Offseason Focus: Defensive Line

[Defensewins]

Originally Posted by Chico23231

Yeah....You know when going through and analyzing, D-Line players, Baker value, other FA options, quality of play.... it is important to remember: who played next to Baker? No one...meaning he garnered a lot of attention up front from opposing Olines and STILL produced. He did have RK usually too his left, but he had no NT/DT or quality piece at the other DE spot. Think that says a lot.

I completely agree. Baker is the only interior D lineman on our team that any other team would want. Nothing would improve this team more than signing Baker, adding another quality DT/NT and adding a quality free safety.
These are critical positions that need to be manned by competent NFL quality.
They will make the rest of the defense much better and in turn the team much better. Just three guys. Free agency has to be used to get at least two of them. Then the first round pick to get the third.
We saw the result last season of passing on the higher quality free agents and only counting on the draft. It cost our D coordinator his job, because the FO fucked up and we were forced to go into the season with the likes of Kedric Goldston as our starting NT.
Great DT's will make our LB's and DE's better.
A great FS will make our CB's ans SS better.
Problem solved.
The question becomes will FO be able to pass on other lesser needs to fill these glaring needs?
AFTER filling these three glaring needs at 2x DT and FS then you can draft BPA.
But you have to walk before you can run. Our defense is still crawling.
There are needs and there are glaring needs. Glaring needs bring the entire team down. For example, when our O line sucked and could not protect our QB.
Or when we did not have a QB worth a damn. Glaring needs have to addressed or the team will not make the playoffs and will fail.
I remember in our last super bowl winning team of 1992, I could look out onto the field and not see a single weakness in our starting lineup. Not a one. That brought me great joy even before we won the 92 super bowl. Just the confidence that our offense, defense and special teams did not have a single weakness in the chain. It was solid. That team was built with a combination of free agency and draft.