Leonidas

I'd rather let Hardy and Johnson battle it out after playing in the system for a year. This is a young team - we're not a #2 WR away from the Super Bowl. One of these guys needs to develop, and they've got better size AND speed than Coles (well, Hardy and Coles are probably on the same level). Build from the draft, not from free agency. Coles wouldn't get the system until halfway through the season anyway.

What are you, eleven? Yeah, I watched 13-14 of their games last season. I'm sure that you understand football. You realize we run a Tampa 2 with very limited blitzing, correct - meaning that you need to get pressure with your front four (remember the Buccaneers team that won the Super Bowl? They don't even make the playoffs if you replace Simeon Rice and Warren Sapp with Chris Kelsay and Ryan Denney)? And that we were 28th in the league in sacks last season? And that our entire defensive line had fewer sacks than Julius Peppers had on his own? Did you watch the Giants/Patriots Super Bowl?? Look, our offense needs work, certainly. But there's a reason every analyst in the world has us taking a DE with our first pick (with the exception of the fools that think we should stretch for Pettigrew). A TE is second, but DE is a game-changing position. If you can get to the QB you make life easier on your DB's, you can get the ball back for your offense and give them more opportunities to score. Remember: "offense wins game, defense wins championships."

And I'm sorry, but how hard is it for these guys to run simple digs, hooks, and drag routes? What else does a #2 WR have to do? I have to think that between Hardy, Johnson, and a potential FA acquisition like Kelley Washington we can find someone to fill that role. Most WR's don't need a third season to develop - this isn't the QB, either you can run fast and catch or you can't.

They definitely did not draft Dustin Keller from Purdue to block, trust me.

Some of you guys are on drugs. Did you watch the Bills last year? Regardless of this signing, DE is most important, bar none. Center was behind DE and TE going into the off-season, it's now behind OLB, G, and hell, another DE. Kendall Simmons would be a great signing. It doesn't mean we can't a) pursue other OL's in free agency and b) draft linemen on the SECOND day. Every team needs depth, and competition is one of those "rising tides" situations that we could use.

What ever happened to that mammoth Sam Gash-type FB we had earlier in the season, Barnes? There was a guy I wouldn't want to meet in the back of an alley somewhere...

First off, it's "offense" not "offence". We're not in the UK. Second, yes, obviously Evans was getting double-teamed but that doesn't mean we should throw a bundle at an aging, slowing, undersized WR looking for one last pay-day. You don't become a great team by just signing high-priced free agents - just ask Daniel Snyder. Let Johnson, Hardy, and maybe Kelley Washington compete for the #2, and may the best man win. One other thing you should realize is that Trent got real skittish after the concussion. Despite double-coverage (I don't think Evans was ever triple teamed - he's not 2001 Randy Moss) he would still get open but Edwards wasn't finding him. I like Trent a lot and I hope he can work through the skittishness this year, but throwing money at Coles won't help that.

Look, no disrespect to Coles, but we don't need him, certainly not at his asking price. We all agree that Evans is the #1, right? We've got Parrish and Reed who both play the slot very well, so the #3 and #4 options are covered (should we go to 4WR which doesn't happen often enough IMO, but that's another subject). Are people already calling Hardy a bust? Isn't it a little early? And what about Steve Johnson? He was a 7th round pick and IMO really made strides last year. He's also got great size (6'2" 202 lbs.), he's young, and he can catch the ball. We don't need Coles, and we don't need to pay him $6M+/year. I say sign Kelley Washington to play special teams, he did a great job doing that with New England last year and it will be a cheap signing. Then let him compete with Johnson and Hardy for the number two and let Parrish and Reed (and Justin Jenkins, I suppose) battle it out for the number three. Remember, Kelley Washington was a #65 overall pick with the Bengals who was projected to go in the first round had it not been for injury concerns (that never came to fruition, I might add), and has great size at 6'3" 215 lbs. Take the money saved and get that lineman from Carolina (Hangartner), see if we can widdle an aging Jason Taylor from the Redskins for a year or two (I know that's just a pipe dream...trust me), make a run at L.J. Smith (TE from Philly), and draft Orakpo or E. Brown in the draft. Thoughts?