Reloading our safeties and fine tuning our pass rush would be a more prudent method of improving our secondary play.

Cut Russel, draft a strong safety, and add a veteran to back up with Adams and the secondary will perform quite well.

Furthermore, I support the idea that’s been thrown around in these parts to cut Kerney and sign Terrel Suggs. This move would ensure that our D end rotation is both young, terrifying, and extremely versatile. All four players seem to have the ability to drop in short zones (im assuming here for Suggs because of his LB experience) and all but Tapp can be moved inside in passing situations.

Finally, DT depth needs to be added through FA and the draft. I haven’t been impressed by Bernard’s pass rushing this year, but if he’s cheap enough, I hope we resign him as I do like his run stopping abilities.

but you are underestimating the QB learning curve and the talent of Crabtree. Crabtree is a better receiver today than Kent, Obamanu, Taylor, and Payne.

than those guys will ever be.

I would bet my money that Crabtree’s rookie year will be better than any of those guys best year.

I am not saying that none of those guys will ever be useful. Still, all of those guys are a ways away from being a 50 catch / 500 yard consistent 3rd receiver. Crabtree will be more like a 65 catch / 800 yarder #2 in his rookie year. He’ll be (barring injury) a consistent 1000+ yard 75+ catches a year #1 thereafter.

The way Branch has returned to form has me feeling a lot better about the receiver situation for next year. There are usually several good receivers in every draft. This year was supposedly a very weak receiver class after Ginn, Johnson, Bowe, etc. came out the previous year. No receivers selected in the first round but Royal and Jackson have been strong. Burleson and Branch are a good couple of starters (thats what we had figured for this year, remember). Robinson has emerged as a good #3 / backup #2. I would guess that Robinson sticks around seeing as he has been well behaved (which was the only real issue in the first place). He has also put in several key blocks downfield, demonstrating the attitude of a winner. Carlson is looking sensational as a pass catching TE. Obomanu, Taylor, Kent, and Payne all have another offseason/camp/preseason to grow and hopefully show. Ideally we would only need whoever emerges as the best of that bunch to be the #4 guy…

Injuries to our receivers forced us to throw in Taylor as a #1 in our first regular season game. He wasn’t ready for that and the fact he couldn’t hack it doesn’t mean he won’t be a competent #2/#3 next year and maybe more down the road. Kent was always a project and he may still mature into a competent #3/#4 next year. Obomanu gets a do-over because he missed the whole season. He wasn’t spectacular in 07 but did enough to not horrify me with him as a #4.

The point of all this. If even two of Burleson/Engram/Branch can stay healthy next year, one of these guys emerging as a mere #3/#4 caliber guy and we have a decent crew. Anybody doing more means we look pretty good. I am not saying this group is going to rival Boldin/Fitzgerald/Breaston but it’s decent.

I agree with what John said earlier as well about stud LT’s. I think it is more important to address the weakest links in the line then to worry about missing on the stud LT of the future. Modern defenses send blitzes from everywhere so the importance of the LT relative to other positions on the line (and blocking by backs for that matter) has diminished. In our situation, the interior is the clear weak link. Spencer has shown improvement this year but continues to struggle with injuries. Wahle didn’t play as well as people had hoped this past year and is hurt as well. I think a guy who can play all the interior OL positions well would be a very nice pickup. That is something we could get in round 2-3.

Bottom line: it all depends on where we pick and who is there when we come up. I would be very happy to see us come out with a Qb tough.