(10-05-2020, 03:33 PM)Kane Wrote:

(10-05-2020, 02:28 PM)TheO-LineMatters Wrote: We need DE, 3-technique, 2 Safeties and a CB. That already covers our first 5 picks. Not to mention we may need a QB as well. Where are we gonna get all these picks from?

Depending on who comes out this draft I'm not sure we're taking a SS and a FS in the first 5 picks. CB should definitely be on the list of first 3 picks. And a penetrating DT could be as well. DE might not be at the top of the list with Allen and Chaisson being our starters for the foreseeable future.

But all these years we've been clamoring for a legit threat at TE and Pitts looks the real deal. If we have a chance to get him he should be a possibility. 
If we absolutely need a QB, we're probably using our highest first rounder there, and then we'll just have to see how the draft falls after that. But if Minshew is good enough, or given another year, Pitts isn't a bad choice imo. Gives Minshew another weapon, and someone who could pull coverage away from Chark (or vice versa). If we load up on D in another draft we won't see much success right away. We'll still have a very young D relying on a lot of rookies and 2nd year players. I think 2021 sees us dip back into free agency. Possibly for a FS, maybe a corner, perhaps a piece on the DL. 

I don't see 2021 draft being all defense. If we can nab a good blocker who is also an elite receiving threat at TE, something we've pretty much never had, not sure why people would be against it. 
Also remember, prior to this past draft we absolutely needed 2 or 3 OL guys. And they're playing better (though we may still need one of those). So I don't think we bank on using our first 5 picks on defense just because they are playing poorly right now. We'll have 10 total picks. 4 will be in the top 50. 
First 4 picks could be QB, TE, 3T, and CB or TE, 3T, CB, and OL (Linder is oft injured, Norwell probably gone, Robinson future uncertain)

I just don't see a duo of Allen and Chaisson having any success at all unless we switch over to a 3-4 scheme full time. Two smallish DE's who are speed rushers, rarely work. I still think we need a bigger DE on the outside and the only one I see that consistently gets to the QB is Carlos Basham of Wake Forest. If he continues tearing through the ACC like he has been through the first three games, I can't see him lasting past the top of round 2. A penetrating DT like Twyman or Darius Stills would help a lot, but I still think size is needed on the edge. 

If Caldwell is still here for the 2021 draft, I could see him totally ignoring the defense and going all offense, just because he thinks he got all the defensive players he needed in 2020. 

As far as the O-Line, they are better, but I wouldn't call them anything more than an average group. RG still needs an upgrade, we are still vastly overpaying Norwell and Cam Robinson is a free agent after the season and there is no way I pay him more than $9.5 million per season. That would put him between Bryan Bulaga and Charles Leno, basically average LT's. I doubt he accepts that, so I gotta prepare for him to leave. 

If you wanna get technical, I don't see any of our 2021 free agents that we HAVE TO re-sign. I would like to re-sign Robinson to a moderate, short term contract as well as Eifert, O'Shaughnessy and Keelan Cole, but everyone else can kick rocks. 

Listen, I LOVE Pitts. I think the kid is immensely talented and I would LOVE to have him on this team. I just see a lot of holes that we HAVE to fix on defense in order to dig us out of this deep, deep hole we are in. Not to mention that I am starting to see regression in Minshew and I don't know what to do with him as well. Yes, we have a lot of draft picks, but we also have a lot of needs. More needs than we have picks to fill them and since our team has had it's name dragged through the mud by several players in the league, I don't think we're gonna be able to draw in some better free agents. I think we'll be lucky to add 1 or 2 mid tier free agents like we did with Joe Schobert and so far, that isn't working out so well. 

However we draft, I honestly believe we are in a position where we are gonna be bad for at least 3 more years and that's being optimistic that Caldwell, Marrone and Wash are gone. If any one of those guys are still here in 2021, we're probably looking at 4-5 years before we are good again.

---