Our DL is very flexible. If we run some 3-4 looks/concepts then we have the DL set up already. Yes, the LBs need to be figured out but finding a nose is extremely crucial and we most likely have 2 guys in Snacks and Tomlinson that can play there. Tomlinson seems agile enough to also play the 5 tech as well. I believe both JPP and Vernon can play on the line in those looks too. All 4 guys mentioned are really good run stuffers. One of JPP or Vernon or probably both will probably be a rush OLB too since Bettcher seems to be a high pressure guy. Add in the fact that we have DBs that can man up and I kind of like the position we are in on defense. A really good centerfielder and some LBs are the main focus of the D in the offseason. Hopefully we have a guy on the roster that can play centerfield but another guy is needed to bring competition.
Who routinely prioritized DTs and kept the position a strength struggled so mightily to find OGs. If you can routinely isolate college players that perform against NFL guards, you must know something about interior line play.
In hindsight, LJ or JH should have been locked up freeing those draft resources for the other side of the ball.
Tomlinson definitely flashed in his rookie year just like the aforementioned.
they did stuff the run inside. Our high priced DE's did a piss poor job of setting the edge and keeping containment. As the season went along (and injuries mounted) they couldn't stop me or you from running the ball. I don't think the previous year defensively was an outlier. I think there's enough talent to work with for Bettcher to field a competative defense.
But he showed some stuff... just as Big Hank did, Big Linval did and all the other DT's that our guy Jerry Reese drafted in the second round not named Marvin Austin did...
DT is one of the hardest positions to come in right away Â
and be great. Just the fact alone that NFL OL are so much better than college OL makes it very difficult. So, seeing DT play as well as he did his rookie year is very encouraging.
Also, lost in this pitiful season was the fact that we Â
they did stuff the run inside. Our high priced DE's did a piss poor job of setting the edge and keeping containment. As the season went along (and injuries mounted) they couldn't stop me or you from running the ball. I don't think the previous year defensively was an outlier. I think there's enough talent to work with for Bettcher to field a competative defense.
Between the DE fails and our poor LBs either slow to recognize runs, or too slow to close holes before RBs hit level 2, or both, AND, inability to blitz/ blitz on wrong play, the D was cluster fail. The upside of the D was they were good on 1st and 2nd downs, generally, but double sucked on 3rd down, keeping them on the field and gassed by the 4th Q.
And multiplicity enough of as a goal, and the nfc E East nasty enough, to target an additional
Big nasty NDT. Vita Vea, or Lotulele.... there are a few others that look good in the 320+ range.
Will make ALL the other parts of your D function better!
Assumptions about giant nose tackles. One is that they cannot rush the passer. Well. Many have never in college been allowed or required to do so. So we don't know. Some simply can do it.
Second. That they are in such short supply that you couldn't waste one in a single gap technique. But, they go in rounds 3, 4...later. Snacks was a udfa .
So...they are only in short supply if you fail to draft them....which is not a real measure of the market.
RE: Also, lost in this pitiful season was the fact that we Â
or do anything when the team effectively gave up. When things were great 2 seasons ago our run D was excellent. No reason we can’t get back to that with better coaching and less injuries.
In hindsight, LJ or JH should have been locked up freeing those draft resources for the other side of the ball.
Tomlinson definitely flashed in his rookie year just like the aforementioned.
Our LB group is near the bottom of the NFL. And it was sorta random whether or not JPP would try to hold the edge from play to play.
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Our run defense was utter garbage. Two big run stuffing DTs and we sucked against the run.
Our LB group is near the bottom of the NFL. And it was sorta random whether or not JPP would try to hold the edge from play to play.
LB group is near the bottom of the NFL??
that's a compliment...
Between the DE fails and our poor LBs either slow to recognize runs, or too slow to close holes before RBs hit level 2, or both, AND, inability to blitz/ blitz on wrong play, the D was cluster fail. The upside of the D was they were good on 1st and 2nd downs, generally, but double sucked on 3rd down, keeping them on the field and gassed by the 4th Q.
Big nasty NDT. Vita Vea, or Lotulele.... there are a few others that look good in the 320+ range.
Will make ALL the other parts of your D function better!
Second. That they are in such short supply that you couldn't waste one in a single gap technique. But, they go in rounds 3, 4...later. Snacks was a udfa .
So...they are only in short supply if you fail to draft them....which is not a real measure of the market.
Well said. Reese's last draft wasn't pretty good. Gallman and Moss have potential as well.
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got arguably the best TE and DT in the draft.
Well said. Reese's last draft wasn't pretty good. Gallman and Moss have potential as well.
"was pretty good"