DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum Free Agents part V

Really am surprised Ryans is gone from the Texans... I know his role was diminished but he was their team captain over the last couple of years...

He is more suited for the 4-3 so I guess it's a win-win for both teams... but just really shocked.

He's a MLB, no?

We have one of those.

Not a surprise but Alex Smith decided to stay in San Fran

http://espn.go.com/nfl/story/_/id/771533...act-sources-say

4th and 3rd round swap (12 spots, value of another 4th) for a MLB that makes 6-7mil the next 4 seasons and coming off a serious injury

We're not allowed to trade for good players...

I thought he played MLB in college but moved to outside Lb in the Texans 4-3 then to Inside Lb in the 3-4 then got injured. But that is just from my memory.

wow. Texans have let Mario, DQ, and Winston all walk and have gotten back a 4th round pick. crazy.

I was expecting a regression on their D this year anyway (cmon, Wade is a good DC, but they jumped from bottom5 to top5), but they are losing starters (and thereby losing depth that was a strength) while also losing a key OL for their offense (unless his injury is more serious than is being said).

Mario was essentially a non-factor last year... I do think losing Ryans will hurt in that he was the vocal leader... his production had really dropped off last year with the 3-4 so I honestly think the LBers will be fine... to me the biggest loss for the Texans so far is Winston...

well that's what I meant... since he got hurt we saw how the defense played without him... which was pretty good... and unfortunately since he was going to get/want to get paid well it made him expendable to the Texans.... they were in cap hell this year and there was no way they'd be able to pay Mario what he wanted... especially since he went to a system where he could be a DE again....

but I think on and off the field Mario isn't going to really hurt the Texans.. he would have been nice to keep but there was no way the Texans were keeping him...

the leadership skills that DeMeco has are unmatched on the Texans D.... even when he was injuried he was in the middle of warm ups and the defense during the 2010 season... I understand why they traded him... they were in cap hell... but I really wish they could have gotten a higher draft.

Should be an interesting year for them. I think the Bill and Eagles both got fantastic players... (if both healthy). Ryans I know is healthy... Mario you have to assume is.

I think the Texans will draft someone to help out with their front 7 this year... they need more depth there.... in terms of leadership? maybe it'll be coming from Daniel Manning? I dunno... we'll see.... I don't know if they can keep up the pace they did this last year, but if they do and with Schaub back they could have a special year.

Of course they are going to be in trouble next off-season because they have several big name guys who are going to want to get paid.

And in other news the Browns have still done nothing during this FA period

yeah, that is what I was getting at. they finally made the playoffs, were a SB contender and now are in cap hell. so, they are losing pieces that could be the pieces that push them over the edge this year.

and the Browns at least found a stop-gap at DE between Rucker and Parker. I'm not especially pleased with it, but it is one less spot to address in the draft.

if we could find a S (unless that guy is really Hagg) and a WOLB, then I think we could manage to fill the most urgent needs with our first 3 picks (WR1, RT, RB). Of course, we might find that WOLB in the 3rd round and S in the 4th, so it's possible to plug the most urgent ones through the draft (but unlikely we "hit" on all of them like that).

and I didn't mention QB because we missed on our target, so I am assuming we won't force the issue with a reach (maybe get a Foles, Osweiler or Coleman in the middle rounds as a QB3 prospect, but nothing more).

oh I agree... I think I'm most disappointed in not bringing in another WR... not even a big name WR... but maybe someone who is either a vet or has potential to help mentor some of our younger guys....

and I really think we need to improve our running game... but I'm thinking we are going to be taking Richardson to fill that spot (though I still think I'd rather have Caliborne).

the potential #4/22/37 guys I'm thinking at the moment (in no order)

Blackmon/Glenn(as RT)/L.Miller
Richardson/Sanu/Osemele
Kalil/Sanu/L.Miller

insert Polk or D.Wilson for L.Miller if you prefer one. I like Miller the most there.

insert Stephen Hill for Sanu if Al Davis is drafting for the Browns.

insert your favorite RT @37. haven't seen enough of the guys there to have a strong opinion.

draft talk goes in the draft forum

Cleveland Browns
Report: Browns among teams interested in free-agent LB Manny Lawson
By Nate Ulrich Published: March 20, 2012

The Browns are among the teams that have shown interest in free-agent linebacker Manny Lawson, Scout.com reported today.

Lawson, who spent last season with the Cincinnati Bengals and the previous five years with the San Francisco 49ers, would be a logical fit as a strongside linebacker in the Browns’ 4-3 defense.

Lawson, 27, appeared in all 16 regular-season games last season, starting 15 of them and compiling 52 tackles and 1.5 sacks. He had a one-year, $3 million deal with the Bengals.

The Browns could use help at linebacker because they ranked 30th against the run (147.4 yards per game) last season, and starting strongside linebacker Scott Fujita has ended each of the past two seasons on injured reserve. Fujita, 32, missed the final five games of last season with a broken hand and the final seven games of the 2010 season with a torn MCL in his left knee.

The Oakland Raiders and Indianapolis Colts are interested in Lawson, too, according to Scout.com’s report. Meanwhile, the Green Bay Packers have been in discussions with Lawson, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported today.

Lawson, whom the 49ers drafted 22nd overall in 2006, has recorded 292 tackles and 16 sacks in his six NFL seasons. In 2009, the 6-foot-5, 240-pound Lawson posted career highs in tackles (68) and sacks (6.5).
web page

Hmm... interesting. I can't see him starting over Gocong with Gocong's contract. Can he play WLB? Maybe they're trying to bring him in as a 3rd down pass rush specialist?

cool. thanks for the feedback. he's the best i've "read" about that supposedly will be available there, but it's always hard to trust pure article based scouting.

This doesn't interest me. I wish we traded for Demeco Ryans though, the way the Eagles did.

I always wanted Ryans on this team and he was selected right before Jackson. Coulda gotten him with a 4th and a 3rd swap.

Then we coulda moved him or Jackson to WLB and really improved our LB core. The thought of Maiva next season just isn't that exciting

Manny at Wil would be terrific, just like Gocong at Strong is terrific.

hmm, not the pure speed WOLB guy that we would desire, but maybe Jauron wants a tall skinny monster on one side (Lawson 6'5" 240lbs) and a more stout monster on the other (Gocong 6'2" 268lbs).

i remember Lawson being spoken out by Singletary about being good against the run, but I don't remember if he can cover a TE. anyone know if this is in his skillset?

Can he at least keep up with one?

I think he's pretty good in coverage. I read it in a couple places anyway. I'll look for a link.

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but I don't remember if he can cover a TE. anyone know if this is in his skillset?

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Yea, I would like to know as well. He certainly has the speed for it.

Agreed. If we were to sign Lawson (with the competition of playoff teams in the mix I am doubtful) we will have upgraded our run D tremendously with him and Rucker. Neither would be flashy moves, but both would make us a much improved D.

Where is the TIM TEBOW thread???

Tebow > McCoy

I think everyone has forgotten how much complaining they did the entire last season about our QB play.

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Tebow > McCoy

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Wrong.

We have all read about how Heckert likes those smaller fast DE's. Think we might be looking to sign him and move him back to the DE that he played in college?

I was thinking the same thing. Or he can be a blitzing linebacker on passing downs. Either way, he probably won't be worse than Fujita who is old, slow, injury prone, and might be suspended.

Heckert really seems to love those DE/OLB tweeners for his Front 7 edge players...he drafted some 3-4 OLB specs to play DE in Philly or converrted them to OLB (like Gocong)...but he obviously is intrigued by the size-speed combo from those specs

That said, Lawson fits the bill...drafted as and played 3-4 OLB, converted to 4-3 OLB by the Bengals last year, has been a starter throughout his career and is still in his prime (27/28yo)...good target and signing 2 Front 7 guys from a Divisional rival that had a Top10 D (4th in yds/play allowed) would be sweeet

.. " On a serious note, I think we could have found a way for both of those guys to play. Good players find the field ..

Good coaching finds a way to get Good players on the field !

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I wanted to sign Lawson last year, so I have no problem with us signing him this year (if) we can make the right offer.