*DISCLAIMER* If discussing roster moves isn't your thing. Please do not troll post, and muck up the thread, and ruin it for those of us who do. Thank You.
First I just want to say Cable did a fantastic job turning around a unit that looked unsalvageable early in the season, but the work is never done, and some interesting decisions are going to have to be made. LT is the most crucial decision of the off-season IMO.
Let's dive in.
Relevant Upcoming Free Agents
Okung - I think letting Okung sign elsewhere to an impetuous organization who will give him 9-11M APY, and collect on the compensatory pick is the right choice. He will just get hurt anyway. He always does. Nothing will make me feel worse than re-signing him at good LT money. (Which is what he will command on the open market.) Then he gets injured early in the season, and Gilliam, or whoever ends up being the LT anyway.
The Hawks need to be proactive at the LT position, and look to upgrade it. Whether it be moving up in the draft, or trading for a vet. Even if they re-sign Okung, they still have to be proactive because it is a given he is going to get hurt. Okung couldn't stay healthy in his 20's, he isn't going to magically reverse this trend entering his 30's. I'm sure the Hawks are thinking about re-signing him to a Low-Guarantee deal, but they are outnumbered by poorly run clubs with a willingness out of desperation to give him more guarantees, it is important they stay disciplined like they did with Maxwell last off-season.
Sweezy - I go back and forth on. I think Glowinski can be plugged in, and it would be pretty seamless, but Cable loves him, and Glowinski as a backup is highly valuable too. So right now I'm leaning toward re-signing him. $5-6M APY ballpark is what it will take. Again discipline, if another team wants to get crazy.
Patrick Lewis - is an RFA, you tender him no question.
Alvin Bailey - is an RFA, He isn't worth the $2.4M tender, but if he can be brought back at around the vet min, you do it. He is serviceable as a back up LT, and can play 4 positions on the O-Line.
The Draft
Besides LT if a vet isn't acquired. The Center of the future will be atop the wishlist. Thankfully there are numerous examples of Centers being drafted in the middle rounds in recent years, and being successful as rookies. So spending a middle round pick to add this piece is a no brainer.
NOTE: I'm not going to name specific prospects at this juncture due to the Senior Bowl & Combine always swinging draft stock, but please feel free to name a prospect, or 2. If you feel strongly about them.
Projected 2016 O-Line
LT -VET- via trade / or using a Draft Pick(s)
LG Britt
OC Lewis
RG Sweezy
RT Gilliam
T Bailey
G Glowinski
C Rookie Middle Round Pick
G Sokoli
9 is generally what they keep on the 53.
A final comment on Kristjan Sokoli. He was originally drafted to be a Center, but I just think that is too steep of a learning curve for a D-Line conversion project, and should be left to continue to develop as a Guard.
Thank You for reading. Please discuss, and please give your opinions on Okung & Sweezy, and your projection for the O-line in 2016.
First I just want to say Cable did a fantastic job turning around a unit that looked unsalvageable early in the season, but the work is never done, and some interesting decisions are going to have to be made. LT is the most crucial decision of the off-season IMO.
Let's dive in.
Relevant Upcoming Free Agents
Okung - I think letting Okung sign elsewhere to an impetuous organization who will give him 9-11M APY, and collect on the compensatory pick is the right choice. He will just get hurt anyway. He always does. Nothing will make me feel worse than re-signing him at good LT money. (Which is what he will command on the open market.) Then he gets injured early in the season, and Gilliam, or whoever ends up being the LT anyway.
The Hawks need to be proactive at the LT position, and look to upgrade it. Whether it be moving up in the draft, or trading for a vet. Even if they re-sign Okung, they still have to be proactive because it is a given he is going to get hurt. Okung couldn't stay healthy in his 20's, he isn't going to magically reverse this trend entering his 30's. I'm sure the Hawks are thinking about re-signing him to a Low-Guarantee deal, but they are outnumbered by poorly run clubs with a willingness out of desperation to give him more guarantees, it is important they stay disciplined like they did with Maxwell last off-season.
Sweezy - I go back and forth on. I think Glowinski can be plugged in, and it would be pretty seamless, but Cable loves him, and Glowinski as a backup is highly valuable too. So right now I'm leaning toward re-signing him. $5-6M APY ballpark is what it will take. Again discipline, if another team wants to get crazy.
Patrick Lewis - is an RFA, you tender him no question.
Alvin Bailey - is an RFA, He isn't worth the $2.4M tender, but if he can be brought back at around the vet min, you do it. He is serviceable as a back up LT, and can play 4 positions on the O-Line.
The Draft
Besides LT if a vet isn't acquired. The Center of the future will be atop the wishlist. Thankfully there are numerous examples of Centers being drafted in the middle rounds in recent years, and being successful as rookies. So spending a middle round pick to add this piece is a no brainer.
NOTE: I'm not going to name specific prospects at this juncture due to the Senior Bowl & Combine always swinging draft stock, but please feel free to name a prospect, or 2. If you feel strongly about them.
Projected 2016 O-Line
LT -VET- via trade / or using a Draft Pick(s)
LG Britt
OC Lewis
RG Sweezy
RT Gilliam
T Bailey
G Glowinski
C Rookie Middle Round Pick
G Sokoli
9 is generally what they keep on the 53.
A final comment on Kristjan Sokoli. He was originally drafted to be a Center, but I just think that is too steep of a learning curve for a D-Line conversion project, and should be left to continue to develop as a Guard.
Thank You for reading. Please discuss, and please give your opinions on Okung & Sweezy, and your projection for the O-line in 2016.