I just got home to see the news of the trade with Dallas. I had planned on making a post talking about my suspision that we would see several players drafted on the front 7 despite all the FA moves.
Going to a 3-4 is going to require that we make a full transformation on the front 7. I dont think we have seen the end with all the FA moves and trades. Alot of the guys we picked up are nothing more than stop gap guys who have played in a 3-4 before and can hold it down until Bill gets his guys in there. His guys will be players we draft this year.
Trading JT will be just another step in that direction. IMHO the new regime never planned on him playing OLB or DE in this system. Porter on the other hand excells in it, but dosent have a ton of years left in him.
We will not only go after an OLB in the draft, but most likely even more help at ILB. I expect Akin to start at one spot and the other to be filled by either Torbor or a drafted player who might come in and impress. Bell or Goff possibly.
Dont be shocked to see Crowder phased out right away either. Could be cut. I never expected him to be in the plans. When did he ever play ILB in a 3-4? On top of that he blew as an ILB in a 4-3.
Anderson could be in the mix for playing time in the middle as well. So I could see at least 2 if not 3 picks used on just LB. As far as the front 3 goes, you have to expect Ferguson is there just to hold it down for a year or two. Bill wants to compete this season while putting the team together that will make a run in the future.
I wouldnt be shocked to see two if not 3 picks on the DL to go with the others at LB. Holliday isnt getting any younger and probably isnt in the long term plans. I like Holliday and Ferguson alot as players, but dont expect either to be in the long term plans.
Now with TE no longer being a need I can see 3-5 picks being used on the front 7, along with 1 on the QB position, and 1-2 besides Long on the OL. That dosent leave much for anything else, but WR and CB are possibilities. I would love to have B.Flowers on the team, but I just dont see corner as an immediate need like alot of posters here do. Will Allen is slept on hard core, Lehan was resigned, and Goodman is decent. Id like to have a rookie stud to be at corner, but in Parcells scheme its all about the front 7. We will be fine for now in the secondary, especially with the upgrades we made at safety in FA.
Im really glad we have TE locked down now so we dont have to use a pick to fill that spot. It will be interesting to see which of the younger players that were here from the leftover front 7 stick around over the next year or two. I think Wright might be the only one that survives of the younger ones.
Going to a 3-4 is going to require that we make a full transformation on the front 7. I dont think we have seen the end with all the FA moves and trades. Alot of the guys we picked up are nothing more than stop gap guys who have played in a 3-4 before and can hold it down until Bill gets his guys in there. His guys will be players we draft this year.
Trading JT will be just another step in that direction. IMHO the new regime never planned on him playing OLB or DE in this system. Porter on the other hand excells in it, but dosent have a ton of years left in him.
We will not only go after an OLB in the draft, but most likely even more help at ILB. I expect Akin to start at one spot and the other to be filled by either Torbor or a drafted player who might come in and impress. Bell or Goff possibly.
Dont be shocked to see Crowder phased out right away either. Could be cut. I never expected him to be in the plans. When did he ever play ILB in a 3-4? On top of that he blew as an ILB in a 4-3.
Anderson could be in the mix for playing time in the middle as well. So I could see at least 2 if not 3 picks used on just LB. As far as the front 3 goes, you have to expect Ferguson is there just to hold it down for a year or two. Bill wants to compete this season while putting the team together that will make a run in the future.
I wouldnt be shocked to see two if not 3 picks on the DL to go with the others at LB. Holliday isnt getting any younger and probably isnt in the long term plans. I like Holliday and Ferguson alot as players, but dont expect either to be in the long term plans.
Now with TE no longer being a need I can see 3-5 picks being used on the front 7, along with 1 on the QB position, and 1-2 besides Long on the OL. That dosent leave much for anything else, but WR and CB are possibilities. I would love to have B.Flowers on the team, but I just dont see corner as an immediate need like alot of posters here do. Will Allen is slept on hard core, Lehan was resigned, and Goodman is decent. Id like to have a rookie stud to be at corner, but in Parcells scheme its all about the front 7. We will be fine for now in the secondary, especially with the upgrades we made at safety in FA.
Im really glad we have TE locked down now so we dont have to use a pick to fill that spot. It will be interesting to see which of the younger players that were here from the leftover front 7 stick around over the next year or two. I think Wright might be the only one that survives of the younger ones.