Sports radio guy in San Diego said Cowboys were working on Urlacher acquisition

[Nexx]

Urlacher is probably the greatest Cover-2 MLB of all time. He's not what he used to be, obviously, but I'd welcome bringing in someone who knows the ins and outs of this defense like he does.

As important as the Mike is in the Tampa-2, he was still good enough for the Bears to have a top 5 defense last year.

+1, people make it sound like hes completely washed up. i watched a few bears games and he played solid, still great dropping back in coverage. its amazing a man that big plays coverage so well. if hes willing to come in on a one year contract, who else better to teach Bruce/Lee about playing linebacker in the tampa 2?

 

[blindzebra]

Not even close.

We need at least one additional player -- maybe two -- to run this D.

What we don't need is to sit back and have some fantasy about how bottom of the roster guys like Albright, Wilber, Calloway, Bass, and Price(!) are going to be able to step in and contribute. If they can, that is great. However, it would be amazingly silly to count on those contributions.

Your definition of close is vastly different than websters.

We have our starting DEs.

We have our starting DTs.

We have a PROVEN back-up at DT in Lissemore.

We have a PROVEN swing guy in Crawford.

Albright played pretty darn well last season and can play DE or SOLB and blitz from LB ala Miller in Denver.

Wilber as a situational pass rusher. Calloway as a plugger inside.

Could we improve the depth? Sure.

Is it life or death that we do it? NOT EVEN CLOSE.

 

[AbeBeta]

Your definition of close is vastly different than websters.

We have our starting DEs.

We have our starting DTs.

We have a PROVEN back-up at DT in Lissemore.

We have a PROVEN swing guy in Crawford.

Albright played pretty darn well last season and can play DE or SOLB and blitz from LB ala Miller in Denver.

Wilber as a situational pass rusher. Calloway as a plugger inside.

Could we improve the depth? Sure.

Is it life or death that we do it? NOT EVEN CLOSE.

You gotta be kidding me.

Proven swing guy in Crawford? He played a little and was alright.

Proven backup in Lissemore? He did very little last year. He had one game where he was credited with a ton of tackles -- you can search for my post where I detail how Seattle's scorekeeper is completely out of whack and gives about twice as much credit for tackles as anyone else in the league.

Wilber is a situational pass rusher? He's done nothing to show he can do that.

Calloway as a plugger? Again. He did nothing to show he could fill that role last year.

 

[myslamsareolder]

Your definition of close is vastly different than websters.

We have our starting DEs.

We have our starting DTs.

We have a PROVEN back-up at DT in Lissemore.

We have a PROVEN swing guy in Crawford.

Albright played pretty darn well last season and can play DE or SOLB and blitz from LB ala Miller in Denver.

Wilber as a situational pass rusher. Calloway as a plugger inside.

Could we improve the depth? Sure.

Is it life or death that we do it? NOT EVEN CLOSE.

This. The DL situation IMO is so over blown. People who don't know college players forget that Albright would have been a 2nd or 3rd round pick AS A DE43/OLB34 had he not had two serious injuries in college (he went undrafted because teams didn't think he could come back from his SERIOUS back injury) he has proven to be able to play as an end or a solb. Also not enough people are considering Price. The dude was a 2nd rounder just a couple of years ago who was cut because of health and a family death he was struggling with. He has MAJOR talent. Crawford can play inside or outside and Lissy is a great rotational guy.

You gotta be kidding me.

Proven swing guy in Crawford? He played a little and was alright.

Proven backup in Lissemore? He did very little last year. He had one game where he was credited with a ton of tackles -- you can search for my post where I detail how Seattle's scorekeeper is completely out of whack and gives about twice as much credit for tackles as anyone else in the league.

Wilber is a situational pass rusher? He's done nothing to show he can do that.

Calloway as a plugger? Again. He did nothing to show he could fill that role last year.

I agree with you on Wilber and Calloway. They can't be counted on. IMO Wilber is a 34OLB and that's it. Not sure he can play end or OLB in a 43. Calloway is raw... but you're wrong about Albright and Lissy. Lissemore was hurt for most of the year. He missed 6 games and played through more hurt. I'm sorry but we have a decent to stellar player for every spot on the front 7 then a decent backup for each on the front 4. There is nothing wrong with a line of Ware(Crawford)-Ratliff(Lissy)-Hatcher(Price)-Spencer(Albright) not to mention players like Bass, Calloway, and Iggy (the kid from the Steelers) that all showed flashes. Albright also could and should start at Sam. And we have Lemon who showed flashes. We do need LB depth though much more than DL.

 

[AbeBeta]

I agree with you on Wilber and Calloway. They can't be counted on. IMO Wilber is a 34OLB and that's it. Not sure he can play end or OLB in a 43. Calloway is raw... but you're wrong about Albright and Lissy. Lissemore was hurt for most of the year. He missed 6 games and played through more hurt. I'm sorry but we have a decent to stellar player for every spot on the front 7 then a decent backup for each on the front 4. There is nothing wrong with a line of Ware(Crawford)-Ratliff(Lissy)-Hatcher(Price)-Spencer(Albright) not to mention players like Bass, Calloway, and Iggy (the kid from the Steelers) that all showed flashes. Albright also could and should start at Sam. And we have Lemon who showed flashes. We do need LB depth though much more than DL.

Start at SAM for Albright?

This is a D that relies on speed. I like Albright -- but he's too big and slow to be a starting LB in this offense.

I hope I'm wrong about Lissy -- but honestly, a player is what he does on the field. Last year Lissy did very little.

 

[AsthmaField]

Start at SAM for Albright?

This is a D that relies on speed. I like Albright -- but he's too big and slow to be a starting LB in this offense.

Yep. Albright, IMO is strictly a DE in Kiffin's scheme. He's not at all what you want at LB in this defense.

I do think he's a good football player and might be a good DE here.

 

[myslamsareolder]

Yep. Albright, IMO is strictly a DE in Kiffin's scheme. He's not at all what you want at LB in this defense.

I do think he's a good football player and might be a good DE here.

Are you kidding? Do you not remember how good albright was last year when he finally got in? The dude is clearly good enough to play lb. I'd say he's as good as roach. The SOLB in a 43 can basically be a jag and IMO Albright is more than a jag. I prefer him at DE but he's not starting over Spencer or ware obviously and he is smart enough, versatile enough, and ABSOLUTELY good enough to play SAM. You don't need a superstar at every position especially at LB when you already have 2.

 

[bigdnlaca]

I'd rather have Urlacher than Conner...

Yuuuuuuup

 

[jobberone]

Are you kidding? Do you not remember how good albright was last year when he finally got in? The dude is clearly good enough to play lb. I'd say he's as good as roach. The SOLB in a 43 can basically be a jag and IMO Albright is more than a jag. I prefer him at DE but he's not starting over Spencer or ware obviously and he is smart enough, versatile enough, and ABSOLUTELY good enough to play SAM. You don't need a superstar at every position especially at LB when you already have 2.

I'm not going to predict he starts at Sam but he could compete there. He's very quick, has average or better instincts and is faster than people are giving him credit for. He doesn't appear to have the instincts of Urlacher but he's basically his clone athletically.

Brian Urlacher

Height: 76 inches Weight: 258 pounds Arm Length: (N/A) inches Hand Size: (N/A) inches Position: OLB College: New Mexico Draft Class: 2000

Measurables

40 Yard Dash: 4.59 seconds 20 Yard Dash: 2.67 seconds 10 Yard Dash: 1.62 seconds Bench Press: 27 reps (225 lb) Wonderlic: (N/A) (0-50)
Vertical Leap: 34.0 inches Broad Jump: 122 inches 20 Yd Shuttle: 4.18 seconds Three Cone: 6.94 seconds 60 Yd Shuttle: (N/A) seconds

Brian Urlacher was drafted by the Chicago Bears in Round 1 with the #9 overall pick of the 2000 NFL Draft.

Alex Albright, DE/OLB, Boston College

Height: 6-5. Weight: 254.
Projected 40 Time: N/A.
Combine 40 Time: DNP.
Pro Day 40 Time: 4.85.
Benchx225: 22. Vertical: 36. Arm: 32 5/8.
Projected Round (2011): 6-FA.

4/7/11: Alex Albright ran a 4.85 at his Pro Day, but what stood out were his 10-yard split (1.60) and broad jump (10-4). Albright is a project with upside; he had 3.5 sacks in eight games in 2010.


Albright's 40s don't measure up but he doesn't look that slo to me. I can't find any other 40s on the guy. By eyeball there's not much difference. Urlacher looks more instinctive but he's been around a while longer. They are basically equal where it matters with quickness and burst.

I thought Albright was a marginal back up at best but I think he'll get snaps this year somewhere. Garrett said at the end of last year they had to find some snaps for the kid.

And I'm not comparing the careers or career paths of those two players merely the athleticism.

 

[TheFinisher]

Albright isn't in the same stratosphere athletically as Urlacher.

 

[riverside4]

Albright isn't in the same stratosphere athletically as Urlacher.

No hes not doesn't need Geritol everyday and hurt himself walking to the water cooler. PASS WAY TO OLD AND BROKEN OFTEN!

 

[myslamsareolder]

Albright isn't in the same stratosphere athletically as Urlacher.

He doesn't need to be. Urlacher is a MLB and Albright would be a SOLB, which is basically a trash man. It's a position built for JAGs and Albright is more than a JAG. Period. I don't think it's that crazy to think he may even be better than Urlacher at this point actually. Does he have the intangibles of Urlacher? No way, but Urlacher is getting pretty washed up and broken.