I am looking at it like this....

We currently have Patterson, Marshall, Nolan Carroll, RJ Sanford, Bryan McCann and Julian Posey under contract.

Dimitri Patterson: I think Patterson is here on an extended tryout. Ireland liked him from a previous time. Dick Jauron brought DP with him to Cleveland from Philly but he seemed to struggle in Jaurons zone/cover 2 scheme. I think Patterson gets cut and we save 4.6 mil on the cap. hard to say but if anything he may get a chance to stay if he restuctures. He will most likely not even sniff another contract like he got from Cleveland.

Richard Marshall: He was originally signed to be a nickle corner but was elevated after competing with a lazy Vontae Davis. He looked overmatched at times and should probably stick to nickle CB. I never saw anything consistent or special about him...and now he has a bad back. I don't expect much. Maybe an insurance settlement at best. We would save 4.6 mil by releasing him but have over 2m in dead space.

Nolan Caroll: Probably should be no more than a backup and special teams player at this point. He has shown well at times but is still inconsistent. He was ranked as the 2nd to worst CB at one point. No optimism here either.

RJ Sanford: he is an exclusive rights free agent which means if we don't offer him a contract anyone can resign him. He was an emergency signing and probably not worth keeping.

Julian Posey: another undrafted FA that will struggle to make the practice squad this year.

Bryan McCann: a RFA who needs to have a fairly high tender amount. This is a 4.2/4.3 guy who looked very good last year. He was our highest rated CB in 2012. Yes, better than Sean Smith. I think he has potential to be a starter and we should offer him a long term deal so we can get him cheap. I would place a 2nd round tender on him at least.

Our starting CB's this year (IMO) could be McCann, a newly signed FA and a high drafted 2-3 round) rookie. We will need a a complete makeover but Marshall could end up staying because of a good camp and high dead cap space. He could also play FS if Clemons defects.

I would not be surprised to see multiple free agents brought in. Coyle knows Adam Jones and can tell if he is truly turned around. I would not be against utilizing his judgement to bring in Jones or Newman from Cincy.

I expect better fitting personnel this year and a much better secondary. I hope we resign Clemons after Hartline.

What are your thoughts on the whole situation?

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

I think our starting CBs are not yet on the roster (at least I hope)

________________________________________________________
The beatings will continue until morale improves.

Keep an eye on McCann. He may be the only one left..unless we tender him too low and NE steals him like Welker.

.....................................................................................
“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

they seemed to like Patterson. I think McCann wsa the one i liked. Carroll has this year to get it.

I can't imagine Marshall and Patterson as our starting CB's for 5.77 mil and 4.6 mil this year. They better be darn good to make that money. It is not huge money as far as CB's are concerned but it's probably mor ethan could earn. That makes them our 4th and 8th highest paid players.

.....................................................................................
“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

Patterson seemed to play well in his short time with us. I can see him staying and probably restructuring a bit.

I would love McCann to turn into something special, but I really don't remember him one way or another from last year.

Marshall - too bad he got hurt, but he didn't seem like anything special last year and his price tag is too high, IMO. I think he gets cut.

I'll bet we see (as someone said previously...don't remember who) a couple of veterans brought in to compete for starting spots. Newman, Pacman (can't believe I'm typing that, but I am), Patterson and McCann doesn't seem like a bad set of 4.

don't rule out drafting a CB in the 1st or 2d, it probably will happen

________________________________________________________
The beatings will continue until morale improves.

tsstamper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Patterson seemed to play well in his short time
> with us. I can see him staying and probably
> restructuring a bit.

It's hard to get a handle on him since he only played in two games. From what I know about him, he is one of the best tackling CB's in the league and does get a few picks (more than SSmith) but he can be tore up in coverage when QB's pick on him. Opposing QB's have a 92.7 rating when throwing against him. He also played the slot before.

>
> I would love McCann to turn into something
> special, but I really don't remember him one way
> or another from last year.

I remember him always being around the ball and making key plays. I love that he has 4.3 speed. That is a big plus to have make up speed in zone. He was only a developmental project since 2010 but I just had a feeling about him last year. Something stuck out about him.

Then I saw on PFF that he had a pretty decent rating (+1.3). It doesn't sound like much but he was better than MANY big name CB's around the league and you know teams were going after himlate in the year when it was only he and RJ Sanford and Wilson. (Carroll got hurt).

I could be wrong but I am watching out for him to turn the corner in his 4th year...and the fact that he is playing for Kevin Coyle who has a rep for turning unknowns into solid players.

He had a TD return in consecutive weeks in his rookie year. One on ST and one on a pick 6.

> I'll bet we see (as someone said
> previously...don't remember who) a couple of
> veterans brought in to compete for starting spots.
> Newman, Pacman (can't believe I'm typing that,
> but I am), Patterson and McCann doesn't seem like
> a bad set of 4.

That would be me so I obviously agree with you.

.....................................................................................
“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

I think you forgot Jimmy Wilson, who plays both CB and safety at times... We are missing a number 1 CB and need to draft or acquire one this year or it will be a long season..

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All things are subject to interpretation whichever interpretation prevails at a given time is a function of power and not truth.
Nietzsche

I mentioned a tidbit in the above post. I think Wilson is GREAT...on special teams. That's about it.

.....................................................................................
“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

We better have a powerfull offense and score a lot of points because our defensive backs are swiss cheese.

"WERE" swiss cheese.

We just need to get players that fit the system. We also lost a starter to IR. Then lost a backup.

Sean Smith will make someone running "bump and run" a great number 2 corner. We have one guy on our roster that is a capable zone corner.

It won't be hard to improve over last year since we lost 1 starter to a trade, 1 starter to IR, his backup to IR and were fielding waiver wire pickups by mid-season.

.....................................................................................
“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

eesti Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am looking at it like this....
>
> We currently have Patterson, Marshall, Nolan
> Carroll, RJ Sanford, Bryan McCann and Julian Posey
> under contract.
>
> Dimitri Patterson: I think Patterson is here on an
> extended tryout. Ireland liked him from a previous
> time. Dick Jauron brought DP with him to Cleveland
> from Philly but he seemed to struggle in Jaurons
> zone/cover 2 scheme. I think Patterson gets cut
> and we save 4.6 mil on the cap. hard to say but if
> anything he may get a chance to stay if he
> restuctures. He will most likely not even sniff
> another contract like he got from Cleveland.
>
> Richard Marshall: He was originally signed to be a
> nickle corner but was elevated after competing
> with a lazy Vontae Davis. He looked overmatched at
> times and should probably stick to nickle CB. I
> never saw anything consistent or special about
> him...and now he has a bad back. I don't expect
> much. Maybe an insurance settlement at best. We
> would save 4.6 mil by releasing him but have over
> 2m in dead space.
>
> Nolan Caroll: Probably should be no more than a
> backup and special teams player at this point. He
> has shown well at times but is still inconsistent.
> He was ranked as the 2nd to worst CB at one point.
> No optimism here either.
>
> RJ Sanford: he is an exclusive rights free agent
> which means if we don't offer him a contract
> anyone can resign him. He was an emergency signing
> and probably not worth keeping.
>
> Julian Posey: another undrafted FA that will
> struggle to make the practice squad this year.
>
> Bryan McCann: a RFA who needs to have a fairly
> high tender amount. This is a 4.2/4.3 guy who
> looked very good last year. He was our highest
> rated CB in 2012. Yes, better than Sean Smith. I
> think he has potential to be a starter and we
> should offer him a long term deal so we can get
> him cheap. I would place a 2nd round tender on him
> at least.
>
> Our starting CB's this year (IMO) could be McCann,
> a newly signed FA and a high drafted 2-3 round)
> rookie. We will need a a complete makeover but
> Marshall could end up staying because of a good
> camp and high dead cap space. He could also play
> FS if Clemons defects.
>
> I would not be surprised to see multiple free
> agents brought in. Coyle knows Adam Jones and can
> tell if he is truly turned around. I would not be
> against utilizing his judgement to bring in Jones
> or Newman from Cincy.
>
> I expect better fitting personnel this year and a
> much better secondary. I hope we resign Clemons
> after Hartline.
>
> What are your thoughts on the whole situation?


word is they are not tending mccan at all, let alone at a high tender amount

________________________________________________________
The beatings will continue until morale improves.

I saw that. Maybe they can resign him to a minimum deal?

.....................................................................................
“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers