Chopper0080
2021 - Prove It
Here are just some names and projected $'s courtesy of overthecap.com of guys who are free agents and fill needs.
RB - Kenyan Drake - proj $4.2 mil (I think this is low)
-He would be a guy we currently have to re-sign. He fits our system better than the other options available outside of RFA Austin Ekeler.
WR - Amari Cooper - proj $15.5
-He is exactly what our offense needs, but I doubt Dallas doesn't franchise him. They love him and all reports is that he likes playing for Dallas. The reason I put him on here is because Dallas has some choices to make financially. If he was available, this is the dude you crack open the bank for. He creates his own separation outside of scheme, has a solid work ethic, and has not been a distraction.
TE - Eric Ebron - proj $5.1
-Ebron is that the Cardinals were hoping for with Charles Clay. Athletic TE who can make plays down the field. Ebron will only be 27, and while he can be inconsistent, he is exactly the pass catching option that Kliff could use in his 12 personnel groupings.
LT - DJ Humphries - proj $11.5 (I also think this is low)
-Like him or not, DJ is still young (25) and can be a league average OT. He has had injury issues and consistency issues, but he is good enough to man the outside of the line for a short/mobile QB.
C - Connor McGovern - proj $8.5 (also low)
-He has played G and C at a high level and has a history with Kugler. He is strong and can anchor the front of a pocket which is something I believe Murray needs to be able to see due to his height (ala Drew Brees). Denver may franchise tag him, but they have a decision to make between him and another player so I put him here based upon that. Also, extending Shipley should not impact making this move as Shipley will likely stay a cheap option.
RT - Jack Conklin - proj $8.8 (also low imo)
-If we wanted to pay up at OT, Conklin is a viable option. He grades well through PFF, has experience blocking for a mobile QB, and can hold up in the run game. He is another player who probably gets franchised but the Titans (similar to the Broncos) have another player who they have to consider which is why Conklin is worth mentioning.
DE - Shelby Harris - proj $9.5
-Derek Wolfe is the bigger name in Denver but Shelby Harris is arguably the better player. He is great vs the run and would fit a defense built to take on the run heavy Seahawks and 49ers. He doesn't offer as much in terms of pass rush, but he is ready made to upgrade a 3-4 defensive front rotation. I also like re-signing Rodney Gunter who is projected at 7.5 mil.
OLB - Stephen Weatherly & Vic Beasley - proj 1.7 & 6.3
-Do you want to spend the projected 9.5 mil on Markus Golden, 11+ for Matt Judon? How about 9 mil for two players who give you two unique skill sets. Weatherly is a movable piece whose length and athletic profile is similar to Chandler Jones. He is still 25 and has been buried in a good defensive front. Beasley gives you speed off the edge that our roster currently lacks. He is not a great player, but put in a position where his role is part-time and where is not the primary pass rush option teams have to game-plan around, he could be successful.
ILB - Corey Littleton - proj $11.8
-Littleton offers something we currently lack at our interior LB position, coverage ability. I don't know that the Rams would franchise Littleton but they could probably make it happen if they wanted to. He is pricey and would be our second pricey ILB, but he fills a glaring need, especially in Joseph's scheme doesn't have any solutions in it. This would also shift Hicks into more of a pass-rush / run stopping role at ILB which he may be better suited for.
S - Justin Simmons - proj $12
-This is exactly what you would like to pair with Budda Baker. Tall, long S who can play over the top while Baker plays closer to the LOS. The problem is that Denver may decide to franchise Simmons, and even if they didn't, they have the ability to pay him as much as we do. Schematically, he played well in Joseph's system while at Denver, and it is tough to find many flaws in his game.
###
Some admitted omissions. I don't see a world where Brandon Scherff and Chris Jones do not get franchised so I left them off. I also don't believe we will be in the CB market unless we decide to move on from Patrick Peterson. I believe that is more likely to happen if Keim was fired, and I am not convinced he will be.
RB - Kenyan Drake - proj $4.2 mil (I think this is low)
-He would be a guy we currently have to re-sign. He fits our system better than the other options available outside of RFA Austin Ekeler.
WR - Amari Cooper - proj $15.5
-He is exactly what our offense needs, but I doubt Dallas doesn't franchise him. They love him and all reports is that he likes playing for Dallas. The reason I put him on here is because Dallas has some choices to make financially. If he was available, this is the dude you crack open the bank for. He creates his own separation outside of scheme, has a solid work ethic, and has not been a distraction.
TE - Eric Ebron - proj $5.1
-Ebron is that the Cardinals were hoping for with Charles Clay. Athletic TE who can make plays down the field. Ebron will only be 27, and while he can be inconsistent, he is exactly the pass catching option that Kliff could use in his 12 personnel groupings.
LT - DJ Humphries - proj $11.5 (I also think this is low)
-Like him or not, DJ is still young (25) and can be a league average OT. He has had injury issues and consistency issues, but he is good enough to man the outside of the line for a short/mobile QB.
C - Connor McGovern - proj $8.5 (also low)
-He has played G and C at a high level and has a history with Kugler. He is strong and can anchor the front of a pocket which is something I believe Murray needs to be able to see due to his height (ala Drew Brees). Denver may franchise tag him, but they have a decision to make between him and another player so I put him here based upon that. Also, extending Shipley should not impact making this move as Shipley will likely stay a cheap option.
RT - Jack Conklin - proj $8.8 (also low imo)
-If we wanted to pay up at OT, Conklin is a viable option. He grades well through PFF, has experience blocking for a mobile QB, and can hold up in the run game. He is another player who probably gets franchised but the Titans (similar to the Broncos) have another player who they have to consider which is why Conklin is worth mentioning.
DE - Shelby Harris - proj $9.5
-Derek Wolfe is the bigger name in Denver but Shelby Harris is arguably the better player. He is great vs the run and would fit a defense built to take on the run heavy Seahawks and 49ers. He doesn't offer as much in terms of pass rush, but he is ready made to upgrade a 3-4 defensive front rotation. I also like re-signing Rodney Gunter who is projected at 7.5 mil.
OLB - Stephen Weatherly & Vic Beasley - proj 1.7 & 6.3
-Do you want to spend the projected 9.5 mil on Markus Golden, 11+ for Matt Judon? How about 9 mil for two players who give you two unique skill sets. Weatherly is a movable piece whose length and athletic profile is similar to Chandler Jones. He is still 25 and has been buried in a good defensive front. Beasley gives you speed off the edge that our roster currently lacks. He is not a great player, but put in a position where his role is part-time and where is not the primary pass rush option teams have to game-plan around, he could be successful.
ILB - Corey Littleton - proj $11.8
-Littleton offers something we currently lack at our interior LB position, coverage ability. I don't know that the Rams would franchise Littleton but they could probably make it happen if they wanted to. He is pricey and would be our second pricey ILB, but he fills a glaring need, especially in Joseph's scheme doesn't have any solutions in it. This would also shift Hicks into more of a pass-rush / run stopping role at ILB which he may be better suited for.
S - Justin Simmons - proj $12
-This is exactly what you would like to pair with Budda Baker. Tall, long S who can play over the top while Baker plays closer to the LOS. The problem is that Denver may decide to franchise Simmons, and even if they didn't, they have the ability to pay him as much as we do. Schematically, he played well in Joseph's system while at Denver, and it is tough to find many flaws in his game.
###
Some admitted omissions. I don't see a world where Brandon Scherff and Chris Jones do not get franchised so I left them off. I also don't believe we will be in the CB market unless we decide to move on from Patrick Peterson. I believe that is more likely to happen if Keim was fired, and I am not convinced he will be.
Last edited:
