How much have we improved player personnel?
 

How much have we improved our personnel in the off-season? As usual, I have my opinions.

I think we really took a HUGE step up in the Defensive Backfield:

- Added All-Pro CB Josh Norman.
- Drafted a disruptive playmaker in SS S’ua Cravens.
- Stole a 1st Round quality CB in Kendall Fuller, if he recovers fully (knee).
- If CB Chris Culliver recovers fully, he could be a big boost, as well.
- Added David Bruton at SS. He’s a solid player who should help us.

We’ll be much stronger at TE:

- Get emerging star Niles Paul back from injury.
- Solid TE Logan Paulsen returns from injury, as well.
- Added former 1st Round pick Vernon Davis.

A strong WR group got even stronger:

- We added a very talented big WR in Josh Doctson.

The O-Line should be a little better:

- Our starting RG, Shawn Lauvao, returns from injury.
- Lauvao’s return allows us to move Spencer Long to C.
- More work is needed.

Unfortunately, we’re weaker at RB:

- Lost Alfred Morris.
- Lost D Young to clear the way in short yardage.

We’re in good shape at QB:

- Franchised Captain Kirk.
- Re-signed a solid backup in Colt McCoy.
- Added a nice developmental QB in Nate Sudfeld.

We’re much better at Edge Rusher:

- We finally should get sack master Junior Galette on the field.
- Preston Smith should really bring it in his second year.

The DL has added some depth but we didn’t get the star we need:

- Matt Ioannidis is better than you think but he’s a rookie.
- I think Trent Murphy can make the transition to DE but we’ll see.
- We get Stephen Paea back from injury.
- Ziggy Hood and kendall Reyes might be able to help out.

ILB is about the same:

- We re-signed Mason Foster.
- Need to get Will Compton signed.
- Perhaps we can get something out of Steven Daniels or Martrell Spaight.


Special Teams should be better:

- We added FA’s who are good ST players,
- We’re getting some very good ST players back from injury,
- Some of our draftees are good ST players.

Re: How much have we improved player personnel?
 

I think we're better across the board except at defensive line. REALLY concerned about depth there. Loved taking BPA even though my b-hole puckered every time we passed on Billings. Obviously Scot knows more than we do, so I'm trusting him on this.

Re: How much have we improved player personnel?
 

Cravens, Ioannis and Daniels should help against the run. Daniel's strenght is stopping the run. I think Marshall will surprise at RB.

Re: How much have we improved player personnel?
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;1143319]I think we're better across the board except at defensive line. REALLY concerned about depth there. Loved taking BPA even though my b-hole puckered every time we passed on Billings. Obviously Scot knows more than we do, so I'm trusting him on this.[/quote]

Yeah, my only conclusion is we are going more 4-3 than 3-4. the 5th rounder isn't a nt.

Im worried about Matt Jones who missed time last year and really don't have a RB behind him. Chris Thompson, Marshall...these are 3rd down backs.

Re: How much have we improved player personnel?
 

This is where I'm hoping we resign Pierre Thomas as a backup plan.

Re: How much have we improved player personnel?
 

[quote=TheMalcolmConnection;1143325]This is where I'm hoping we resign Pierre Thomas as a backup plan.[/quote]

Is Thomas an every down back if Jones is lost to injury...I don't think so. Had Ronnie Hillman sitting out there for awhile...

Re: How much have we improved player personnel?
 

Hrm, I always thought he was for the Saints for a while. If not, that's a scary prospect.

The biggest thing with Matt Jones is him being able to break some tackles. He has a lot of Derrick Henry in him. A BEAST once he gets going, but damn he got tackled for no-gain so many times.

Re: How much have we improved player personnel?
 

[quote=Chico23231;1143323]Yeah, my only conclusion is we are going more 4-3 than 3-4. the 5th rounder isn't a nt.

Im worried about Matt Jones who missed time last year and really don't have a RB behind him. Chris Thompson, Marshall...these are 3rd down backs.[/quote]

They want Ioannis to gain 15-20lbs. My guess is they will resign Pierre Thomas.

Re: How much have we improved player personnel?
 

Great list, and I agree with most. But I've said it in a couple threads so far; we go as Cousins goes.

Are we 9-7 again and the best of a bad division, or are we 11-5 against strong competition this year because Cousins genuinely is the real deal and takes yet another step forward?

I love following player personnel, but our 2016 season is all about Kirk. How well do he, McVay, and Gruden develop together.

Re: How much have we improved player personnel?
 

[quote=Schneed10;1143329]Great list, and I agree with most. But I've said it in a couple threads so far; we go as Cousins goes.

Are we 9-7 again and the best of a bad division, or are we 11-5 against strong competition this year because Cousins genuinely is the real deal and takes yet another step forward?

I love following player personnel, but our 2016 season is all about Kirk. How well do he, McVay, and Gruden develop together.[/quote]

Sure, but the best way to help Kirk would be to improve the running game. I don't think we did that this offseason so far. Center and the Running Back position we really didn't do a thing. Matt Jones taking a big step would of course squelch concerns. But a lot of questions remain imo. Pierre Thomas is a must unfortunately.

Re: How much have we improved player personnel?
 

[QUOTE=Schneed10;1143329]Great list, and I agree with most. But I've said it in a couple threads so far; we go as Cousins goes.

Are we 9-7 again and the best of a bad division, or are we 11-5 against strong competition this year because Cousins genuinely is the real deal and takes yet another step forward?

I love following player personnel, but our 2016 season is all about Kirk. How well do he, McVay, and Gruden develop together.[/QUOTE]

^^ This. With one caveat, from a player personnel standpoint, 2016 is about building the team so that, if KC fails, 2017 is not ground zero.

Yes, in 2016 we go as KC goes, but that could be said about many teams and their QB's (Indi, Dallas, San Diego, New Orleans), at the top of the league, consistent playoff teams have playoff QB's.

However, by building a solid, deep team, Scot is essentially building a team that a playoff QB can come in and win with. So, even if Kirk takes a step back, in 2017, with solid QB play from [I]someone[/I], we can still build on the winning culture.

It's fun to watch.

Re: How much have we improved player personnel?
 

I think the D all around got better this offseason but I'll start with Run Defense:

In another thread there was a discussion about the reason for the poor run defense.

I thought it was less of DL issue then a LB/S issue.

Watching the games that was my thought and imo its supported by 3rd party data (football outsiders, PFF).

Baker, Ricky Jean, Paea were/are historically solid against the run.
From watching the games and this is supported again by PFF; all the LBs not named Foster were poor against the run.
Same goes for the S spot, would you have guessed that Hall was the best S against the run and he was learning the S position.

Stephen Daniels was a player I liked during the draft process. You can find 2 of his games on nflbreakdown; and from watching the games I would be hard pressed to say that Reggie Ragland is better then him, they may as well be twins.

IF Daniels plays in the base D the run defense is gonna improve.

The FA S, David Bruton I haven't watched him extensively but he's known for physical play as a core special teamer and he graded well against the run 75 which would make him by far the highest graded run stopping S on the roster.

Su'a Craven fits the mold of a solid run stopper, the dude played LB in college and imho will make even more of an impact in the NFL with the move to SS.

Re: How much have we improved player personnel?
 

Do we even have a true 3-4 NT on the roster? I know we're not in the base 3-4 very often but still...

Re: How much have we improved player personnel?
 

Our defensive secondary may be in a position to almost dare the opponent to throw.
I never thought I would be able to say that.

The D line?
Meh....we got an injured guy back, moved some guys around and added a 5th round rookie.
I'm quite skeptical that our pass rush will improve that much.

Re: How much have we improved player personnel?
 

[quote=JoeRedskin;1143334]^^ This. With one caveat, from a player personnel standpoint, 2016 is about building the team so that, if KC fails, 2017 is not ground zero.

Yes, in 2016 we go as KC goes, but that could be said about many teams and their QB's (Indi, Dallas, San Diego, New Orleans), at the top of the league, consistent playoff teams have playoff QB's.

However, by building a solid, deep team, Scot is essentially building a team that a playoff QB can come in and win with. So, even if Kirk takes a step back, in 2017, with solid QB play from [I]someone[/I], we can still build on the winning culture.

It's fun to watch.[/quote]

I agree. But overall I think my main point is that improving from a player personnel standpoint is important, but just improving and developing as a whole is more important. I'm more interested to see, for example, how Brandon Scherff develops in his second year. I'm interested in seeing how much of a step Matt Jones can take. etc

Lots of folks are complaining about not enough done at this position or that position, but reality is the answer may already be on the roster. It's up to the players and coaches to make strides.

This time of year it's natural to focus on player personnel, but Jay Gruden and staff have just as much if not more to do with our success than McCloughan does.

Just trying to bring the conversation back to reality is all. We get a little armchair GM this time of year because we make a lot of assumptions like 'we currently stink at RB'. You sure about that? Will it be that way in September 2016, or will Matt Jones be The Man?

Miles to go before we sleep. That's all.