2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA possibilities
 

2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists
H.B. Blades (Pittsburgh)
Buster Davis (Florida State)
David Harris (Michigan)
Ali Highsmith (LSU)
James Laurinaitis (Ohio State)
Rey Maualuga (Southern California)
Sam Olajubutu (Arkansas)
Paul Posluszny (Penn State)
BRANDON SILER (FLORIDA)

just thought I would throw up the list of LB in next years draft up for the Dit-ka,

Brandon Siler is an interesting Jr. 6-2 235

possible FA at LB
Lance Briggs, UFA, Chicago Bears
Na'il Diggs, UFA, Carolina Panthers
Cato June, UFA, Indianapolis Colts
Adalius Thomas, UFA, Baltimore Ravens
London Fletcher UFA Buffalo Bills
Chase Blackburn, ERFA, New York Giants
Chad Brown, UFA, Pittsburgh Steelers
James Darling, UFA, Arizona Cardinals
Randall Godfrey, UFA, San Diego Chargers
Kawika Mitchell, UFA, Kansas City Chiefs
Rob Morris, UFA, Indianapolis Colts

Remember we are loaded with one year contract at the position

RE: 2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA possibilitie
 

some more
Free Agent Defensive Lineman
Dwight Freeney, UFA, Indianapolis Colts
Jared Allen, RFA, Kansas City Chiefs
Vonnie Holliday, UFA, Miami Dolphins
Terdell Sands UFA Oakland Raiders
Justin Smith, UFA, Bengals
Edward Jasper, UFA, Philadelphia Eagles
Chad Lavalais, RFA, Atlanta Falcons
Cory Redding, UFA, Detroit Lions
Hollis Thomas, UFA, New Orleans Saints

cornerbacks
Nate Clements, UFA, Buffalo Bills
Asante Samuel UFA New England Patriots
Roc Alexander, RFA, Denver Broncos
Jordan Babineaux, RFA, Seattle Seahawks
Jason David, RFA, Indianapolis Colts
Randall Gay, RFA, New England Patriots
Nick Harper, UFA, Indianapolis Colts
David Macklin, UFA, Arizona Cardinals

Safety
Tyrone Carter, UFA, Pittsburgh Steelers
Deon Grant, UFA, Jacksonville Jaguars
Ken Hamlin, UFA, Seattle Seahawks
Michael Lewis, UFA, Philadelphia Eagles
Donnie Nickey, UFA, Tennessee Titans
Tony Parrish, UFA, San Francisco 49ers
Ernest Shazor, ERFA, Arizona Cardinals
B.J. Ward, RFA, Baltimore Ravens
Gibril Wilson, RFA, New York Giants

RE: 2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA possibilitie
 

I'd be shocked if Briggs was allowed to walk out of Chicago.

RE: 2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA possibilitie
 

I do not think they can swing the money to keep him. they have the other starting LB locked up now and he is the last one. he could be odd man out due to the cap. he is wanting money up close to urlacher range.

RE: 2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA possibilitie
 

James Laurinaitis and Buster Davis are beast. I don't know why there's always so much hype surrounding H.B. Blades, he's never lived up to his potential there and seems to always battle injury bugs.

Asante Samuel... aren't we looking for a good young cornerback? This should be the guy. We definately don't need another safety but that Ken Hamlin sure can hit.

RE: 2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA possibilitie
 

Now do not count on Samuel. Romur here has it Branch was low balled because of the money they need to sign him next year. Branch just would not go along with the program. his nose was broken because the Pats held him to the contract. All indications are Samual is aboard with the team and its plans

RE: 2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA possibilitie
 

I'd take Clements over Samuel all day long, but either would be great FA pick-ups at a position we need to address. On another note......if Chicago lets Lance Briggs walk, we need to be on him like white on rice!

RE: 2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA possibilitie
 

i would love to get asante samuel and randall gay.... right off the bat samuel becomes our #2 and gay would be our nickel back or at least challenge fred thomas.... that would allow us to finally get rid of craft macaroni and cheese and have a really dependable secondary.... gandhi, don't you think that briggs is as good as he is b/c of urlacher? look at roosevelt colvin.... looked great w/ the bears, not so good with the patriots.... just wanted your thoughts on that postulation....

RE: 2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA possibilitie
 

personally, if we draft linebacker in the draft i'm really hoping one way or the other we come out of the draft with patrick willis or sam olajabutu.... these guys are the heart and soul to their defenses and loom large in the minds of opposing quarterbacks in the sec..... after watching the ravens game, adailus thomas would be a great pick up for us, but considering what we already have at the position i'm not sure how much action we'll see position in the offseason.... i think that offensive line and secondary help will be the focus along with defensive line youth....

RE: 2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA possibilitie
 

another guy i'd love to see in black and gold is alan branch, dt, michigan.... the guy is massive (6'5", 330+ lbs) and is a monster vs. the run and eats up space kinda like norman hand used to do for us....

RE: 2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA possibilitie
 

i don't think there's anyway in hell that new england lets asante samuel walk..... they usually do a good job of locking up their core players and then find depth in the draft and free agency....

RE: 2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA possibilitie
 

i'm hoping highsmith comes back for his senior season at lsu... key player for a defense that will already be losing a lot of experience and talent.... the following year though he'd be worth a look, as well as glenn dorsey, dt, at lsu... that guy is going to be a pro bowl dt for years for somebody.... never seen a faster dt at any level of competition

RE: 2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA possibilitie
 

Sam Olajubutu is an animal. If you watch an Arkansas game he's all over the place and he hits like a truck.

I'd like to somehow wind up with him or Buster Davis. Both those guys are the fast, playmaking LB's that make a good defense great. They're Derrick Brooks types.

RE: 2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA possibilitie
 

exactly.... both olajubutu and willis, when you watch them during their games, you notice that they make so many tackles, it's rediculous.... i'm kinda wary of any linebacker coming out of florida st..... they usually look really good at florida st. then get to the nfl and blow donkey d!ck.... need an example? tommy polley, alonzo jackson, etc....

Re: RE: 2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA possibil
 

Ernie Sims this past year.

I totally forgot Willis. I'd take him over the others. He's definitely in the 1st rd though, and we probably need DB, DT, or OL in that round.

RE: Re: RE: 2006 Butkus Award Semifinalists and some FA poss
 

i think it's too early to pass judgement on sims.... but the early poll shows negative feedback thus far

Ernie Sims - Detroit Lions

• Sims currently leads all NFL rookies in tackles, and also ranks first in the NFC amongst all defenders and fourth overall in the NFL, with 58 tackles (43 solo) according to press box stats.

• Currently leads the team with 83 tackles (52 solo), according to coaches film review.
Has registered 10-plus tackles in six-of-seven games this season.

• In his first career start as a pro, the Lions 2006 number one pick tied for a game-high 10 tackles (eight solo) along with one tackle for loss against the Seahawks (9/10). The 10 tackles that LB Ernie Sims registered against Seattle were the most by a Lions rookie in an opening day start since S Bennie Blades (1988-1996) recorded 12 tackles in his professional debut against the Atlanta Falcons (9-88 and were the most by a Lions’ rookie linebacker to start opening day since LB Dennis Gibson’s (1987-1993) 11 tackles made in his opening start as a Lions pro against Minnesota (9/13/87).

• Led the team in tackles at Chicago (9/17) with 10 tackles (six solo).

• For the third straight game, Sims led the team with a season-high 13 tackles (four solo) along with two special teams tackles against Green Bay (9/24).

• At St. Louis (10/1), Sims had 11 tackles (10 solo) to lead the team for the fourth consecutive week.

• Posted his fifth-straight double-digit tackle game with 10 (four solo) and forced a fumble at Minnesota (10-8.

• Had seven tackles (three solo) against Buffalo (10/15).

• Tied his season-best 13 tackles (nine solo) to once again lead the team in tackles at the New York Jets (10/22).

• Collected his first fumble recovery of his career off of Atlanta QB Michael Vick (11/5) and also led the defense with nine tackles (eight solo).



8)

You left out a few donkey dick blowers - Derrick Brooks, Marvin Jones and Sam Cowart.


:wink:

http://www.rotoworld.com/content/fea...rticleid=23305

There.

I said it before, i'll say it again, we need to go hard after Lance Briggs. HARD. Chicago just gave away some of their cap next year re-signing Olin Kreutz at center, and they have shown they are willing to let LBs walk who have excelled for them(Warrick Holdman, Rosy Colvin). After that, Nate Clements would be incredible. I am with whoever said they don't see Asante getting a chance to leave NE, but NE has shown they are not gonna overpay for any player. There is no way they will franchise Asante with CB salaries the highest of all franchised players, so possibly a team could make him a high offer and steal him. Most likely though, at a minimum, they will use a transition tag, so they have the right to match.

what have holdman and colvin done since not playing on the side of urlacher? nothing.... that's what's in store for briggs when he leaves chicago... these guys were beast when they were teamed with a monster at middle backer, but when they have to stand alone and be the "man" for a defense, they are proven to be not as good as advertised.... and the ernie sims thing, i'm just saying that the trend for lb's out of fla. st. is that they come to nfl, look good for a sec, then fall way off in production... remember peter boulware? maybe ernie is different, but i'm thinking he's in the same mold.... he was inconsistent even at fla. st.

No. You said there's been negative feedback so far.


:lol:

Colvin was never asked to be "the man" in New England. They had pretty good LBs before he signed on. He got hurt and has never been the same. And Holdman went to Cleveland after Chicago. Not exactly a hotbed for defensive players. Now he plays for Washington, who has a suspect defense. How they equal Lance Briggs though is quite a stretch. That's like saying since Charles Rogers and Mike Williams busted in Detroit, no one should want Roy Williams if he became a FA, who is a bonafide stud. Doesn't make sense.

alright.... i was wrong.... give you that one.... but we'll extrapolate his career later, and we'll all see what i mean with fla. st. linebackers....

Fair enough. It'll be interesting to see how Sims does.


8)

the whole point is that i would not like buster davis as a draft pick of this club.... guess i went about it the wrong way....

Boulware played DE at FSU.

Watch some more Fla St game and eye in on Davis... I'm pretty sure you'll start liking him.

whodi, i think you are missing my point... i'm saying that the other bear linebackers benefit from being paired w/ urlacher and once they depart from that pairing, they don't live up to the biling they receive when playing with urlacher... boulware played both de and lb at fla. st. but the point is he's now a lb and he came from fla. st.... papz, i'm sure i'd love davis AT fla. st..... that's my point.... they look great at fla. st. but once they get to the nfl, they flop, or at least don't live up to the hype they get when they excell at fla. st..... again, this is not an absolute truth, but it something i notice about most (not all) fla. st. linebackers

WOW am I agree with Whodi here??????????????????????///////////////////////////////////
Briggs and Clements FA

I like the Kid from FLA. at LB myself in the draft

clements will cost an arm and a leg.... this will be an unusually down year for corners via draft, but there are some young, quality fa's out there.... i'd love to get randall gay back down here.... asante samuel, again, is probably not going to be available, the pats will pay him to stay.... i'm still not sold that briggs can be great without an urlacher on the side of him.... there are plenty of good linebackers this year in the draft, my favorite ones being patrick willis, sam olajubutu, and brandon siler, if he opts for the draft.... what about taking jamarcus russell later in the draft as our backup? i say if he's there in the 3rd/4th rd, we should take a look.... doubt with the weak qb class he'll las that long, but you never know... that's if he comes out this year though

No on Lance Briggs, no on Buster Davis, but yes on taking a flyer on Aaron Brooks Jr. in the later rounds? Wow. LSU QBs history has not been great in the pros. Matt Mauck, Rohan Davey. Doesn't that fall into what you are saying about FSU LBs and Bears LBs once they leave Urlacher? Double standard?

Briggs is a beast. I don't care what guys before him or after him did or didn't do, which they most definitely did not do what you said before "left to be THE MAN on their new teams." And in Colvin's case, had a serious injury that slowed him down tremendously. Just like Buster Davis is a beast, whether he goes to FSU or Penn State.

alright... alright... i understand... my bad.... didn't mean to step on any toes....

You're not stepping on toes, I am trying to get a handle on where you are coming from, and why you feel a certain way about some players, and not about others. If you say it's just personal preference, then that's all good. But your reasoning leads to a double standard.

in my OPINION, i feel we need to solidify the interior of our lines.... hollis thomas has done great, but ain't gettin' any younger... alan branch, michigan or amobi okoye, louisville, or even frank okam, texas would be great additions that are in the same mold as hollis thomas.... after that tight end is a big need too.... greg olsen, miami or zach miller, arizona st. would help us really quickly, also our secondary is a big need.... see above for the players i like at that position.... we need some help at the guard (left side, to be precise) position, which i'd like to see ben grubbs, auburn take over... linebacker, while not an immediate need, is an area that needs added depth and again see above for my picks here.... we also need a backup qb, a 4th receiver, and a kicker.... if we can have another offseason like this last one, then we can really serious start discussing the saints and the super bowl

Okay, so you are down on LBs and CBs cause you feel there are other positions that need to be addressed first? You mentioned DT and TE first. Then secondary. Then guard. And THEN LB. Is that all it is? I agree we need a DT to put beside Hollis and to take over, but I don't have TE as that high a need. Drew is throwing for 300 yard games without one. I'd say DT, LB, CB, WR, TE. I am fine with our line, although we need them to maul more in the running game. But it's all good.

it wasn't in a particular order, whodi, just as they came into my mind.... not in order of importance.... and i was just naming guys i like, not when i think we should draft them or anything (i know greg olsen will go in the 1st or 2nd rd.).... no particular order though... if that's ok with you...

i mean i know you're probably going to say i'm wrong about something so....

Wow. You're all upset for some reason. Like I said, I was trying to gauge where you are coming from. Maybe that's my fault for wondering. Don't worry, I won't again.

not you personally, whodi.... just in general....