So Jay Ratliff is our 3 tech?

[Woods]

I think both Ratliff and Hatcher may be better suited for the 3 tech. Maybe in a rotation they would be pretty effective? I think it will be much easier to draft a 1 tech in April. We could even pick up one in the 2nd or 3rd round.

[speedkilz88]

People are getting 3-4 NTs who play the 0 technique dancing in their head when Kiffin's defense does not use the typical big fat guys. They use guys who can play both the 1 and the 3. The Cowboys have Rat and Lissemore who both can do that.

(CHI)Stephen Paea 6-1 300 24 tkls 2.5 sks
(SEA)Brandon Mebane 6-1 311 56 tkls 3 sks
(TB)Booger McFarland 6-0 300
(MIN)Henry Thomas 6-2 277

[ajk23az]

Originally Posted by TwentyOne

Signing Spencer to a reasonable contract (4 years 5-6 mills/a, incentive laden) is ok. Anything else would be a hugh mistake.

That sounds like a fantasy. He will be getting 6-8 million/year easily from someone.

[DFWJC]

I think once you commit to a 4-3 you should draft at least 1 Dlineman every year.
These guys are going to rotate throughout the game and they must be fresh.

Rat is just one guy (an older one at that) and bringing him back should not affect out drafting.

[gimmesix]

Originally Posted by Galian Beast

So Jason Garret says that Jay Ratliff will absolutely be back next year, I think that makes him our starting 3 technique by default.

It seems as though we're trying to make this transition as easy and affortable as possible.

Ware - Hatcher - Ratliff - Spencer[Crawford]

We already know who our will and mike are.

So that leaves the sam linebacker and the two safeties.

Sam isn't really a key position, so this highlights the priority on defense being safety, assuming that we resign Spencer. Which personally, I think is a mistake.

I think it really depends on what happens with Spencer.

I think Ratliff is suited best for the 1-tech, where he doesn't have to face double-teams and is allowed to use his quickness to shoot the B gap.

However, if Dallas re-signs Spencer, I think Ratliff will end up playing 3-technique because he's one of our few linemen who can play both spots. The NT spot in this defense would not be much different for him than the NT spot in Wade Phillips' D.

The reason it hinges on re-signing Spencer is that likely will determine where Hatcher plays. I don't think Hatcher is suited for the 3-technique, but he's a good fit for the 1-technique. However, if Spencer isn't re-signed, I think Hatcher will be moved to RDE.

So the way I see it is:

Spencer re-signed — Ware, Hatcher, Ratliff, Spencer.

Spencer not re-signed — Ware, Ratliff, FA, Hatcher.

Another option if Spencer is not re-signed might be Sean Lissemore at the 3-technique. Not sure how I feel about him starting, though, although I think he's a good player.

The other primary option we have is Tyrone Crawford, and I certainly hope Dallas doesn't hand him a starting spot. He needs to have to beat someone out for one.

[LatinMind]

I personally think you people are putting too much thought into this whole 1 tech and 3 tech. If you listen to Kiffin he just wants players who can attack. Im sure theres more into it then what he says. But i think he just wants a DT to get in there and attack the QB, Defend the run 2nd. Thats why Tampa, chicago, seattle had some of the high tackling lbers in the nfl runnning this defense. Because their primary objective is to attack that run

[koolaid]

Originally Posted by MichaelWinicki

Exactly.

The talk about releasing the guy do to whatever reason should simply stop– pretty much a waste of keystrokes.

I hear and understand what you are saying, but I can't get on board with Ratliff being on this team after his drunk driving incident. If he is on our roster at the start of next season I will not purchase merchandise and I will boycott the first game.

[MichaelWinicki]

Originally Posted by koolaid

I hear and understand what you are saying, but I can't get on board with Ratliff being on this team after his drunk driving incident. If he is on our roster at the start of next season I will not purchase merchandise and I will boycott the first game.

Hey I get that and respect your point of view.

I just think it's one of those "It is what it is".

[speedkilz88]

Originally Posted by gimmesix

I think it really depends on what happens with Spencer.

I think Ratliff is suited best for the 1-tech, where he doesn't have to face double-teams and is allowed to use his quickness to shoot the B gap.

However, if Dallas re-signs Spencer, I think Ratliff will end up playing 3-technique because he's one of our few linemen who can play both spots. The NT spot in this defense would not be much different for him than the NT spot in Wade Phillips' D.

The reason it hinges on re-signing Spencer is that likely will determine where Hatcher plays. I don't think Hatcher is suited for the 3-technique, but he's a good fit for the 1-technique. However, if Spencer isn't re-signed, I think Hatcher will be moved to RDE.

So the way I see it is:

Spencer re-signed — Ware, Hatcher, Ratliff, Spencer.

Spencer not re-signed — Ware, Ratliff, FA, Hatcher.

[View Full Quote]Another option if Spencer is not re-signed might be Sean Lissemore at the 3-technique. Not sure how I feel about him starting, though, although I think he's a good player.

The other primary option we have is Tyrone Crawford, and I certainly hope Dallas doesn't hand him a starting spot. He needs to have to beat someone out for one.

I agree with pretty much everything you said except you have the terms backwards (you aren't dyslexic are you? ) 1 tech is NT, 3 tech is 1 on 1, if Hatcher plays end it will be on the left side or strong.

[Eskimo]

I think we should put our best interior player at the 3 tech and right now that is probably Hatcher. If Ratliff comes back at 90% of what he was in 2010/11 then he is our best penetrating interior player and matches up with that spot better.

Right now, for a healthy Rat I would suggest:

Hatcher Lissemore/Brent Ratliff Ware

If Ratliff is not quite the penetrator that he used to be then I would suggest:

Crawford Ratliff Hatcher Ware

Right now my big hope is that we draft a very good DT in the draft and then go forth:

Crawford Rookie Hatcher Ware

We can sub in Ratliff into some pass rush situations. I just think he is a very limited player at this stage and it is a shame JJ had to sign him to that ridiculous contract after the 2010 season when he had two full years left on his deal - we would be clear of that deal now.

in 2014 with Rat gone we should be able to invest in a young vet preferably around are 26 or 27. If Ware can stay productive for a few more seasons and Crawford can become a productive LDE we could be very good next year:

Crawford Rookie Young vet Ware

You may ask why not just sign Spencer instead - to me the issue is that he is going to run out of steam soon just like Ware will. I'd like to avoid that.

[Galian Beast]

Originally Posted by gimmesix

I think it really depends on what happens with Spencer.

I think Ratliff is suited best for the 1-tech, where he doesn't have to face double-teams and is allowed to use his quickness to shoot the B gap.

However, if Dallas re-signs Spencer, I think Ratliff will end up playing 3-technique because he's one of our few linemen who can play both spots. The NT spot in this defense would not be much different for him than the NT spot in Wade Phillips' D.

The reason it hinges on re-signing Spencer is that likely will determine where Hatcher plays. I don't think Hatcher is suited for the 3-technique, but he's a good fit for the 1-technique. However, if Spencer isn't re-signed, I think Hatcher will be moved to RDE.

So the way I see it is:

Spencer re-signed — Ware, Hatcher, Ratliff, Spencer.

Spencer not re-signed — Ware, Ratliff, FA, Hatcher.

[View Full Quote]Another option if Spencer is not re-signed might be Sean Lissemore at the 3-technique. Not sure how I feel about him starting, though, although I think he's a good player.

The other primary option we have is Tyrone Crawford, and I certainly hope Dallas doesn't hand him a starting spot. He needs to have to beat someone out for one.

I think you got it backwards. The 1 technique is going to face more double teams than the 3 technique.

[TwentyOne]

Originally Posted by ajk23az

That sounds like a fantasy. He will be getting 6-8 million/year easily from someone.

Maybe. But that wasn't my point.

If he get that kind of contract then the best decission is to let him walk.

[Deep_Freeze]

Originally Posted by Eskimo

I think we should put our best interior player at the 3 tech and right now that is probably Hatcher. If Ratliff comes back at 90% of what he was in 2010/11 then he is our best penetrating interior player and matches up with that spot better.

Right now, for a healthy Rat I would suggest:

Hatcher Lissemore/Brent Ratliff Ware

If Ratliff is not quite the penetrator that he used to be then I would suggest:

Crawford Ratliff Hatcher Ware

Right now my big hope is that we draft a very good DT in the draft and then go forth:

Crawford Rookie Hatcher Ware

We can sub in Ratliff into some pass rush situations. I just think he is a very limited player at this stage and it is a shame JJ had to sign him to that ridiculous contract after the 2010 season when he had two full years left on his deal - we would be clear of that deal now.

[View Full Quote]in 2014 with Rat gone we should be able to invest in a young vet preferably around are 26 or 27. If Ware can stay productive for a few more seasons and Crawford can become a productive LDE we could be very good next year:

Crawford Rookie Young vet Ware

You may ask why not just sign Spencer instead - to me the issue is that he is going to run out of steam soon just like Ware will. I'd like to avoid that.

Most of your plans include getting rid of Spencer of course, but if we do let him walk, his spot would be more of a need than a DT. Of course it depends on where Crawford fits in, which will have to be determined by the staff, but drafting an edge rusher would be far higher on the list and harder to find than a 1-tech with both TRat and Hatch on the roster to fill the interior spots.

A drafted rookie DT might not even beat out TRat or Hatch, and could be riding the pine. An edge rusher would start for this team immediately if we let Spencer walk, and as a premium position, it would become the biggest need of this team.

[jobberone]

Rat can play the 3 and should excel at it. I don't like the idea of him playing a 1 or 0. We only have one true 1 on the team and I have no idea how well he can play. Brent can do it but he's really an unknown.

[speedkilz88]

Originally Posted by jobberone

Rat can play the 3 and should excel at it. I don't like the idea of him playing a 1 or 0. We only have one true 1 on the team and I have no idea how well he can play. Brent can do it but he's really an unknown.

How many true 1s do the Bears and Seahawks have? Or the old bucs and vikings for that matter? They use guys who played either. The Seahawks actually moved the one run plugger they had to SDE for run downs.