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I always said I didn't see us signing a MLB and plugging and playing them. And I still don't see it. He was signed to the Practice Squad. He'll spend some time there getting healthy and learning the playbook, scheme, and playcalls. If or when Dodson/Bernard falter, he'll get called up when he's ready. I didn't think we'd make the move and I'm pleasantly surprised they did. Kirskey probably eventually ends up starting because I think that the odds that Dodson/Bernard will falter is great. But it won't be immediate like everyone wants and expects.

I wasn't saying it is or isn't what we need. Just what will probably keep him in line. If I'm Beane and I'm interested, I say: "Between how things have looked on the field as a Starter the past couple seasons and the things i've heard, your career is at a crossroad. We're interested in giving you a chance to rebuild your career, but you'll be on the Practice Squad. Keep your nose clean and your mouth shut and maybe you'll earn a backup gig. But it's up to you. If you want a gig, you have to be a total team player. Can you do that?" Just lay out the bottom line and at this point, I think he would comply. It's that or his career is essentially over. Compared to what's out there, his potential his probably the best. And I don't think it's too much of a risk to sign him to the Practice Squad. But I would understand if we passed and went with someone we felt was a safer option for the locker room. Like Colt McCoy. Malik Cunningham? Malik Willis is a Titan. As for a developmental guy vs. a veteran, I kind of disagree. Cunningham is a raw Rookie. We want someone who could provide some stability and step in if Josh needs some time and Kyle keeps performing how he looked this offseason. It can't be a question mark, in my opinion. But I could be wrong.

In my opinion, with how shaky Kyle Allen has looked and some of the rumors about how the team views him - I don't think we're going to bring in a developmental player who's never played a snap of regular season Football. But who knows?

I think being on a Practice Squad is just the wake up call he needs. Can't exactly be acting like that when you're not even the #2 QB on the roster. I have to imagine going into this season without a job has taught him some humility. As would essentially flaming out of the league. His options are shut up and play or GTFO as a Practice Squad QB. Extremely short leash. And sounds like he needs it.

It's not complete. Beane just said he's adding a QB to the Practice Squad tomorrow.

So the post that the Practice Squad is complete seems to be incorrect. Or they signed someone to it just to release them a day later. Not exactly a surprise with Barkley on IR. Have to at least have 2 QB's on the 53 and one on the PS. Hopefully it's someone who can supplant Kyle Allen at some point.

Exactly. They'll get him healthy, up to speed with the scheme and playbook (which knowing McDermott won't be fast), and if he looks like he's succeeding AND Bernard/Dodson falter, they'll call him up. But the fans are running away with he's the guy now and that's simply not the case. Gonna be a lot of "when are we going to activate Kirksey?!" posts in the future from a lot of the posters on this thread.

It's good to get some insurance. But I think people are getting ahead of themselves here as far as him taking over the MLB spot. They signed the guy to the Practice Squad. Which means he's not getting a shot until a.) McDermott feels he's had enough time learning and b.) Bernard/Dodson have had their shot and failed. If they truly felt as fans do that he's an immediate upgrade and needs to be put in the starting lineup immediately, they wouldn't have put him on the Practice Squad.

The sticker price for him is going to be top paid RB in the NFL. That's what he'll want, what his agent will demand, and why he wants out of Indianapolis. Even a lesser than normal sticker price for top RB is going to be way more than we can afford, especially at that position. And Draft Pick compensation on top of it. This is a pipe dream.

Siran Neal is not going anywhere. He's the only backup Nickel CB, our only "big nickel", and a core Special Teams player. They value him and that's why he makes what he makes. Fans constantly want to move on from him, but it's not even a thought to the decision makers. Core Special Teams is integral to this regime and he is our Special Teams captain. He's not going anywhere. Pretty sure his contract is in such a way that he'd be more expensive to cut than keep as well.

You're right. I was mistaken. As explained by Sal, with them IR'ed and Ferguson brought back, we were at 52. Now with the Ifedi signing, we're at 53 So yeah, for us to bring back another LB or WR, we'll have to make a cut or two. So I still think Anderson is not long for this roster after the Ifedi signing. But again, we will see.

It really depends on if they stick with 5 LB's and 5 WR's once the IR's go through. With Shorter and Spector being moved to IR, that would bring us from 52 to 50. Bringing back Ferguson and signing Ifedi brings us back to 52. If we bring back say Klein and Isabella, a cut will have to be made for the Ifedi signing and I'd expect it to be Anderson. But you're right, we'll have to wait and see.

Only things I saw as realistic moves is a vet OT (which we just added) and perhaps another option at backup QB instead of Kyle Allen. Everyone wants a LB, but I don't see it. Wouldn't be against it. But I think we're gonna roll with what we have there rather than have a guy learning the Defensive QB position on the fly.

Poona has experience and good game film for what they're looking for. Too often we put too much stake in Pre-Season play. The plays we see during the Pre-Season are not even a sniff of the actual playbook.

It's underwhelmed or Kyle Allen. There isn't going to be a backup right now that invokes excitement.

Now that he's signed, I think Alec Anderson is Practice Squad bound. Not sure we keep 10 on the OL.

Germain Ifedi is now signed. We will now see if Anderson sticks. I don't know that we keep 10 OL or not.

We visited with a vet OT today in Germain Ifedi. So we are looking. As I've said, I would be shocked if McDermott goes into the season with two guys who have never played a regular season snap as the backups.

I wouldn't be so sure Anderson is safe. There was no post saying he's solidly made the 53. They visited with Germain Ifedi today. I think it's safe to assume they want at least one OT with experience. If or more likely when they make a move for a vet, he's probably out.

When Q was cut, I expected a move. I don't see any way McDermott would be comfortable with having our Backups at OT being two guys who have never played a regular season snap before. Though a 1st Round Pick who didn't get his 5th year option picked up and then was released early by 2 teams already this offseason doesn't invoke a lot of faith in me. But at least he has starting experience and has attributes that made him a 1st Rounder.

Klein may be brought back after guys are IR'ed. At the very least, I'd expect him back on the Practice Squad and called up quickly if things really deteriorate. Bernard returned to practice recently. So they'll roll with Bernard and Dodson for the time being, maybe Klein too if he's brought back tomorrow. The level of "concern" must not be as great as fans are reading into it. Or else they'd have made a move right then. I suspect it was more of a message to Dodson after his freak out and about the injury to Bernard. Message sent to Dodson and Bernard is back from injury. We'll see what happens. You may be right. Or they may scheme the Defense in a way that helps out whoever starts. Maybe Rapp playing up the field some with 3 Safeties. Maybe switching guys in and out to keep them fresh.

Who would that be? Christian Kirksey is still coming off a hamstring injury. And if he were playing at an all time level the year before, they wouldn't have released him. Good MLB's aren't available for trade. Even if there were a guy, you're operating under how you'd handle things. Not how McDermott operates. As I said in another thread, he wasn't comfortable playing a RUNNING BACK months after trading for him because he "needed time with the playbook". RB is maybe the easiest position to transition teams with. MLB is one of the hardest. Especially in McDermott's complicated Defense. He's not going to plug and play a guy there.

The reason we have Williams at OLB is because we have absolutely no one else that can play the position behind Milano. Zero. Nada. Zilch. And before this season, we never had anyone of quality to replace Milano if he got injured or needed a breather. Now we do. We could have gotten a MLB on FA or the Draft. But during that time, we valued weapons, O-Line, and D-Line help more. And rightfully so. It's frustrating to have seen so many around Draft time say we can get by with what we have and we should focus on other positions. And now that we did, people are freaking out about MLB. Like it or not, the plan for MLB this season was to see if the 3rd Round Pick we spent on Bernard could pay off. Or if Dodson could do more after showing some good stuff for years in a relief role. One of the would either work out or we'd re-evaluate next season. Now it's too late to train a new player to be the Quarterback of the Defense. It just is what it is.

When you don't have quality, you need quantity. Extra bodies that you can cycle in and out to keep players fresh to mitigate talent level a bit. Like I've said before, I'd be surprised if they make a move at LB. McDermott is only going to play guys who have experience in his system and know the playbook in and out. MLB in his Defense is extremely complicated. He's not going to play guys learning on the fly. Kirksey was brought in for a tryout years ago and they passed on him then. I don't think they're going to choose him now years later when he's coming off an injury where he missed the Offseason and will be switching teams at the start of the year.