Roster "Locks" as of today

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Harper is a better bet to make the team. We have some serious cash tied up win him.

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I took that into account, that's why I considered him a near lock. Someone told me he can be designated a June cut and that could change the money consideration. Accurate?

Looking at our defensive players, if they grasp and buy in to Ryan's defense and a couple players pan out, the D could actually be pretty good. At the very least it will be markedly better than last year.

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Harper's best days are way behind him.

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Harper is one of the players that will improve with the 3-4, not so sure about that. I definitely think he's past his prime, but in terms of traditional strong safety play, he isn't terrible. I look for him being used less in zone plays and more on man-to-man against half-backs and on the blitz. My only problem with Harper is his contract.

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Jenkins still has a chance to turn ut around it get better

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Not at free safety. The guy is one of the worst in zone coverage. When you have two safeties that can't read plays and adequately play their deep zones, you will get abused like last year. I am not surprised by Harper's lack of coverage capabilities. He's too slow to cover a WR in man-to-man and has bricks for hands when it comes to making plays on the ball. The most surprising thing about the pair of them is Jenkins - he hasn't done well since his rookie year when he was at corner. He's had 2 years to learn how to play zone and just can't. He's pretty terrible at tackling. I can't really defend the guy, whereas Harper you know what you're getting. A good tackler and blitzer with limited coverage capabilities.

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Harper is one of the players that will improve with the 3-4, not so sure about that. I definitely think he's past his prime, but in terms of traditional strong safety play, he isn't terrible. I look for him being used less in zone plays and more on man-to-man against half-backs and on the blitz. My only problem with Harper is his contract.

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Harper has his strong points, but I'm not sure if he will fit. If they do use him as a traditional strong safety with run stopping or blitzing, etc, he may be ok. But is that what they want, or will they want two safeties than can cover back there? On the man-to-man half back, I could see him doing ok against some of the bigger guys we play (maybe Steven Jackson or someone like that), but I think he will get abused by a quicker back. Hopefully they don't put him in that situation though.

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Harper has his strong points, but I'm not sure if he will fit. If they do use him as a traditional strong safety with run stopping or blitzing, etc, he may be ok. But is that what they want, or will they want two safeties than can cover back there?

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Yeah, I completely agree there. Now that the NFL is such a passing league it's hard to justify a solid roster spot (and the pay) for someone who is just a conditional player. My concern about not having a traditional strong safety in the box is the fact that your Steven Jackson type runners will abuse smaller safeties.

I wouldn't put Vilma at 95%

I don't think Charlie Brown is a lock. He definitely could win the LT spot or the backup role, but we have 2 guys that could beat him out and I think they'd keep Armstead as a backup over Brown.

I'll say the same thing about Strief. We have guys that could beat him out and are much cheaper. Strief is around 3rd or 4th in saving us
against the cap($2.25 mil). I think he stays over Brown as veteran depth if he doesn't win the starting job.

I don't think Malcom Jenkins is a lock by any means. He's tied for saving us the most against the cap if cut($2.5 mil) and we have a couple of youngsters that could replace him along with a vet backup in Leonhard.

PRob is only a lock because he would cost us money against the cap if cut.

I would add Coleman as a DE lock(I know you have him as 95%). Doesn't cost us anything to keep(vet minimum player) and he knows the system and followed Ryan from Cleveland to Dallas to here. He's the new Prioleau.

Also add Collins as a lock at FB(I know you have him at 95% but imo it's a 100%).

I would agree with all the other guys you have as 95%ers

I'd put Brown and Jenkins at slightly about 50%. I'd put Strief about 75% unless we cut him to sign a better RT.

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quote: Harper's best days are way behind him.

Harper is one of the players that will improve with the 3-4, not so sure about that. I definitely think he's past his prime, but in terms of traditional strong safety play, he isn't terrible. I look for him being used less in zone plays and more on man-to-man against half-backs and on the blitz. My only problem with Harper is his contract.

quote: Jenkins still has a chance to turn ut around it get better

Not at free safety. The guy is one of the worst in zone coverage. When you have two safeties that can't read plays and adequately play their deep zones, you will get abused like last year. I am not surprised by Harper's lack of coverage capabilities. He's too slow to cover a WR in man-to-man and has bricks for hands when it comes to making plays on the ball. The most surprising thing about the pair of them is Jenkins - he hasn't done well since his rookie year when he was at corner. He's had 2 years to learn how to play zone and just can't. He's pretty terrible at tackling. I can't really defend the guy, whereas Harper you know what you're getting. A good tackler and blitzer with limited coverage capabilities.

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Seems like a very good assessment.

I think having Vaccaro able to play both spots let's us take Harper out on passing downs where he isn't blitzing. Harper problem solved.

Just a couple of questions:

Armstead? I think they keep him just to develop him if nothing else. He'd have to have almost no talent to get cut imo(which doesn't seem to be the case).

Wilson? He's shown plenty of potential in very limited snaps. Obviously has a lot of skill as a rush specialist(I'd say even more than Galette).

I've addressed most of the others and can see why people would say Smith and Hartley(though I don't agree). We didn't even bring in another kicker yet to my knowledge.