EwanSellars
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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.The ideal scenario - if he pans out - would be for Armond Armstead to be the LDE in the "base" and then move inside on sub packages as the DT, with Ninkovich at DE. But I'm sure a variety of formations will be used, depending on the team and their strengths.
I think that's really a little unfair seeing as how jones, francis, and hightower were all rookies last year, and jones had some ankle issues half the year, it seemed like.
you have to realize it's pretty common for pass rushers to improve off a rookie year, and they have some other very young guys in forston, armstead, and benard in the mix, now -- if those guys manage to do anything.
I don't know if it means anything, seeing as how bequette didn't play much this past year, but when tim ryan and pat kirwan were in pats camp, it was bequette that they were high on rather than jones, and that's another 2nd year guy.
- Rookie Steeler's castoff Mike Vrabel
Agreed. Not crazy for a third-round talent, but also not the only way it could go.
If Ninkovich gets any kind of regular breather, the first place to look is DE on base downs. That's when he faces the biggest size mismatches.
I'd prefer to play Armstead at DT full time (assuming he is what he is purported to be) and find a better pass rusher than Nink to play LDE full time.
Take Wilfork out on passing downs and bring in Cunningham, or another newly acquired inside pass rusher.
Ninkovich would be a good 3rd DE, rotating in behind the new LDE and Jones.
On the other hand, we could flip the base to a 34, and go
Armstead-Wilfork-TBD
Hightower-Mayo-Spikes-Jones
where hopefully TBD is a capable pass rusher.
Then the sub package would be the same as above
Yes, draft another Seymour and we'd be good to go.
Yes, draft another Seymour and we'd be good to go.
Too much to ask, but I would rather go 290 with pass rush skills than 320 and a run stuffer.
We can always bring the Deadericks, Loves, Forstons, etc off the bench to play DE if we are struggling against the run, but a pass rush that can have an impact on every down for 60 minutes in my opinion is the one single change that gives us the best chance of getting over the top and winning not just one, multiple more SBs.
I see strength, but not enough, and I think making the moves that really would turn this into an elite front 7 might be the best thing BB could do to get this team over the top.
Everyteam in the league can use a 6-8 sack defensive tackle. They dont grow on trees infact only show up every few years or so. Make a trade for Ndamakung suh?
But I am trying to look at this objectively, not with hope.
Jones had a nice rookie year, but ultimately not what we hoped. To immediately call him a stud is being optimistic.
Is it beyond belief that he could become a Bryan Thomas, Calvin Pace, Cameron Wembley, Manny Lawson kind of player and not a Clay Matthews, Jared Allen, Dwight Freeney?
Doesn't it make sense to build the team preparing for the former until he proves he is the later?
I would take a similar approach with Hightower.
Francis, Forston, Bequette, Armstead, Bernard are all guys who are longshots to help, much less transform the front 7.
Perhaps they will improve by leaps and bounds, but it would be foolish to count on it.
I'm trying to deal in what we are, not take an optimistic view of the best case.
Yes, we need camp competition (including vets like this year's Scott). We already have camp bodies Robertson and Benard. However, we are in the best shape in years.
And sure I'd like to add a quality pass-rusher. So would every fan of every team.
Certainly the front seven is a strength but IMO they have to move to elite to cover for the secondary. I don't see new CBs and Safeties coming in by the dozen to save the backfield.
DT
- As mentioned, an interior pass rush (Jarvis Green type), Cunningham did ok in this role, just ok. Maybe Armstead can help.
- Also a better rotation at DT, once Love went down the Patriots were doomed.
LB
- Very strong against the run but deficient against the pass.
- A coverage LB is really needed for sub packages. Spikes should be a two down player.
That is simply ridiculous. He wasn't drafted where he was with those expectations. You have to take the postings of message board members who as something well less than quality analysis.What exact hope and expectations were there for Jones this season? Since he was drafted, the large majority of analysts and board members were declaring him to be a situational pass rusher at best until he honed his skills.
No it wasn't.The fact that he became our starting RDE in the middle of training camp was a surprise to all, even the coaches.
I thought Hightower was just as expected.If anyone had a "disappointing" Rookie season out of our 1st Rounders, it was Hightower. But even then he seemed to catch on toward the end of the season. Jones and Hightower both dealt with injury and the general rookie ups and downs and should be expected to grow and learn from them for next season.
I don't understand your point.I don't understand why many people think rookies are going to make a big impact on a team. They're rookies. They have no idea what the NFL is about. Maybe the top 5 or so have that freakish talent to step in and defy those odds, but when it comes to any other rookie (1st rounder or not), expectations need to be lowered across the board.
However, going into the second season of a rookie's development, we can expect to see significant growth. We saw it with Spikes (before injury), Mayo, Chung (before sucking the following 2 years), just to name a few. Want other examples? J.J. Watt and JPP. Average rookie seasons at best, monster 2nd seasons.
I still don't understand your point.In no way am I comparing Jones and Hightower to Watt or JPP, but they stand as the standard for what a rookie pass rusher can possibly become.
I agree. Who did that?To dismiss the future impact of Jones and Hightower is foolish.
So I don't want to improve the front 7, but instead hope they get better and become allpros? What if they don't?Take it in moderation, yes, but you can't continue to build and develop a team if you can't expect your rookies to take on a more dynamic role in year 2.
I agree. Who said otherwise?No matter what happens, Jones and Hightower are starters, and will continue to be them until they prove they CAN'T handle the job, or until someone better comes along. There is nobody better on this team, and in the Draft and FA, the same probably stands as well.
Sounds similar to my opinon that you seem to want to disagree with.One area I do agree with you on is our depth along the DL. Wilfork is a stud, Jones flashed early before injury, but you can't deny the talent and potential is there for greatness. Ninkovich was most definitely clutch and consistent but I would like someone bigger and more established at rushing the passer.
Moving away from starters, our depth is very much lacking. All the hype is with Armstead, but we can't ensure he'll even survive TC. He just may not be as good as we think. Forston, Francis, Bernard... these guys are just JAGS. Nothing special, and not having quality depth can hurt a team. The model for depth along a DL should be the Giants.
It would be a bigger mistake to rely on him than to doubt him.** On Bequette, he was productive in College, but never broke through this year. Discouraging, yes, but don't dismiss him just yet.
So I don't want to improve the front 7, but instead hope they get better and become allpros? What if they don't?
So, we NEED to move our DL to elite by adding a quality DT and DE because it is a given that our secondary will suck?????????
It seems much better to use more of our resources on the secondary.