Soliai is staying, and our DL is FANtastic. Starks will likely be better after the "experiment" at NT. Langford has been great, and getting better every year. Now, we got ODrick, a #1 pick and starter coming back, Merling,who played very well in 09, coming back, and McD, who also played very well but, is a FA. IMO, there is no team in the NFL with that much talent on the DL. Are there enough snaps to keep everyone happy? Will we keep McD? I do hope so. However, if we don't, I could see bringing in a vet pass rush specialist. Then again, Odrick may fill that need. IF it were not for the CBA, I could also see a trade, very unlikely. Your thoughts?
I think McDaniel will be allowed to walk. He wants to start (and wants the money that comes along with it). He's solid, but not as good as Starks was in 2009 or Langford all around. He makes big plays, but he had a knack for getting bad penalties at terrible times. The first Jets game and the Steelers games come to mind. I think Odrick will be that 4th guy and play in the nickel and other sub packages. He can also bump Starks to NT at times to spell Soliai. Merling, I'm not really sure of. I'd like him back as a reserve, but if you can move him for someone, pull the trigger.
I could also see a trade from our strength, as long as we re-sign McD. Problem is we can't make one because of this FRACKIN CBA. Hell,we don't even know who may be a signable FA. Normally, at this time of year, I'm looking at 20 or more FA, and how they fit. Now, I am listening to legal nonsense.
Although Ireland was the one who brought McD off the scrap heap, to his credit, I do tend to agree with you. If we do not re-sign him, no way am I trading Merling, who I still do like.
Ive been rackin my brain all offseason ''We need to figure out this Dline situation? How do you look at our current situation?..Is it all positive?, or, did Irish put too many resources in one unit?..I say that because the starting lineup next year looks to be Langford..Solai..Starks?, and if that is the case, you basically have 2 first round draft picks as backups in Odrick and Merling, and another player {MCD} that plays like another first round draft pick comin off the bench..Now I would love to have all 6 in a rotation, but I don't see that as being possible, and, do you think it was a wise use of our resources?.. No'one is over 27, and were stacked along the line, WTH are we gonna do with all these players?, and how are we gonna get some compensation for developing them?.. So lets say we sign Solai, which is a must, yet we can't afford MCD..Was it a G.M mistake by Irish to trade for the player, develop a player, watch the player breakout, and allow him to reach free agency with the real possibility you may get nothing in return for such a young stud player?...To me there is something really fundamentally wrong with that scenario. If our starting Dline is Langford..Solai..Starks....How does it make you feel having 2 former first rounders as backups? and MCD leaving with no compensation?. If you were Irish, how would you handle this very complex situation?, so we can benefit on both ends?...
I agree DJ, which is the reason for the thread. I just don't know. Soliai is staying. I read where he signed his tag, which may mean nothing, but, I am 95% certain he will stay.
lol....u know what I mean Dup?..can we really have 2 first rounders comin off the bech, have MCD leave without comp. and feel like we've done the right things in the process?
yes because the people ahead of them are playing well. Plus Merling is a 2nd rounder. Defensive line is extremely important. If Starks can regain his 2009 playing level and Odrick steps ups, I see big things for the line. There is nothing more destructive to a passing game than pressure up the middle.
Yeah hes signed, which is freakin awesome, iam just have a hard time accepting 2 young first round picks comin off the bench, and 1 of my favorite players MCD, leave with nothing to show. I guess if Odrick can beat out starks, that would be cool.Starks wasn't a 1st round pick, and he could be first off the bench for multiple positions..IDK..I just want to be able to keep the 5, I could lose merling I guess and still be happy..lol..maybe we could get a 4th or 5th for him, idk.?
too much of a good thing in the NFL is a good thing not a bad thing one way or the other, we will be the better for it
If Odrick lives up to his billing anytime soon, there might not be enough room on the roster for McDaniel or Merling. Their potential contract costs(McDaniel), or potential trade cost(As small as it is, Merling), might outweigh the amount of snaps there for them. Starks and Langford got "starter" snaps for a big defensive linemen(750 and 753 repeatedly- Sparano really watches his snaps). There were approximately 2200 snaps total among our 3-4 DEs in various roles last year, so if Jared Odrick earns an equal place among those two, there's really not going to be any room for anything but pretty much developmental players.
Well, we do in nickel rush situations, Nolan has enough Dline talent in Miami that he rarely used exotic formations, with Merling coming back along with Odrick we still could use both as DT's in that alignment, but it would be a small number of snaps relatively speaking and we would still need a passrushing LDE for that formation though Odie could probably swing out there. We have solid starters on the Dline, what we sort of lack is the role pieces, the passrushing DT and LDE for example.
the other piece to the puzzle is contracts .... will have to look, but don't both Langford and Merling come due next year ?? That might play a role as well. say we can't do more than stick with the Franchise on Soliai, then we'd have 3 DL FAs next year .... maybe even Starks (can't remember how long he is signed for), so maybe you do sign MCD as a safeguard against next year. Haven't seen a contract spreadsheet is quite a while, so not exactly sure where Starks, Langford and Merling stand for next year. Merling is the worst of the bunch - but he is good, just not Starks, Langford, MCD good .... the regime has to have a solid 5 year plan with these guys to figure it all out, but i'd like to see the #s and we'd probably be able to figure it out ourselves ....
I'd definitely want to keep McDaniel if at all possible. Such a solid player. And, so much more dedicated and workhorse than Merling. Would love to trade Merling but with him coming off injury - his trade stock is way down. Don't see us getting a Slaton for him at all. And, even with Odrick coming back I think we need depth and a strong rotation there. Just look at last year with the loss of Merling and Odrick. I think the FO will work very to keep McD and I think they should definitely seek to get something for Merling. Whether they will get enough to trade him is unlikely only b/c teams may think he would be released.
Well my thinking is the Texans have added Foster and have Ben Tate coming back, Slaton is somewhat an indifferent kick returner and they as switching to the 3-4 and DE's in that scheme who are both young, and have upside have value for that system, it doesn't hurt that DC Pasqualoni used some of Wade Phillips concepts either. Basically, we swap underperforming high draft picks for each other.
I don't agree that we lack anything in the defensive front 7 but an inside linebacker...all roles are accounted for if were able to secure MCD...now you may want another pass rush specialist, but imo that should not happen in place of other weaknesses on the team..enough is enough, spread the damn wealth and resources elsewhere..
I think the answer lay in the following question? Who's the better long term solution: Langford or McD? If it's McD , then we re-sign him, and let Langford walk in 2012....... (or we trade Langford for a pick/player while we can). Then we trade Merling to ditch his 2011 salary. Merling's 2011 salary + Langford's potential new 2012 contract would probably equal the cost to re-sign McD. Biggest difference between keeping either McD or Langford is getting a decent draft pick vs not getting one. Personally, I'd rather resign McD and trade Langford &/or Merling. Starks is a FA in a couple years, so that has to be kept in mind. I'd like to have another big body in the rotation (like Kendrick Ellis) instead of Merling. There are a lot of good players that could result from trading Langford. Grabbing Ellis would be nice in case we cant re-sign Soliai next year. There are some teams who would kill for a decent 3-4 DE and we have em stockpiled.
Is there any way we could slap a high tender tag on MCD and if someone chooses to sign him, we get some type of draft pick compensation?
Cash concerns. Cutting/Trading Merling and keeping McDaniel and Baker is a lot more cost effective than cutting baker and keeping McDaniel and Merling.
McD is in line for a huge payday, and he knows it, our small offer won't be enough to keep him. Eh, as I've said all along, the player themselves do not matter as much as the System that produces them, like Washburn in TN, they lost Kearse and he was not missed in TN they just reloaded. McD can play DE/DT/NT, he is going to get paid.
McD is slightly younger than Starks. Randy being 27 sucks because he's not going anywhere. I wonder if we could get rid of Merling and Baker, keep McDonalds, and bring in some young talent later on. Hey, McDonalds himself was an UDFA.
How about this deal that'll never happen: Trade Merling, Langford, Sean Smith, and Clemons to Carolina for the #1 pick (Patrick Peterson) and then pick up Nnamdi in FA and move Peterson to FS. Peterson, Nnamdi, and Vontae would tear s#!t up. Barney Fife could be our QB with a D like that. Merling moves back to 4-3 DE where he belongs & the Panthers get 3 or 4 starters at 4 positions of need IIRC...... and we end up with the best defense in the NFL w/o costing us a draft pick. Who's with me?!!
Cam Wake is older than Starks. McD priced himself outside of our price range, hope he does not wind up someplace like Buffalo.
McDaniel's is gone, he played well enough to be a starter last year and he is going to be wanting starter money. Also, does Miami have cash concerns?
So basically were gonna lose a 26, 6'7, 300 lb super diverse talent, that we developed for nothing, and we aint gettin sh$3 for it.. That sucks man..
Yup..... that's why I'd resign McD and trade Langford while he's in the last year of his contract........ or else we could lose both of them w/o compensation. Then if Odrick steps up next year, we can trade Starks when he's in the last year of his contract so we don't lose him w/o compensation either. At least it works in Madden. I'd be happy entering 2012 with McD, Soliai, and a proven Odrick as our starting 3....... with some talented young pups grooming behind them to keep the cycle going.
this is why i vote for at least considering to resign MCD, and trade Starks while his value is high right now. You can let MCD and Odrick battle it out ... Merling is easily the guy to ditch - but he has little value on the trade market. Not really sure we have enough in the pipeline to lose more than 1 DL this year ...
No one mentions Odrick too much. Talk about a guy who really has to step up and shine. Merling is a bust IMO.
