Start with the offense:
1. Redman needs to be installed as the #1 back. He fits what the Stillers do, and runs much better behind a mediocre line. Mendenhall's upright style, and his insistence on STOPPING at
the point of attack, instead of driving, is maddening, and not worth what
he "might" bring in breakaways, which are few anyway.
Mendenhall does not frighten or wear down a defense, so he has
little impact on what this offense wants to do. I have no problem with
the guy being used as a 3rd down back.
2. Kemo must be cut. Colon must be cut or restructured.
Scott must be cut. An immediate starter must be drafted. I'm perfectly
OK with a 2nd or 3rd round guard being handed one of the two guard jobs
and take our lumps. Cannot be worse than the lumps we take with the
lame and retarded we have on the roster.
3. Ward must be cut. A TALL wide receiver that will actually get playing time must be drafted.
4. Miller must be unshackled and used in a manner that befits his contract.
5. Arians must re-watch all the tape from 2011 and decide
that keeping Ben erect is a little more important than constantly
looking for long splash plays. Arians and Ben must agree and change.
Interestingly, there is a LOT to be learned from the game that Chuck
Batch played at QB against St. Lou. Batch constantly nickeled and dimed
the Ram D, simply taking what was given. Ben could do the same in some
games, and it would take a lot of pressure off the line, keep the
defense honest, and be more effective in the red zone. Call it "death
of a thousand cuts" to the opposing defense. Use the scalpel instead of
the machete. Redman at RB would fit this nicely, and the long splash
plays could still be incorporated, but not necessarily every drive.
On with the defense:
1. Fat Casey is either cut or restructured. Draft a nose
late, and let him work in with McClendon. Splash plays from the nose
are few and far between, in any defense anymore. No sense in the
position becoming a cap black hole.
2. Farrior must retire. Enough is enough. The weakest link
on the D. A position that gets ZERO impact in any game. Sylvester
gets first crack, unless a rookie surprises. Again, if a rookie has the
tools, take our lumps and let him play. Can't be worse than Farrior at
the position.
3. Gay is ONLY resigned to play backup safety. No more
cornerback for this stiff. Cortez Allen is immediately inserted as
starting corner. Again, take our lumps. If he gets beat a few times,
let him learn from it. Can't be worse than Gay, with TONS of upside.
Time to turn over this secondary. Keenan Lewis becomes the permanent
nickel, no more. He can handle this, but nothing else. Curtis Brown
becomes the backup at both corners, unless we go CB in round one. If we
do, this guy gets playing time.
4. Team speed is severely lacking in this defense, so the
draft on D must be premised on getting faster. Speedy pass rushers
would be the objective to spell Wood and Harrison. Harrison wears down
late in games. Woodley is a one-trick pony. Finding a Clay Matthews or
a Sean Lee in the draft would be optimal. The defense needs
situational guys who can make things happen. This defense was decent,
but lacked any sort of splash guy, other than Polamolu. Lebeau must
give up the idea that only 11 guys can touch the field for 90% of the
game. If we get a guy who can be used ten plays a game to wreak havoc,
we need to do it, or we get another season of minimal turnovers.