merling and starks

[Rick Cartman]

ive been busy with school and work and i have heard there have been some suprises like langford and thomas, but i haven't read anything about starks and merling i thought these two would see a lot of playing time. anyone know how they have been doing?

 

[ChambersWI]

Merling has been getting a lot of good press too, the only negative was him and Jake getting in a fight.

 

[Austin Tatious]

It's disappointing to me that Starks is not running 2nd team at the all important NT position. We seem to have enough ends. We need a young guy at the NT spot in the worst way. Hopefully Soliai will improve, but he seems like a career backup at best. We will need a young stud in there very soon.

 

[hoops]

merling is young. starks from what i've read still getting his wind and underperforming. add ernest wilford to the underperforming list.

 

[TurkishFin99]

It's disappointing to me that Starks is not running 2nd team at the all important NT position. We seem to have enough ends. We need a young guy at the NT spot in the worst way. Hopefully Soliai will improve, but he seems like a career backup at best. We will need a young stud in there very soon.

Soliai has been much-improved from last year. He lost a lot of weight and is a lot quicker. He had gained a lot of weight because he thought he needed to be really big to plug up the middle of the line. It worked against him because he got tired and really fatigued towards the end of the year. If he keeps the weight off and keeps improving, I really don't see any problem with him backing up Jason Ferguson.

 

[jlfin]

It's disappointing to me that Starks is not running 2nd team at the all important NT position. We seem to have enough ends. We need a young guy at the NT spot in the worst way. Hopefully Soliai will improve, but he seems like a career backup at best. We will need a young stud in there very soon.

Career backup at best???
And you have concluded this after one season. The amazing Zoltar

 

[ckparrothead]

Also one thing to note...Phil Merling, Randy Starks and Reggie Torbor are making probably the biggest transitions among the major front seven players.

Starks played DT strictly in a 4-3 setup and is trying to get use to a 3-4 DE position. Merling played DE in a strictly 4-3 setup and is trying to get use to the 3-4 DE position same as Starks. Reggie Torbor was always a 4-3 OLB and now he's trying to be a 3-4 ILB.

When you think about it, Matt Roth played in both Nick Saban's 3-4 and Dom Capers' 3-4, Vonnie Holliday the same, Jason Ferguson is VERY experienced in this particular 3-4, Joey Porter is well experienced, Charlie Anderson played the 3-4 in college and then his first year or two in the pros under Dom Capers with the Texans, Akin Ayodele played this defense in Dallas, and Kendall Langford played the 3-4 in college.

So, if you're noticing that Torbor, Merling and Starks seem to be 'forgotten men'...they had the most to learn.

 

[Fin_Frenzy_84]

Merling has been getting a lot of good press too, the only negative was him and Jake getting in a fight.

acctually the coach liked tem being agrressive

 

[hoops]

Also one thing to note...Phil Merling, Randy Starks and Reggie Torbor are making probably the biggest transitions among the major front seven players.

Starks played DT strictly in a 4-3 setup and is trying to get use to a 3-4 DE position. Merling played DE in a strictly 4-3 setup and is trying to get use to the 3-4 DE position same as Starks. Reggie Torbor was always a 4-3 OLB and now he's trying to be a 3-4 ILB.

When you think about it, Matt Roth played in both Nick Saban's 3-4 and Dom Capers' 3-4, Vonnie Holliday the same, Jason Ferguson is VERY experienced in this particular 3-4, Joey Porter is well experienced, Charlie Anderson played the 3-4 in college and then his first year or two in the pros under Dom Capers with the Texans, Akin Ayodele played this defense in Dallas, and Kendall Langford played the 3-4 in college.

So, if you're noticing that Torbor, Merling and Starks seem to be 'forgotten men'...they had the most to learn.

that's exactly why i don't like bringing in guys to play from different systems than their used to. drafting guys with the idea they can make the transition is one thing (merling) but paying high priced free agents valuable cap figs under the assumption they can make a smooth transition to what you have them envisioned is another and an easy way to get into cap troubles if they don't pan out.

not that torbor and starks are cap breakers by any means but their still high paid relative to the rest of the roster.