Blache Excited About Returning

Don't be suprised if they look for a running back high this year. Call it a hunch.

I also had a hunch about them taking Malcolm Kelly after they picked Devin Thomas.

If we drafted Moreno with the first i wouldn't complain. Nothing against Betts but i would love to have a dynamic back like Moreno to split carries w/ Portis thus keeping Portis form being worn down. Moreno could also help w/ the return game.

Imagine a Portis & Moreno 1-2 punch.
Hey its the holidays i can wish right?

Oh, about the D-Line i wish we saw enough of Wilson and Jackson to know if they are/ could be good pass rush specialist types. I always thought Wilson showed flashes but he never gets that many snaps.

I'm thinking we're best off with the same DL we currently have. Yeah, this group needs some youth. But we make them play very strict gap schemes against the run and the pass, so adding more talent to that, considering how talented they are already, seems like a waste of resources.

I likey the analysis here. For one thing our needs at OL and OLB seem to far outweigh DT, so hearing that a big infusion of talent on the d-line probably wouldn't make the group significantly better gives me a little piece of mind. IMO a big infusion of talent along the o-line will make this offense significantly better. Studs at C and RT especially will solidify the rushing and go a long way in developing JC and his young WR corp. OLB is a need too. I really, really hope we keep Marcus but I also know we need some real talent behind him when he inevitably sits out a few games.

... I will be pissed if we don't draft a stud C or RT in the 1st. OLB in the 3rd makes sense because the guy can learn behind Marcus for a while and be ready to make an impact down the road (any talented OLB we acquire through FA will probably want to start right away). Realistically I see us drafting 2 o-lineman, an OLB and a RB. I think we bring in another starter for the o-line from FA cause only the 1st rounder will start.

I'd like a little infusion of youth on the exterior. Even if Buzbee comes back healthy he's just the White Phillip Daniels...meaning he's a solid player who probably does better against the run than the pass for a DE, but he's not a playmaker in the Dexter Manley mode. Not that Connor Barwin, the guy I'm targeting in the 3rd round, is either actually.

But you know me, I've for the past several weeks said that more than anything I just want this line to consistently play together and I think they'll naturally improve.

For me we need the most change on the interior of the offensive line and at LB (props to EternalEnigma for seeing that need long before many of the rest of us did).

As for Beem's hunch, yeah I think a running back/returner will probably be our 4th pick (maybe 3rd) this draft.I would definately not argue with any sort of additional youth at the end position, but I'm just looking at it as a potential investment in our future. I think that, pound for pound, our DL right now is one of the better ones in the league, and they figure to be so again next year.

We don't have many weaknesses in general on defense. I'd like to see more production out of our WLB, but I'm not totally against the fact that Rocky could still give it to us. We're not as deep in the secondary as we should be with all the draft picks we have spent there, but that's due to some really crazy circumstances.

I'd really love a superstar LB in the first round, but the offensive line needs the youth infusion so desperately.

This team has surprisingly few glaring holes for a team that lost 7 games.

If we drafted Moreno with the first i wouldn't complain. Nothing against Betts but i would love to have a dynamic back like Moreno to split carries w/ Portis thus keeping Portis form being worn down. Moreno could also help w/ the return game.

Imagine a Portis & Moreno 1-2 punch.
Hey its the holidays i can wish right?

Oh, about the D-Line i wish we saw enough of Wilson and Jackson to know if they are/ could be good pass rush specialist types. I always thought Wilson showed flashes but he never gets that many snaps.As crazy as it might sound, a first round RB might not be as bad a pick as some might think it would be. Our running game needs to be better than it was in the second half of the year pure and simple.

Of course, like any first round running back, if Moreno isn't a complete back who can do it all by midway through his rookie year, then he probably wasn't worth such a high pick given RB fungibility and everything.

A great running back is invaluable, but an average RB is very replaceable.

I would definately not argue with any sort of additional youth at the end position, but I'm just looking at it as a potential investment in our future. I think that, pound for pound, our DL right now is one of the better ones in the league, and they figure to be so again next year.

We don't have many weaknesses in general on defense. I'd like to see more production out of our WLB, but I'm not totally against the fact that Rocky could still give it to us. We're not as deep in the secondary as we should be with all the draft picks we have spent there, but that's due to some really crazy circumstances.

I'd really love a superstar LB in the first round, but the offensive line needs the youth infusion so desperately.

This team has surprisingly few glaring holes for a team that lost 7 games.

Have thought the same since mid-season but doubted i knew enough to really make a judgment. I'm thinking 3 key additions - C, RT, and OLB - and we're back in the playoffs next year. Any big additions beyond those will just be gravy.

I would love to see Blache's defense with a monster DT, but at this point I think offensive line help would be more beneficial.

As crazy as it might sound, a first round RB might not be as bad a pick as some might think it would be. Our running game needs to be better than it was in the second half of the year pure and simple.

Of course, like any first round running back, if Moreno isn't a complete back who can do it all by midway through his rookie year, then he probably wasn't worth such a high pick given RB fungibility and everything.

A great running back is invaluable, but an average RB is very replaceable.

How do you think CP would react if we drafted Moreno?

How do you think CP would react if we drafted Moreno?Ultimately, it wouldn't matter, but I can't imagine he would be pleased.

As crazy as it might sound, a first round RB might not be as bad a pick as some might think it would be. Our running game needs to be better than it was in the second half of the year pure and simple.

Of course, like any first round running back, if Moreno isn't a complete back who can do it all by midway through his rookie year, then he probably wasn't worth such a high pick given RB fungibility and everything.

A great running back is invaluable, but an average RB is very replaceable.

I agree. We didn't exactly give Betts a massive extension a few years ago, so he could be expendable if a good first round talent is available.

Pounding Portis early and often worked great for a while (and our record reflected as much), but when he got hurt our running game faltered and so did our record. When I look at teams like Carolina, NYG, Tampa, Miami, etc, it shows the importance of at least two good RBs. Carolina in particular has used a 1st round pick on a RB each of the last two years. You think they regret it?? Hell no.

If we want to maximize Portis' health (and not look retarded for giving him $20M guaranteed last offseason), we need to give him help. That needs to be either in the form of rookie RB or more carries for Betts.

I agree. We didn't exactly give Betts a massive extension a few years ago, so he could be expendable if a good first round talent is available.

Pounding Portis early and often worked great of a while (and our record reflected as much), but when he got hurt our running game faltered and so did our record. When I look at teams like Carolina, NYG, Tampa, Miami, etc, it shows the importance of at least two good RBs. Carolina in particular has used a 1st round pick on a RB each of the last two years. You think they regret it?? Hell no.

If we want to maximize Portis' health (and not look retarded for giving him $20M guaranteed last offseason), we need to give him help. That needs to be either in the form of rookie RB or more carries for Betts.

Betts can handle it.