We need a little luck in the health department

Killerinstinct

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In addition to our new batch of draftees we could see

Overshown
Mazi
Schoonmaker

For the first time healthy

Plus Diggs and Steele hopefully fully healthy

That is a large talent infusion

I see many acting like this year is a throw away year. I see no reason why this team can’t be better than last years team.
 

JBS

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Can’t really putt Diggs and Steele in same boat

Neither Gallup nor Steele were at their best their first year returning from torn acls. Let’s hope that isn’t the case with Diggs. That’s a major area of concern

Being healthy would be great. But really, what is the ceiling for this team? It’s not high no matter how healthy we are. The floor can be quite low I suppose, if we aren’t healthy.
 

Jipper

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Luck or hope is not a strategy…

Have to make your own luck by having depth to absorb injuries which are part of the nfl.

But yeah, would be nice to not lose a ton of players to injury this yesr
 

CowboyoWales

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In addition to our new batch of draftees we could see

Overshown
Mazi
Schoonmaker

For the first time healthy

Plus Diggs and Steele hopefully fully healthy

That is a large talent infusion

I see many acting like this year is a throw away year. I see no reason why this team can’t be better than last years team.
Not trying to be Debbie Downer, but you're basing this expectation on names. Overshown/Mazi/Schoon (and Fehoko), havent shown anything in the NFL level. Similarly, Sam, Tolbert, Chancey (even Nashon) were pretty healthy (but underwhelming).

Rather than 'health' per se, we need progression from our recent draft picks.

As @JBS mentioned, id be wary on Diggs contribution. At season start he'll only be 10 months out of ACL, and playing a position that's reliant of changing directions.
 

doomsday9084

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Is it me or did schoonmaker look terrible last year? Hands of stone. Looked stiff moving around. Stephens looked better than him last preseason.
 

jwitten82

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Is it me or did schoonmaker look terrible last year? Hands of stone. Looked stiff moving around. Stephens looked better than him last preseason.
Our first 3 draft picks had little to know production, and schoonmaker will be 26 once the season starts. He better be a fast learner
 

CWR

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In addition to our new batch of draftees we could see

Overshown
Mazi
Schoonmaker

For the first time healthy

Plus Diggs and Steele hopefully fully healthy

That is a large talent infusion

I see many acting like this year is a throw away year. I see no reason why this team can’t be better than last years team.
It's a war of attrition.

It's possible we have a better team, but I'd be suprised if the team is significantly better. I dont believe it a throw away year. I just think we've seen our ceiling with the current roster make up. It's frustrating because just a couple sensible FAs would've gone a long way. We've really got to improve in that area to make the next step. I'm not suggesting going on a spending spree, just identify decent contracts at players of need. There were plenty for the taking.
 

big dog cowboy

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Is it me or did schoonmaker look terrible last year? Hands of stone. Looked stiff moving around.
No. He suffered the preseason injury and fought though it when he wasn't expected to even make it on the field.

We knew he needed time to develop in the passing game and should show significant improvement.
 

Coogiguy03

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Watch for guys that get big deals on this team, football gods like to take them out so they can become duds
 

thunderpimp91

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I'd love for it to be the case where this team sees last years banged up guys come back healthy as can be, plus no other major injuries this year, but that's not realistic for the sport.

Reality is that these guys will come back with various degrees of success, Overshown and Diggs I would really tap the breaks and expect a Steele type of slow start. Meanwhile it's very likely that 5 other guys on the starting roster at random will be lost for the year or play through injuries that causes them to not play to their full potential. That's why I think a lot of people view this as a throw away year. The starting 22 isn't horrible at all with just a few position groups that worry me. The issues are the lack of starting caliber depth on this team right now. Lose a guy like Lamb and this offense is done. Lose a Parsons and that unit becomes very ordinary. Even losing a guy like Kendricks could make our LB unit look very similar to 2023 unless someone else makes a significant step forward.

This team desperately needs to go grab some veteran depth and rotational pieces to bring to camp. I would have preferred to grab some of those mid tier guys earlier in free agency but what's done is done. As the roster stands currently there is reason for optimism assuming near perfect health, but the margin of error for this team in terms of health and player regression is super slim.
 

MikeT22

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They’ve set it up so that the season will ride on a few rookies and several backups having to step up and start/contribute.

That is a big ask in itself. But if there are any injuries then we will have their
backup having to come in and start.

Right now we are looking at Osa and Mazi starting at DT. If one goes down we are left with Carl Davis or 7th rounder Rogers. And its like that at most positions.
 

maryquality

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They’ve set it up so that the season will ride on a few rookies and several backups having to step up and start/contribute.

That is a big ask in itself. But if there are any injuries then we will have their
backup having to come in and start.

Right now we are looking at Osa and Mazi starting at DT. If one goes down we are left with Carl Davis or 7th rounder Rogers. And its like that at most positions.
That DT spot is not very reassuring.
 

thunderpimp91

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I love how Overshown is the next Ray Lewis around here.

He’s become a mythical character since his injury last year.
I don't understand it at all. I'm a big fan of the guys long term potential but he was a 3rd round rookie coming off a serious injury that can often take multiple years to get back to 100%. Expectations for this guy should be extremely low for 2024. I would expect the majority of his snaps to come via special teams at least the first half of the season.
 

MountaineerCowboy

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I don't understand it at all. I'm a big fan of the guys long term potential but he was a 3rd round rookie coming off a serious injury that can often take multiple years to get back to 100%. Expectations for this guy should be extremely low for 2024. I would expect the majority of his snaps to come via special teams at least the first half of the season.
Ever since his injury last year he’s become this missing piece that is going to turn our entire defense into this dominant force.

I don’t get.

What made him go from 3rd rounder to the next Ray Lewis?
 

rambo2

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In addition to our new batch of draftees we could see

Overshown
Mazi
Schoonmaker

For the first time healthy

Plus Diggs and Steele hopefully fully healthy

That is a large talent infusion

I see many acting like this year is a throw away year. I see no reason why this team can’t be better than last years team.
It should help that Tyron Smith is gone.
 

doomsday9084

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No. He suffered the preseason injury and fought though it when he wasn't expected to even make it on the field.

We knew he needed time to develop in the passing game and should show significant improvement.
So what you are saying is that you agree with me that he looked terrible but feel that his preseason injury was enough to justify it.
 

kskboys

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Grab some in the DT, LB, and RB dept while you're at it.
 
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