What would you do? You are the GM

[CodeWarrior]

Let marshawn go, pay kam and bennet. Draft or sign some o lineman and corners. Try to keep bruce irvin also.

I just have to ask: what did you possibly see out of Kam this year that would dictate paying him more money?

 

[MontanaHawk05]

We have to counter defenses like Carolina and Los Angeles immediately.

It is so bizarre reading that.

Anyway, Lynch is the guy on that list who has an heir apparent. Nobody else does.

Bennett has a promising project or two behind him, but the depth of that D-Line is a huge asset for this team, which means Bennett is a steal for only $3 million.

Wilson may have played well without Graham, but given the big plays he was making before he was hurt and the proportion of our passing offense he was comprising (>20% of receptions and yards, same as he did in New Orleans), he could be worth an extra offensive linemen if he can keep giving Wilson somewhere else with the ball. Maybe restructure, but if he's healthy, he stays. Sometimes you just have to open your wallet.

Chancellor - I don't know if his struggles this year were injury, loss of focus, or just QBs adapting to our Cover 3. But I think he stays.

 

[lukerguy]

Bennett is arguably MVP of defense this year. I think you keep all except Lynch. No reason to get rid of Jimmy. Offense was efficient without him but still the major issue was the OLINE. If you can trade him for a young oline star then sure, but I don't think anyone is going to do that.

 

[OkieHawk]

Players Under Contract to Keep an Eye On

I will put the players I believe will be seriously evaluated and the cap savings if we release or trade them:

Marshawn Lynch: $6.5 Million
Jimmy Graham: $9 Million
Kam Chancellor: $4.1 Million
Michael Bennet: $3 Million

Lynch: Keep him if he wants to stay, I think he'd be a good bargain as insurance for Rawls getting hurt.
Graham: Keep. Without Lynch Graham would be a monster on our quick hitting passing game.
Kam: Trade. I love Kam, but his whole situation was detrimental IMO and his play this year wasn't stellar.
Bennet: Keep. I really shouldn't have to say why since he's one of the top D lineman in the league, and he's on the cheap.

Things I would do besides that, fire Bevell. The scripted plays are getting too annoying, and his inability to adapt in some crucial games has cost us, Carolina is proof of that.

Concentrate on the O-line. We need to fix that, like yesterday. If need be use Kam and Graham as trade bait for some good OL help. Russ can't keep getting beat up like that without getting put on IR at some point, it's insane.

 

[SeaToTheHawks]

Players Under Contract to Keep an Eye On

I will put the players I believe will be seriously evaluated and the cap savings if we release or trade them:

Marshawn Lynch: $6.5 Million
Jimmy Graham: $9 Million
Kam Chancellor: $4.1 Million
Michael Bennet: $3 Million

Lynch: Keep him if he wants to stay, I think he'd be a good bargain as insurance for Rawls getting hurt.
Graham: Keep. Without Lynch Graham would be a monster on our quick hitting passing game.
Kam: Trade. I love Kam, but his whole situation was detrimental IMO and his play this year wasn't stellar.
Bennet: Keep. I really shouldn't have to say why since he's one of the top D lineman in the league, and he's on the cheap.

Things I would do besides that, fire Bevell. The scripted plays are getting too annoying, and his inability to adapt in some crucial games has cost us, Carolina is proof of that.

Concentrate on the O-line. We need to fix that, like yesterday. If need be use Kam and Graham as trade bait for some good OL help. Russ can't keep getting beat up like that without getting put on IR at some point, it's insane.

How is Lynch a bargain? He's going to be a cap hit of $11.5 million if I remember correctly. You don't keep $11 million insurance running backs on your roster.

 

[AROS]

Lynch is gone. Everybody else stays put. Give Bennett some extra coin where possible. The dude has earned it.

 

[OkieHawk]

How is Lynch a bargain? He's going to be a cap hit of $11.5 million if I remember correctly. You don't kelp $11 million insurance running backs on your roster.

You are correct that if we keep him his cap hit is $11.5M, however if we cut him we don't really save that much. I personally don't think he'll stay anyway, but a proven RB with a warrior mentality who would still want to help the team is a bad thing...why?

 

[SeaToTheHawks]

How is Lynch a bargain? He's going to be a cap hit of $11.5 million if I remember correctly. You don't kelp $11 million insurance running backs on your roster.

You are correct that if we keep him his cap hit is $11.5M, however if we cut him we don't really save that much. I personally don't think he'll stay anyway, but a proven RB with a warrior mentality who would still want to help the team is a bad thing...why?

I guess that's where I disagree. $6.5 million is a huge savings for next year when you are going to try to extend a WR that had a career year.

 

[OkieHawk]

How is Lynch a bargain? He's going to be a cap hit of $11.5 million if I remember correctly. You don't kelp $11 million insurance running backs on your roster.

You are correct that if we keep him his cap hit is $11.5M, however if we cut him we don't really save that much. I personally don't think he'll stay anyway, but a proven RB with a warrior mentality who would still want to help the team is a bad thing...why?

I guess that's where I disagree. $6.5 million is a huge savings for next year when you are going to try to extend a WR that had a career year.

If you mean Kearse then I think we already have better on the roster to replace him with Richardson. Of course that is contingent on his staying healthy...

 

[SeaToTheHawks]

How is Lynch a bargain? He's going to be a cap hit of $11.5 million if I remember correctly. You don't kelp $11 million insurance running backs on your roster.

You are correct that if we keep him his cap hit is $11.5M, however if we cut him we don't really save that much. I personally don't think he'll stay anyway, but a proven RB with a warrior mentality who would still want to help the team is a bad thing...why?

I guess that's where I disagree. $6.5 million is a huge savings for next year when you are going to try to extend a WR that had a career year.

If you mean Kearse then I think we already have better on the roster to replace him with Richardson. Of course that is contingent on his staying healthy...

Baldwin. Isn't he coming up on the final year of his deal? I'm sure they will try to extend him.

 

[onanygivensunday]

How is Lynch a bargain? He's going to be a cap hit of $11.5 million if I remember correctly. You don't kelp $11 million insurance running backs on your roster.

You are correct that if we keep him his cap hit is $11.5M, however if we cut him we don't really save that much. I personally don't think he'll stay anyway, but a proven RB with a warrior mentality who would still want to help the team is a bad thing...why?

By cutting him post June 1, the 2015 cap savings is $9.0M... that's a huge savings.

And if cut post-June 1st, his 2015 and 2016 dead money would be $2.5M/year.

 

[bjornanderson21]

1. Bevell replaced with an OC who can wants the offense to succeed in both halves.

2. Cable replaced with an OL coach who can actually evaluate talent and make them better. Cable fails at both.

3. Lynch gone. Easy call. Basically done as a player and not worth keeping.

4. Irvin gone. I like his 2nd effort (where almost all his production comes from) but he is the easiest defensive starter to replace and the Hawks need to be moving on from some guys.

5. I sit down with Kam and tell him he gets NO RAISE, NO NEW DEAL and if he doesn't plan on showing up for training camp then i will trade him to the Browns for whatever they will give me.

6. Give bennett some of the money saved from Lynch because he absolutely deserves it and earned it.

7. Because Graham is injured it will be a while before we know what the situation is. Wait for him to get healthy. If our offense is clicking but we don't look like a Super Bowl team then trade him midseason next year to save some cap and get a pick or two. If we look like a good TE away from being contenders then we keep him.

8. If Sweezy wants to be paid like a FA then let him go elsewhere. If he is willing to come back cheap then id keep him. Getting rid of Cable would lower the chances of this, but Cable needs to go.

9. Sign one FA OL of the new OL coach's choice, and use at least 2 draft picks on players of his choice.

 

[Erebus]

Marshawn Lynch: $6.5 Million <- keep
Jimmy Graham: $9 Million <- trade
Kam Chancellor: $4.1 Million <- keep
Michael Bennet: $3 Million <-keep

Willson is not Graham, yet. But for us, he can be the same kind of guy without the drama of "Why isn't Jimmy getting more touches" BS that I hate to read/hear.

The Lynch/Rawls two-headed monster gives me the happy tingles. I want to see that more.

Kam is a monster. Make him feel loved again.

Would love to keep Bennett, but not if it breaks the bank. I like what F.Clark brought to the game and I think if we can get a dominant DT, Bennett can be replaced at a slight drop off.

Honorable mention: Irvin. I want him to stick around at the right price... he really is a team player out there and helps other guys focus on their jobs and not worry so much about him and his job.

Draft, in order of most important to least: WR, CB/SS, TE, DL, OL, LB, P, K, RB, QB

The thought of a Lynch/Rawls backfield is tantalizing, but moving on from Lynch is probably the easiest way to save money without making the team much worse. As was pointed out earlier, you can cut Lynch with a post-June 1 designation and save $9M.

I don't see how you can consider WR our biggest draft priority. We have three legit receiving options that have a lot of good chemistry with Russell. Plus Richardson offers hope of a good 4th receiver. There is room on the roster for another WR or two, but the position certainly isn't a priority, and I would be baffled to see it addressed in the first two rounds. The interior oline needs much more attention, as does interior pass rush.

I completely agree with you on Kam. I think he just had a down year and can easily rebound next year to the dominating form we've grown accustomed to.

 

[Ozzy]

If there is a wr that John and Pete feel is a unique and special player at 26 they would take him(if he is their highest rated guy). Not saying they do but it's one of the positions where you can grab a freak which is what they like to do when using a first.

 

[chris98251]

Seems we do ok with UDFA WR, we have Williams and Smith in the wings as well plus a returning Richardson and the 6'7" WR that is called a TE.

To me we need to find a rounded skill set TE.

 

[Laloosh]

Release Lynch and give Kam the option to be traded if he refuses to roll with his existing contract. Sucks but it's what I'd do.

I just don't think we should let the holdout and it's effect on the season happen next year. Time to shoot a hostage imo.

 

[xgeoff]

Players Under Contract to Keep an Eye On

I will put the players I believe will be seriously evaluated and the cap savings if we release or trade them:

Marshawn Lynch: $6.5 Million
Jimmy Graham: $9 Million
Kam Chancellor: $4.1 Million
Michael Bennet: $3 Million

I would keep Chancellor and Bennett and release Lynch and Graham. Chancellor I would try to move to OLB in place of Bruce Irvin and Bennett is just a game-changer at times. Totally worth keeping.

 

[ludakrishna]

Cut Beast, Keep Bennet and Jimmy, Trade/Cut Kam. Kelcie Mcray was more than serviceable to end the season.

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

Release Lynch and give Kam the option to be traded if he refuses to roll with his existing contract. Sucks but it's what I'd do.

I just don't think we should let the holdout and it's effect on the season happen next year. Time to shoot a hostage imo.

Agree wholeheartedly with your stance on Kam. Also, keep Graham, add a year or incentives to Bennett's deal so he can make more $, try to re-sign Okung in the neighborhood of 8-9, and find a way to get Alex Mack here.

 

[Erebus]

Players Under Contract to Keep an Eye On

I will put the players I believe will be seriously evaluated and the cap savings if we release or trade them:

Marshawn Lynch: $6.5 Million
Jimmy Graham: $9 Million
Kam Chancellor: $4.1 Million
Michael Bennet: $3 Million

I would keep Chancellor and Bennett and release Lynch and Graham. Chancellor I would try to move to OLB in place of Bruce Irvin and Bennett is just a game-changer at times. Totally worth keeping.

I think too many people are too quick to give up on Kam, either entirely or as a strong safety. He was a second team All Pro SS in 2013 and 2014. The talent is definitely there. He just needs to rediscover whatever it was that made him so successful. I'm willing to forgive one holdout and one down year. But if he holds out again, or has another bad year, then it's time to move on.