Our new look ILB position moving forward.

[Tailgate]

Demeco gone. Cushing out. Here is our new unit for the rest of 2012:

Tim Dobbins
Bradie James
Mister Alexander
Darryl Sharpton

Can this unit be enough come January? Whats the status on Sharpton? Can we expect him to make an impact post injury? Where can we find an upgrade, if possible?

[MojoMan]

Originally Posted by Tailgate

Demeco gone. Cushing out. Here is our new unit for the rest of 2012:

Tim Dobbins
Bradie James
Mister Alexander
Darryl Sharpton

Can this unit be enough come January? Whats the status on Sharpton? Can we expect him to make an impact post injury? Where can we find an upgrade, if possible?

Might make sense to add another reasonably high draft pick at ILB this year.

[fiasco west]

Originally Posted by MojoMan

Might make sense to add another reasonably high draft pick at ILB this year.

Yeah. Could be a first round pick.

Either that or RG-RT depending on how those young guys continue to look. I'd put ILB first priority though, even before the injury because James hasn't been that good IMO.

[MojoMan]

Originally Posted by fiasco west

Yeah. Could be a first round pick.

Either that or RG-RT depending on how those young guys continue to look. I'd put ILB first priority though, even before the injury because James hasn't been that good IMO.

A third or fourth rounder would probably do it. Cushing will return.

In the first I would love to see a really good nose tackle. Not that our current guys are terrible at that spot, but the Texans really have no glaring weaknesses at this point that demand a first round pick, and the NT position may well be the weakest position on the team.

[fiasco west]

Originally Posted by MojoMan

A third or fourth rounder would probably do it. Cushing will return.

In the first I would love to see a really good nose tackle. Not that our current guys are terrible at that spot, but the Texans really have no glaring weaknesses at this point that demand a first round pick, and the NT position may well be the weakest position on the team.

He will return but with major injuries like this you always have to ask if his performance will remain the same.

Although I wouldn't argue with a NT at all.

[gtexan02]

Originally Posted by MojoMan

A third or fourth rounder would probably do it. Cushing will return.

In the first I would love to see a really good nose tackle. Not that our current guys are terrible at that spot, but the Texans really have no glaring weaknesses at this point that demand a first round pick, and the NT position may well be the weakest position on the team.

This is a good point. Additionally, we can only have one ILB on the field in our nickel and dime packages, so whoever is the #2 ILB is not an everydown player.

The only issue for me here is that ILB has consistently been one of the easiest positions to draft. Very few 1st round ILBs turn out to be busts. DTs, on the other hand, are second only to QBs in bust potential. The Texans have not been good at drafting interior lineman.

[Texanmike02]

Originally Posted by gtexan02

This is a good point. Additionally, we can only have one ILB on the field in our nickel and dime packages, so whoever is the #2 ILB is not an everydown player.

The only issue for me here is that ILB has consistently been one of the easiest positions to draft. Very few 1st round ILBs turn out to be busts. DTs, on the other hand, are second only to QBs in bust potential. The Texans have not been good at drafting interior lineman.

Best player available

[rolyat93]

Originally Posted by MojoMan

A third or fourth rounder would probably do it. Cushing will return.

In the first I would love to see a really good nose tackle. Not that our current guys are terrible at that spot, but the Texans really have no glaring weaknesses at this point that demand a first round pick, and the NT position may well be the weakest position on the team.

I'd prefer an O Lineman if there's a someone that falls. The Texans should be drafting BPA though so it doesn't really matter.

[EVOLVIST]

It's time to pick up the phone and call DJ Bryant.

For depth, for rotation, for familiarity, to move inside (if need be). He's an athlete.

[gtexan02]

Cushing is our TE and RB coverage guy as well. This is going to hurt us in the passing game a lot.

[Errant Hothy]

Originally Posted by gtexan02

Cushing is our TE and RB coverage guy as well. This is going to hurt us in the passing game a lot.

When the D is in dime, which has been a bunch this year, Glover covers the TE usually.

Rotate the three; James, Dobbins and M. Alexander; and go with 3 linemen (Watt, the DT rotation, Smith), 3 backers (Brooks, Barwin and the ILB shuffle) and 5 dbs (KJ, JJo, Quin, Manning and Nolan/Ball).

[rmartin65]

Originally Posted by MojoMan

Might make sense to add another reasonably high draft pick at ILB this year.

A lot of us wanted one this past draft.

I think ILB becomes a weakpoint in the D. I am comfortable with Dobbins, but that is it out of that group. James, maybe. But the other guys are depth guys, and if they are seeing regular playing time, we are in trouble. Sharpton is still coming off an injury, and I was never high on him to begin with. Alexander is young and has potential, but he is still far from ready.

That said, I think Wade will cook up some stuff to lessen the weakness. But in my opinion the two weakest positions on the D are ILB and NT. Right up the gut. That is a problem.

[badboy]

Originally Posted by rmartin65

A lot of us wanted one this past draft.

I think ILB becomes a weakpoint in the D. I am comfortable with Dobbins, but that is it out of that group. James, maybe. But the other guys are depth guys, and if they are seeing regular playing time, we are in trouble. Sharpton is still coming off an injury, and I was never high on him to begin with. Alexander is young and has potential, but he is still far from ready.

That said, I think Wade will cook up some stuff to lessen the weakness. But in my opinion the two weakest positions on the D are ILB and NT. Right up the gut. That is a problem.

I am looking at Kevin Minter LSU
if there in second. Would still take Andrew Jackson in 5th. Minter had 20 tackles & two sacks in losing to Florida. He cramped and left game for 20 minutes and could have been the difference. I also think your evaluation of current linebackers is correct.

[rmartin65]

Originally Posted by badboy

I am looking at Kevin Minter LSU
if there in second. Would still take Andrew Jackson in 5th. Minter had 20 tackles & two sacks in losing to Florida. He cramped and left game for 20 minutes and could have been the difference. I also think your evaluation of current linebackers is correct.

Minter is a beast. I hate LSU, but Minter is fun to watch. Te'o is definitely the cream of the crop, but he should be gone before the Texans pick. Minter may be as well, but there is a shot.

As for Jackson, if he is not projected to go in the top couple rounds, then he should stay in school. He is only a junior, he has no reason to go. If he does declare, I think I would take him in the 3rd. He is definitely not going to be an ILB that can cover, but down around the LOS I think he could be one of the best.

[Jackie Chiles]

Once we get Demps back I wouldn't mind seeing extra safeties (and no ILBs) on the field for the dime package assuming the distance is long enough.

Other than that, Dobbins is going to make his fair share of plays and I expect to see quite a bit of blitzing from our ILBs, both against the run and pass to compensate.

[awc713]

Why are yall worrying about the draft???

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Tailgate

Demeco gone. Cushing out. Here is our new unit for the rest of 2012:

Tim Dobbins
Bradie James
Mister Alexander
Darryl Sharpton

Can this unit be enough come January? Whats the status on Sharpton? Can we expect him to make an impact post injury? Where can we find an upgrade, if possible?

If you're talking about January, I'm assuming you mean before the draft, as in Play-offs.

We drafted Merci in the first, & Barwin is underperforming there, if you ask me. It's time for Mercilus to step up & be what we drafted him to be. Put him in at WOLB, move Barwin to SOLB, where he's supposed to be. Move Reed inside to Mo, Leave Bradie James at Mike & groom Sharpton for that position when he returns.

Shouldn't be too big of a transition for Reed & imo he's better than Dobbins & Alexander.

[Tailgate]

Originally Posted by Fiddler

If you're talking about January, I'm assuming you mean before the draft, as in Play-offs.

We drafted Merci in the first, & Barwin is underperforming there, if you ask me. It's time for Mercilus to step up & be what we drafted him to be. Put him in at WOLB, move Barwin to SOLB, where he's supposed to be. Move Reed inside to Mo, Leave Bradie James at Mike & groom Sharpton for that position when he returns.

Shouldn't be too big of a transition for Reed & imo he's better than Dobbins & Alexander.

Very few guys would I want figuring out how to best replace Cush than Phillips.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Tailgate

Very few guys would I want figuring out how to best replace Cush than Phillips.

I hear you. I'm just "hoping" based on who/what I believe to be play-makers & putting the most play-makers on the field as possible. So far, Alexander & Dobbins are role players. Reed is a play-maker, so is Barwin though we've only seen flashes (yesterday only) this year. Merci was drafted in the first round, so the expectation is that he is/will be a play-maker.

[wolf123]

I would put Reed at MLB in nickle and dime situations because he can cover, run and blitz well. That allows Barwin and Mercilous to rush from the edged and you can still blitz Reed up the middle. That's a hell of a 5 man rush to stop...