Free Agents

ERFA
Higgins TE
Harris T(currently RT)
Nelson S(currently SS)

Sign all 3 to keep depth at those positions. Higgins is the most replaceable as he is the 3rd TE and we could find someone better. Nelson is no lock either.

RFA
Morgan WR
Parker WR
Collins FB
Olsen OG/C
Henry OG
Johnson NT/DE
Abdul-Quddus S(currently FS)
Bush S(currently SS)

Tender or sign long term Morgan, Collins, Olsen, Johnson, and Abdul Quddus, dependent on how well they play(I think they'll play their roles well enough to stick). Bush is a slight possibility also given our lack of signed safeties in 2014 and Harper potentially being cut. Parker and Henry are question marks. Not likely to be tendered, but they could come back for the minimum.

Key FA
Graham TE
De La Puente C

These are the only definite players we need to sign long term, which is a good thing given that we are already pressed close to the cap(likely to be between $124-126 mil; fingers crossed it's higher).

Secondary FA
Offense
McCown QB
Wallace QB
Roby WR
Brown T(currently LT)
Smith T(currently LT)
Strief RT
Defense
Smith DE
Coleman DE
Richardson DE
Vilma ILB
Herring ILB
Humber ILB
Jenkins FS
Leonhard S(currently FS)

What happens to all of these guys will depend on their play and/or the play of others. We could use depth at all of those positions(maybe even starters), but we have younger players that could take their place.

It will also depend on how much money these guys are asking for. I can only see most of them being brought back for vet minimum or close to it.

For the QBs, I only see us bringing back this year's winner, unless Griffin beats out both of them.

Roby will only be brought back if he makes the team this year(and maybe not even then). If he doesn't it means a young guy already beat him out.

T is the most interesting spot as you have 3 guys that could start at both T spots(Strief only at RT; Brown and Smith at either). If the young guys don't show enough and 1 or 2 of these guys win the job(s) it's likely we bring the starters back. If the young guys show enough, even if they don't start, one, two, or all of them could be gone.

At DE you have some potential starters this year at 1 spot that are FA(though not likely to start in 2014). Smith could command a slightly higher salary from some 4-3 team hoping he has a bit left, but it's possible all 3 could be had for vet minimum to help bolster depth. I don't think we resign all 3, but 1 or 2 is possible.

Moving to ILB, you have 3 guys that could bolster depth and are likely to be had for cheap. Vilma might command a slightly higher salary, but like the DEs, all 3 might be attainable at the minimum. Also like DE, I think we may resign 1 or 2.

Moving to S you have 1 guy that may be kept for depth in Leonhard and then you have Jenkins. I'm still not 100% on him making the roster this year, but he is going to have to have a career year to be brought back as he'll likely want more than the minimum.

2013 UDFA
Offense
Ryan Griffin QB
Keavon Milton TE
Josh Hill TE
Shawne Alston HB
Elliot Mealer C
Tim Lelito OG
Defense
Glenn Foster DE
Kevin Reddick ILB
Eric Martin OLB
Ray Shipman OLB
Chase Thomas OLB
Rod Sweeting CB
Ryan Lacy CB

I see Griffin, Reddick, Thomas, and Sweeting as the most likely to crack the 53, or at least make the PS.

Potential Cap Casualties
Sproles HB
P. Thomas HB
Hawthorne ILB
Chamberlain ILB
Greer CB
Robinson CB
Harper SS

Harper by far is the biggest target here. He must extend(w/retsructure) or restructure or he will be cut. Greer is probably the next most likely given how much he'll save. It might be tough to keep both Sproles and Thomas given their cap hits. Hawthorne, Chamberlain, and Robinson are more about play but save enough to take a look at.

2014 Reserves Likely to be Cut and/or Put on the Practice Squad
Lee C
Tiller C/G
Givens WR
Tanner WR
Fayson WR
Hakim WR
Turner CB
Steed CB
Davis CB
Johnson LB
Romeus LB

I think Tiller, one of the WR, and one of the CB have a good chance at beating out who I currently have projected at those positions, but the guys on my depth chart are my current favorites to take those jobs.

This post was edited on 5/5/13 at 12:02 am