Some impressions from the first day and a half of the free agency tampering period.


1.  For years, people clamored for a 3-4 defense, and for years I cautioned such a transition would not be simple.  You have to get players to fit the scheme, and that could be somewhat painful.  There are many here who have been underwhelmed with the free agency class thus far.  Part of the reason are the signings of Ward, Alualu, and the guy from Chicago.  Welp, those are going to be the sorts of signings that will accompany a switch from a 4-3 to a 3-4.  In a scheme where your linemen are only expected to occupy blocks and not really do anything, those are the kind of players you go after.  I certainly don't consider any of these guys dominators.  

2.  I think there are abut four categories of the free agents we've signed thus far.   Those that are good, those that are decent to tolerable, those I hate, and those we could still stand to make.  The good signings are the Norwell pay cut/restructuring, the Griffin and the Jenkins signing, re-signing Sidney Jones and Tyler Shatley.  Now the good designation is relative because in three instances-Norwell, Shatley and Jones-all the team did was maintain the status quo in terms of keeping guys who were on last year's roster.  We'll probably get a couple of starters between Jenkins and Griffin, but that is tempered by Jenkins starting with the Bolts largely because Derwin James has been injured much of the past two seasons.

3.  Decent signings include Robertson-Harris, Ward, and Alualu.  See #1 above. 

4.  Those I hate?  Phillip Dorsett and Carlos Hyde.  Dorsett has bombed everywhere he's been.  For all of his speed, it rarely, if ever translated into big plays or even consistency in previous stints with Brady and Andrew Luck throwing him the ball.  You might get some decent carries out of Hyde, but you could get decent carries out of any number of younger, less expensive alternatives.  I am tempted to throw Alualu in this category.  The only reason he was decent in Pittsburgh is because he had a ton of surrounding talent.  I think here he becomes a liability without the same surrounding cast.

5.  Losing Tomlinson, Jonnu Smith and Henry (if we even offered any of these guys deals) was unfortunate.  But as of this posting there are still guys out there unsigned who could still really help this team.  Adding another WR would help Trevor Lawrence, and I think the money given to Dorsett could have been offered to Samuel.  Though it is unlikely, it seems Trent Williams and Riley Reiff are still available.

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