A general consensus on Demarcus Lawrence....

[Szczepanik]

I still think we go DE next year in the first.

That being said, this move for Lawrence was a MUST MAKE move.

Atlanta was going to snag him anyways, which forced our hand. I am sure we wanted to get rid of the 4th rounder to move up but got our hands forced for the 3rd.

If we didn't land Lawrence which by the way is a scheme fit.... we would be in a bit of struggle DE wise. There were what, only 2 or 3 DE's that fit our defensive scheme at end that were considered top players?

 

[Manwiththeplan]

The number of players you mention doesn't matter if we didn't want them. We had Lawrence rated as a 1st round talent and wanted him before the Falcons could get him. Saying this or that player is available doesn't matter. Look what happened to JF.

ironic how settling for a lesser talent like Scott Crichton or Kareem Martin and keeping our third and drafting Jackson jeffcoat or Kelsey quarles, would've been more popular.

 

[jnday]

I still think we go DE next year in the first.

That being said, this move for Lawrence was a MUST MAKE move.

Atlanta was going to snag him anyways, which forced our hand. I am sure we wanted to get rid of the 4th rounder to move up but got our hands forced for the 3rd.

If we didn't land Lawrence which by the way is a scheme fit.... we would be in a bit of struggle DE wise. There were what, only 2 or 3 DE's that fit our defensive scheme at end that were considered top players?

I would have never overpayed to move up considering the holes on the roster. I would have waited a year and tried to get a better player and value. If they DE in the first next year, it will really make the trade-up look bad and it will indicate that Lawrence was a reach. I hope he is the next Haley and the DE position is filled.

 

[Szczepanik]

I would have never overpayed to move up considering the holes on the roster. I would have waited a year and tried to get a better player and value. If they DE in the first next year, it will really make the trade-up look bad and it will indicate that Lawrence was a reach. I hope he is the next Haley and the DE position is filled.

I think they will look for Spencer's replacement via 1st round draft next year. Or safety I would assume. I just don't think the DL is anywhere near fixed. I see Melton/Lawrence longterm with 2 holes on the DL to replace spencer and find the 1tech.

We will see though.

 

[AsthmaField]

I think they will look for Spencer's replacement via 1st round draft next year. Or safety I would assume. I just don't think the DL is anywhere near fixed. I see Melton/Lawrence longterm with 2 holes on the DL to replace spencer and find the 1tech.

We will see though.

It really wouldn't surprise me to see Bishop or Coleman... or even both, stick and really do well at the 1-tech spot. The reason Marinelli doesn't really like to take 1-tech DT's early in the draft is because he can find late round guys who can come in and play well there. They just need to be relatively quick and relatively stout and play with leverage. Both of those guys do that.

Maybe I'm off, but I think one or both end up filling a hole and end up being part of a healthy rotation inside.

 

[Szczepanik]

It really wouldn't surprise me to see Bishop or Coleman... or even both, stick and really do well at the 1-tech spot. The reason Marinelli doesn't really like to take 1-tech DT's early in the draft is because he can find late round guys who can come in and play well there. They just need to be relatively quick and relatively stout and play with leverage. Both of those guys do that.

Maybe I'm off, but I think one or both end up filling a hole and end up being part of a healthy rotation inside.

I sure hope so!

I would love nothing more than the 1 tech to get filled by Bishop. That would leave Spencer's spot on the line up in the air next season, assuming the knee doesn't check out.

 

[Texas_Pete]

I thought they did the right thing. I'm always for quality over quantity and this guy was the very last first round quality edge rusher. It is something the team had to get in the draft, or it was wait until next year.

Someone mentioned that we could have had Jernigan and Kareem Martin, but neither of those guys are any better than what we have at those spots and I doubt either would start over McClain and Crawford. As a matter of fact, Crawford was a 3rd round pick just like Martin would have been and both play on the strongside. And, to be honest, I think Ken Bishop will be about as good as Jernigan, while there was nobody even close to Lawrence in later rounds. So we could have had Jernigan backing up at the 1-tech and Martin backing up SDE, or you could have a legitimate edge rusher on passing downs coming off the weakside in Lawrence.

This:

WDE - Lawrence / Mincey
3-tech - Melton / Bishop
1-tech - McClain / Bishop
SDE - Crawford / Selvie

Looks much better than this:

WDE - Selvie / Mincey
3-tech - Melton / Jernigan
1-tech - McClain / Jernigan
SDE - Crawford / Bass

While that might not be exactly right, it is close, and in the second scenario, there is simply no juice off of the edge. None. In the first scenario, Lawrence is that white lightning off the edge that all good defenses have to have.

Martin and Jernigan are replaceable with what we have on the team and with guys later in the draft. Lawrence couldn't be replaced either way. We had to get him there or not at all.

Where do you have Spencer in that mix?

 

[Risen Star]

Its funny how now all of a sudden Lawrence was a first round pass rushing talent to everyone.

I've been preaching his name for months to mostly crickets.

 

[locked&loaded]

Its funny how now all of a sudden Lawrence was a first round pass rushing talent to everyone.

I've been preaching his name for months to mostly crickets.

we get it, you the man

 

[Doomsday101]

I hated giving up a 3rd but for me it comes down to 1 simple thing and that is, was Lawrence someone Marinelli was pushing for? If you expect him to get the defense turned around then give the man the tools to do the job. I respect other peoples views of why they like or did not like getting Lawrence or the fact we had to give up a 3rd in the process but at the end of the day if this is a guy Marinelli wanted then at least he got what he felt would be the best for his unit and to me that is what really matters.

 

[AsthmaField]

Where do you have Spencer in that mix?

I'm not counting on Spencer at all, so nowhere. If he does surprise and is able to contribute, then certainly he will help. I think he would play on the strongside, but possibly both.

 

[TheFinisher]

I don't get the comments that he might be a Nickel only DE or a 3-4 OLB. He is one of the best WDE types at defending the run.

Because he's 250 pounds, that's considered undersized.

 

[Zekeats]

Mel likes him a lot. Thinks if he ran better at the combine he was a first round pick.

Mel likes 97% of the prospects

 

[Zekeats]

Bottom line is this draft trade was for need. Not exactly the same as drafting for need but when you trade too much to get there it basically is the same as drafting for need.

The other problem with this trade is that it makes you have to hit on the top two guys you drafted just like the Claiborne year. If not the draft is garbage, much like the Claiborne year.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Its funny how now all of a sudden Lawrence was a first round pass rushing talent to everyone.

I've been preaching his name for months to mostly crickets.

I've listened to you Risen, I just don't like him all that much as a pass rusher. I've watched a lot of him too. Look at who he got his sacks against. I hope I am dead wrong on this one but I am fearful that we might have drafted a guy who may never be a strong pass rusher off the edge for our scheme.


Hope I'm wrong.

 

[ABQcowboyJR]

The real problem I have with him is I don't see the quickness and get off that everyone talks about. He will flash SOME quickness at times, but not consistently. I love his ferocity and attitude.

 

[Oh_Canada]

It really wouldn't surprise me to see Bishop or Coleman... or even both, stick and really do well at the 1-tech spot. The reason Marinelli doesn't really like to take 1-tech DT's early in the draft is because he can find late round guys who can come in and play well there. They just need to be relatively quick and relatively stout and play with leverage. Both of those guys do that.

Maybe I'm off, but I think one or both end up filling a hole and end up being part of a healthy rotation inside.

Not sure if they view Coleman as a 1-tech....he's a little light in the rear end I think for the position.

 

[jnday]

Its funny how now all of a sudden Lawrence was a first round pass rushing talent to everyone.

I've been preaching his name for months to mostly crickets.

You can go back and check the threads. The man is right.

Because he's 250 pounds, that's considered undersized.

i said it when he was drafted, Lawrence sounds like a Victor Butler clone in many ways.

 

[DFWJC]

ironic how settling for a lesser talent like Scott Crichton or Kareem Martin and keeping our third and drafting Jackson jeffcoat or Kelsey quarles, would've been more popular.

True.
If he lives up to what they think of him, then all is well.

On draft day, I guess I looked at Lawrence as a trade off from getting both Tim Jernigan AND Kareem Martin. That was my thinking, not the team's.
I'm all in for Lawrence, but over time I will be watching the two that (again, for me) would probably have been taken in his place.
I'll also be watching Telvin Smith...I thought they'd grab him In the 4th. But maybe he's too much of a tweeter.

The trade down to get 4 players (Lawrence late 1st) in three rds instead of 2 players also looked attractive. But I loved the Zack Martin pick anyway.

Our draft was okay, IMO.

 

[texbumthelife]

I think they will look for Spencer's replacement via 1st round draft next year. Or safety I would assume. I just don't think the DL is anywhere near fixed. I see Melton/Lawrence longterm with 2 holes on the DL to replace spencer and find the 1tech.

We will see though.

Gardner will be Spencer's replacement.