- Joined
- May 1, 2008
- Messages
- 16,682
- Reaction score
- 3,686
Looking at my priorities for the offseason and draft after the Colts game, I feel more strongly than ever about focusing on the following areas:
1. The pass rush. The pass rush. The pass rush. We need at least one bona fide rushing threat. Preferably 2. Indy showed how hard it is to stop both Freeney and Mathis. We shut down Freeney and Mathis killed us. I'd like to see us use 2 of our day 1 picks on pass rushers. Michael Johnson was huge for Cincinnati yesterday against Pittsburgh. It would have been nice to have someone like that. Derrick Morgan (an unstoppable force), Greg Hardy, Everson Griffen, Carlos Dunlap and Jason Pierre-Paul are all day 1 prospects who could play DE and the elephant, and provide a power rush. Sergio Kindle, Jerry Hughes, Jeremy Beal, Ricky Sapp and Eric Norwood could all provide a speed rush off the edge as 3-4 OLBs.
2. The power run game and the right side of the OL. I put these together. Vollmer is going to be a stud at LT, and if we can re-sign or franchise Mankins then the left side of our OL will be studly. But the right side is a weakness, with Neal aging and injury prone and Kaczur serviceable but no better. We found a franchise LT picking at #58 in the draft last year. I'd like to see us use two of our other picks on a stud RT, RG or running back. Jonathan Dwyer and Ryan Mathews continue to look good. Toby Gerhart is intriguing. As for the OL, it should be a lot easier to find an RT and/or RG in the second round than a franchise LT. Mike Iupati, Maurkice Pouncey, and Gabe Carmini are all attractive. I think LSU junior Joseph Barksdale could be another Vollmer on the right side. Jason Fox and Jeff Linkenbach would probably both be upgrades over Kaczur at RT. Bruce Campbell from Maryland is probably wasted on the right side, and Vollmer currently looks too good to consider moving to the right side long term.
3. The run defense. We need more depth on our DL. Obviously, having Green and Warren injured hurt a lot, and Pryor and Brace should only get better. But I'd like to see us pick up another bona fide 3-4 DE. Cameron Heyward, Leonard Marsh, Arthur Jones, Jared Odrick, Adrian Clayborn, Corey Wootton, Vince Oghobasse, and Brandon Deaderick are all options. Someone good will slip to the early 3rd round, and we should look to trade up. If we use a day 1 pick on DL then we should look at picking up an OL, RB or pass rusher in the early 3rd round. With the depth likely to be available in this draft, there will be day 1 talent (even late 1st round talent) slipping to the 3rd round.
Our weaknesses burned us against the Colts. Mathis hurt us on the right side. We couldn't power run in the 4th quarter. Our DL wore down and couldn't stop the run in the 4th quarter. And above all we couldn't get enough pressure on Manning.
1. The pass rush. The pass rush. The pass rush. We need at least one bona fide rushing threat. Preferably 2. Indy showed how hard it is to stop both Freeney and Mathis. We shut down Freeney and Mathis killed us. I'd like to see us use 2 of our day 1 picks on pass rushers. Michael Johnson was huge for Cincinnati yesterday against Pittsburgh. It would have been nice to have someone like that. Derrick Morgan (an unstoppable force), Greg Hardy, Everson Griffen, Carlos Dunlap and Jason Pierre-Paul are all day 1 prospects who could play DE and the elephant, and provide a power rush. Sergio Kindle, Jerry Hughes, Jeremy Beal, Ricky Sapp and Eric Norwood could all provide a speed rush off the edge as 3-4 OLBs.
2. The power run game and the right side of the OL. I put these together. Vollmer is going to be a stud at LT, and if we can re-sign or franchise Mankins then the left side of our OL will be studly. But the right side is a weakness, with Neal aging and injury prone and Kaczur serviceable but no better. We found a franchise LT picking at #58 in the draft last year. I'd like to see us use two of our other picks on a stud RT, RG or running back. Jonathan Dwyer and Ryan Mathews continue to look good. Toby Gerhart is intriguing. As for the OL, it should be a lot easier to find an RT and/or RG in the second round than a franchise LT. Mike Iupati, Maurkice Pouncey, and Gabe Carmini are all attractive. I think LSU junior Joseph Barksdale could be another Vollmer on the right side. Jason Fox and Jeff Linkenbach would probably both be upgrades over Kaczur at RT. Bruce Campbell from Maryland is probably wasted on the right side, and Vollmer currently looks too good to consider moving to the right side long term.
3. The run defense. We need more depth on our DL. Obviously, having Green and Warren injured hurt a lot, and Pryor and Brace should only get better. But I'd like to see us pick up another bona fide 3-4 DE. Cameron Heyward, Leonard Marsh, Arthur Jones, Jared Odrick, Adrian Clayborn, Corey Wootton, Vince Oghobasse, and Brandon Deaderick are all options. Someone good will slip to the early 3rd round, and we should look to trade up. If we use a day 1 pick on DL then we should look at picking up an OL, RB or pass rusher in the early 3rd round. With the depth likely to be available in this draft, there will be day 1 talent (even late 1st round talent) slipping to the 3rd round.
Our weaknesses burned us against the Colts. Mathis hurt us on the right side. We couldn't power run in the 4th quarter. Our DL wore down and couldn't stop the run in the 4th quarter. And above all we couldn't get enough pressure on Manning.