nytexan
Waterboy
Okay call me Mr. Koolaid but after all it is May and the draft choices haven't busted yet.
1) drafting JJ Watt improves the D line, this guy is the best 5 technique in the draft and should help out from the get go. Big, strong and is a smart football player. Smith, Watt and Mario is a pretty good DE core and 2 of the 3 can play inside on passing downs. I don't see a downside here. If Okoye shows anything, I think he plays DE this year, it's all to the good.
2) From last year we pick up 4 guys to improve the LB core. We get Barwin back for the year, Reed as an improvement over Diles at OLB, Cushing/Ryans for the whole year and the addition of Mario on the outside. Health of course is paramount but this looks like a strength of the team for not just this year but for years to come
3) the secondary can't possibly be as bad again as last year. Coaching, younger guys getting better, draft picks dropping some guys from the team and hopefully a couple of veteran additions at CB and S, should improve this group as a whole to hopefully at the very least below average which will be the biggest upgrade from atrociously bad.
4) Defensive coaching is already apparent to me to be much better. Just listening to these guys gives me the optimism to think somebody over there has a clue to how to run a defense and what kind players are needed to make this defense better. The fact whether you agree with the Mario move to OLB or not, the idea that they are thinking outside the typical Texan box is reason to celebrate.
5) The rookies should improve the special teams which should help with field position. Reed, Carmichael and Shilo should be big time additions to this area at the least.
6) The offense with the addition of Daniels will be more of a ball control team and won't feel the need to score 30 a game to win and will take some time off the clock allowing the defense to get less time on the field. The addition of Tate to go along with Foster and a full year of D.Ward will give Dennison more confidence to stick with the running game more. The key here will be the health of the O.Line
7) The real key is to get healthy and to stay healthy. I'm seeing 11-5 and a possible overthrow of the dreaded Colts this year.
1) drafting JJ Watt improves the D line, this guy is the best 5 technique in the draft and should help out from the get go. Big, strong and is a smart football player. Smith, Watt and Mario is a pretty good DE core and 2 of the 3 can play inside on passing downs. I don't see a downside here. If Okoye shows anything, I think he plays DE this year, it's all to the good.
2) From last year we pick up 4 guys to improve the LB core. We get Barwin back for the year, Reed as an improvement over Diles at OLB, Cushing/Ryans for the whole year and the addition of Mario on the outside. Health of course is paramount but this looks like a strength of the team for not just this year but for years to come
3) the secondary can't possibly be as bad again as last year. Coaching, younger guys getting better, draft picks dropping some guys from the team and hopefully a couple of veteran additions at CB and S, should improve this group as a whole to hopefully at the very least below average which will be the biggest upgrade from atrociously bad.
4) Defensive coaching is already apparent to me to be much better. Just listening to these guys gives me the optimism to think somebody over there has a clue to how to run a defense and what kind players are needed to make this defense better. The fact whether you agree with the Mario move to OLB or not, the idea that they are thinking outside the typical Texan box is reason to celebrate.
5) The rookies should improve the special teams which should help with field position. Reed, Carmichael and Shilo should be big time additions to this area at the least.
6) The offense with the addition of Daniels will be more of a ball control team and won't feel the need to score 30 a game to win and will take some time off the clock allowing the defense to get less time on the field. The addition of Tate to go along with Foster and a full year of D.Ward will give Dennison more confidence to stick with the running game more. The key here will be the health of the O.Line
7) The real key is to get healthy and to stay healthy. I'm seeing 11-5 and a possible overthrow of the dreaded Colts this year.