Mini camp news

[tryfuhl]

“I think, so far, there has been a ‘Let’s get this thing right’ attitude,’" Hicks, one of the Redskins’ free agent pickups, said. "Phillip Daniels’ locker is right next to mine and the first thing he said to me when I introduced myself to him was, ‘It’s time to get this thing right.’

Daniels has become one of my fave Skins over the past few years.

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by SBXVII

Joe, I'm sure you know it but 3 of your 5 supposed LB's are DE's or so we picked them up as such. Only Wilson and Blades are true LB's. Jarmon is a DE, kinda small but they were supposed to beef him up in the off season. Alexander was a DE turned OL only to be returned to DE. Orakpo was a DE whom they are trying to convert to a tweener. Last yr for Orakpo was not bad so he might work out.

In a nut shell though it doesn't seem like the front office or HC is panicking about OL or LB so I'm not worried. They either have a plan or like what they already have. I said it once and will say it again, I don't think our problem was personel we had...especially on OL. I think our major problem was scheme and blocking for that scheme. When finally other teams figured out what we were doing we got dominated. Which was after game 6 of the first yr of Zorn.

Wilson is originally a DE as well.

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by SBXVII

Joe, I'm sure you know it but 3 of your 5 supposed LB's are DE's or so we picked them up as such. Only Wilson and Blades are true LB's. Jarmon is a DE, kinda small but they were supposed to beef him up in the off season. Alexander was a DE turned OL only to be returned to DE. Orakpo was a DE whom they are trying to convert to a tweener. Last yr for Orakpo was not bad so he might work out.

In a nut shell though it doesn't seem like the front office or HC is panicking about OL or LB so I'm not worried. They either have a plan or like what they already have. I said it once and will say it again, I don't think our problem was personel we had...especially on OL. I think our major problem was scheme and blocking for that scheme. When finally other teams figured out what we were doing we got dominated. Which was after game 6 of the first yr of Zorn.

Actually, only two are career LB's - Wilson is also a converted 4-3 DE.

Jarmon, Orakpo, Alexander and Wilson are all guys who seem to have talent to play with the big boys. Yes, there is the conversion issue. Orakpo seems to be making a rough but solid transition. Hopefully Jarmon & Wilson can do the same. As for Alexander, the man is a beast and a workaholic with enough talent to play in this league - the LB position requires some versitility and he has shown that in spades. Plus, as I said, these converted DE's give us a lot of flexibility to rush the passer from a variety of places and to switch into and out of a 4-3 almost at will. Hell, with a creative DC, we may just play a "Front 7" defense and let the other side try and figure out who's doing what.

Bottom line, I can understand the FO's confidence in the LB depth b/c of the raw talent that the roster seems to possess there. I simply don't see much talent, raw or otherwise, along the OLine.

[BigHairedAristocrat]

He's got to be more inventive than Blache, but I don't think anyone would rank Haslett among the more creative DC's in the league. Hopefully i'm wrong, but I expect our defense to pretty much be a disaster.

[JoeRedskin]

I agree, Haslett doesn't scream "Innovator" to me - but I am willing to wait and see. I think he's got a good track record as a D-Coord.

Let's face it. 4-12 is 4-12. Not only that, I don't think we can say, without just guessing, what the real talent level of our team is. Under Zorn/Cerrato/Blache, I think we can all agree that the teams' talent was not maximized and, as such, it's really hard to say if some of these guys have the talent to succeed at this level. I guess I just feel from what I saw, guys playing pretty well in a vanilla defense, that with any type of scheming or flexibility, the defense will be fine.

[CRedskinsRule]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

I agree, Haslett doesn't scream "Innovator" to me - but I am willing to wait and see. I think he's got a good track record as a D-Coord.

Let's face it. 4-12 is 4-12. Not only that, I don't think we can say, without just guessing, what the real talent level of our team is. Under Zorn/Cerrato/Blache, I think we can all agree that the teams' talent was not maximized and, as such, it's really hard to say if some of these guys have the talent to succeed at this level. I guess I just feel from what I saw, guys playing pretty well in a vanilla defense, that with any type of scheming or flexibility, the defense will be fine.

Oh so you come to a different thread to acknowledge my point. Weak stuff there. We will see how well a lot of the underperformers play when they are coached up and put in good positions.

[KI Skins Fan]

I don't get he concern about the OLB position. Aren't many 3-4 OLB's converted college DE's to begin with? I think so. I think we have plenty of talent to man those positions.

Now, if you're talking 3-4 ILB then you've got a point. I think we could use some help there, even moreso than before since Rocky is apparently on his way out of town.

Brandon Spikes at ILB? Pul-eeze! You'd need a sun dial to time him in the 40. Plus, I've seen him get run over more than once. I don't like him as a player and I wouldn't want him. Got anybody else in mind?

[FRPLG]

This is why I don't like the switch to the 3-4. We're basically having to completely retool a defense that was more than adequate before. I agree it needed more punch and takeaway ability but to essentially start gutting immediately when our offense is in need of such great focus is disappointing. Seems like a less than ideal way of going about this. Might as well just cut the whole team and start over.

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

Oh so you come to a different thread to acknowledge my point. Weak stuff there. We will see how well a lot of the underperformers play when they are coached up and put in good positions.

<sigh> You'll notice I didn't disagree with you in the other thread that better coaching and a better system will improve our crappy O-Line. Further, I agree that we can't be sure what our talent level actually is. With that said, however, we can draw some conclusions about the talent level of the DL/LB's and O-Line based on last year's performance.

What you fail to see, b/c you are stupid, is that, whereas the un-maximized talent along our front seven on Defense still managed to play well and support a defense that finished in the top half of the league, the unmaximized talent along our O-Line played like crap and was considered by most analysts to be one of the worst, if not the worst, O-lines in the league.

Thus, based on last year's performance, while we can't tell the real talent level of various positions, we can safely assume that the talent level of our defensive line/LB's is of the quality that can support a top tier defense. On the other hand, and based again on last year's performance, we can safely assume the talent level of our O-Line would barely be able to support a top-tier toilet much less an explosive NFL offense.

I still have to punch you. Twice now for being doubly idiotic.

[SmootSmack]

I would think that Spikes would make a fine ILB, especially in the 4th round. He's not an explosive speedster but between the hashmarks I think he's skilled enough and smart enough to hold his own.

Also, I think people are getting carried away with this whole 3-4 thing. We're not going to be running a 3-4 100% of the time

[Dirtbag59]

Comment: Blades had a very solid year in his second season with the Redskins. He plays with good pad level and power attacking the line of scrimmage. He has good foot agility, balance and quickness but lacks great speed which hinders his range in pursuit. He has improved his reactions as plays unfold and leveraged the ball better this past season than he did as a rookie. He has burst to close inside out to the ball as a run defender and a solid tackler in space. Blades can be effective in short combination zone coverage but can get exploited when in man schemes. Blades has tools to develop but is limited and likely will be relegated to a back up roll and special team's contributor.

Blades right now is listed at 242. Maybe he should be the one to get the start at ILB opposite Fletcher.

By the way, whats the deal with Landry? Is he bulking up to play ILB?

[Longtimefan]

Originally Posted by SFREDSKIN

There's going to be a shortage of LB's on the roster if McIntosh and Carter are traded, Fletcher is getting up there in age. I'm a little worried, time to rethink the draft.

Where are those draft picks when we need them? Unless we're fortunate enough to be able to obtain some value picks via trade the cubbard is bare having only one pick in the first 103. Players with the ability to make an immediate contribution will not be available.

The experiment with moving players from their natural position to LB is going to be just that, an experiment. Could it be that what once was our strength, now has become a weakness?

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by KI Skins Fan

I don't get he concern about the OLB position. Aren't many 3-4 OLB's converted college DE's to begin with? I think so. I think we have plenty of talent to man those positions.

Now, if you're talking 3-4 ILB then you've got a point. I think we could use some help there, even moreso than before since Rocky is apparently on his way out of town.

Brandon Spikes at ILB? Pul-eeze! You'd need a sun dial to time him in the 40. Plus, I've seen him get run over more than once. I don't like him as a player and I wouldn't want him. Got anybody else in mind?

Yes, it's common for them to go after college DE's; I think that it's the coverage responsibilities of the OLBs and one of the ILBs.

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag359

By the way, whats the deal with Landry? Is he bulking up to play ILB?

No kidding, if he's still got his speed and MS/Haslett can find a way to put him in position to attack rather than react, he should have a solid year.

[joethiesmanfan]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

He's got to be more inventive than Blache, but I don't think anyone would rank Haslett among the more creative DC's in the league. Hopefully i'm wrong, but I expect our defense to pretty much be a disaster.

I agree with the BigheadDemocrat.