Verdict
Well-Known Member
- Messages
- 26,230
- Reaction score
- 20,501
Let's be real here and evaluate what we have on defense. Let's start with what we have and work from there:
1. Sean Lee. Pro bowl linebacker is the one think you can count on defensively. Smart, good character, gamer. Reasonably priced contract.
What's not to like? Maybe injury history. Otherwise he checks all the boxes.
2. Malik Collins. Collins is the most likely candidate to both make an impact on the line and play out his contract with us. Hungry up and coming player who has upside.
A year in the weight room as a professional and this guy could bring the heat. This guy is likely to be our best lineman going forward and at a great price. His best years are ahead of him.
3. Anthony Brown. This young draft pick should have solidified a spot in the starting rotation at corner with his play this year. Like Collins, he is cheap and his best years are in front of him. I expect good things out of him going forward.
4. Byron Jones. Still on his rookie deal. Has shown flashes that he can be an elite cover free safety covering the new wave tight ends. He may not be an all pro but he is a hell of a lot better than most teams have at his position.
The price is right and he has youth on his side.
5. Demarcus Lawrence. I don't think he sucks but he isn't good enough as a pass rusher to man the weak side and rush the passer against the left tackle. He is just NOT good enough.
I don't think he sucks, but his injury history doesn't bode well for him. If he can get healthy enough I think he can man the strong side and contain the run. He can be a useful piece assuming he is healthy.
Again he has age and a cheap contract working for him. I think he sticks if he is healthy and starts.
6. David Irving. I don't see him being more than he currently is, which is an above average spot player who can come in the game in the second half and get a few snaps and put some pressure on the QB.
He is a depth player only at this point.
7. Hitchens. I think he is quality depth as a reserve but that should be all that we are ideally using him for.
Where does that leave us? Here is what I think about the other pieces of the puzzle.
Jaylon Smith. Man this one is an obvious make or break. If he plays and is totally healthy he should play as well as any player we could draft this year. That would fill in one of the black holes we have at linebacker.
Let's face it...... outside of Lee we don't have a single difference maker.
Strong safety. I would personally cut bait with Church. He is not a difference maker. I would try to resign Wilcox. I thought you would never hear me say that, but I would make it a priority and he should be relatively cheap.
Carr. He is an adequate one year stop gap at corner if his cap number is as advertized in some of these other threads.
Cedrick Thornton. Not a great starter at 1 tech.
What we need:
The most obvious need is a single dominant pass rushing defensive end. That player will not likely be available at #28 overall. It is cost prohibitive to move up more than a couple of spots in the the first round. I don't know how we are going to **** a player like this out of nowhere.
Linebacker. We need another starter at linebacker in the worst way. We might get a starter out of the first 4 rounds of the draft, if we are lucky.
I don't see any way in hell we don't draft a corner or two out of this draft class. If we don't resign Mo. we might be looking at 2 corners in this draft.
We have too many holes to replace everyone on defense. Moreover the value in the draft could well fall in line with offense (RT comes to mind).
I think we will have to attempt to get really good value out of the following free agents: Terell McClain, Mo, Wilcox, and probably keep Crawford with his bloated contract. Otherwise we have too many holes on defense.
1. Sean Lee. Pro bowl linebacker is the one think you can count on defensively. Smart, good character, gamer. Reasonably priced contract.
What's not to like? Maybe injury history. Otherwise he checks all the boxes.
2. Malik Collins. Collins is the most likely candidate to both make an impact on the line and play out his contract with us. Hungry up and coming player who has upside.
A year in the weight room as a professional and this guy could bring the heat. This guy is likely to be our best lineman going forward and at a great price. His best years are ahead of him.
3. Anthony Brown. This young draft pick should have solidified a spot in the starting rotation at corner with his play this year. Like Collins, he is cheap and his best years are in front of him. I expect good things out of him going forward.
4. Byron Jones. Still on his rookie deal. Has shown flashes that he can be an elite cover free safety covering the new wave tight ends. He may not be an all pro but he is a hell of a lot better than most teams have at his position.
The price is right and he has youth on his side.
5. Demarcus Lawrence. I don't think he sucks but he isn't good enough as a pass rusher to man the weak side and rush the passer against the left tackle. He is just NOT good enough.
I don't think he sucks, but his injury history doesn't bode well for him. If he can get healthy enough I think he can man the strong side and contain the run. He can be a useful piece assuming he is healthy.
Again he has age and a cheap contract working for him. I think he sticks if he is healthy and starts.
6. David Irving. I don't see him being more than he currently is, which is an above average spot player who can come in the game in the second half and get a few snaps and put some pressure on the QB.
He is a depth player only at this point.
7. Hitchens. I think he is quality depth as a reserve but that should be all that we are ideally using him for.
Where does that leave us? Here is what I think about the other pieces of the puzzle.
Jaylon Smith. Man this one is an obvious make or break. If he plays and is totally healthy he should play as well as any player we could draft this year. That would fill in one of the black holes we have at linebacker.
Let's face it...... outside of Lee we don't have a single difference maker.
Strong safety. I would personally cut bait with Church. He is not a difference maker. I would try to resign Wilcox. I thought you would never hear me say that, but I would make it a priority and he should be relatively cheap.
Carr. He is an adequate one year stop gap at corner if his cap number is as advertized in some of these other threads.
Cedrick Thornton. Not a great starter at 1 tech.
What we need:
The most obvious need is a single dominant pass rushing defensive end. That player will not likely be available at #28 overall. It is cost prohibitive to move up more than a couple of spots in the the first round. I don't know how we are going to **** a player like this out of nowhere.
Linebacker. We need another starter at linebacker in the worst way. We might get a starter out of the first 4 rounds of the draft, if we are lucky.
I don't see any way in hell we don't draft a corner or two out of this draft class. If we don't resign Mo. we might be looking at 2 corners in this draft.
We have too many holes to replace everyone on defense. Moreover the value in the draft could well fall in line with offense (RT comes to mind).
I think we will have to attempt to get really good value out of the following free agents: Terell McClain, Mo, Wilcox, and probably keep Crawford with his bloated contract. Otherwise we have too many holes on defense.
