Addressing the LB position

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Paintrain

You think so? Blades is so overmatched, IMO, at OLB it's not even funny. He can't cover the TE. If I was an offensive coordinator I would be running my offense thru the TE if I saw that matchup.

Can't cover the TE, or failed to cover Jason Witten on one play last year?

We don't have a linebacker on our team who can consistently cover Witten. I wouldn't worry about that though. Unless we're caught in a bad package, that's a safety's job. Blades has proven to be an excellent short zone defender and a fantastic asset against the run. If he had Rocky's body (minus the knees of course), he'd already be a superstar.

Again, I ultimately agree that if there's a college DE sitting there at 13 like say, Everette Brown who could play WLB for us, we have to pull the trigger. But we'll easily find a spot for Blades on this defense. Heyer, I'm less sure about, because 2009 is a make or break year for him.

[Paintrain]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Can't cover the TE, or failed to cover Jason Witten on one play last year?

We don't have a linebacker on our team who can consistently cover Witten. I wouldn't worry about that though. Unless we're caught in a bad package, that's a safety's job. Blades has proven to be an excellent short zone defender and a fantastic asset against the run. If he had Rocky's body (minus the knees of course), he'd already be a superstar.

Again, I ultimately agree that if there's a college DE sitting there at 13 like say, Everette Brown who could play WLB for us, we have to pull the trigger. But we'll easily find a spot for Blades on this defense. Heyer, I'm less sure about, because 2009 is a make or break year for him.

Well, I'll agree to disagree. I think he can be a very good MLB but I don't think he's going to be a capable OLB over 16 games.

Originally Posted by Larry Michael is Satan

Go with HB, Fletch, and Rocky. HB was a de facto starter for much of last year, and we finished ranked 4th in Defense. Marcus, Philip, Wynn, they are all just stop-gaps til we can address those positions next year. We don't have the picks to do it now. The O was terrible last year, we need multiple O lineman who could potentially start. I'm pretty sure Justin Geisinger started at LT when we were still in the hunt. That never needs to happen again.

Man, I swear some of you guys are frustrated OL that never got a crack at the show, LOL. We don't need 'multiple linemen that could potentially start' with our 4 picks. We can go into the season with a starting OL of Samuels, Dockery, Rabach, Thomas and Heyer and it won't be a disaster. Of course we can use depth but we have glaring unfilled postions at DE and OLB that have to be addressed. Our #1 priority is generating a pass rush. You realize that increasing the pass rush increases sacks and turnovers which help the offense, right? You can't address every hole with $7 mill in cap room and 4 draft picks so you address your biggest holes and do your best to fill the rest.