The One Move I Disagree With by Decosta

[Ortizer]

Nope we did not try to.

Certainly sounds like they were talking...

https://ravenswire.usatoday.com/2018...ontract-talks/

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[TimTheEnchanter]

Agreed. They had both proven themselves -- very well in fact -- as role players the year before. Limited snaps, limited responsibilities. It was reasonable to hope that one or both would be able to make the jump. Neither was. The only way you find that out is to let them try.

To categorize it as a mistake? Personally, I'd rather we give our own young guys an opportunity to fail before we run out and sign vets.

Look at WR this year. Is it a mistake to believe Hollywood will make a jump to being a dominant WR, and that the draftees will be able to play at the NFL level? No. But it's certainly possible that they all end up sucking, and we have to go dumpster-diving in the FA WR bin again. (Good God, shoot me now if that happens.)

But it doesn't mean it's a mistake to let the young guys try it first.

The way i look at it, the fact that they were able to find not one, but TWO competent-but-unspectacular replacements at the position demonstrates that taking a risk like that at inside LB was one worth taking. There are guys on the street who can come in and play that position.

Taking a chance like that at WR is much more of an issue because replacement level players just aren't good enough to get the job done if force to play. We saw that in 2017 when SSmith left and the team put its faith in aging Mike Wallace and the expected growth of Perriman, Chris Moore and Campanaro. That failed miserably - Wallace declined but still led the team, as our next leading receivers were the ghosts of Ben Watson and Jeremy Maclin. It didn't help that Pitta reinjured his hip that summer, but that was a risky situation as well.

I'm less concerned about WR this time around because the passing game was competent last year (and at times very good) and hasn't lost anyone significant other than a 2nd TE in Hurst so the baseline should be much more solid this time around. Taking the chance they took last year had me far more concerned than this year because none of those guys had proven anything yet.

i agree with someone above who said lack of OL depth could be a big mistake this year. They're counting on several young/new guys getting better and possibly having to cover a position (tackle) they aren't that familiar with. OL (especially tackle) is another position where it's hard to find guys on the street who don't put your entire offense at risk when forced to play, so if they don't have the horses in the stable before the season starts it could tank the whole season.

[QtR Nevermore]

If we really wanted to pay Mosley then we would have resigned him before the final year of his contract but we didn't. We let him play out his contract year and allowed other teams to pay him more than what he is worth instead.

They offered him, I think, $13 million a year.

Do you really think they did that because they didn't really want to keep him as they thought he was a liability in coverage?

Was all the praise heaped on him and all the statements that they hoped to re-sign him just a cunning ruse to drive his price up for some mysterious reason? Why would they bother? Do they just really hate the Jets?

[chartman]

For me it was drafting Madubuike over Josh Jones (who was taken one pick later). Not that I don't think DT was a need or that I think Madubuike will be a bad player. I would just feel a lot more comfortable this season having Josh Jones to back-up Stanley or Brown Jr.. Not to mention that it makes either of those guys more expendable when now they're going to both break the tackle market.

[bacchys]

I don't think it's rocket science. Peanut had a strong year in 2018, and Kenny Young is a great athlete. They made a bet, gave 2 guys who'd never played together an opportunity to gel and then pulled the plug after about 4 weeks.

You can go back through many, many seasons under Harbaugh -- incl. playoff seasons -- where the 1st quarter season depth chart and rotations looked nothing like the team down the stretch.

I thought both of them would be much better than they showed on the field.

Though I agree with the OP: I would have liked to have kept Bynes. I would have kept him over Fort, I think. At the least, he would have been someone for the rookies to hurdle to get on the field, and if they did he was veteran depth who had proved he could play in this defense.

[Davesta]

For me it was drafting Madubuike over Josh Jones (who was taken one pick later). Not that I don't think DT was a need or that I think Madubuike will be a bad player. I would just feel a lot more comfortable this season having Josh Jones to back-up Stanley or Brown Jr.. Not to mention that it makes either of those guys more expendable when now they're going to both break the tackle market.

I agree that our tackle depth looks pretty awful on paper. But Lamar's elusiveness can probably get us by with whoever the backup is.

I love the J-Mad pick as he's the clear replacement for brandon williams by either next year or 2 years from now. Plus derek wolfe is on a 1 year deal, and campbell is 34. We pretty much have no one after those big 3 (who are all over the age of 30).

[QtR Nevermore]

Offense Tackle - depth

Good point. Our total tackle depth is Tyre Phillips and Mekari, isn't it?

[Josepho]

I love DeCosta, but yeah, this and the overall asset management of the Hurst trade (felt it was an underpayment worsened by taking an RB) are basically the only problems I've had with him.

[JimZipCode]

... worsened by taking an RB

Naw man, Dobbins is going to be a tremendous asset. A real weapon.

[Ortizer]

Naw man, Dobbins is going to be a tremendous asset. A real weapon.

Agreed... Though I hate to say it about a buckeye.

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[BearArms]

Did Fluker have experience at tackle? I'm a bit more encouraged about signing him after I read his comments about finally realizing what it's gonna take to be on top of his game, then showing up looking in tremendous shape.

There might be adequate backup talent available after teams cut to 53. I'm also happier with the Tyre Phillips pick as he might learn enough to be a serviceable back-up tackle

[saintmatthew]

I mean, bringing the vets in to replace Young and Peanut def helped but I still think this Defense really seemed to gel after Chuck Clark got the green dot.