POLL: Which Defensive Players Need to be Cut, Traded, & Upgraded?

[Topcat]

Our D needs a MAJOR overhaul. In the offseason, via FA and the draft, who needs to go? Vote for multiple players!

[Bolt4Knob]

A lot of the players are UDFAs and Emergency players. But I will go

Gilman - special teamer at best. If you keep him, its only for special teams
Niemann - might be a better potential back up than Amen O at this time - but good for special teams continuity. The unit needs it
Amen O: good for special teams continuity and the team needs it!
Fehoko, Gaziano and Merrill - pretty cheap players -- worth bringing back since they are cheap



Joseph and Harris - too old

Murray: I think they need to do one of two things 1) figure out his best position and see him through training camp 2) trade him. I am not sure OLB is his best position.

Tillery: I think he needs to be rotational at best for the IDL. Better pass rusher than run defender so need to bring back Justin Jones, sign two IDL ( other threads have the names: Day-Joseph would be ideal I think, Maliek Collins, Austin Johnson. For the veterans minimum or very cheap, not your 1st day signing like Linval but later in free agency, maybe Akiem Hicks)

[WindsorUK]

ALL the guys you listed Topcat are just that- guys! Nothing special. ALL of them are replaceable.
I'm not giving up on Murray just yet. He was extremely productive his last year at OU and came on a little bit towards the end of his rookie season. For what it cost to bring him here, I'm willing to give Staley another year with him.
Everyone else, I'm sure a lot will be back, and as Chargers, I'm a fan but not a great deal of production from any of them.
Telesco has done an extremely poor job of building this side of the line. 9 years and zero depth.....

[WindsorUK]

A lot of the players are UDFAs and Emergency players. But I will go

Gilman - special teamer at best. If you keep him, its only for special teams
Niemann - might be a better potential back up than Amen O at this time - but good for special teams continuity. The unit needs it
Amen O: good for special teams continuity and the team needs it!
Fehoko, Gaziano and Merrill - pretty cheap players -- worth bringing back since they are cheap



Joseph and Harris - too old

Murray: I think they need to do one of two things 1) figure out his best position and see him through training camp 2) trade him. I am not sure OLB is his best position.

Tillery: I think he needs to be rotational at best for the IDL. Better pass rusher than run defender so need to bring back Justin Jones, sign two IDL ( other threads have the names: Day-Joseph would be ideal I think, Maliek Collins, Austin Johnson. For the veterans minimum or very cheap, not your 1st day signing like Linval but later in free agency, maybe Akiem Hicks)

Agreed.
They don't put up numbers but in rotation, they occupy blockers, hold gaps, and allow are LB's to make plays.
It's impossible to repalce half your D in 1 off season. I'd be content with these guys returning.

[powderblueboy]

i voted out anyone on the list from Notre Dame.

[Bolt4Knob]

ALL the guys you listed Topcat are just that- guys! Nothing special. ALL of them are replaceable.
I'm not giving up on Murray just yet. He was extremely productive his last year at OU and came on a little bit towards the end of his rookie season. For what it cost to bring him here, I'm willing to give Staley another year with him.
Everyone else, I'm sure a lot will be back, and as Chargers, I'm a fan but not a great deal of production from any of them.
Telesco has done an extremely poor job of building this side of the line. 9 years and zero depth.....

I don't see the value in giving up on Murray either. From a salary perspective, his base salarys are around $2m each of the next two years - thats not a lot

He has the physical ability and like you said - saw it towards the end of last season. And if that means putting him back at ILB - through the offseason, minicamps OTAs and training camp, do it. I think they put him at Edge as they had a need. If the coaches do not think he can make - explore the trade value and move on. Not this is he an ILB or Edge?

But many on the list - they are minimum level players, UDFAs -

Telesco needs to hit free agency and the draft pretty hard. This past offseason: Linsley, Feiler, Aboushi, Slater and Jaimes - that is a lot of OL capital and it was needed He needs to do something similar on the defense - that type of dollar commitment. Linsley, Feiler and Aboushi were Big, Middle and Cheap dollar commitments. Same thing this spring. Draft - again, he needs to recreate the 2021 - two day 1 starters and enough other players that show promise.

[Topcat]

ALL the guys you listed Topcat are just that- guys! Nothing special. ALL of them are replaceable.
I'm not giving up on Murray just yet. He was extremely productive his last year at OU and came on a little bit towards the end of his rookie season. For what it cost to bring him here, I'm willing to give Staley another year with him.
Everyone else, I'm sure a lot will be back, and as Chargers, I'm a fan but not a great deal of production from any of them.
Telesco has done an extremely poor job of building this side of the line. 9 years and zero depth.....

Yep, a whole lotta JAG's...we may still be TWO years away from a total rebuild...though I think TT (with heavy input from Staley) can at least upgrade about 5-6 of the worst of them...maybe more...

[gzubeck]

Tillery is the only wait and see for me due to his low paycheck for next year also. But definitely no 5th year option and let him test free agency. Linval Joseph and CHJ are definitely not earning their paycheck. Restructure to a much lower pay scale or just plain let go after this season. Some of the dline are developing from young players so we need to continue to develop with the best of the young players. Have a bunch of unproven defensive players plus a rookie coordinator and add in the special sauce of covid unavailability and you have what we've seen!

:coffee:

[Bolt4Knob]

Tillery is the only wait and see for me due to his low paycheck for next year also. But definitely no 5th year option and let him test free agency. Linval Joseph and CHJ are definitely not earning their paycheck. Restructure to a much lower pay scale or just plain let go after this season. Some of the dline are developing from young players so we need to continue to develop with the best of the young players. Have a bunch of unproven defensive players plus a rookie coordinator and add in the special sauce of covid unavailability and you have what we've seen!

:coffee:

both are free agents, Linval and CHJr - if they are back - they will be late signees - nothing urgent

[Air Coryell]

Coach up Murray at LB.

[Topcat]

Tillery: I think he needs to be rotational at best for the IDL.

Agree with this. Until Tillery starts playing like a starter, he's a cheap backup in the rotation. Maybe if we give him some more rest thru rotating, he plays better.

[Bolt4Knob]

Agree with this. Until Tillery starts playing like a starter, he's a cheap backup in the rotation. Maybe if we give him some more rest thru rotating, he plays better.

It starts front to back. Telesco hammered out the OLine with the 5 players this past offseason; same thing needs to happen this offseason. If Tillery is IDL4, that might be an acceptable rotation for IDL.

I think Edge too - Nwosu shows flashes but to me - can he get more consistent. As if not, need to find a better player. Granted, year 2 with Staley should help