Colts waived LB Zac Diles, OG Jaimie Thomas and OT James Williams

[srrono]

espn_afcsouth Paul Kuharsky
#Colts waived linebacker Zac Diles, offensive guard Jaimie Thomas and offensive tackle James Williams.

[Rey]

And it has begun....

[El Tejano]

I'll take Diles back at a much cheaper rate. Good player for a backup role now. OLB right? that would add some depth.

[Rey]

I think Diles would be an ILB...

I'd take him for depth, but Wade got rid of him...Maybe Rick Smith can bring him in for a camp tryout...

[IDEXAN]

Originally Posted by Rey

I think Diles would be an ILB...

Right. Diles isn't a pass-rusher so he's not a fit at OLB in the 3-4.

[El Tejano]

Originally Posted by IDEXAN

Right. Diles isn't a pass-rusher so he's not a fit at OLB in the 3-4.

That is right. Forgot. Bring him back to play behind Demeco and Cushing. We don't know what Sharpton is going to be like when he gets back from his injury. We all know Dobbins is good too but he's getting up there I believe.

[HOU-TEX]

I'd much rather keep Dobbins, thank you.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by HOU-TEX

I'd much rather keep Dobbins, thank you.

big time no brainer. Diles doesn't fit here, and he's a marginal NFL player in the right system.

[El Tejano]

Originally Posted by Vinny

big time no brainer. Diles doesn't fit here, and he's a marginal NFL player in the right system.

I'm not concerned about Dobbins. I'm concerned with Sharpton not coming back to full form.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by El Tejano

I'm not concerned about Dobbins. I'm concerned with Sharpton not coming back to full form.

We'll get a linebacker somewhere, but it won't be Diles.

[IDEXAN]

Originally Posted by El Tejano

I'm not concerned about Dobbins. I'm concerned with Sharpton not coming back to full form.

Yep, you're right about Sharpton. And as a matter of fact, if Sharpton is back 100% he makes DeMeco very expendible. Now I've always been a big DeMeco fan, but business is business.

[Vinny]

Originally Posted by IDEXAN

Yep, you're right about Sharpton. And as a matter of fact, if Sharpton is back 100% he makes DeMeco very expendible. Now I've always been a big DeMeco fan, but business is business.

Sharpton isn't near the player Ryans is. Ryans looked like he was playing with leverage and quickness again at the end of the season. Sharpton is a back up caliber NFL player...so far, at least to these eyes.

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by Vinny

Sharpton isn't near the player Ryans is. Ryans looked like he was playing with leverage and quickness again at the end of the season. Sharpton is a back up caliber NFL player...so far, at least to these eyes.

Spot on. DeMeco was playing at a much higher level at the end of the year than the beginning and his upper limit is much higher than Sharpton.

[Dutchrudder]

Originally Posted by IDEXAN

Yep, you're right about Sharpton. And as a matter of fact, if Sharpton is back 100% he makes DeMeco very expendible. Now I've always been a big DeMeco fan, but business is business.

Releasing Demeco would cost the Texans somewhere around 8 million in dead money at the very least. He's not expendable this year given our cap issues, if he can play then we need him to do so for the money he's making. I'll give him next year to see if a full offseason and more recovery time help him get back to form. I'm hoping he does, but if he doesn't, 2013 will be the time to restructure or end his deal.

[IDEXAN]

Originally Posted by Vinny

Sharpton isn't near the player Ryans is. Ryans looked like he was playing with leverage and quickness again at the end of the season. Sharpton is a back up caliber NFL player...so far, at least to these eyes.

DeMeco is too rich (compensation/cap-space) for these eyes when it comes to an ILB in Wade Phillips schemes who is not on the field in nickel situations. Cushing is the only guy at that position on the team who's on the field full-time.
To these eyes DeMeco is the proverbial luxury we can't afford, atleast too much longer. Maybe we keep him this year, but a "part-timer" like him can be replaced sooner or later by a Sharpton so we can focus our precious cap for players at more important positions, e.g., CB, edge-rushers, DLine.

[Vinny]

Nick Roach comes in for Urlacher when they go to nick...dude (Urlacher) made the pro bowl. Sharpton may never start in this league.

[IDEXAN]

Originally Posted by Vinny

Nick Roach comes in for Urlacher when they go to nick...dude (Urlacher) made the pro bowl. Sharpton may never start in this league.

If Urlacher, who like fellow ILB Ray Lewis is in his mid 30s and well past his peak, comes off of the field for another player in 3rd down/passing situations, hasn't had a recent material modification of his contract I'd be very surprised ?

[infantrycak]

Originally Posted by IDEXAN

If Urlacher, who like fellow ILB Ray Lewis is in his mid 30s and well past his peak, comes off of the field for another player in 3rd down/passing situations, hasn't had a recent material modification of his contract I'd be very surprised ?

Well then be surprised. Urlacher is entering the last year of his five year deal and is set to make $8 mil in 2012 and count $9.2 against their cap.

[Hervoyel]

Originally Posted by Vinny

big time no brainer. Diles doesn't fit here, and he's a marginal NFL player in the right system.

Yeah. We're past this idea of bringing back guys like Diles. Appreciate the effort he gave us back when we were thin but I don't think Diles could make this team today and that's something to be happy about.

[IDEXAN]

Originally Posted by infantrycak

Well then be surprised. Urlacher is entering the last year of his five year deal and is set to make $8 mil in 2012 and count $9.2 against their cap.

Below is a list of the current three-down (every-down) linebackers in the league taken from Footballguys - IDP Forums. This list will change as training camp and preseason games progress. I will do my best to keep it as updated as possible.
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Chicago: Lance Briggs, Brian Urlacher
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http://www.idpguru.com/2011/05/2011-...nebackers.html
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Nah man, you be surprised, because I'm still not. According to this self described fantasy football "Guru", Urlacher is a "three-down (every-down)" LB, so I would not necessarily expect him to be expected to renegotiate his comp/contract if he's out there with his defense all the time.
But back to DeMeco: I'm a huge fan and also realize his "intangibles" to the Texans as perhaps their most respected and popular defensive player among his teammates. And DeMeco is in fact returning to preinjury form, but GM Smith knows he's got limited resources to work with when it comes to constructing a roster and I still contend that there's room for only one ILB @ Brian Cushings paygrade under Wades defense.