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The main focus of the offseason should be to secure the futures of the guys we already have on the roster. We have some spots that need improving, but our roster should remain largely the same next year as it was this past year. Getting Samuels to restructure is likely the first and most important order of business, because how his contract situation turns out will dictate what we can do in free agency. Re-signing Smoot and Pierce are also priorities.
In the event that we can't come to an agreement with Pierce, I think it would be a good move to place the transition tag on him. We would not have to worry about him signing the one-year tender; some other team would surely offer him a contract since the transition tag requires no compensation to be paid to the player's former team. In doing this, we would be able to accurately assess Pierce's market value and determine if he is worth that much to us. In the event that Barrow is able to play next year, we would likely let Pierce walk if he received a big offer sheet. But if Barrow's future looks bleak, we will likely lock up Pierce to a long-term deal.
The main positions that need upgrading through FA/Draft are WR, TE, DE, and C. I think it's imperative that we upgrade at either the WR or DE position through free agency. That will allow us to spend our first rounder on whichever postition (WR or DE) that we did not upgrade through FA, and it gives us the flexibility to trade down if the opportunity presents itself. A solid blocking TE and an interior lineman can be drafted in the mid rounds.
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