BermudaTriangle
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- Mar 30, 2006
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This game shows us one main thing: Just how far we still are from being a one and done, perennial superbowl contender. Here are my thoughts, position by position:
OFFENSE:
O-Line: We are in DESPERATE need of big, bad, strong interior offensive linemen. Center and Right Guard. Long and Smiley on the left side are set, and I believe that letting Carey walk, with all the other needs on this team, is a mistake. I for one don't want to have to replace our RT, as well. Al Johnson, Ide Ndukwe, Andy Alleman: Lots of bodies, but all back-ups. Satele? Don't know where he fits right now, but he doesn't get much push up the middle, that's for sure. Shawn Murphy? A MAJOR disappointment, drafted in the early 4th last year and did not see the field due to injury. Donald Thomas? Jury is still out, but we can't count on him right now. So we NEED to focus our attention on upgrading the interior of the line. Can you IMAGINE Ronnie, Ricky, and P. Cobbs running and catching behind a powerful and nasty O-Line? Scary...
WR's: Camarillo, Bess, Ginn, London: We may not be as desperate for a WR, after all. YES, we DO need big, tough, strong WR. We tried that with Wilford, but he failed miserably, one of the few mistakes by Parcells and CO. this offseason. I believe free agency is a better option here rather than spending a high pick in the draft with so many needs on Defense...
TE: Set. The combo of Martin and Fasano is working just fine. Together, they equal one true #1 TE. Don't mess with this.
RB/FB: Brown, Williams, Cobbs, and the surprising Polite. Again, with a tough and strong interior line that can get a push, the sky is the limit here. The numbers don't lie: Brown and Williams COMBINED for 1,600+ yards and 16 touchdowns. They are the best 1-2 combo in the NFL. Imagine what they can do with a great interior O-Line??!!
QB: Pennington was 2nd in MVP voting, and here's what I believe: With a dominating defense, imagine the possibilities? Plug Chad Pennington into the Ravens right now: A solid game manager who makes few mistakes, (the playoff game being the obvious exception), and what have you got? A winning formula. Still, there is a concern: Henne IS the future of this franchise, and our long-term success depends upon him developing. Pennington can't throw the deep ball, which is why I believe he will eventually give way to Henne. But make no mistake: QB is, for the time being at least, not a concern. But a year or two down the road, it very well may be again if neither Henne nor Beck pan out...
DEFENSE:
D-Line: Lots of young talent at end, and there will be a LOT expected of these guys next year. Merling and Langford had promising rookie seasons, but they are going to be expected to step it up next year and claim the starting spots. Holliday? If Langford and Merling have shown enough for Parcells to believe in them, Holliday may be gone. Rod Wright, as well. NT? THE most integral and important part of the 3/4 defense. Ferguson did a nice job this year, but he is a stop-gap, no more. He is simply not big enough to scare offensive lines. We NEED a Ngata, a J. Williams, a Wilfork type of guy. Soliai? MAN, I had such high hopes. This guy is a BEAST at 6'4", 350 lbs. And he is in GREAT shape. Not some slob with his belly hangin' out. Still, I just don't know if he's the answer, and we can't go into next season hoping that he is. If the focus is not placed this offseason on finding a TRUE NT to eventually replace Fergie, we are in BIG trouble, and the entire defense will come unraveled. ALL good 3/4 defenses have a MONSTER at the nose. We NEED the same...
Inside LB: Akin and Reggie Torbor are both back-ups, don't kid yourselves here. Crowder? He NEEDS to be resigned, because how in the world are we supposed to replace BOTH ILB's this offseason? We need a BEAST in the middle next to Crowder, someone to take the 'Mike' linebacker away from him. A Ray Lewis type of guy. This is a HUGE need, one that the Trifecta will spend time and effort to find.
Outside LB: One of the best in the Biz with Porter; but he's not getting any younger. Roth? Admirable job, but he's NOT the answer here for one simple reason: In a 3/4 scheme, the majority of the pass rush is expected to come from the OLB's. Porter is the ONLY legitimate pass rushing threat in the front seven. Look to the Steelers for a second: Harrison and Woodley combined for nearly 30 sacks. I personally believe that the BEST way to improve this defense immediately is to find a pass rushing threat opposite Porter. Roth? The Trifecta likes his non-stop motor, and he'd be a hell of a back-up. I'd HATE to lose him, but his status as a high 2nd round pick gives him a salary that does not warrant his play. Charlie Anderson? Another of the rare mistakes by Parcells. He came on at the end of the season, but he is not the answer to complement Porter. He will stay as a back-up or get the Ax.
CB: Will Allen and Andre Goodman are a very talented duo. Goodman is, in my opinion, the BIGGEST 'MUST RE-SIGN' of the offseason. 5 ints and 19 pass breakups. Solid ball skills and tight man to man coverage. Still, neither is getting younger, and I do believe that a high draft pick will be spent on finding a corner. Jason Allen is the PERFECT example of just how many years a bad 1st round pick can set back a franchise. 3 full seasons have passed, and he's right now buried down on the depth chart. We've had enough time to see what he's made of, and this is my summation: He's not a very smart player. He has the size and speed that teams crave in a CB, but he doesn't react very well, and can't read plays. He NEEDS to go. His high salary is a joke (that's what you get for investing in him as a mid 1st round pick). He's gone from S to CB, back to S and back again to CB. He's not the answer.
S: RE-SIGN BELL. He's a gamer: Fantastic against the run, a good blitzer, and his coverage skills have gotten better. Hill? A solid athlete and a Parcells favorite. But next to OLB and NT, I do believe that a ball-hawking FS is the Defenses BIGGEST need. Look for Parcells to spend time and energy finding someone to challenge Hill (Hill NEEDS to be resigned, if only to provide a solid back-up to whomever may come in to replace him in the starting line-up.
Summation:
The early exit in the playoffs was a perfect example of how many holes remain on this team. It's going to take another 'Near Perfect' offseason to set this team on the course of becoming a true AFC powerhouse, and not another Browns team (10-6 last year to what, 4-12 this year? Don't think it can't happen to us if the right moves aren't made).
Free Agency:
Here, I would seek out a big, tough, physical WR. I would LOVE T.J. from the Bengals. That would be PERFECT. He'll want a BIG contract, but he's worth every penny. I'd also search FA for some Guards and a another ILB or two. FORGET Namdi from the Raiders: He may not be able to leave, and even if he does, we'd have to break the bank to get him. I want a CB in the draft...
Draft:
What I THINK should be done is this:
1st: A pass rushing OLB. Again, nothing will help the secondary and the defense as a whole more than a young monster on the outside. Parcells track record suggests he'll do this: LT, Demarcus Ware: Parcells LOVES outside LB's, and he needs another one here.
2nd: NT. I'd put this in the 1st, to be honest. Again, EVERYTHING on defense will fall to pieces if for some reason we don't have Fergie in the line-up. Look at the 1st Baltimore game: He's gone and they run all over us. Still, Parcells isn't in the habit of drafting NT's high, which is a BIG mistake in the modern day NFL. He hit on Radcliff in Dallas in the 7th, I believe, but I'm a fan of BIG NT's. Radcliff is a HECK of a player, but he can disappear at times between those big guards. Give me a double-wide NT who simply CAN'T be blocked 1 on 1. Terrance Taylor, Ron Brace, BJ Raji: ALL good options.
2nd: FS or CB. I would personally go FS here, but CB may be smarter in the long run. We need both, but a young stud CB to eventually replace Goodman or Will Allen is a HUGE need. We can't fix everything this offseason...
3rd: A FS or CB, whichever is not taken in the 2nd. ALSO, an inside LB may be a good choice either here or in the 4th.
Thoughts...????
OFFENSE:
O-Line: We are in DESPERATE need of big, bad, strong interior offensive linemen. Center and Right Guard. Long and Smiley on the left side are set, and I believe that letting Carey walk, with all the other needs on this team, is a mistake. I for one don't want to have to replace our RT, as well. Al Johnson, Ide Ndukwe, Andy Alleman: Lots of bodies, but all back-ups. Satele? Don't know where he fits right now, but he doesn't get much push up the middle, that's for sure. Shawn Murphy? A MAJOR disappointment, drafted in the early 4th last year and did not see the field due to injury. Donald Thomas? Jury is still out, but we can't count on him right now. So we NEED to focus our attention on upgrading the interior of the line. Can you IMAGINE Ronnie, Ricky, and P. Cobbs running and catching behind a powerful and nasty O-Line? Scary...
WR's: Camarillo, Bess, Ginn, London: We may not be as desperate for a WR, after all. YES, we DO need big, tough, strong WR. We tried that with Wilford, but he failed miserably, one of the few mistakes by Parcells and CO. this offseason. I believe free agency is a better option here rather than spending a high pick in the draft with so many needs on Defense...
TE: Set. The combo of Martin and Fasano is working just fine. Together, they equal one true #1 TE. Don't mess with this.
RB/FB: Brown, Williams, Cobbs, and the surprising Polite. Again, with a tough and strong interior line that can get a push, the sky is the limit here. The numbers don't lie: Brown and Williams COMBINED for 1,600+ yards and 16 touchdowns. They are the best 1-2 combo in the NFL. Imagine what they can do with a great interior O-Line??!!
QB: Pennington was 2nd in MVP voting, and here's what I believe: With a dominating defense, imagine the possibilities? Plug Chad Pennington into the Ravens right now: A solid game manager who makes few mistakes, (the playoff game being the obvious exception), and what have you got? A winning formula. Still, there is a concern: Henne IS the future of this franchise, and our long-term success depends upon him developing. Pennington can't throw the deep ball, which is why I believe he will eventually give way to Henne. But make no mistake: QB is, for the time being at least, not a concern. But a year or two down the road, it very well may be again if neither Henne nor Beck pan out...
DEFENSE:
D-Line: Lots of young talent at end, and there will be a LOT expected of these guys next year. Merling and Langford had promising rookie seasons, but they are going to be expected to step it up next year and claim the starting spots. Holliday? If Langford and Merling have shown enough for Parcells to believe in them, Holliday may be gone. Rod Wright, as well. NT? THE most integral and important part of the 3/4 defense. Ferguson did a nice job this year, but he is a stop-gap, no more. He is simply not big enough to scare offensive lines. We NEED a Ngata, a J. Williams, a Wilfork type of guy. Soliai? MAN, I had such high hopes. This guy is a BEAST at 6'4", 350 lbs. And he is in GREAT shape. Not some slob with his belly hangin' out. Still, I just don't know if he's the answer, and we can't go into next season hoping that he is. If the focus is not placed this offseason on finding a TRUE NT to eventually replace Fergie, we are in BIG trouble, and the entire defense will come unraveled. ALL good 3/4 defenses have a MONSTER at the nose. We NEED the same...
Inside LB: Akin and Reggie Torbor are both back-ups, don't kid yourselves here. Crowder? He NEEDS to be resigned, because how in the world are we supposed to replace BOTH ILB's this offseason? We need a BEAST in the middle next to Crowder, someone to take the 'Mike' linebacker away from him. A Ray Lewis type of guy. This is a HUGE need, one that the Trifecta will spend time and effort to find.
Outside LB: One of the best in the Biz with Porter; but he's not getting any younger. Roth? Admirable job, but he's NOT the answer here for one simple reason: In a 3/4 scheme, the majority of the pass rush is expected to come from the OLB's. Porter is the ONLY legitimate pass rushing threat in the front seven. Look to the Steelers for a second: Harrison and Woodley combined for nearly 30 sacks. I personally believe that the BEST way to improve this defense immediately is to find a pass rushing threat opposite Porter. Roth? The Trifecta likes his non-stop motor, and he'd be a hell of a back-up. I'd HATE to lose him, but his status as a high 2nd round pick gives him a salary that does not warrant his play. Charlie Anderson? Another of the rare mistakes by Parcells. He came on at the end of the season, but he is not the answer to complement Porter. He will stay as a back-up or get the Ax.
CB: Will Allen and Andre Goodman are a very talented duo. Goodman is, in my opinion, the BIGGEST 'MUST RE-SIGN' of the offseason. 5 ints and 19 pass breakups. Solid ball skills and tight man to man coverage. Still, neither is getting younger, and I do believe that a high draft pick will be spent on finding a corner. Jason Allen is the PERFECT example of just how many years a bad 1st round pick can set back a franchise. 3 full seasons have passed, and he's right now buried down on the depth chart. We've had enough time to see what he's made of, and this is my summation: He's not a very smart player. He has the size and speed that teams crave in a CB, but he doesn't react very well, and can't read plays. He NEEDS to go. His high salary is a joke (that's what you get for investing in him as a mid 1st round pick). He's gone from S to CB, back to S and back again to CB. He's not the answer.
S: RE-SIGN BELL. He's a gamer: Fantastic against the run, a good blitzer, and his coverage skills have gotten better. Hill? A solid athlete and a Parcells favorite. But next to OLB and NT, I do believe that a ball-hawking FS is the Defenses BIGGEST need. Look for Parcells to spend time and energy finding someone to challenge Hill (Hill NEEDS to be resigned, if only to provide a solid back-up to whomever may come in to replace him in the starting line-up.
Summation:
The early exit in the playoffs was a perfect example of how many holes remain on this team. It's going to take another 'Near Perfect' offseason to set this team on the course of becoming a true AFC powerhouse, and not another Browns team (10-6 last year to what, 4-12 this year? Don't think it can't happen to us if the right moves aren't made).
Free Agency:
Here, I would seek out a big, tough, physical WR. I would LOVE T.J. from the Bengals. That would be PERFECT. He'll want a BIG contract, but he's worth every penny. I'd also search FA for some Guards and a another ILB or two. FORGET Namdi from the Raiders: He may not be able to leave, and even if he does, we'd have to break the bank to get him. I want a CB in the draft...
Draft:
What I THINK should be done is this:
1st: A pass rushing OLB. Again, nothing will help the secondary and the defense as a whole more than a young monster on the outside. Parcells track record suggests he'll do this: LT, Demarcus Ware: Parcells LOVES outside LB's, and he needs another one here.
2nd: NT. I'd put this in the 1st, to be honest. Again, EVERYTHING on defense will fall to pieces if for some reason we don't have Fergie in the line-up. Look at the 1st Baltimore game: He's gone and they run all over us. Still, Parcells isn't in the habit of drafting NT's high, which is a BIG mistake in the modern day NFL. He hit on Radcliff in Dallas in the 7th, I believe, but I'm a fan of BIG NT's. Radcliff is a HECK of a player, but he can disappear at times between those big guards. Give me a double-wide NT who simply CAN'T be blocked 1 on 1. Terrance Taylor, Ron Brace, BJ Raji: ALL good options.
2nd: FS or CB. I would personally go FS here, but CB may be smarter in the long run. We need both, but a young stud CB to eventually replace Goodman or Will Allen is a HUGE need. We can't fix everything this offseason...
3rd: A FS or CB, whichever is not taken in the 2nd. ALSO, an inside LB may be a good choice either here or in the 4th.
Thoughts...????