Doppelganger
None
Wades here and he has said were gonna be a 3-4 next year. Ok. So we need an off season plan to help the team with that. So, here is what I would do if I was the GM.
Pre draft:
Sign Marcus Spears and Champ Bailey. I would go to Champ Baileys house and sit on his doorstep at noon the day before. I would not say anything, but just sit there. At precisely midnight, I would knock on his door, call him, text, etc and offer him a big bag of $. He is the type of DB we need and would shore up a lot of areas. He could be a CB for a few years and then transition to FS. Plus he could teach our young CB a trick or two from a wily veteran. Think of him as an Aaron Glen teaching a young Dunta Robinson, except Champ is a lot better than Glen ever was. Spears should be much easier to get. He likes Wade and will be a great part of the DE rotation of Mario, Smith, and Spears. These moves allow us to address other key areas in the draft.
Draft
1. Von Miller, OLB Texas A&M
He is a high motor elite OLB that every 3-4 needs to get off the ground. I like Barwin as a OLB, but will he be healthy and ready to go? I dont know, and in a 3-4 you cant take those kind of chances.
2. Jonathan Baldwin, WR Pittsburgh
A surprise, but the best player on the board in my opinion. Put him next to AJ and you may have the best WR tandem in the league. He can block well, is a big red zone target and can finally be the WR we all hoped JJ would have been. Think how sick the offense will be if we have AJ, Foster, Daniels, and Baldwin on the field. Defenses: pick your poison!
3. Sione Fua, NT, Stanford
Remember, Wade does not look for massive beats at the NT. He likes guys who can take on an initial block, shed it, and then move aggressively into the pocket. That is what Fua naturally does. He would work well in the Phillips 1 gap 3-4.
4. Jeron Johnson, SS, Boise State
An immediate upgrade to Pollard. A SS who can tackle, play in coverage, and has the hands to make plays.
5. Mario Harvey, ILB, Marshall
I hope Meco comes back ok. I really do. But, if he doesnt, we would have Harvey to compete for an ILB spot. If Meco comes back, Harvey is good depth.
6. Derek Epperson, P, Baylor
A guy who can boot the ball 44+ yards consistently can change the field. In Htown, I bet he could get up to 45-46 yard range. That would put him in the top 7 of punters in the league. Our old friend Turk was punting in the 42 yard range, which was 27th overall. 2-3 yards may not sound like much, but those extra 2-3 yards can easily turn into an additional 5-10 yards of return per kick.
7. Kenny Rowe, OLB, Oregon
A smaller OLB, but a guy with a high relentless motor. If nothing else, at least he would be able to be a solid special teams player.
Pre draft:
Sign Marcus Spears and Champ Bailey. I would go to Champ Baileys house and sit on his doorstep at noon the day before. I would not say anything, but just sit there. At precisely midnight, I would knock on his door, call him, text, etc and offer him a big bag of $. He is the type of DB we need and would shore up a lot of areas. He could be a CB for a few years and then transition to FS. Plus he could teach our young CB a trick or two from a wily veteran. Think of him as an Aaron Glen teaching a young Dunta Robinson, except Champ is a lot better than Glen ever was. Spears should be much easier to get. He likes Wade and will be a great part of the DE rotation of Mario, Smith, and Spears. These moves allow us to address other key areas in the draft.
Draft
1. Von Miller, OLB Texas A&M
He is a high motor elite OLB that every 3-4 needs to get off the ground. I like Barwin as a OLB, but will he be healthy and ready to go? I dont know, and in a 3-4 you cant take those kind of chances.
2. Jonathan Baldwin, WR Pittsburgh
A surprise, but the best player on the board in my opinion. Put him next to AJ and you may have the best WR tandem in the league. He can block well, is a big red zone target and can finally be the WR we all hoped JJ would have been. Think how sick the offense will be if we have AJ, Foster, Daniels, and Baldwin on the field. Defenses: pick your poison!
3. Sione Fua, NT, Stanford
Remember, Wade does not look for massive beats at the NT. He likes guys who can take on an initial block, shed it, and then move aggressively into the pocket. That is what Fua naturally does. He would work well in the Phillips 1 gap 3-4.
4. Jeron Johnson, SS, Boise State
An immediate upgrade to Pollard. A SS who can tackle, play in coverage, and has the hands to make plays.
5. Mario Harvey, ILB, Marshall
I hope Meco comes back ok. I really do. But, if he doesnt, we would have Harvey to compete for an ILB spot. If Meco comes back, Harvey is good depth.
6. Derek Epperson, P, Baylor
A guy who can boot the ball 44+ yards consistently can change the field. In Htown, I bet he could get up to 45-46 yard range. That would put him in the top 7 of punters in the league. Our old friend Turk was punting in the 42 yard range, which was 27th overall. 2-3 yards may not sound like much, but those extra 2-3 yards can easily turn into an additional 5-10 yards of return per kick.
7. Kenny Rowe, OLB, Oregon
A smaller OLB, but a guy with a high relentless motor. If nothing else, at least he would be able to be a solid special teams player.