My non-McClain, non-Dez Bryant, post-Senior Bowl mock draft & FA with some trades.

[Astrosback]

And assuming we don't have offers to trade down from 1.12.

Trades

Ronnie Brown and our 4th Round Pick- Traded to San Diego for their 1st round pick #28 overall. Chargers will cut ties with Ladanian Tomlinson and lose Darren Sproles (RFA) too. They keep Vincent Jackson but lose Malcolm Floyd (RFA). I predict they put the 2nd round tenders out for Malcolm Floyd and Darren Sproles and some teams sign both of them, thus awarding two more 2nd rounders to the Chargers. Having two extra 2nd rounders from the Floyd and Sproles deals (plus their original 2nd) allows SD to trade away their late 1st round pick in order to fill their big hole at RB. Chargers brass knows Philip Rivers will love Ronnie's reliable hands and solid pass protection.

Philip Merling and Ted Ginn, Jr. - Traded to the Carolina Panthers for their 2nd round pick. CAR will need a 4-3 DE to replace Julius Peppers (RFA who will be traded for picks). Merling should fit better as a 4-3 DE than he has working for us as a 3-4 DE. Ginn helps them replace Mushin Muhammad (UFA/retirement), or at least that's what they hope.

Signed in FA

Antrel Rolle - Released by ARI
Ben Watson - UFA

Re-signed or not-cut Phins

Davone Bess
Anthony Fasano
Jason Taylor - One year deal.
Yeremiah Bell - Contract restructured.
Will Allen - Returns healthy.

Cuts

Joey Porter
Gibril Wilson
Reggie Torbor
Jason Allen
Jason Ferguson (retirement)
Joey Haynos (leaves in FA)

Mock Draft

1.12) Brandon Graham OLB Michigan - Great pick w/ McClain and Dez off the board.
1.28) Sean Weatherspoon LB Missouri - Should play ILB in our 3-4. (pick via SD)
2a.) Mardy Gilyard WR Cincinnati - Playmaker Ginn was supposed to be.
2b.) Terrence Cody NT Alabama - Man boobs or not, the guy can play (pick via CAR)
3.) Ben Tate RB Auburn - Auburn RB to replace an Auburn RB.
4.) Traded to SD along with Ronnie Brown.
5.) Traded to KC for Tyler Thigpen
6a.) Ryan D'Imperio ILB Rutgers - Good size and a New Jersey guy.
6b.) Lindsey Witten OLB Connecticut - Good size and UConn connection.
7a.) Stafon Johnson RB USC - Tough kid made it back from crushed larynx.
7b.) Richard Sherman CB Stanford - another 6'3 CB from Los Angeles area.

Roster

QB Henne, Thigpen, White
RB Tate/Ricky, Cobbs, Hilliard, Johnson (PS)
FB Polite
WR Gilyard, Hartline, Bess, Camarillo, Turner
TE Watson, Fasano, Sperry

LT Long, Gardner
LG Smiley
OC Grove, Berger
RG Garner, Thomas (I think Nate Garner takes Donald's job this year)
RT Carey

DE Langford, McDaniel
NT Cody, Soliai
DE Starks, Dotson

OLB JT/Wake, Anderson
ILB Weatherspoon, Ayodele, Folsom
ILB D'Imperio, Crowder (D'Imperio this year's Donald Thomas/Davone Bess-type surprise starter)
OLB Graham, Witten

CB Will Allen, Sean Smith (NB)
FS Antrel Rolle, Chris Clemmons
SS Yeremiah Bell, Tyrone Culver
CB Vontae Davis, Nate Jones, Richard Sherman

KR Cobbs
PR Gilyard
K Carpenter
P Fields

:hi5:

Comments

Defense: I see that offseason providing a HUGE upgrade to the defensive front 7 with Graham, Weatherspoon and Mt. Cody all making huge impacts and maybe even us getting lucky in the later rounds with a guy like D'Imperio. Then add a vet like Antrel Rolle, and with Will Allen coming back healthy, and our secondary is vastly improved too.

Offense: On offense I'm counting a lot on Gilyard to upgrade the WR unit and asking a lot of Ben Tate to share the load with Ricky but I think that's okay b/c at WR, we're not that horrible with Hartline hopefully improving even further and Bess being Bess. Camarillo will also be healthier. At RB, although Ricky will be 32 and Ben Tate certainly isn't an elite prospect, we'd still have Lex Hilliard, and Cobbs coming back healthy. The addition of Ben Watson adds a nice weapon for Henne and puts Fasano back at TE2 where he should thrive. For the OL, I figured we're comfortable enough with our depth of Nate Garner/Donald Thomas, Joe Berger and the development of Andrew Gardner so I didn't add OL help in the draft or FA.

 

[flynryan15]

I don't see Tate slipping to the 4th, and I would take Gilyard over the fatboy! If Cody put on 30lbs in 3 weeks since the BCS Game there is a very good chance he tips the scales at 400lbs for the combine. I liked Cody and wanted him until I read his weight. That just screams lazy! This kid should be doing everything over the next 4 months to rocket up the draft board, instead it looks like he spent the past 3 weeks crushing mid night buffets on cruises ships! That really makes me question his work ethic and dedication! Not to mention Tuna hates Fatty's! Odd huh seeing how Fat Tuna and Tony are?

I really don't see then moving Brown, and coming off another injury I don't think SD would give us a first and I think SD tags Sproles. Carolina is interesting though because I really don't think Steve Smith will be back, he has been vocal he wants out. That is a GREAT Vet I would love to bring in for 2 years while we fin and develop our true number 1 wr.

 

[SF Dolphin Fan]

This should fall somewhere between dreamy and realistic.

Trades - This might be the "dreamy" part.

Ronnie Brown- Traded to San Diego for their 1st round pick #28 overall. Chargers will cut ties with Ladanian Tomlinson and lose Darren Sproles (RFA) too. They keep Vincent Jackson but lose Malcolm Floyd (RFA). I predict they put the 2nd round tenders out for Malcolm Floyd and Darren Sproles and some teams sign both of them, thus awarding two more 2nd rounders to the Chargers. Having two extra 2nd rounders from the Floyd and Sproles deals (plus their original 2nd) allows SD to trade away their late 1st to fill the hole at RB.

Philip Merling & Ted Ginn, Jr. - Traded to the Carolina Panthers for their 2nd round pick. CAR will need a 4-3 DE to replace Julius Peppers and Merling should fit better as a 4-3 DE than he has working as a 3-4 DE for us. Ginn helps them replace Mushin Muhammad.

Signed in FA

Antrel Rolle - Released by ARI
Ben Watson - UFA

Re-signed or not-cut Phins

Davone Bess
Anthony Fasano
Jason Taylor - One year deal.
Yeremiah Bell - Contract needs to be restructured.
Will Allen

Cuts

Joey Porter
Gibril Wilson
Reggie Torbor
Jason Allen
Jason Ferguson (retired)
Joey Haynos (leaves in FA)

Mock Draft

1.12) Brandon Graham OLB Michigan - McClain and Dez off the board.
1.28) Sean Weatherspoon LB Missouri - Should play ILB in our 3-4.
2a.) Terrence Cody NT Alabama - Don't care about man boobs, guy can play.
2b.) Mardy Gilyard WR Cincinnati - The Playmaker Ginn was supposed to be.
3.) Cam Thomas NT North Carolina - Two NTs b/c Ferg retired, Soliai to DE.
4.) Ben Tate RB Auburn - Auburn RB to replace an Auburn RB.
6a.) Ryan D'Imperio ILB Rutgers - Good size and a New Jersey guy.
6b.) Lindsey Witten OLB Connecticut - Good size and UConn connection.
7a.) Stafon Johnson RB USC - Tough kid made it back from crushed larynx.
7b.) Richard Sherman CB Stanford - another 6'3 CB from Los Angeles area.

Roster

QB Henne, Thigpen, White
RB Tate/Ricky, Cobbs, Hilliard, Johnson (PS)
FB Polite
WR Gilyard, Hartline, Bess, Camarillo, Turner
TE Watson, Fasano, Sperry

LT Long, Gardner
LG Smiley
OC Grove, Berger
RG Garner, Thomas (I think Nate Garner takes Donald's job this year)
RT Carey

DE Langford, McDaniel
NT Cody/Thomas
DE Starks, Soliai, Dotson

OLB JT/Wake, Anderson
ILB Weatherspoon, Ayodele
ILB D'Imperio, Crowder, Folsom
OLB Graham, Witten

CB Will Allen, Sean Smith (NB)
FS Antrel Rolle, Chris Clemmons
SS Yeremiah Bell, Tyrone Culver
CB Vontae Davis, Nate Jones, Richard Sherman

KR Cobbs
PR Gilyard
K Carpenter
P Fields

:hi5:

Would be awesome to get both Brandon Graham and Sean Witherspoon. I like Mardy Gilyard a lot as well. I would stay clear of Mount Cody as I really believe he'll be out of the league in 2-3 years. If we do deal Ronnie Brown, I think the team will look running back early in the draft maybe CJ Spiller @ 12.

 

[cobbs321]

I like that. Brandon Graham will be around to about the 22nd pick. So the only suggestion i have is if Dez and McClain arent there, trade down in the first to about pick #20 and pick up an extra 2nd. But otherwise good mock

 

[Astrosback]

Tuna, Ireland and Sparano may not like the fact that Mt. Cody weighed in at 370 lbs. but....

1.) The Trio believes in "Only so many on Earth" theory. Sparano even mentioned it in one of the interviews during Senior Bowl week.

2.) 3-4 NTs are very, very hard to find and don't often come available in FA (see franchise tags or long term deals likely for Vince Wilfork, Casey Hampton, Arbruyo Franklin and even Ryan Pickett).

3.) B/c of Cody's weight issues, I have him slipping to round 2 where he does present very good value. It's not like I'm drafting him in the 1st round.

4.) Man boobs or not, he dominated all centers he faced this year like Markice Pouncy from UF and other getting drafted fairly early. He also showed again yesterday that he demands double teams...and how about that spin move?!?! Again, he may look like Aunt Jemima but he plays like Pat Williams.

5.) Since he is a weight risk, I did double up on NT with Cam Thomas in round 3. This doubling up is consistent with how the trio draft (see Vontae and Sean last year, Turner and Hartline last year, Langford and Merling in 2008, Lex Hilliard and Jalen Parmele in 2008. This draft it will be two NTs. Notice I also "doubled-up" at ILB, OLB and RB.

 

[flynryan15]

Tuna, Ireland and Sparano may not like the fact that Mt. Cody weighed in at 370 lbs. but....

1.) The Trio believes in "Only so many on Earth" theory. Sparano even mentioned it in one of the interviews during Senior Bowl week.

2.) 3-4 NTs are very, very hard to find and don't often come available in FA (see franchise tags or long term deals likely for Vince Wilfork, Casey Hampton, Arbruyo Franklin and even Ryan Pickett).

3.) B/c of Cody's weight issues, I have him slipping to round 2 where he does present very good value. It's not like I'm drafting him in the 1st round.

4.) Man boobs or not, he dominated all centers he faced this year like Markice Pouncy from UF and other getting drafted fairly early. He also showed again yesterday that he demands double teams...and how about that spin move?!?! Again, he may look like Aunt Jemima but he plays like Pat Williams.

5.) Since he is a weight risk, I did double up on NT with Cam Thomas in round 3. This doubling up is also consistent with how the trio draft (see Vontae and Sean last year, Turner and Hartline last year, Langford and Merling in 2008, Lex Hilliard and Jalen Parmele in 2008. This draft it will be two NTs.

The weight issue bothers me, because I really think it points out a bigger flaw. This kid should be eating, sleeping, and living to make his draft status better and he isn't. The Senior Bowl might wake him up and he might come to the combine down 30+lbs, or he could get worse and withdraw from the combine. Also the year round Miami heat and humidity could create big time problems for him.

This reminds me of that fat OT the Bungles took. He held out, showed up with such big man boobs that Mike Brown called him out on it during Hard Knocks. Finally signed only to stress fracture his foot and head to IR.

Cody has a great upside, but he has a risk also.

 

[RyanWallace321]

is this a joke? seems more like a wish list or a dream. no ones gonna give us a 1 for brown when he has had multipule season ending injuries

 

[Pinkboy]

5.) Since he is a weight risk, I did double up on NT with Cam Thomas in round 3. This doubling up is consistent with how the trio draft (see Vontae and Sean last year, Turner and Hartline last year, Langford and Merling in 2008, Lex Hilliard and Jalen Parmele in 2008. This draft it will be two NTs. Notice I also "doubled-up" at ILB, OLB and RB.

No they won't double up, they already have one young NT on the roster.. They doubled up WR's, DE's and cornerbacks because there's more than one of them on the field at any given time. NT is a position that only requires one guy on the field at any given time.. IF that

The thing about NT's is they are on the sidelines so often. Cody only played in what, like 40% of the plays ? NT's basically play in just about half the plays in the NFL.

And the NFL is moving more and more to a passing league. I know first hand that the people in charge want even more rules to benefit the passing game. They want games like the Arizona-Green Bay playoff game. Scores that resemble 51-45.

All an offense has to do is have 3 wideouts in there and that effectively takes a NT off the field on the defense. More and more teams are going to multiple 3 and 4 WR sets, which means less need for a NT.

If you're an offense you have to be silly not to. Because that's just the way the rules benefit you, the passing game. And if you think the rules are bad now, just wait for what the people in charge of the NFL have in store soon.. You ain't seen nothing yet.

The way the NFL is going, further delving into a passing league more and more, you need pass rushers more than a Nosetackle. A LOT of pass rushers. And middle LB's and a secondary that can really cover.

I'm a proponent of the 4-3 defense the way things are headed. Wasn't it just great to watch that Indianapolis defense, as small as they are, just line up and tee off on the Jets in the 2nd half? And watching that defense just whizzing around the field like a swarm of bees.

A little swing pass and there's 6 defenders there in an instant ready to take your head off.

FAST , swarming, and very efficient. Up until week 11 of the season the Colts defense ranked #1 in the NFL for least points allowed.

As time goes along here, super bowls will be won with an elite passing offense, combined with a smallish and very fast defense to protect those leads against the passing game.

Both New Orleans and Indy have that formula on their teams. And we're going to see it more and more. This is just the beginning. That's just the way the people in charge want this league to be. And there's nothing anyone can do about it.

The NFL will become more and more like the CFL. In 10 years you won't recognize the NFL you once knew.

It already started. In the first 7 weeks of this season we had 18 more 300-yard passing games than at any 7-game stretch in NFL history. That's not a coincidence. And it will increase, greatly.

Marino was born in the wrong era.

 

[Astrosback]

The weight issue bothers me, because I really think it points out a bigger flaw. This kid should be eating, sleeping, and living to make his draft status better and he isn't. The Senior Bowl might wake him up and he might come to the combine down 30+lbs, or he could get worse and withdraw from the combine. Also the year round Miami heat and humidity could create big time problems for him.

This reminds me of that fat OT the Bungles took. He held out, showed up with such big man boobs that Mike Brown called him out on it during Hard Knocks. Finally signed only to stress fracture his foot and head to IR.

Cody has a great upside, but he has a risk also.

His body does look like Andre Smith's body. I agree there.

But as far as doing something stupid when he should be gearing up for the draft and improving his stock, he wouldn't be the first kid to do that. Look at Percy Harvin last year. He was smoking weed when he knew he'd be tested and he knew (or should have known) he'd hurt his draft stock. But MIN took a chance on Percy (in the 1st round too) and they got rewarded.

Yes - high risk but high reward.

 

[MP-Omnis]

Looked ok until you got to the draft.

 

[Astrosback]

No they won't double up, they already have one young NT on the roster.. They doubled up WR's, DE's and cornerbacks because there's more than one of them on the field at any given time. NT is a position that only requires one guy on the field at any given time.. IF that

The thing about NT's is they are on the sidelines so often. Cody only played in what, like 40% of the plays ? NT's basically play in just about half the plays in the NFL.

And the NFL is moving more and more to a passing league. I know first hand that the people in charge want even more rules to benefit the passing game. They want games like the Arizona-Green Bay playoff game. Scores that resemble 51-45.

All an offense has to do is have 3 wideouts in there and that effectively takes a NT off the field on the defense. More and more teams are going to multiple 3 and 4 WR sets, which means less need for a NT.

If you're an offense you have to be silly not to. Because that's just the way the rules benefit you, the passing game. And if you think the rules are bad now, just wait for what the people in charge of the NFL have in store soon.. You ain't seen nothing yet.

The way the NFL is going, further delving into a passing league more and more, you need pass rushers more than a Nosetackle. A LOT of pass rushers. And middle LB's and a secondary that can really cover.

I'm a proponent of the 4-3 defense the way things are headed. Wasn't it just great to watch that Indianapolis defense, as small as they are, just line up and tee off on the Jets in the 2nd half? And watching that defense just whizzing around the field like a swarm of bees.

A little swing pass and there's 6 defenders there in an instant ready to take your head off.

FAST , swarming, and very efficient. Up until week 11 of the season the Colts defense ranked #1 in the NFL for least points allowed.

As time goes along here, super bowls will be won with an elite passing offense, combined with a smallish and very fast defense to protect those leads against the passing game.

Both New Orleans and Indy have that formula on their teams. And we're going to see it more and more. This is just the beginning. That's just the way the people in charge want this league to be. And there's nothing anyone can do about it.

The NFL will become more and more like the CFL. In 10 years you won't recognize the NFL you once knew.

It already started. In the first 7 weeks of this season we had 18 more 300-yard passing games than at any 7-game stretch in NFL history. That's not a coincidence. And it will increase, greatly.

Marino was born in the wrong era.

Everything you're saying is true about the trend toward more passing in the NFL but that doesn't change the facts about OUR TEAM.

We are a 3-4 not a 4-3 (your preferences aside).

Ferguson will retire. Soliai would be better as a 3-4 DE or otherwise not starting at NT.

Wilfork, Hampton, Frankin and Pickett are not going to be available to us (at least not for anything reasonable).

If we traded Merling (as I mocked), then Soliai could pick up his slack at DE depth and thus making it necessary to draft both a starting NT (Mt. Cody) and a back up NT (Cam Thomas).

Sure, you don't carry as many NTs as you do CBs or WRs but we still need at least 2 NTs and again, I had Jason Ferguson retiring and Soliai moved to DE so thus the doubling up on NTs makes sense.

 

[Astrosback]

Looked ok until you got to the draft.

You don't like that draft?!?!?

What's not to like about Brandon Graham and Sean Weatherspoon?!?! That's an awesome upgrade to our weakest unit. And I got us the draft's two best NTs and a playmaking WR.

Sheesh!

 

[Pinkboy]

^ you have no proof that Soliai will be moved to DE. It's totally baseless. You are just making things up there. He is a young NT on this team. And you don't see 340 to 350 pound bubbles playing 3-4 DE. That's just foolish for you to even bring up

Secondly, I know we run a 3-4. The point was, the Parcells way of having a 3-4 defense, which is more predicated on stopping the run, is a backwards approach to where the NFL is headed.

And will eventually cost us.

 

[Astrosback]

is this a joke? seems more like a wish list or a dream. no ones gonna give us a 1 for brown when he has had multipule season ending injuries

The 1st for Ronnie is pretty much the only stretch and I admitted/explained that in my post. Ronnie is an injury risk but he is also one of the NFL's top RBs when healthy and it's not like he's coming off an ACL or anything that takes a long time to bounce back from. He should be 100% and again, I have the Chargers cutting LT and losing Sproles in RFA. They trade for Ronnie b/c he has great hands and knows how to pass protect. They don't want to risk 2011 on a rookie RB when they think they're in for a SB push.

I also explained that since the Chargers picked up two extra 2nd round picks (via 2nd round tenders on both Sproles and Malcolm Floyd), it made it easier for them to part with the 1st rounder for Ronnie.

BTW, DAL gave up a 1st, 3rd and 5th for Roy friggin Williams. DEN will get something similar for problem child Brandon Marshall. I think Ronnie could land us a late 1st or early 2nd rounder. It's not completely out of the question.

Plus, this draft is weak at RB. Basically, all this would take would be for the Chargers to think that Ronnie Brown > Jonathan Dwyer.

 

[Astrosback]

I like that. Brandon Graham will be around to about the 22nd pick. So the only suggestion i have is if Dez and McClain arent there, trade down in the first to about pick #20 and pick up an extra 2nd. But otherwise good mock

Oops, I meant to post in my original post that a trade down from 12 wasn't an option. I know folks would love that (as would I if we could still get Graham) but I was assuming no trade down opportunity for this mock.