BradyManny
Pro Bowl Player
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- Mar 13, 2006
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And here's how - though I cannot claim to be the originator of this idea, I believe both Ochmed & Mayoclinic have alluded to it over the past two years. It has the caveat that we must retain Wilfork somehow as well.
I currently see us with deficiencies at DE, NT, SILB & WILB (I'll explain). Drafting Cody AND signing/franchising Wilfork will give us the quickest upgrade to our defense - and in two moves, would shore up the 4 positions mentioned.
NT: I know I'm in the minority, but I've long thought Wilfork was almost a tweener, and I liked seeing him at DE this past year. He is not a perfect 3-4NT, he CAN, at times, be physically overmatched at NT in our 3-4, and I, personally, would be intrigued to see how a behemoth like Cody would help out or defense. Another point - Wilfork has been insanely durable. But even in 08, it was suspected he was playing through injury, as he was this year. For what we ask him to do as our NT, he could use a little more weight, if moved to DE and dropping a few pounds, he might be more effective and durable in the long run. This also might allow Wilfork to contribute in packages other than just the base defense, increasing his value to us.
DE: It might sound odd, but permanently moving Wilfork to DE - if we had a suitable 3-4 NT lined up, ie Cody - in the base D might be the biggest upgrade we can make. We saw him there this year for a couple of games out of necessity. I think the necessity is still there. Jarvis & Wright are both good, solid players, but neither are elite DL, which we need if we want this defense to function.
SILB & WILB: I know this may be heresy, but I don't think either Mayo or Guyton are really proving to have the "sand in the pants" to be overly effective ILB in the 3-4, as our defense is currently constituted. What I mean by that is, without Seymour in there last year, guards were getting to the LBs on essentially every running play. Wilfork is big, but he's not as effective a space-eater without an elite DL on his side like Seymour. In previous years, the LBs might have more room to work with when the big guys up front are chewing up blockers. Not the case this past season. Both Mayo & Guyton are best in space. They are quick sideline to sideline. Mayo showed improvements in taking on blockers in his rookie season, and perhaps it was just the injury, but he regressed last season. Guyton wasn't much better at it.
If we had a big DL - Warren - Cody - Wilfork - it would completely free up Guyton and Mayo to use their speed and athleticism to make plays. Whatever deficiency in speed our oversized DL would have (and honestly, it wouldn't be much, b/c Wilfork is extremely fast for his size), the guys behind them would be making up for it.
As it is, if we simply retain Wilfork and put Wright or Green back in that at DL, I don't see us having an elite front 7. We will continue to be light at both ILB positions, and struggle at times against the run - as we did this year.
I currently see us with deficiencies at DE, NT, SILB & WILB (I'll explain). Drafting Cody AND signing/franchising Wilfork will give us the quickest upgrade to our defense - and in two moves, would shore up the 4 positions mentioned.
NT: I know I'm in the minority, but I've long thought Wilfork was almost a tweener, and I liked seeing him at DE this past year. He is not a perfect 3-4NT, he CAN, at times, be physically overmatched at NT in our 3-4, and I, personally, would be intrigued to see how a behemoth like Cody would help out or defense. Another point - Wilfork has been insanely durable. But even in 08, it was suspected he was playing through injury, as he was this year. For what we ask him to do as our NT, he could use a little more weight, if moved to DE and dropping a few pounds, he might be more effective and durable in the long run. This also might allow Wilfork to contribute in packages other than just the base defense, increasing his value to us.
DE: It might sound odd, but permanently moving Wilfork to DE - if we had a suitable 3-4 NT lined up, ie Cody - in the base D might be the biggest upgrade we can make. We saw him there this year for a couple of games out of necessity. I think the necessity is still there. Jarvis & Wright are both good, solid players, but neither are elite DL, which we need if we want this defense to function.
SILB & WILB: I know this may be heresy, but I don't think either Mayo or Guyton are really proving to have the "sand in the pants" to be overly effective ILB in the 3-4, as our defense is currently constituted. What I mean by that is, without Seymour in there last year, guards were getting to the LBs on essentially every running play. Wilfork is big, but he's not as effective a space-eater without an elite DL on his side like Seymour. In previous years, the LBs might have more room to work with when the big guys up front are chewing up blockers. Not the case this past season. Both Mayo & Guyton are best in space. They are quick sideline to sideline. Mayo showed improvements in taking on blockers in his rookie season, and perhaps it was just the injury, but he regressed last season. Guyton wasn't much better at it.
If we had a big DL - Warren - Cody - Wilfork - it would completely free up Guyton and Mayo to use their speed and athleticism to make plays. Whatever deficiency in speed our oversized DL would have (and honestly, it wouldn't be much, b/c Wilfork is extremely fast for his size), the guys behind them would be making up for it.
As it is, if we simply retain Wilfork and put Wright or Green back in that at DL, I don't see us having an elite front 7. We will continue to be light at both ILB positions, and struggle at times against the run - as we did this year.
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