Still think the defense is going to be better

[texbumthelife]

I think the difference is that collectively they'll be able to put together a supporting cast that far exceeds that cast of misfits we watched late last year. And with Spencer, Lawrence, and maybe Brent on the come, there's hope that this could evolve positively as the season moves forward.

They're also collectively significantly younger, with a chance to continue to build instead of another year closer to being completely broken down. But hey, that "hold onto vets until they grind into dust" plan has worked so well for us in the past...

 

[cmoney23]

"Studs all around him"? On the dline? You mean a declining Peppers? Just like Hatcher had a declining Ware?

1. Melton is 5 years younger. 5!
2. Jason Hatcher never had more than 4 sacks in a season until last season, when he had 2 sacks after Thanksgiving. Melton's 15.5 in three years is .5 less than Hatcher had his first seven years total.
3. Melton is significantly cheaper and his contract is structured so that if he doesn't recover this season, we really don't take any significant cap hit. If he does make a full recovery, he is better and younger than Hatcher, creating a vital building block instead of yet another stop-gap. Hatcher is already hurt again and will never see the end of that contract.

I know what you were saying, but Hatcher's 2013 was so far from the median it's clearly a farce and is honestly incomparable because Melton could have very well been just as good or better had he not been hurt.

If we are talking one year rentals at guaranteed production equal to a players best season, then sure, I will take Hatcher. That's just not even close to realistic though.

All of what your saying is mute, I said

but I'd have taken Hatcher from 2013 over Melton from 20anything!

and you said

you don't know what you're talking about

All we where looking at was Hatcher 2013 v Any year Melton had and it wasn't close. Your wrong.

Plus if you want to get technical... Hatcher wasn't an every day starter on D for us and played in an entirely different position until last year. He was a DE in a 3/4 and was suppose to hold up OL more that pass rush. So to compare early stats is stupid...