The greatest benefactor from our switch to our 4-3 is...

[Supercowboy1986]

Originally Posted by LarryCanadian

Mickey keeps saying Spears is running around on 2 degenerative knees that continue to get worse. I think we cut him and he retires.....

There has been talk of this for 2 seasons - about how his mobility really struggles despite his efforts and good attitude.

We need to go younger and hopefully cheaper in replacing Spears.

Lots of change on Dline......

are "degenerative knees" an actual diagonse or are their many forms of it? Is it the same kind of knees Greg Oden has as well?

[LarryCanadian]

I think "degenerative" refers to the knee cartilledge (meniscus) wearing away more and more - you get bone on bone grinding and constant pain/swelling - really limiting strength and mobility. Basically (as you get older) this turns into osteo-arthritis (I have this, which is why I know - it came from 2 ACL tears as a late-teen - and then wear and tear on "degenerative" knees).

The oline FA we signed just after the last draft probably has same sort of thing - you can play on it for awhile but it slowly (and sometimes quickly) gets worse and worse, and you just aren't the same (speed, strength etc).

[Richmond Cowboy]

So by my count we are now supposed to let Spencer walk, cut Ratliff for being stupid, cut Coleman for being old, and cut Spears for his degenerative knees. And this is all while going from a 3 man line to a 4 man line? We are reducing our supply and increasing our demand...what could possibly go wrong? Oh yeah and we have huge holes on the OL and S.....awesome....

[superpunk]

Maybe if it had happened years ago.

Spears might hold up a little longer in this scheme but I doubt it makes him much more effective. I don't think he's an effective pass rusher who has simply had some down years because he's been forced to two-gap it. He's just not a pass rusher.

[Supercowboy1986]

Originally Posted by LarryCanadian

I think "degenerative" refers to the knee cartilledge (meniscus) wearing away more and more - you get bone on bone grinding and constant pain/swelling - really limiting strength and mobility. Basically (as you get older) this turns into osteo-arthritis (I have this, which is why I know - it came from 2 ACL tears as a late-teen - and then wear and tear on "degenerative" knees).

The oline FA we signed just after the last draft probably has same sort of thing - you can play on it for awhile but it slowly (and sometimes quickly) gets worse and worse, and you just aren't the same (speed, strength etc).

Thank you for the explaniation buddy. You're a good man.

[Deep_Freeze]

Originally Posted by Richmond Cowboy

So by my count we are now supposed to let Spencer walk, cut Ratliff for being stupid, cut Coleman for being old, and cut Spears for his degenerative knees. And this is all while going from a 3 man line to a 4 man line? We are reducing our supply and increasing our demand...what could possibly go wrong? Oh yeah and we have huge holes on the OL and S.....awesome....

Yeah basically we are supposed to cut half the team, then draft the replacements when its highly unlikely you can get more than 2 automatic starters out of the draft.

Thinking we don't need a guy anymore is alot different than actually cutting the guy. There isn't a position group on this team that can't be upgraded or some bad contracts be cut from right now.

[EvilJerry88]

Beneficiary not benefactor.