Add me to the list of peeps who think we need an upgrade for Hartline. Not that he's a bad player, b/c he doesnt have the skill set that we need in that spot. If Marshall or Bess were faster, if Fasano could get into the seam, we'd be OK. But they cant, so the flanker has to be our speed guy and that isnt Hartline's game. There are several interesting prospects in the draft, but I lean towards fixing the TE/WR issue via free agency and using the draft to fix our #1 problem: the running game. I'd like to see our offense patterned after Norv Turner's Cowboy units. Big physical OL, tough between the tackles run game with a COP back who can get outside and be a threat on 3rd down. Pro Bowl caliber possession WR, versatile TE & FB, and a burner outside to run deep post and takeoffs whenever the defense tries to get too cozy with the line of scrimmage. I dont trust Henne to put it up 35-50 times a game, but I think he's very capable of being efficient in the 25-30 attempt range. Especially if at least half of those passes come in non obvious passing situations. If we can run the ball well enough to force teams into single high looks, Henne has shown he can quite effective. I think that should be our top priority, I'd only go all in at WR after we had a solid run game, or if we somehow found a top tier QB. This may be a crappy year to find a QB, but its a great year for WRs. There are at least 3 1st round talents in the draft, but I prefer to pick from the FA list. WRs are always iffy coming out of college, and they take more time to adjust to the pro game than RBs or OL. Santonio Holmes suits our needs perfectly IMO, but we can find more economical choices in James Jones or Jacoby Jones. Brad Smith would be a great pick up, and it'd get him out of NY, a double bonus. With Sidney Rice, Vince Jackson, Mike Sims Walker, Steve Breaston, Early Doucet, Randy Moss, Braylon Edwards and plenty more WRs hitting FA also, we should be able to pick up at least one starting caliber speed guy, without over paying. In the draft I'd look at RB and OL. I like Ingram, but I think Williams has more versatility, big play ability, and bust potential. I'd be happy with either late in the first after we've traded down and recouped our 2nd rounder. I'd be happy with Pouncey or Wisnewski down there also, just say no to Kyle Rudolph though. Ideally, I'd like us to get: 1-Pouncey 2-Williams 3-Little 4-Kendricks 5-Locke or Hunter 6-T Taylor Which would give us an OL of Long-Pouncey-Incognito-Jerry-Carey, with Berger, Garner and McQuistan as three proven, versatile backups. WRs would be Marshall-James Jones-Bess-Little-Hartline, a solid group. RBs would be Benson or Michael Bush in FA, with Williams and Rodgers/Hunter doing a Jamal Charles/Dexter McCluster impersonation as backups. TE- Fasano & Kendricks make a good duo FB- Yuck, we need someone more versatile than Polite, finding the guy is the hard part QB- Henne, Taylor, Pennington if he comes back, or a journeyman FA I left out the defense, but there's room to improve there also. Soliai needs to be resigned. Wake's price just went thru the ceiling, but it'll go thru the roof it we dont extend him soon. Odrick and Edds will essentially be 2011 draft picks. Merling should be back healthy. Will Allen and Bennie Sapp should be cut, and that money given to Cromartie, or John Joseph if we can afford it. That would probably mean moving Vontae inside in or our nickel packages. He has the feet and the physicality for it, I think he can do it. Carroll would be the 4th DB. Hopefully that group will actually catch the ball b/c I have never in my life seen one team drop so many INTs, while their opponents dropped almost none at all.
I'd be extremely happy with the above offseason. I know we'd like to kill it on every aspect, but I think accomplishing even a few things that we want will take us a long ways.... like 1 LG, 1 TE, 1 RB, 1 COP back, 1 WR.
