Starters right now

Would this be like our starting team next season?

Offense:

Britt-------------Roos-Harris-Amano-Scott-Stewart--Cook-------Washington

----------------------------Vet/Locker------------------------------------

-------------------------------Hall----------------------------------------

-------------------------------CJ2k---------------------------------------

Defense:

--------------------Hayes?-Jones-Brown-Morgan--------------------------

----------------------Ayers-Tulloch-Witherspoon-----------------------

--Finnegan-------------------------------------------------------Verner--

-----------Hope?--------------------------------------Griffin-------------


I'm not sure if I missed someone there or got anything wrong, but I think thats pretty much our starting personnel right now. If so we need to grab a safety in free agency and go hard in that regard. I would like to see Harris, Hall and Tulloch re-signing because I liked all of them last year and felt Tulloch got some flack because he was asked to do too much on our defense last season. I still have real questions about us at defensive end...do we move JJ there? I personally like JJ at DT but he is a viable option at LDE and I would have him over Hayes right now. There are still some holes there that would need to be filled, more depth at DE, WR, SS and DT, but it isn't a bad starting side.

Guys I would target:

QB:

Marc Bulger - Would be a cheap but effective player. Could come in and start for us and still has a few good years left in the tank. He would be comfortable taking a back-up role when asked to and has the knowledge at the position to further Locker's game.

WR:

Mike Sims-Walker - Best friends with Chris Johnson, I think he is a streaky type of receiver but he is low risk and has the ability to get more production at the position than Nate Washinton.

DE:

Ray Edwards - Lets spend big at DE and get a guy like Ray Edwards who could play with Derrick Morgan and give us a mean pass rush. If we are really going to hit free agency hard then we need to target the big names.

SS:

Tom Zbikowski - I liked this dude, he is tough and hungry for a starting spot somewhere, he will push Chris Hope all the way and he won't command a big contract.

DT:

Brandon Mebane - Big DT who will sure up our run defense along with rookie Jurrell Casey. The Seattle connection is there with Reinfeldt so I think it is a possibility.

Re-sign:

Ahmard Hall
Leroy Harris
Stephen Tulloch - expensive but needed.
Mike Otto
Tim Shaw

 

I don't mind the idea of Witherspoon as our MLB, but you've got to also remember how important Tulloch is as a leader to our team. He was the captain of the defense last year and no matter how much you hate on him for his coverage, he was one of the bright sparks in that linebacking corps, in my opinion. Witherspoon's production dropped dramatically towards the end of the season, I don't know if it was because of age, but my best guess is that we didn't have enough depth at the position. I like McCarthy and Curren to take up some time this season and keep our main guys fresh. I also would love us to re-sign Tim Shaw, that guy can own special teams and would definately be a good candidate for special teams captain. But one thing Shaw has over Nickey is that he can actually play his position with some success, Shaw is a better linebacker than Nickey will ever be as a safety.

 

I'm hearing inklings of rumours on other forums that Tulloch might go to the Lions. I guess he would fit in Schwartz's scheme and he knows him so I wouldn't be suprised if that happened, the Lions need a linbacker badly.