2022 Top 100 Free Agents

I’d rather keep him. Show a little bit of loyalty and I don’t think he will command huge money. If we get a stud to put beside him all the better. In the back of my mind I can’t help but wonder if Okudah could slide back there post achilles. Seeing guys like AO, Parker, Price and now Iffy and Harris at CB, maybe that’s on option too.

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23. TE DALTON SCHULTZ, DALLAS COWBOYS

Schultz has taken full advantage of the absence of Blake Jarwin‘s absence within the Cowboys’ offense and has made a name for himself. He has at least five receptions in seven of his 12 games thus far in 2021, with his 77.4 overall grade ranking sixth-best among tight ends. The former fourth-round pick out of Stanford seemed like a limited athlete with all the intangibles that typically come with a Cardinal tight end, but he’s blossoming into a solid all-around player at the position.

Strengths:
-Run blocking
-Short/Intermediate routes

Weaknesses:
-One year of good production
-Deep routes

Scheme Fit/Role:
STARTING TIGHT END ON TEAM WITH GOOD WEAPONS: Schultz has produced in a Dallas system that has multiple playmakers who keep the defense honest and that’s his best bet for future receiving production. He’s a good blocker, so he can provide value in that area, and he can work the middle of the field at the short and intermediate levels.

Recent Injury History:
After playing a more limited role in 2018 and 2019, Schultz has played in every game for the Cowboys since the start of the 2020 season, including the third-most snaps by a tight end with 973 in 2020.

Contract Projection: Four years, $45 million ($11.25M per year), $25.25 million total guaranteed

Bottom Line:
Schultz was a backup until 2020 and he didn’t break out until 2021 where he’s been one of the better all-around tight ends in the league. He’s a mid-tier starter who has shown that he can be a dependable receiver and run-blockers.

2nd pick in 3rd round I take, in order best of who is still available…

Charlie Kolar
Trey McBride
Sam Laporta

Don’t pour anymore money into TE, all 3 of these guys are the real deal.

We could land 4/5 of these guys. Draft correctly and we could contend. If Rodgers is gone we can compete for the north.

The guys I would target would be
S Jessie Bates
DE Jerry Hughes 1 year deal
Wr Kirk
TE Engrahm

On the FA WRs:

We really got hosed by the WR injuries. Godwin and Gallup were my two favorite options (and maybe they still are, but it’ll be awhile before they pay off) because of their ages, and losing them is gonna make the other options more expensive.

I liked Kirk as a cheap option but I think he’s become more expensive simply due to supply and demand. (I also haven’t liked that he’s basically been a no-show since Hopkins went out, he should be getting the most opportunities in that offense).

I know Robinson has a lot of fans but I’m not one of them (unless he’d take a one-year deal, and he won’t). Yes, we need to evaluate Goff but there are a lot of different ways to do that and bringing in a guy who will turn 30 after the first year of his contract isn’t much of a long-term plan. They don’t all have to be long-term plans of course, but to me you start bringing in guys like Robinson when you’re on the cusp of a Super Bowl run. I don’t think we’re there yet, and by the time we are he’ll be 31 or 32.

Mike Williams is an intriguing option and probably my favorite for the moment, but he has some major problems with injuries. There’s also some concern that he won’t be the same player once he gets paid. Also, go up with two hands every once in awhile!

As it stands, I think we may be better served by going with one of the mid-tier options. The Rams did this successfully when they signed Robert Woods from the Bills, sometimes guys just need a fresh start. It won’t be popular but there’s still the draft.

A guy like Cedric Wilson, for instance, fits the mold of someone who could thrive elsewhere, and he wouldn’t cost much at all. James Washington is another name I’ve seen brought up and he might not be a bad shout, though I’ve been very disappointed with his performance so far. I’m not a huge Chark fan but he’s the sort of receiver Holmes tried to sign last offseason, deep threat with speed. Trent Sherfield has shown out in a deep Niners WR corps, a bit like Kendrick Bourne did last year. He could be a really cheap option.

Anyway I think it would be best if we could add someone in FA but the options keep getting worse IMO. Maybe someone will become available through trade or get cut surprisingly.

I would love to have Mike Williams, but LAC still have a qb on rookie contract so probably ends up as back with them
Robinson seems like a perfect fit. But I think we spend cheaper on wr

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Amari Cooper was the biggest name I saw as far as a cap casualty. I personally wouldn’t want him though.

I am right in line with your thinking though. I like Mike Williams, but he will cost close to what Golladay got and is pretty similar to him skillset wise. With St. Brown emerging I would save the cap.

I love the mid tier option. Chark tops my list depending on cost because he brings exactly what we lack on offense. Wilson and Washington are two very good backup options. Sammy Watkins has a history with Goff, but he is just so inconsistent. Will Fuller is probably the best bang for your buck, but is an injury waiting to happen and I wouldn’t go down that road.

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Yeah if Chark comes cheap enough I’m fine with it. He is exactly what the offense needs, I just don’t think he’s all that talented (technically Williams and Perriman were just what the offense needed as well, but they also weren’t great). Urban accused him of being soft and though I don’t know if we can believe anything that guy says, if he is soft, we probably won’t go after him.

Cooper is interesting but I’m probably with you. Too pricey for not enough production. Though maybe now that Gallup got hurt they won’t cut him?

I’ve been a fan of Cedric Wilson Jr. since Boise St. I’d be fine with bringing him in as a number two then getting a guy like London as our 1.

I also am intrigued by the scenario of coupling a one year prove it veteran deal (guys like Chark and JuJu are likely looking for something like that) and coupling that with drafting a guy like Jameson or Metchie later then we’d otherwise be able to knowing that we wouldn’t get major contributions until '23.

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Larry Fitz likes him… and I have seen flashes when he has opportunities.

Larry Fitzgerald excited for NFL to see what 49ers’ Trent Sherfield can do (yahoo.com)

Yes! I posted this in the WR thread:

I think Holmes has a pretty established history now when you factor in who he got in FA as well even if they didn’t work out.

Aman-Ra was the most Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, Van Jefferson (who he was involved in drafting) like WR in the last draft. They all have +hands, +route technique, +versatility out of the box. None of the 4 are blazing fast. None are huge 50/50 monsters. Just good all around WRs.

Josh Reynolds was the tallest WR that Holmes drafted. He’s been just OK for the last 5 years and does have familiarity with Goff.

I could see Holmes getting an outside burner with more upside than Kalif, or a bigger jump guy to eventually replace Cephus (T Williams/Perriman body types). No matter what, they should have good hands, be football type players (coaches sons), and fairly well developed for a college WR.

He doesn’t want character divas, guys with dropsies, or guys afraid of contact no matter their 40 time.

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Well he’s on record as saying we were going WR if Sewell got drafted before our pick. I don’t know if it was Chase or Waddle (probably whichever was left) or Devonta, but it shows that he’s willing to put heavy resources into it. Which is good. If the best player is a WR, we should be willing to draft WR whether it’s the way he prefers to do things or not.

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I agree. Walker should be the strongest FA candidate to be a Lion.

Laken Tomlinson
Quandre Diggs

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I think that is ideal. Grab a solid mid tier FA WR and then draft Jameson if he is there. If he is slow to come back we can make do with say Cedric Wilson, Reynolds, St. Brown and Cephus.

Jameson Williams injury could have him landing right in our lap.

Before I can fairly evaluate which FAs we might sign, I need more information beyond what is generally available. I need to see the turd ratings for each of those top FAs. Dan Campbell doesn’t tolerate turds.

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I definitely want Tracy Walker back. Take care of our own first.

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I think we’re a little more enamored with Tracy Walker than the bulk of the league.

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Little mini game for ya:

2021 Detroit Lions ran 1056 total offensive plays (rush att + pass att + times sacked)

That is 62.1 Offensive plays per game (1056/17)

34.8 Pass attempts per game (593/17)

25.1 Rush attempts per game (427/17)

We gave up 36 sacks

We’ll keep it at 35 pass/25 rush per contest in 2022.

Who are the guys filling these rush attempts or pass targets?

Example:

Jamal Williams 12 carries
DeAndre Swift 10 carries
RB 3 (Reynolds?) 3 carries

25 Rush Attempts

Give me some of your examples. It’s not as easy as it sounds when you start adding up the numbers. Who are the guys getting these attempts next year? It makes you think about potential Free agents a little different.

There is only 1 football to toss around on Sunday.

25 Rushing Attempts:

15- DeAndre Swift
8- Jamal Williams
2- RB3

35 Pass Attempts (these are completions/incompletions):

10- Hockenson (7 completions, 80 yards?)
10- St. Brown (7 completions, 95 yards?)

That’s 20 already! Only 15 more…

5- Swift (4 completions, 35 yards)

Down to 10…!

WR? TE2? RB2?

You sign a WR in Free agency for $12+ million a year…you know darn well he’s going to DEMAND those 10 Targets LEFT! Or you would just be wasting their talent and your money.