Quote:
Originally Posted by SmootSmack
Well, Fletcher's not getting any younger. Blades is decent but I don't see him as much more than a backup. Riley, I like. Carter and Rocky could both be gone. Wilson is one dimensional. Alexander and Rob Jackson are decent but not sure they have what it takes to be 16 (18?) game starters. Maybe in a platoon situation. Especially, Alexander. Not so much because he's not good but because he's asked to do so much. You could see him wearing down toward the end.
They played some of their best football against Jacksonville when Orakpo was not playing. Of course, I'm not saying they're a better team without Orakpo. But without him they were more unpredictable. I believe they need someone who can line up on the opposite side of Orakpo and inflict much of the same damage he can.
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I completely agree. Orakpo was getting held plenty in the second half the season, but he didn't have nearly as many sacks because we didn't have anybody on the opposing side to take pressure off of him. If we get a dominant pass rushing type to go on the other side, it will help Orakpo tremendously. I still think Orakpo needs to work on his game though, and study the elite pass rushers some more, because too often he gets into a position where he can be held and nobody notices. If he works on his game he can improve to the point where even if they try and hold him he can escape out of it, because it's obvious we can't rely on the officials to see when he's getting held.