I'm watching the replay again, starting in the 3rd quarter to watch some of our depth players (I may or may not have fallen asleep Saturday night somewhere near the end of the 3rd... :pity:). And I'll tell ya what... this guy AJ Francis is killing it. Literally almost every play he was changing the LOS and/or broke loose into the backfield. He is disrupting everything. I realize he's going against backups... but this guy is an UDFA rookie... so it's not like he's some vet dominating youngsters.
So, my question is... how do we find a way to keep him? Realistically, what's the max number of DTs we can keep with our current roster construction? He seems like he has a ton of potential... and with both Starks and Soliai expiring after this season... it will be nice to have some youth grooming in the wings.
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and you're right, the guy has been killing it.. not just in this game either. There's no way he makes it to the practice squad. And so if keeping him means cutting Jelani Jenkins (our 4th round pick) you have to do that. With Starks out, we're riding with an extra DT anyway.
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MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member
PhinGeneral likes this. -
MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member
3 QBs
4 RB
4 TE/FB/H-Backs
5 WR
9 OL
Or carry 6 WRs and 6 LBs rather than 7. It is definitely doable and we better keep Francis.
My friend Frank Coyle, draftinsiders.com ranked him the 16th DT, and a definite top 200 player before the draft. He named Francis the "Hidden Gem" among DTs. Therefore I studied him more than any of our other UDFAs and I am not all that surprised by his success so far.dolfndav34, xphinfanx, Alex13 and 3 others like this. -
MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member
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I think you've got to dump Vaughn Martin in order to do it, which I'm completely comfortable with. You can clearly rely on Kheeston Randall to get rotational snaps, you can afford to sit on some eggs at this point rather than carry a 5th experienced DT.
If you do that and put Tracy Robertson on the PS I'd be pretty happy. -
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Vaughn Martin.. signed that 2 year deal worth $4m in the offseason... :pity:... you cut him here now, and you do actually save $925k against the cap. That's because his bonus was only $250k. And his guaranteed money must only be $750k.
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You are rightPaul 13 likes this. -
Gillislee making the 53 is odd to me because he really hasn't shown anything, imo. I'm of course just talking about the games - I realize practice may be a different story. He looks overmatched, doesn't appear he can be a factor at this level. Would we worry about someone scooping him up off waivers or the PS? Do we have to keep him because of the across-the-board injury histories of Miller, DT, and Gray? Better RBs get cut every year; I think we'd find an upgrade on waivers if we really want to, honestly. Hard to make a case for him over Francis, imo, if the decision did potentially come to that.
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MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member
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I think with contract issues looming for Starks & Soliai next year, you keep promising rookie DTs, like AJ Francis.
GreenMonster, Clark Kent, Lee2000 and 1 other person like this. -
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Puts that thread about AJ Francis' entirely comedic remarks about having a less well defined physique into proportion. You find a way to keep good football players, you don't keep an inferior player just to fulfil a quota, as they tend to end up inactive anyway.
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Clark Kent likes this.
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Who doesn't keep 4th round picks, again? I'd seriously like to see a list of 4th rounders cut in the year they were drafted... over the last 5 years. At the top of the 4th round no less. And after all that dumbass trading down and then up again.
If our 4th round picks are cut, it's a serious indictment against Ireland. Round 4 was loaded with good prospects and we drafted Jenkins of all people. Of course, Miami fans do what they do, and talked it up like he was some gem, despite the fact it was an obviously stupid pick.
And there was still some guys worth taking in Gillisee's spot, despite it being at the end of the 5th. Although this one may be more forgivable, because DT and Miller were the only real RB's on the roster. No one knew if Gray was ready to go, so I can understand it more. Still, there was talent available and we wasted another pick. -
Easy fix. Keep two QBs. No one is going to sign Devlin. Cut him and tell him to stay in shape, and if disaster strikes, we give him a call. I'll be pissed quite frankly if we waste a roster spot on Devlin. He is not a future starter. -
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After the 3rd round there is a substantial drop off in terms of how many make the team. In my experience, you'll get about 5 players who'll make the team out of the typical 8 that are drafted. Generally the players from the first three rounds stick and then you'll have two of the guys from the later rounds make it on average.
Fin D likes this. -
MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member
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MrClean Inglourious Basterd Club Member
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