Need a true NT!

[Hoserman117]

what FA NT is there to get?

Wilfork or Hampton could probably be pried from their respective teams with a decent trade. Wilfork wants a long term contract and is getting mad about the idea of a Franchise Tag so maybe New England will continue their recent puzzling moves and ship him off to us

[omahaBroncoFan]

what FA NT is there to get?

Vince Wilfork (I think they're going to sign him)
Aubrayo Franklin(probably will be franchised)
Casey Hampton - Fairly likely to be available, would be a great pickup
Ryan Pickett
Jason Ferguson- Don't discount him cause he's old and coming off injuries, he has the potential to be a pretty good starter and won't be expensive. Wouldn't want a big signing bonus on this contract though.
Fred Robbins
Ryan Pickett

So, its not a dream option list and yes that's a pretty old group of fellows there, but pick the right one and it might be the best thing we do this offseason.

I think my favorite from a practical standpoint is Ryan Pickett, he probably will be available, he'll be reasonably priced, he might even be a little bit underrated, you could sign him to a 4 year contract and still be comfortable with his age.

I'd actually be happy with almost any of those in the list, we just need to bring a guy in. If we really want to have a dominate defensive line we could get Wilfork, if we want to play if safe from a dollars point of view but still bring in someone who could be a force or at least insurance if Plan A doesn't turn out, maybe Ferguson for a 1 year deal.

[broncos SB2010]

Vince Wilfork (I think they're going to sign him)
Aubrayo Franklin(probably will be franchised)
Casey Hampton - Fairly likely to be available, would be a great pickup
Ryan Pickett
Jason Ferguson- Don't discount him cause he's old and coming off injuries, he has the potential to be a pretty good starter and won't be expensive. Wouldn't want a big signing bonus on this contract though.
Fred Robbins
Ryan Pickett

So, its not a dream option list and yes that's a pretty old group of fellows there, but pick the right one and it might be the best thing we do this offseason.

I think my favorite from a practical standpoint is Ryan Pickett, he probably will be available, he'll be reasonably priced, he might even be a little bit underrated, you could sign him to a 4 year contract and still be comfortable with his age.

I'd actually be happy with almost any of those in the list, we just need to bring a guy in. If we really want to have a dominate defensive line we could get Wilfork, if we want to play if safe from a dollars point of view but still bring in someone who could be a force or at least insurance if Plan A doesn't turn out, maybe Ferguson for a 1 year deal.

from rotoworld
Impending unrestricted free agent NT Ryan Pickett confirmed that he wants to stay in Green Bay.
"Hopefully we can get something done because I love it here," said Pickett, who was the anchor for Green Bay's No. 1 run defense in 2009. It's already been reported that re-signing Pickett is among the Packers' top priorities, so it sounds like a deal should be hammered out. Free agency opens on March 5.

The Boston Globe considers it "virtually certain" that the Patriots will use the franchise tag on Vince Wilfork.
Wilfork, an unrestricted free agent, has not been in contact with the team recently about an extension. Though Wilfork has said publicly he'd like to play for a team near his home in Miami, the Pats won't let him get away.

Beat writer Matt Barrows expects the Niners to retain NT Aubrayo Franklin with the franchise tag.
No surprise here. Franklin is one of the game's more underrated defensive linemen, helping to free up Patrick Willis for all those tackles. Ideally, the 49ers would lock up Franklin with a three- or four-year deal sometime after the draft. He turns 30 in August, but nose tackles have plenty of shelf life.

The Steelers will open contract negotiations with NT Casey Hampton by the end of next week but are not afraid to tag him either.
This will give the Steelers about a week to decide if they want to use their transition or franchise tag on the 32-year-old run-stuffer, since teams must decide whether or not to tag players before February 25. Hampton recently said that it "will be a problem" if he is indeed tagged, calling it a "slap in the face." He is an ideal candidate at his age.

Free agent NT Jason Ferguson says it's a "toss up" as to whether he'll keep playing football.
Ferguson, 35, won't be recovered from his torn quadriceps muscle until early in the summer. "I don't want to hold them up," he said. The Dolphins are needy at every level on defense. Nose tackle may be their No. 1 priority.

Chris Canty has supplanted Fred Robbins as the Giants' starting defensive tackle next to NT Barry Cofield.
Canty, who the Giants signed for $42 million this offseason, has appeared in just four games. He should give New York a boost in run defense because of his size (6'7/300) and youth, and can't hurt the team's pass rush. Robbins, 32, is coming off microfracture surgery and had only one sack all season.

The only players on this list that might even be available are Ferguson and Robbins. Ferguson may retire and Robbins is DE who lost his job. Are these guys really worth signing to upgrade the NT position? Your choice, Pickett isn't going anywhere and everryone elses favorite, Wilfork isn't going anywhere either. If, on the long shot he does hit FA he will go to Miami who also needs a NT I think looking to FA for a NT is a pipe dream. They may be able to trade picks for a NT but I highly doubt McD trades picks for anyone worth starting. I agree with the posters who say Williams is the ONLY choice for a legit starter with Cam Thomas as a distant second option.

[johnlimburg]

i dont think we really need to draft a nt early or spend the whole cap on someone like wilfork.

chris baker was projected to be an early second round pick last year before the incidents that he was involved in. I beleive we should draft someone like linval joseph who could work a rotational role with chris baker and ronald feilds.

That would be a nice rotation.

1st down. Chris baker

2nd down. Linval Joseph

3rd down. Ronald Fields.

this way they all stay fresh.

:orton:

[BroncoSexyDaddy]

I would rather have a proven NT like Casey Hampton,Vince Wilfork a player thats already proven that knows how to win.The rookies in the draft are suspect until they can proven it in the NFL.I would not shell out a lot of cash to a player that could be a bust IMO.

[broncos SB2010]

I would rather have a proven NT like Casey Hampton,Vince Wilfork a player thats already proven that knows how to win.The rookies in the draft are suspect until they can proven it in the NFL.I would not shell out a lot of cash to a player that could be a bust IMO.

So does that mean you would never want to draft anyone?

[KWHIT97]

I would rather have a proven NT like Casey Hampton,Vince Wilfork a player thats already proven that knows how to win.The rookies in the draft are suspect until they can proven it in the NFL.I would not shell out a lot of cash to a player that could be a bust IMO.

Did you watch that Monday night game vs. the Steelers this year? Hampton couldn't even stay on the field for more than 2 or 3 plays at a time, he really struggled with that mile high air and has always had conditioning issues.

I think it's tough for us to find what we really need in the middle because we cannot just throw some fat slob in there, he has to be a rock and be able to handle the air.

As far as the FA's go, take it to the bank. Hampton, Wilfork, Franklin, Pickett will not be available, Wilfork will demand a 1st rounder from NE and a Haynesworth type contract, no thanks!

I like Dan Williams alot, but not at #10, I would only be happy if we traded down into the mid or late teens and still landed him, otherwise I would want either Thomas or Troup in the 3rd. I am really intrigued by Troup, he is only 310 lbs but is an absolute block of cement that is nearly immovable. If he can put on 10-15 lbs he would be prototypical.

By adding Troup, coupled with Baker we would have two good young candidates. Add a top notch DE through FA or the draft and we have ourselves a d-line!

[omahaBroncoFan]

The only players on this list that might even be available are Ferguson and Robbins. [/B]

'Might Even be available' Almost all of them have more than a slim chance of being available. The only one who probably has a 95% chance of not being available is Franklin. I'd put the odds on Wilfork at 80% not available. Hampton, I do need to downgrade what I said his likelyhood is, I'd mark it at 70% not available. Ryan Pickett, yeah what's being said by him and GB is great, but thats the typical talk, I would say less than 40% chance not being available. When all is said and done, I think we're going to find at least one, with a good chance of 2 from that short list there.

Don't count Robbins out as a possibility to us, he's a good short term prospect as NT. I think he will probably be a better(not much but some) than Fields. If we don't land Williams than what do we do, i think we should find a way of making a small upgrade at least? I don't know what the coaches think of Baker, but I know they aren't as high on him as this board is lol. Robbins could be a potential small but significant upgrade for a reasonable price, one that we may very well need.

I'm not saying that most of those FAs will be available to us, but when all is said and done there's going to be some options available to us, and that probably includes some that are likely to be signed because not all those contracts are likely to get done. This is actually a great FA NT crop, don't believe that?- compare it to the past few years and further back. There's never a FA crop with a good amount of options. Even if we only have 2 old has beens as options, thats about an average NT crop.

[KWHIT97]

'Might Even be available' Almost all of them have more than a slim chance of being available. The only one who probably has a 95% chance of not being available is Franklin. I'd put the odds on Wilfork at 80% not available. Hampton, I do need to downgrade what I said his likelyhood is, I'd mark it at 70% not available. Ryan Pickett, yeah what's being said by him and GB is great, but thats the typical talk, I would say less than 40% chance not being available. When all is said and done, I think we're going to find at least one, with a good chance of 2 from that short list there.

Don't count Robbins out as a possibility to us, he's a good short term prospect as NT. I think he will probably be a better(not much but some) than Fields. If we don't land Williams than what do we do, i think we should find a way of making a small upgrade at least? I don't know what the coaches think of Baker, but I know they aren't as high on him as this board is lol. Robbins could be a potential small but significant upgrade for a reasonable price, one that we may very well need.

I'm not saying that most of those FAs will be available to us, but when all is said and done there's going to be some options available to us, and that probably includes some that are likely to be signed because not all those contracts are likely to get done. This is actually a great FA NT crop, don't believe that?- compare it to the past few years and further back. There's never a FA crop with a good amount of options. Even if we only have 2 old has beens as options, thats about an average NT crop.

Problem this year is with teams having technically 3 tags they can apply to thier players this year's FA crop will be very watered down.

Wilfork: Will not even sniff the open market, Belichick is too smart to let maybe the best NT in the league just leave. He will be franchised and possibly traded, which will require probably a 1st or a 2nd and a very good player. I wouldn't be too upset if we gave up our 1st for him, I would however be upset with giving him Albert Haynesworth type money, no one player is worth that!

Hampton: The Steelers are too smart to just let thier NT walk if they have no one on the roster to take his spot. My guess is Hampton gets a long term deal and retires a Steeler, or they tag him.

Franklin: Will either get tagged or signed long term, the niners will not let him walk.

Pickett: The two sides are talking, however, out of the big 4, he is the one that is most likley to become available as the Packers spent a high pick on Raji last year, it all depends on what kind of money Pickett wants. My guess is they sign him long term and kick Raji out to end.

This leaves a FA crop that looks like this;
Fred Robbins, Kedric Golsten, Bryan Robinson, Justin Bannan, Jason Ferguson, etc.

I wouldn't mind bringing one of these guys in at a cheap price, but would like to also add a guy in the top 3 rounds!

[broncos SB2010]

'Might Even be available' Almost all of them have more than a slim chance of being available. The only one who probably has a 95% chance of not being available is Franklin. I'd put the odds on Wilfork at 80% not available. Hampton, I do need to downgrade what I said his likelyhood is, I'd mark it at 70% not available. Ryan Pickett, yeah what's being said by him and GB is great, but thats the typical talk, I would say less than 40% chance not being available. When all is said and done, I think we're going to find at least one, with a good chance of 2 from that short list there.

Don't count Robbins out as a possibility to us, he's a good short term prospect as NT. I think he will probably be a better(not much but some) than Fields. If we don't land Williams than what do we do, i think we should find a way of making a small upgrade at least? I don't know what the coaches think of Baker, but I know they aren't as high on him as this board is lol. Robbins could be a potential small but significant upgrade for a reasonable price, one that we may very well need.

I'm not saying that most of those FAs will be available to us, but when all is said and done there's going to be some options available to us, and that probably includes some that are likely to be signed because not all those contracts are likely to get done. This is actually a great FA NT crop, don't believe that?- compare it to the past few years and further back. There's never a FA crop with a good amount of options. Even if we only have 2 old has beens as options, thats about an average NT crop.

Most of the people on your list are starters and the team they are on have no backup of equal quality. They won't be able to replace them in FA since they would then be in the same boat as the Broncos. None of the starters are going anywhere. They will be re-signed or tagged with a franchise or transitional tag and kept on the team. FA is going to be almost nonexistent this year, it's going to be mostly trades and the draft that teams upgrade. The only players out there to be had are older players or ones who nobody wants. People who say just go upgrade the Dline and Oline in FA are not thinking about the reality of the situation in an uncapped offseason. No team is going to let one of their top players walk when they can not replace them. The Broncos had a shot at Chris Canty last year which they passed on and now you think they will take a shot on the player that Canty replaced? I don't think so.

[Papa-pwn]

Let's get Shaun Ellis I would prefer not to trade or sign him, so drafting would be a better choice, but just thought I'd throw some random in here

He's a defensive end

[Papa-pwn]

Let's get Shaun Ellis I would prefer not to trade or sign him, so drafting would be a better choice, but just thought I'd throw some random in here

He's a defensive end

[Ohenhen12345]

Signing Aubrayo Franklin is a top priority.

[Sync]

Vince Wilfork (I think they're going to sign him)
Aubrayo Franklin(probably will be franchised)
Casey Hampton - Fairly likely to be available, would be a great pickup
Ryan Pickett
Jason Ferguson- Don't discount him cause he's old and coming off injuries, he has the potential to be a pretty good starter and won't be expensive. Wouldn't want a big signing bonus on this contract though.
Fred Robbins
Ryan Pickett

I sense subliminal messaging

[KWHIT97]

Signing Aubrayo Franklin is a top priority.

He won't hit the open market!