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I was asked to do this and so I will but my expertise is admittedly defense. Yet I'll give it a try.
Stars - Drew Brees(QB) Terron Armstead(LT) Michael Thomas (WR)
Starters - Ingram(RB) Cooks(WR) Peat(LG) Unger(C) Fleener(TE)
Role Players - Snead(WR) Hooman (TE) Lasco (RB)
Middle Tier Backup - Josh Hill(TE)
Backups - Tommy Lee Lewis (WR) Brandon Coleman(WR) Kelemente (G/C) Cadet (RB) Luke McCown (QB)
Wild Cards- Strief(RT) Evans (RG) Grayson(QB) - Both players are past their prime but provide some stability on the right side of the line. Strief is a top 5 (RT) at the moment but there is just no telling when his play will drop off a cliff. Same is the case with Evans. Both could be listed as starters. Meanwhile Grayson either is going to win the backup job or be cut but that will put QB right back on the list in a years time.
Upgrades Needed - RG(Tentative), 3rd Down RB, RT(Tentative) 4th WR - Cadet needs to be upgraded. Not because he's awful but because he doesn't provide the big play ability you'd like from that position. He's a very average starter in that spot at best and would serve better as a backup/ST's contributor. Meanwhile again Strief is playing Admirably but with Peat looking best used on the Left side the need for a RT is back to where it was a year ago with Strief being another year older. Obviously RG is the same issue. 4th WR probably will catch people off guard but at our best or WR corps was 4 deep and Coleman has been Average at best. Very similar to Cadet here.
**OF Note** Something that was interesting about the usage of Cooks this past week. #1 we used him to occupy Marcus Peters majority of the game. We did target him 3x's for 3 receptions but he was mainly used to keep Peters busy. I'd expect a similar game plan against a tired/hurt Sherman this week. Also on his scoring TD we used him as a RB out of the backfield to get a favorable look. That should have been the 3rd down RB in that look. We got creative but I can't help but think we don't use that if we have a 3rd down back capable of winning that matchup.
You will also note that I have Cooks as a Starter and not a Star/ opposite with Michael Thomas. When I think about this offense at it's peak the speed option was a role and the big bodied WR was the focal point. In the last 2 games MT has a whopping 18 targets. Against the Chiefs MT caught Slants, Drags, Curls, Back Shoulders. He won to the inside/outside and made guys miss. Currently he's forced at least 8 missed tackles (might be off) To me he like Rankins has star written all over him.
I've also noted that someone mentioned that Ingram should be used out of the shotgun more and incorporated into the finesse portion of the offense more vs being used so much in the power run game and telegraphing his touches. I can't say that I don't agree with that but If Lasco can stay healthy there is on doubt he's the better fit for this offense from an explosion standpoint. I don't know when, i don't know if, but I do know that at some point Lasco would make sense to be the 1A with Ingram the 1B grinder at the end of games. That may be far off and for now it's reversed but we need juice at the RB position. With that being said Lasco IMHO makes a perfect slashing compliment to Ingram.
As with anything else feel free to swap guys and place them as you wish but the top two tiers are important. We lack a little oline depth but are rather deep everywhere else, especially at the skill position.
A FA acquisition I'd keep an eye on and I'd love to have is Cordarrelle Paterson (WR) - Vikings. He'd make a great 4th WR/ST's guy that would add some juice in the return game and be an upgrade over Coleman as the 4th WR. Easily sliding into the Middle Tier backup Spot/Role Player.
The offensive side of the ball isn't nearly as detrimental as the defensive side and doesn't have much need for true Starter upgrades...maybe 3rd Down Rb. However developing OL talent needs to be important because Unger/Strief/Evans are all 30+. Meanwhile WR/RB can be addressed for cheap/in the draft. No need to spend heavy money.
Regards,
Stars - Drew Brees(QB) Terron Armstead(LT) Michael Thomas (WR)
Starters - Ingram(RB) Cooks(WR) Peat(LG) Unger(C) Fleener(TE)
Role Players - Snead(WR) Hooman (TE) Lasco (RB)
Middle Tier Backup - Josh Hill(TE)
Backups - Tommy Lee Lewis (WR) Brandon Coleman(WR) Kelemente (G/C) Cadet (RB) Luke McCown (QB)
Wild Cards- Strief(RT) Evans (RG) Grayson(QB) - Both players are past their prime but provide some stability on the right side of the line. Strief is a top 5 (RT) at the moment but there is just no telling when his play will drop off a cliff. Same is the case with Evans. Both could be listed as starters. Meanwhile Grayson either is going to win the backup job or be cut but that will put QB right back on the list in a years time.
Upgrades Needed - RG(Tentative), 3rd Down RB, RT(Tentative) 4th WR - Cadet needs to be upgraded. Not because he's awful but because he doesn't provide the big play ability you'd like from that position. He's a very average starter in that spot at best and would serve better as a backup/ST's contributor. Meanwhile again Strief is playing Admirably but with Peat looking best used on the Left side the need for a RT is back to where it was a year ago with Strief being another year older. Obviously RG is the same issue. 4th WR probably will catch people off guard but at our best or WR corps was 4 deep and Coleman has been Average at best. Very similar to Cadet here.
**OF Note** Something that was interesting about the usage of Cooks this past week. #1 we used him to occupy Marcus Peters majority of the game. We did target him 3x's for 3 receptions but he was mainly used to keep Peters busy. I'd expect a similar game plan against a tired/hurt Sherman this week. Also on his scoring TD we used him as a RB out of the backfield to get a favorable look. That should have been the 3rd down RB in that look. We got creative but I can't help but think we don't use that if we have a 3rd down back capable of winning that matchup.
You will also note that I have Cooks as a Starter and not a Star/ opposite with Michael Thomas. When I think about this offense at it's peak the speed option was a role and the big bodied WR was the focal point. In the last 2 games MT has a whopping 18 targets. Against the Chiefs MT caught Slants, Drags, Curls, Back Shoulders. He won to the inside/outside and made guys miss. Currently he's forced at least 8 missed tackles (might be off) To me he like Rankins has star written all over him.
I've also noted that someone mentioned that Ingram should be used out of the shotgun more and incorporated into the finesse portion of the offense more vs being used so much in the power run game and telegraphing his touches. I can't say that I don't agree with that but If Lasco can stay healthy there is on doubt he's the better fit for this offense from an explosion standpoint. I don't know when, i don't know if, but I do know that at some point Lasco would make sense to be the 1A with Ingram the 1B grinder at the end of games. That may be far off and for now it's reversed but we need juice at the RB position. With that being said Lasco IMHO makes a perfect slashing compliment to Ingram.
As with anything else feel free to swap guys and place them as you wish but the top two tiers are important. We lack a little oline depth but are rather deep everywhere else, especially at the skill position.
A FA acquisition I'd keep an eye on and I'd love to have is Cordarrelle Paterson (WR) - Vikings. He'd make a great 4th WR/ST's guy that would add some juice in the return game and be an upgrade over Coleman as the 4th WR. Easily sliding into the Middle Tier backup Spot/Role Player.
The offensive side of the ball isn't nearly as detrimental as the defensive side and doesn't have much need for true Starter upgrades...maybe 3rd Down Rb. However developing OL talent needs to be important because Unger/Strief/Evans are all 30+. Meanwhile WR/RB can be addressed for cheap/in the draft. No need to spend heavy money.
Regards,