Defensive Tackle is a Major Concern

[Austin Tatious]

Other than QB and Left tackle, the other position where we are extremely vulnerable is defensive tackle. For some reason, this board completely glosses over the dire straits the interior D line is in. Carter and Holliday are 3-4 ends, and not run stuffing tackles. They may be able to get some push inside in the pash rush, but we need to stop the run first and foremost. That's where it starts.

I was disappointed to read that Chester is out of shape. If he shows up to camp overweight, just cut him. That is unacceptable if he cannot work hard and do his job by staying in shape.

TBo is a longshot to stay healthy.

Take all these pieces together, and we are going to have trouble stopping the run.

 

[Dubfire]

Chester had surgery and it's understandable that he is overweigt now. If TBo is too, so be it. It's May. I will worry about this come August. I'm not counting on Bowens to stay healthy but the guy has come through time and time again. We have a lot of depth on the DL.

Again, I too have the same concerns, but it's a little to early to really be worrying.

 

[NJFINSFAN1]

Carter has played well at DT the past two years. Chester is coming back from surgery and should be ready for traing camp.

And you need to know how Saban's defense works! It's about pressure on the QB.

 

[thedayafter]

IMO Saban has calculated this issue, I doubt he is counting on them... June 1 cuts may provide some relief as teams cut for salary cap....

 

[phinfan2003]

I would say the FS spot is a bigger area of need than DT. With all of players that we have to play DT Timbo, Chester, Romero, Zgonina, Carter, and the rookies, we should be able to field a decent rotation. On the other hand, we can't say the same about our FS.

 

[Surferosa]

IMO Saban has calculated this issue, I doubt he is counting on them

I tend to agree here. The fact that Saban disnt target any big bodies in the draft or FA (except for Matt ***a, who wasnt even offered a contract) seems to insinuate that Saban likes his DT's faster and more aggressive. DT is a big concern because of age, but my guess is that Saban likes smaller quicker DT's (think Chad Lavalais) to be complemented by larger LB's and DE's.

It seems like hes happy with "smaller" tackles such as Kevin Carter and Kevin Vickenson (who both go 305 - not exactly small but definitely lighter than Bowens/Chester).

 

[Austin Tatious]

I would agree that free safety is an area of concern. I hope Yerehmiah Bell can finally live up to his considerable promise and Tavares Tillman finally has the light bulb go on for him. That said, in my opinion, defensive tackle is a more vital position than free safety.

Certainly we have lots of question marks, which is not surprising for a team coming off a 4-12 season.

Let's hope this is year one on our new timeline for greatness. We still need to go out and get a quarterback who can win in this League, a bona fide left tackle, a young buck defensive tackle, and a front line corner. Hopefully by Saban's third year, we can be there.

 

[phinfan2003]

I would agree that free safety is an area of concern. I hope Yerehmiah Bell can finally live up to his considerable promise and Tavares Tillman finally has the light bulb go on for him. That said, in my opinion, defensive tackle is a more vital position than free safety.

Certainly we have lots of question marks, which is not surprising for a team coming off a 4-12 season.

Let's hope this is year one on our new timeline for greatness. We still need to go out and get a quarterback who can win in this League, a bona fide left tackle, a young buck defensive tackle, and a front line corner. Hopefully by Saban's third year, we can be there.

I guess what I was trying to say is that I feel more comfortable with the current state of our DT's than I do about the current state of our FS's. DT is obviously a bigger need in the NFL but our FS's need a lot of help IMO.

 

[KB21]

I don't see how Holliday and Carter are 3-4 ends, considering that neither have played in the 3-4.

We also aren't going to be running a two gap defense this season, so having the big, blocker occupiers isn't as necessary as it was in the past. The main responsibility of the DT's this year will be to control the gaps.

 

[CitizenSnips]

I know its silly to think a 7th round pick to be much, but i fully believe that saban intends to use vickerson.

 

[SCall13]

I don't see how Holliday and Carter are 3-4 ends, considering that neither have played in the 3-4.

We also aren't going to be running a two gap defense this season, so having the big, blocker occupiers isn't as necessary as it was in the past. The main responsibility of the DT's this year will be to control the gaps.

I was thinking the same thing. Neither has ever played in a 3-4 that I can recall. Our defensive tackles will be playing more attack than control under Saban.

 

[Avalanche of Wins]

whatever happened to fields from mississippi i believe, has anyone signed him yet. ( sorry if im wrong, i tend to get him confused with the other wide body we talked about on these boards means ).

 

[thedayafter]

Fields got drafted... SD maybe?

 

[nick1]

Ronald Fields was drafted... as for DT I think we will start Carter and Bowens while rotating them with Vickerson and Chester

 

[Disgustipate]

I was disappointed to read that Chester is out of shape. If he shows up to camp overweight, just cut him. That is unacceptable if he cannot work hard and do his job by staying in shape.

Please at least have some marginal idea what you are talking about before you do it ok? Thanks. Cutting Chester because he is overweight could quite possibly be the stupidest move we could feasibly make at this point without trading Ronnie Brown for Reuben Droughns or something like that.

Chester is injured in a way which prevents him from properly doing the kind of excercises that can allow him to be in proper shape. This is not a big deal. Many bigger players come into training camp out of shape, it is the nature of bigger players in todays NFL. It's not because Chester is lazy.

Not only that, but what is the issue with Chester being overweight? You do understand that both Chester and Bowens were well overweight in 2002 and 2003, when they dominated the interior of every O-line they faced, correct? It was said that both of them were well over 350+ pounds.

TBo is a longshot to stay healthy.

I wasnt aware that Tim Bowens fired his current doctor and hired you. Tell us, doctor, what did you find directly opposite of his old doctor that said he should be ok to play football this season?

Take all these pieces together, and we are going to have trouble stopping the run.

Maybe if we follow your plan about cutting Chester we will.