackson, Fujita, and Gocong... and the later might be a DE prospect, too. Not sure about all the young guys we have, Maiava might step up as a prospect.

Like the first year Green Bay switched to a 3-4, you need to adapt with some of the guys you have. You can't replace five starters front 7 starters in one offseason.

[Tobalaz]

Call me crazy but I like the idea of keeping Bernard and Roth as de's.
Both have some experience at lb and we could almost use them as an extra coverage lb in the 4-3 from the de spot if needed, kind of gimicky but something for oposing oc's to have to plan for.
Neither is the passrushing de I'd like to have, but their versatility makes them worth keeping around.

[Enigmatic Evil]

Its not crazy by any means Tob. I think keeping Roth as a DE is an intriguing pick, and ditto for Bernard but aren't we a bit fed up with the 'projects'? Isn't that why Mangini kind of treaded on thin ice for so long was because of projects like Veikune... I guess he was THE project but regardless. I just want to see us playing the best players we have without any 'dawg house' to hold anyone back.

I'm assuming we're waiting to hire that new DC, and that most likely hinges on if Dick Jauron would rather work in Philly than here... Depends how hard he wants to work. I DIGRESS...

We need to know if we're going to switch systems and I really don't think it sets us back all that much. The team never really grew all that well with the 3-4, sure as far as schemes go its a bit more dynamic but it hurts when you first were putting the WRONG type of athletes in the system and it wasn't working. It's not really working all that well now we just have a decent secondary and we had a strong veteran presence in the front 7. We're going YOUNGER that is for sure and I bet we do that through the draft, that's why I think Sez is on to something with his draft D, fix the Offense with FA's.

If the 4-3 switch is for certain I would be taking BPA between DL, WR and LB. Probably for the first three rounds, unless there was BPA available on O-Line, or even in the secondary. I can't wait to see who we draft, who this season's T.J. Ward and Monterio Hardesty are. The picks that make us raise our eyebrows and help raise our curiosity.