Do we start looking to replace Ellis?

[TheCount]

http://i61.***BLOCKED***/albums/h77/legendz28/Ellis-Linus.jpg

I know we've got a surplus at linebacker, but with Ellis constantly crying for his "Blankie", do we try to address pass rushing OLB in this draft so that if we were to deal him, we could have another guy for depth behind Ware and Spencer?

I live Cliff Avril of Purdue towards the end of the 2nd if we address RB and CB in the first (or with the signing of Pacman, RB and WR).

I don't know that we have much pass rush depth to begin with.

 

[Future]

We began to replace Ellis when we drafted Spencer

 

[TheCount]

We began to replace Ellis when we drafted Spencer

So you're fine with just two pass rushers?

 

[Manwiththeplan]

So you're fine with just two pass rushers?

no, because we have 3. when ellis retires/we get rid of him, we can draft another one. but right now we have more pressing needs than a 4th DE/OLB

and I hope you're not implying we trade him this year.

 

[TheCount]

no, because we have 3. when ellis retires/we get rid of him, we can draft another one. but right now we have more pressing needs than a 4th DE/OLB

and I hope you're not implying we trade him this year.

Such as?

And I'm not implying anything. Simply asking a question.

 

[LatinMind]

afer a 11 sack season people are still saying to get rid of ellis? i guess people have to find reasons to get rid of players that produce.

 

[jswalker1981]

Such as?

And I'm not implying anything. Simply asking a question.

Umm, maybe CB, RB, WR, OG, possibly safety. I mean, that is why there is such a buzz about Pacman, trading for a RB, and the DMac fans crying for us to trade up. Right now we have Ware, Ellis, Spencer, and not to mention Carpenter (because God only knows how many more times we'll switch him around).

 

[TheCount]

Umm, maybe CB, RB, WR, OG, possibly safety. I mean, that is why there is such a buzz about Pacman, trading for a RB, and the DMac fans crying for us to trade up. Right now we have Ware, Ellis, Spencer, and not to mention Carpenter (because God only knows how many more times we'll switch him around).

Carptenter is not a 3-4 OLB, and at what point did he prove he can pressure the passer?

Did you even read my whole post? I talked addressing most of those, and what OG do you want to take in the 2nd?

Also, I never said we SHOULD trade Ellis, I said IF we were to deal him. I'm also talking about depth for the future, Ellis is no spring chicken anyway and I don't see how having 4 pass rushers is a bad thing.

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

afer a 11 sack season people are still saying to get rid of ellis? i guess people have to find reasons to get rid of players that produce.

Do you think he made the sacks by himself?
When you have a ware opposite you will get some easy ones

Also, here is what we know about Ellis:
He's old. The clock will not turn backward
He's a sissipated pouter. He will not change
And
Did you see that tackle he missed against the Giants? The runner went on to get the Giants in position to ice the game against us.

Sacks?
After that play, his sack totals were a non-issue.

Unload this sack of potatoes. Let's look to the future.
Oh, and yes, if he is such a sack stud, let's gauge interest around the league as to who would take the sack king.

Yeah, not many if at all.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

Such as?

And I'm not implying anything. Simply asking a question.

JMO

Literally every position except
FB
TE
OT
K
P
LS

We have zero depth at
RB (Right now nothing after MB III)
CB (only Alan Ball after starters)
SS (push come to shove we can slide Hamlin to SS and start Watkins at FS)

We have poor depth at
WR (Hurd, Austin, Stanback are good 4-5-6 recievers, but we lack a #3)
QB (Brad Johnson and that's it!?)
Interior OL

Have solid depth but need to prepare for starters that won't be here much longer
DL (Marcus Spears probably won't be here after 09' and Canty is uncertain after 08')
ILB (Akin Ayodele may be cut, Zach Thomas isn't a long term answer and Kevin Burnett is injury prone and going to be a free agent soon)
OLB (Ware is a stud, Ellis is older, but coming off a career high in sacks and Spencer is still inexperienced. Another guy I'd keep an eye on is Justin Rogers).

 

[koolaid]

afer a 11 sack season people are still saying to get rid of ellis? i guess people have to find reasons to get rid of players that produce.

the guy is a total crybaby, people are just getting sick of his antics

 

[TheCount]

Literally every position except
FB
TE
OT
K
P
LS

We have zero depth at
RB (Right now nothing after MB III)
CB (only Alan Ball after starters)
SS (push come to shove we can slide Hamlin to SS and start Watkins at FS)

We have poor depth at
WR (Hurd, Austin, Stanback are good 4-5-6 recievers, but we lack a #3)
QB (Brad Johnson and that's it!?)
Interior OL

Have solid depth but need to prepare for starters that won't be here much longer
DL (Marcus Spears probably won't be here after 09' and Canty is uncertain after 08')
ILB (Akin Ayodele may be cut, Zach Thomas isn't a long term answer and Kevin Burnett is injury prone and going to be a free agent soon)
OLB (Ware is a stud, Ellis is older, but coming off a career high in sacks and Spencer is still inexperienced. Another guy I'd keep an eye on is Justin Rogers).

Again, please read my whole post. I talked about all this stuff. We have 8 picks in this draft, let's not pretend taking an OLB in the 2nd will ruin the whole thing.

You've just said we need depth at every position except the ones you listed, OLB not being among those listed, but still don't think we should take an OLB?

 

[Hostile]

5th or later pick on Curtis Johnson OLB from Clark Atlanta.



Oh, and I wouldn't mind one bit if we traded Ellis. He's near the end of his career, I love Spencer, and I'm tired of Ellis' whining.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

Oh, and yes, if he is such a sack stud, let's gauge interest around the league as to who would take the sack king.

Again JMO, I've always thought the plan was Ware plays on the weak side, Ellis plays on the strong side, untill Spencer takes over. Since Spencer has more potential as an overall LB (covering/open field tackling), once he's ready to start, Ellis becomes a pass rush specialist thus adding a few more years to his career. So imo, it would be a mistake to get rid of him just because of his cost compared to his production. Even if he was a back-up producing 5-7 sacks, he would still be a bargin

 

[TheCount]

5th or later pick on Curtis Johnson OLB from Clark Atlanta.



Oh, and I wouldn't mind one bit if we traded Ellis. He's near the end of his career, I love Spencer, and I'm tired of Ellis' whining.

Now we're talking. I like Johnson, wouldn't be upset with that. He's got the size too.

 

[Apollo Creed]

I'm not going to bother doing a stastical report, but these past two seasons have shown that we are not the same team when Ellis is out of the lineup.

He's a veteran that constantly gets it done - great mentor for guys like Ware and Spencer. He just wanted the same loyalty that he's shown this organization for the past 10 years.

 

[J-DOG]

We began to replace Ellis when we drafted Spencer

Exactly!
I would go on a rant...but it's not worth it.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

Again, please read my whole post. I talked about all this stuff. We have 8 picks in this draft, let's not pretend taking an OLB in the 2nd will ruin the whole thing.

Even if we sign Pac Man I'd draft a CB over an OLB. IMO it's far more likely Pac Man gets in trouble than Ellis, Ware or Spencer get seriously injured. And if we don't get Pac Man, WR is a far bigger need. While taking an OLB in the 2nd won't ruin the draft, what would be the point of drafting someone that early who will rarely see the field? It's not like Avril is some rare prospect, some comparable will be available in the 2nd rd next year and the year after and so on and while the same can be said for any 2nd rd prospect, barring an injury at OLB (keep in mind we can just as easily suffer an injury at WR or CB), we will use a WR more than an OLB.

You've just said we need depth at every position except the ones you listed, OLB not being among those listed, but still don't think we should take an OLB?

I don't think we should take an OLB early. If one falls in our lap late, why not, but imo we can't hit all our needs in the draft

 

[GimmeTheBall!]

I'm not going to bother doing a stastical report, but these past two seasons have shown that we are not the same team when Ellis is out of the lineup.

He's a veteran that constantly gets it done - great mentor for guys like Ware and Spencer. He just wanted the same loyalty that he's shown this organization for the past 10 years.

Mentor?
Why would a mentor spend so much time crying about his position, about his salary?
Besides, I thought we had a mentor and GREAT LEADER now in Zach?
And he sure went the wrong way in expressing his desire for loyalty.
But I guess to some, money cures all ails in regards to loyalty.

When that Giants runner ran past Ellis in the playoffs, his time in Dallas was over. Didn't matter how many sacks and didn't matter how much of a MENTOR he was. He missed that tackle and we went down in flames.

Unload the aged sack of potatoes.
Let's get on with Spencer and the future.

 

[Jarv]

Again JMO, I've always thought the plan was Ware plays on the weak side, Ellis plays on the strong side, untill Spencer takes over. Since Spencer has more potential as an overall LB (covering/open field tackling), once he's ready to start, Ellis becomes a pass rush specialist thus adding a few more years to his career. So imo, it would be a mistake to get rid of him just because of his cost compared to his production. Even if he was a back-up producing 5-7 sacks, he would still be a bargin

You are the man with a plan !

I see Ellis as a Jeff Jeffcoat for 3 more years.