I don't see the problem taking a lineman in the 1st like most of the people on this board??? Do you not like protecting the QB and running the ball??? Signing Nicks and drafting DeCastro would make our line Elite!!! It all starts up front on the line. How many times do you want to see jailbreaks on 3rd down??? Incognito could then be cut, Long can be extended, then Murtha and Jerry battle it out for the RT spot. John Beck could win behind that line!!!
I've got another solution, though yours isn't bad. How about this: GET A TOPSHELF F/A G, play him at LG, and move INCOGNITO (who is solid) back to RG where he belongs! Move CAREY back to RT and have a competition for the starting RT position between CAREY, MURTHA and JERRY. The best 2 (i/m/o, probably MURTHA and JERRY) are the starting RT and 1st back-up T, and the 3rd one (i/m/o CAREY) backs up T and G, w/GARNER backing up G and C. Your starting OL is then LONG, a solid F/A G, POUNCEY, INCOGNITO, and the winner of MURTHA/JERRY. That leaves the MURTHA/JERRY loser to back up both Ts, CAREY to back up RG and RT, and GARNER to back up both Gs and C. Once the late cuts begin, I'd look for a G who is a solid "aging veteran with a little gas left in his tank", who still wanted to play football. I'd offer him decent money (nothing huge), and let him know that if he chose to try coaching when he hangs up his cleats, he'd get 1st shot at a job as "assistant OL Coach". After all, salary paid to coaches doesn't count against the "cap".
That way, we can use our Draft picks on positions other than OL.
QED!
P.S.: ALL of this could've been done LAST season, and the COLUMBO/CAREY fiasco would NEVER have happened! STUPID ROSS!!! When will he ever learn? WINNING fills seats and sells warm beer & greasy hot dogs at ridiculously high prices!!! NOT some celebrity wiggling her a** and jiggling her "hooters".