What will Ted Thompson do about the ILB position in the Off Season?

[3irty1]

I think its a mistake to count Barrington as a starter next year. We need a pair of guys and they should definitely come from the draft. MLB is a relatively low learning curve or just translates well from the college game. Rookies at MLB and at RB tend to be almost as good as they're going to get right off the bat. With all the uncertainty at the position it might be worth hanging on to Hawk a bit longer. As shitty as he is his availability has been the best on the team.

[woodbuck27]

I think its a mistake to count Barrington as a starter next year. We need a pair of guys and they should definitely come from the draft. MLB is a relatively low learning curve or just translates well from the college game. Rookies at MLB and at RB tend to be almost as good as they're going to get right off the bat. With all the uncertainty at the position it might be worth hanging on to Hawk a bit longer. As shitty as he is his availability has been the best on the team.

Ted Thompson without change for 2015 will spend:

Approx. $10.45 M$ for 3 ILB's or 6.57% of the CAP.

The cost for 5 CB's = $ 10.71 M$ or 7.15 % of CAP.

The cost for 3 Safetys = $7.67 M$ or 5.12 % of CAP.

AJ Hawk's CAP hit for 2015 = $5.1M$ and Dead Money @ $1.6M$. Potential saving if cut = $3.5 M$

AJ Hawk wasn't unproductive as Brad Jones was last season and had a total of 94 tackles and .5 SACK and 2PD and 1 STF.

Specifically on Brad Jones:

Brad Jones Cap hit is $4.75 M$ and Dead Money @ $1.0 M$. Potential saving if cut = $3.75M$

His production in 2014 was < half of Sam Barrington's and to cut him should be an easy decision.

TT may have to simply move on from both AJ Hawk and Brad Jones. Use the savings to hang onto Randall Cobb, Bryan Bulaga and Tramon Williams. TT's hand may be forced here.

ie ...Cut both Hawk and Brad Jones and save $7.25 M$ = the possible restructured cost for CB Tramon Williams.

[pbmax]

Pos	PRank	Rating	Name		Type	Yr	Ht/Wt		College		2013 Team	Signed Team
MLB	1		Karlos Dansby	UFA	10	-/-		Auburn		Arizona		Cleveland
MLB	2		Brandon Spikes	UFA	4	6-5/250		Florida		New England	Buffalo
MLB	3		Donald Butler	UFA	4	6-1/235		Wash		San Diego	San Diego
MLB	4		Vincent Rey	RFA	3	-/-		Duke		Cincinnati	Cincinnati
MLB	5		Daryl Smith	UFA	10	-/-		GaTech		Baltimore	Baltimore
MLB	6		D'Qwell Jackson	UFA	8	6-0/240		Maryland	Cleveland	Indianapolis
MLB	7		Akeem Jordan	UFA	7	-/-		James Madison	Kansas City	
MLB	8		Jameel McClain	UFA	6	6-1/250		Syracuse	Baltimore	NY Giants
MLB	9		Perry Riley	UFA	3	-/-		LSU		Washington	Washington
MLB	10		Joe Mays	UFA	6	-/-		North Dakota St	Denver		Kansas City
MLB	11		Arthur Moats	UFA	4	-/-		James Madison	Buffalo		Pittsburgh
MLB	12		Joe Mays	UFA	6	-/-		North Dakota St	Denver	
MLB	13		Kavell Conner	UFA	4	-/-		Clemson		Indianapolis	San Diego
MLB	14		Wesley Woodyard	UFA	6	6-1/230		Kentucky	Denver		Tennessee
MLB	15		Jon Beason	UFA	7	-/-		Miami (FL)	NY Giants	NY Giants
MLB	16		Darryl Sharpton	UFA	4	-/-		Miami (FL)	Houston		Washington
MLB	17		Pat Angerer	UFA	4	-/-		Iowa		Indianapolis	
MLB	18		Dane Fletcher	UFA	4	6-2/244		Montana State	New England	Tampa Bay
MLB	19		D.J. Williams	UFA	10	6-1/242		Miami (FL)	Chicago		Chicago
MLB	20		Jasper Brinkley	UFA	5	-/-		South Carolina	Arizona		Minnesota
MLB	NR	NR	Nick Barnett	UFA	11	-/-		Oregon State	Washington	
MLB	NR	NR	Nick Bellore	RFA	3	6-1/250		Cent Michigan	NY Jets	
MLB	NR	NR	Bront Bird	RFA	3	6-4/250		Texas Tech	San Diego	
MLB	NR	NR	Desmond Bishop	UFA	7	6-2/238		California	Minnesota	
MLB	NR	NR	Stewart Bradley	UFA	7	-/-		Nebraska	Denver	
MLB	NR	NR	Dan Connor	UFA	6	-/-		Penn State	Carolina	
MLB	NR	NR	Blake Costanzo	UFA	6	6-1/235		Lafayette	Chicago	
MLB	NR	NR	Jacob Cutrera	UFA	4	-/-		LSU		Tampa Bay	
MLB	NR	NR	Zac Diles	UFA	7	-/-		Kansas State	Tennessee	
MLB	NR	NR	London Fletcher	UFA	16	5-10/258	John Carroll	Washington	
MLB	NR	NR	Larry Foote	UFA	12	6-1/239		Michigan	Pittsburgh	
MLB	NR	NR	Rob Francois	UFA	4	6-2/255		Boston College	Green Bay	
MLB	NR	NR	Mark Herzlich	RFA	3	-/-		Boston College	NY Giants	
MLB	NR	NR	Justin Hickman	RFA	3	6-2/258		UCLA		Indianapolis	Indianapolis
MLB	NR	NR	Ramon Humber	UFA	5	5-11/232	North Dakota St	New Orleans	New Orleans
MLB	NR	NR	Bryan Kehl	UFA	6	6-2/244		BYU		Washington
MLB	NR	NR	J Lattimore	RFA	3	6-2/230		Mid Tenn State	Green Bay	Green Bay
MLB	NR	NR	Paris Lenon	UFA	12	-/-		Richmond	Denver	
MLB	NR	NR	Scott Lutrus	RFA	3	6-2/241		Connecticut	Indianapolis	
MLB	NR	NR	A McClellan	RFA	4	6-2/255		Marshall	Baltimore	Baltimore
MLB	NR	NR	Austin Spitler	UFA	4	6-2/250		Ohio State	Miami	
MLB	NR	NR	S Sylvester	UFA	4	6-2/231		Utah		Pittsburgh	
MLB	NR	NR	Jonathan Vilma	UFA	10	6-1/230		Miami (FL)	New Orleans	
MLB	NR	NR	Reggie Walker	UFA	5	6-0/244		Kansas State	San Diego	San Diego
MLB	NR	NR	W Witherspoon	UFA	12	-/-		Georgia		St. Louis

[call_me_ishmael]

On WSSP, they said that in an interview Peppers acknowledged that he'd have to redo his contract and that he'd be back this year.

[smuggler]

That would be awesome, ish!!

[Ballboy]

I am not so sure TWill hasn't played his last game in GB unless he signs for less and I don't think he will. We drafted Hayward/House and I can see TT giving one or both a shot at starting, then drafting a DB for dime defense. The glaring hole in D is at ILB, and I think dropping Hawk & Jones is the right thing to do, regardless of who we have back as evident by whom was playing at the end of the year. Packers see even a sometimes bad Barrington as better than Hawk/Jones.

If TT can hold out late in FA for a ILB ala Charles Woodson in his career that's about the only FA pick up I see.

Has Raji played his last year...or will it be another one year deal at a good price?

[pbmax]

House does not seem like a sure thing but the team seems to trust him. The reason Tramontana might return for a reduced price is that neither Hayward or Hyde seem ready to be outside corners.

[mraynrand]

neither Hayward or Hyde seem ready to be outside corners.

tru dat. But they might not get a reduced price on Twill. I'm betting they roll the dice on being able to pick up another outside corner in draft or rookie FA.

[pbmax]

tru dat. But they might not get a reduced price on Twill. I'm betting they roll the dice on being able to pick up another outside corner in draft or rookie FA.

Some of the mocks seem to be betting on this.

[red]

tru dat. But they might not get a reduced price on Twill. I'm betting they roll the dice on being able to pick up another outside corner in draft or rookie FA.

well unless he takes a decent pay cut, he's not worth bringing back IMO

he needs to be closer to the 6 million a year range, not 8.5-9.5 a year

[Ballboy]

If you look at the ages of the players we have that are up....Cobb, Bulaga and Twill; then throw in House....I think TWill is on the wrong side of 30.

He could be just the Odd Man Out.

[woodbuck27]

I won't be surprized if Tamone Williams doesn't test the market.

I'll make a prediction:

TT will make him a fair offer and TW will see if he can't get more.

[Joemailman]

well unless he takes a decent pay cut, he's not worth bringing back IMO

he needs to be closer to the 6 million a year range, not 8.5-9.5 a year

No question. A contract of 6 million per year would still put Tramon in the 15-20 range as far as biggest contracts by cornerbacks. He did give up 8 TD passes this year, so I'm not sure he's be rated any high than that.

[Deputy Nutz]

Right now there are no ILB with a first round grade. McKinney from Mississippi St. has some ability but isn't highly thought of as a first rounder, but things change with the combine and work outs. The Draft or I should say pre-draft babble is just that babble. Thompson is full of shit when he says he takes best available, he looks at best available need position. needs are at NT, ILB, CB, TE, WR.

[wist43]

Not sure it matters that much what Ted does personnel-wise... dunderdummy is still our DC - tough to overcome that.

We've had enough pieces on defense the last 2 years to make a serious run both years, and dunderdummy screwed us this year, and tortured us all of 2013 - he's such a liability that I don't think we can overcome his presence no matter what we do with the personnel.

That said, I think Barrington is a keeper - he showed enough to be pencilled in as the starter at one spot. We definitely need an infusion of youth and talent with a new starter and depth. Hawk and Jones need to go...

In the end, I doubt TT will do much in FA, and the draft is always a crapshoot - if a decent ILB isn't there early, we'll be stuck with throwing spitballs at 7th rounders again.

Think we keep Hawk, and it will be the same turtle approach from Ted. Same ol', same ol'... dunderdummy will invent new ways to embarrass us in the playoffs