Immediate thoughts on a front 7 that consists of

[robjay04]

That front 7 will forever revolutionize the game of football.

 

[Biggems]

I think they have a lot of depth at LB and DT now. Brent/Bishop could be a big upgrade to Hayden with a full TC. T. McClain is decent when if healthy. Whaley and Coleman have physical upside. Okoye gives them another option.

At LB they've loaded up on depth with many options that have various amounts of starting experience. It's really just 2-1/2 posittions because they play Nickel about 50% of the snaps.
All of these have starting experience and the oldest is 29 (Brinkley).
Lee
Hitchens
Gachkar
Brinkley
Rivers
Watson

I agree that we have a lot of depth at DT, and for the most part at LB. I still want to add at least one more DE who can be a lethal pass rusher, a LB who can play inside or out, 2 CBs, and 1 S. We use the other two picks on OL and RB/WR.

 

[JBS]

Don't hold your breath...and did you forget about a guy named Crawford hr could really take us to the next level if he can break through

Don't hold my breath on Lawrence?why not?

And yeah, Crawford is the next key cog

 

[sbark]

I'd still like to see McClain resigned, but I'd like the idea of

RDE- Greg Hardy, Jeremy Mincey
3T- Tyronne Crawford, Michael Bennett (2nd round)
1T- Terrell McClain, Josh Brent, Ken Bishop
LDE- DeMarcus Lawrence, Anthony Spencer (or George Selvie), Ben Gardner

Give me the Terrell McClain that we got a glimpse of At Giant Stadium.......was totally dominate in their backfield---with that level of play he would demand a double team ...we elevate to a top 10-15 level, .....

 

[NextGenBoys]

yup so below average, that strip sack and recovery in the divisional against green bay says he has average written all over him..

If you want to base your assessment off of one play, go for it.

I'd wager that it is an incredibly small sample size.

 

[Kaiser]

I think we are set after the draft with this group -

RDE - Hardy, Draft pick in 2nd or 3rd Round
3 Tech - Crawford, McClain, (one of Okoye, Coleman, Hayden or Whaley)
1 Tech - Brent, Bishop
LDE - DLaw, Mincey, Gardner

WLB - Lee, Rivers
MLB - McClain, Brinkley, Gachkar
SLB - McClain, Wilbur

Plus there will likely be a player or two that gets squeezed in FA and has to take a minimum contract, or a June 1st salary cap cut (though those are rare now). We will also draft a CB sometime in the first three rounds.

 

[Nightman]

I think we are set after the draft with this group -

RDE - Hardy, Draft pick in 2nd or 3rd Round
3 Tech - Crawford, McClain, (one of Okoye, Coleman, Hayden or Whaley)
1 Tech - Brent, Bishop
LDE - DLaw, Mincey, Gardner

WLB - Lee, Rivers
MLB - McClain, Brinkley, Gachkar
SLB - McClain, Wilbur

Plus there will likely be a player or two that gets squeezed in FA and has to take a minimum contract, or a June 1st salary cap cut (though those are rare now). We will also draft a CB sometime in the first three rounds.

Looks pretty solid, except I don't think we are getting McClain back for the MIKE and the SAM,jk

 

[endersdragon]

I think we are set after the draft with this group -

RDE - Hardy, Draft pick in 2nd or 3rd Round
3 Tech - Crawford, McClain, (one of Okoye, Coleman, Hayden or Whaley)
1 Tech - Brent, Bishop
LDE - DLaw, Mincey, Gardner

WLB - Lee, Rivers
MLB - McClain, Brinkley, Gachkar
SLB - McClain, Wilbur

Plus there will likely be a player or two that gets squeezed in FA and has to take a minimum contract, or a June 1st salary cap cut (though those are rare now). We will also draft a CB sometime in the first three rounds.

Honestly I don't like the idea of going DE really early this year unless it is certainly the BPA (which edge rusher rarely is after the first 20 or so picks). I heard somewhere that we used our 4th DE on around 5% of snaps last year, and any DE we draft in the 2nd or 3rd round, will be that 4th DE. With the Hardy situation up in the air, I am not so sure I want to go DE that early, not when we have our options open not to (unlike last year).

 

[Nightman]

Honestly I don't like the idea of going DE really early this year unless it is certainly the BPA (which edge rusher rarely is after the first 20 or so picks). I heard somewhere that we used our 4th DE on around 5% of snaps last year, and any DE we draft in the 2nd or 3rd round, will be that 4th DE. With the Hardy situation up in the air, I am not so sure I want to go DE that early, not when we have our options open not to (unlike last year).

If DLaw progresses he could be the edge rusher of the near future

Hopefully we can keep Hardy for a couple more years

CB and RB seem like a bigger need. DT can be had later in the draft.

 

[endersdragon]

If DLaw progresses he could be the edge rusher of the near future

Hopefully we can keep Hardy for a couple more years

CB and RB seem like a bigger need. DT can be had later in the draft.

Agree 100%, I also think swing tackle and a decent Hitchens type LB would also be very smart ways to go.

 

[Kaiser]

Looks pretty solid, except I don't think we are getting McClain back for the MIKE and the SAM,jk

He's a big guy! My bad, I have McClain in the membrane.

 

[Kaiser]

Honestly I don't like the idea of going DE really early this year unless it is certainly the BPA (which edge rusher rarely is after the first 20 or so picks). I heard somewhere that we used our 4th DE on around 5% of snaps last year, and any DE we draft in the 2nd or 3rd round, will be that 4th DE. With the Hardy situation up in the air, I am not so sure I want to go DE that early, not when we have our options open not to (unlike last year).

I say that because of the Marinelli approach of sending guys in waves. I agree with you in general, the only real positions of need are RB and CB but even with Mincey (and Gardner) I think they will draft another DE. No doubt I'll be wrong on draft day however.

 

[Nightman]

He's a big guy! My bad, I have McClain in the membrane.

Hitchens forgives you, but he won't forget

 

[xwalker]

I agree that we have a lot of depth at DT, and for the most part at LB. I still want to add at least one more DE who can be a lethal pass rusher, a LB who can play inside or out, 2 CBs, and 1 S. We use the other two picks on OL and RB/WR.

The good thing is that they don't have to force a pick at any position. I would lean towards CB and DE. Those are the expensive positions to get in FA. It would be good to have an upside guy at LB but 4-3 LB are not as expensive as CBs and DEs.

I don't really know what to do at Safety. The draft options seem limited. I might just lean towards another big CB to train as a Free Safety.

 

[StarBoyz83]

Seems weird to me that the best dlineman last year will be a backup this year. But hardy is obviously better and I wanna see more dlaw. Athletic dline is the best with a 4-3. Imo. Didnt like the way teams easily ran on us or had all day to throw last year. Hopefully it'll change a bit this year..

 

[blumayne38]

If you want to base your assessment off of one play, go for it.

I'd wager that it is an incredibly small sample size.

It was his last played game and it was a great play in a crucial situation u say he is below average , but he played an above average game that day...

 

[ColeBeasley11]

Seems weird to me that the best dlineman last year will be a backup this year. But hardy is obviously better and I wanna see more dlaw. Athletic dline is the best with a 4-3. Imo. Didnt like the way teams easily ran on us or had all day to throw last year. Hopefully it'll change a bit this year..

It will change where Hardy is on the field. Mincey was very solid year yes, but I don't think it's unrealistic that Lawrence can be better then Mincey was last year. It's nice too have more speed/accelleration on the field also our defense is slow.

 

[blumayne38]

It will change where Hardy is on the field. Mincey was very solid year yes, but I don't think it's unrealistic that Lawrence can be better then Mincey was last year. It's nice too have more speed/accelleration on the field also our defense is slow.

I had high hopes for dlaw...but you only get high hopes once, Mincey did "well" he played both run and pass well and managed to accumulate some stats,....hes no elite pass rusher but he sure isn't a bad one...adding talent in the middle will drastically help all of our DEs and our defense...i personally don't know what's gonna happen in the draft but I hope there is some good DT talent there...cuz based of Dallas last game they need a big guy who can get to the Qb from the middle..after that well start noticing all those DE's

 

[TheSkaven]

We just locked in Hardy for this year.

How do you feel about a front 7 that consists of:

Hardy, Crawford, Brent/Bishop, D Law
Lee McClain Hitchens
??????/

I'd say that gives us an above average front 7, somewhere in the 10-15 range.

You're forgetting the draft. Unlike other positions, you can draft a DE or DT and they can step in and play. All the mock drafts that I have seen have us taking a defensive tackle or end in the first round.

 

[blumayne38]

You're forgetting the draft. Unlike other positions, you can draft a DE or DT and they can step in and play. All the mock drafts that I have seen have us taking a defensive tackle or end in the first round.

I think DT/RB....DE doesn't make sense to me...if not those then Saftey could be upgraded...if we go DE we would have gave up on Dlaw Gardner already and wasted another pick on a DE..imo we go DT bEst DT available or Gordon if he is there..