WildBlackBear32
Rookie
I'm gonna catch a lot of flak for this but I'll give'er a go anyway...
I don't think I'm alone when I say this, but the 3-4 sure as hell isn't working for us. Getting 4 sacks total and 2 from your linebackers and basically no pressure from what I gather, just doesnt cut it.
Doing a quick look at the "better" defenses in the league, Jacksonville, Buffalo, Indy, Carolina(whose sack totals are pretty low this year though, since Jenkins has gone down and JPep has at LEAST two guys on him every play), Cincinatti, Chicago etc etc etc...all run the 4-3 and get constant pressure on the QB. All of these teams, with the exception of Carolina, -1, has a positive turnover margin(this goes without mentioning we havent force ONE(1)(uno) turnover all year...).
Now I know we have been building on the 3-4 since the beginning, but I really, really, think it's time to scrap it. Going into this season, we had put a lot of faith in our LBs, specifically Babin and Peek. This obviously was false faith since they have been less than spectacular. The D-Line has been suprisingly solid this season as Payne and Smith have looked good. I'm hoping TJ can live up to the hype as well, if so, we'll have a solid line for another few years.
On to the offseason. This years draft has two physical freaks at DE. Mario Williams and my boy Matthi Kiwi both have the physical tools and speed to become great players in the league. Both guys have the talent to be top 10 players in the draft next years. Given our projected draft position in the top 3, we'd certainly get our pick of the litter. However, I say trade down to about 7-8ish with say the Jets(who I think will fall to that range) or Detroit. Both teams I feel would have interest in Leinart and the Jets would probably be interested in Bush given Martin is getting up there. A deal like this could probably also get us another 2nd rounder and maybe a 4-5th rounder as well.
That gives us...
#7-8
#33-35
#40-42
2 3rd Rounders
Maybe 2 4ths or 5ths.
We can package the 2 second rounders or a 2nd rounder and the 2 3rds and ship it to Denver for one of their 1st rounders, depending on the value chart and such.
Now we are looking at...
7-8
15-20
2 3rd rounders
or
7-8
15-20
40-42
Given these two scenarios my draft looks like...
1. Mario Williams/Matthi Kiwi
1. Macneil/Scott/Trueblood
3. Dom Byrd(USC TE)
3. Thomas Howard(UTEP OLB)
4. Patrick Ross/Ryan Cook (both Centers)
4. Manese Hapoi (UW DT)
or
1. Mario/Kiwi
1. Macneil/Scott/Trueblood
2. Leonard Pope (UGA TE)
4. Patrick Ross/Ryan Cook (both Centers)
4. Manese Hapoi (UW DT)
The defensive front 7 now looks like(take it easy on me, I'm not too familiar with moving guys around in schemes...)
Mario/Kiwi - TJ - Payne - Smith
===Depth=== Babin(projected to DE, similar to Suggs?), Hapoi, Walker, Ioane as the rotational fatboys.
Peek - Greenwood - Wong
===Depth=== Howard, Anderson, Polk, couple FAs.
There ya go boys and gals. Whack away.
I don't think I'm alone when I say this, but the 3-4 sure as hell isn't working for us. Getting 4 sacks total and 2 from your linebackers and basically no pressure from what I gather, just doesnt cut it.
Doing a quick look at the "better" defenses in the league, Jacksonville, Buffalo, Indy, Carolina(whose sack totals are pretty low this year though, since Jenkins has gone down and JPep has at LEAST two guys on him every play), Cincinatti, Chicago etc etc etc...all run the 4-3 and get constant pressure on the QB. All of these teams, with the exception of Carolina, -1, has a positive turnover margin(this goes without mentioning we havent force ONE(1)(uno) turnover all year...).
Now I know we have been building on the 3-4 since the beginning, but I really, really, think it's time to scrap it. Going into this season, we had put a lot of faith in our LBs, specifically Babin and Peek. This obviously was false faith since they have been less than spectacular. The D-Line has been suprisingly solid this season as Payne and Smith have looked good. I'm hoping TJ can live up to the hype as well, if so, we'll have a solid line for another few years.
On to the offseason. This years draft has two physical freaks at DE. Mario Williams and my boy Matthi Kiwi both have the physical tools and speed to become great players in the league. Both guys have the talent to be top 10 players in the draft next years. Given our projected draft position in the top 3, we'd certainly get our pick of the litter. However, I say trade down to about 7-8ish with say the Jets(who I think will fall to that range) or Detroit. Both teams I feel would have interest in Leinart and the Jets would probably be interested in Bush given Martin is getting up there. A deal like this could probably also get us another 2nd rounder and maybe a 4-5th rounder as well.
That gives us...
#7-8
#33-35
#40-42
2 3rd Rounders
Maybe 2 4ths or 5ths.
We can package the 2 second rounders or a 2nd rounder and the 2 3rds and ship it to Denver for one of their 1st rounders, depending on the value chart and such.
Now we are looking at...
7-8
15-20
2 3rd rounders
or
7-8
15-20
40-42
Given these two scenarios my draft looks like...
1. Mario Williams/Matthi Kiwi
1. Macneil/Scott/Trueblood
3. Dom Byrd(USC TE)
3. Thomas Howard(UTEP OLB)
4. Patrick Ross/Ryan Cook (both Centers)
4. Manese Hapoi (UW DT)
or
1. Mario/Kiwi
1. Macneil/Scott/Trueblood
2. Leonard Pope (UGA TE)
4. Patrick Ross/Ryan Cook (both Centers)
4. Manese Hapoi (UW DT)
The defensive front 7 now looks like(take it easy on me, I'm not too familiar with moving guys around in schemes...)
Mario/Kiwi - TJ - Payne - Smith
===Depth=== Babin(projected to DE, similar to Suggs?), Hapoi, Walker, Ioane as the rotational fatboys.
Peek - Greenwood - Wong
===Depth=== Howard, Anderson, Polk, couple FAs.
There ya go boys and gals. Whack away.