Adams signed

Very much agreed. It's pretty cool to go into the draft not perceiving a true weakness anywhere, so we can legitimately take BPA and not feel bad about it. And as for Carpenter, the new NFL.com profile really bummed me out so I'm going to go back over the OSU games I have and make sure that I wasn't deceiving myself.

 

I beginning to agree that the Panthers don't have a single guy or position targets. Taking the best player available has never been more true.

I really like our linebackers and have liked Seward since we drafted him. I think he'll be giving every chance to start. I think Fox would love to have enough quality LB's to rotate them like he does the D-line.

I see our biggest weakness right now being the lack of a true free safety. It seems like I see Minter getting out jumped in coverage a lot. Despite what our coaching staff says about FS or SS being interchangeable I'd still like a ballhawking, fast free safety. Deon Grants body with more talent.

 

Grant never played the ball as much as you'd figure he would've, which would've been at a Pro Bowl level looking at the way he was rated coming in and his college portfolio. Don't know whether the hip limited his range or cutting, but it's possible it took a tenth off him. I do believe we're looking for a zone safety, not as much a true FS, but if the guy we theoretically get has the ability to play the ball a lot, awesome. Honestly, looking at what we're after, it seems like we're after a SS, so it might be a slightly larger TE matchup, but I'd somewhat prefer a versatile Bullucks to a gargantuan Bing just for the ability to slide him in either spot - only Minter's signed past this year, I believe, and that's both a need and a long term issue.

Either way, while I feel like S is one of the two other big needs (RB being the other), I don't know if I'd use a 1st on it. Neither Simpson nor Bing right now really kick me hard there now, and while I could gladly accept either here especially in a trade down, it's definitely a spot that could take a later pick.
As could backup RB, OLB. I'd rather not see any of the above get shorted for OL, though, if possible. If we pulled Lundy and had him KR, I could deal with getting a CB in the 4th, making S,LB in some form the top two picks, but it'd be lopsided as hell to spend the first two on defense considering we've already done so much there.

 

Btw, if we could somehow make it work under the cap, I'd take that #88 from Chicago (if they sign Manning) and give it to San Diego for Donnie Edwards. I know he's aging and not as big as I'd like our next LB to be, but Edwards is seriously clutch. He honestly should have been defensive MVP either of the last two years. He just doesn't make mistakes and is consistently around the ball, especially in critical situations. The downside is apparently that he wants a big contract extension, which we couldn't/shouldn't give him.

 

I seriously doubt we'd have the cap room to sign him, even if SD took the trade.

 

The reason I mentioned it is that San Diego is trying to get rid of him and is asking for a third, but I agree that it's not feasible.

 

This says 59 tackles last year (only 115 in a 5 year career): http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=2781

NFL.com also says 59 w/ 69 combo: http://www.nfl.com/players/playerpage/235011

 

Keeps us from having to make a "Gross" miscalculation with our first round pick

 

I like this signing.

On Seward, how do we know he has the slightest idea which side he will play? He may have mentioned WLB. Maybe that was being deferential to Short, who was still talking about coming back. The WLB spot is vacant, so he doesnt step on anyone's toes if he mentions it. Many of us have Davis penciled in there, but its not like he has started there in the past, like Short has at SLB. Isnt it more like Fox to play the guys at both positions at minicamp, and at the start of training camp, and SEE where they play best?

 

Not that I know of.