Quote:The problem is that Alualu keeps showing that when he's placed in a key role, he's overmatched and overwhelmed. Maybe a different scheme could fix that, but honestly, if the man can't find success as a 5-tech end in a glorified 3-4 defense (like last year, when he played so well that we spent millions on Odrick), maybe it's just time to see what the next man up can do. We'd be remiss not to add a rotational defensive tackle in the draft next year anyway, and that's basically what Alualu is. He's not awful, but not worth the money.

 

I only take note of Evans when he's been burned and/or committed a pass interference penalty. That's kind of been the story on him since his rookie year. At some point, you just have to shake your head and accept that the man can't play.

 

On Marcedes, I agree he'd have something to offer as a blocker, but he's expensive, he offers next to nothing in the passing game, and I'd honestly rather see those reps go to Nic Jacobs or Ben Koyack in camp next year. Jacobs is a mountain of a man, imo as good as Lewis is at this point.

 

I'm completely fine with letting Alualu go during the cuts in preseason if someone beats him out, but I don't see a point in letting him go when there isn't a "next man" on the roster right now. Some players are simply mean't to provide value as a rotational player and that's what I think Alualu is; a solid rotational player. Also his base salary is $1.75 million next year, so it's not really something I'd desperately want to get off the books like Beadles and Clemons' $5 million salaries.

 

Evans is tougher to gauge since I believe he's exclusively a box safety and he's been barely used in that role during his tenure here. His best games of his career came earlier this season and those happened to be when he was starting in place of an injured Cyprien at strong safety. I'm not going to lose sleep if he isn't around, but I think he could provide value to this team as a strong safety.

 

Lewis is a free agent after this season, so he doesn't even really belong in this thread, but as I said before I'd be fine with bringing him back as backup at the traditional TE position with the expectation that he would be getting backup money. If he accepts those terms, let him compete with Jacobs and Koyack for the backup spot. I do think he provides some value to the team situationally as a 1 year/$1 million backup.

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