Mini camp news

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.

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?

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.

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.

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

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?

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?

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.

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.

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.