I worry about the MLB spot

I can't help but worry about lemar marshall playing MLB. The guy was a safety in college. Antonio Pierce was able to adapt so quickly because he's the intellectual equivalent of Peyton Manning on defense. Now with the release of Barrow...i just cant help but wonder.

Think more like Holdman. I think he'll be the starter, but even if marshall does start he did a hell of a job at OLB. Hell they were both backups last year. I dont think AP was NEAR the linebacker everyone says he was. All that talk about him calling the D and all that... I just don't know. It's still GW's D. AP is not irreplacable and I think no matter who GW puts in we will be much improved. I'm not saying AP didnt do a great job, but I don't think we'll be left worse off with holdman or marshall, or any of the other 200 candidates we have now.

Peyton Manning of the Defense??? I'm not sure I'd go that far.

If Antonio Pierce was the Peyton Manning on defense, he would have been drafted in the first round and started from the get-go. Pierce played well for us last year, but I think playing under Gregg Williams' system had a lot more to do with it than his physical and mental attributes. Whether it's Holdman, Marshall, or McCune...he will have Arrington and Washington on his side to help him. I'm not too worried about our MLB position.

Neither am I, because if you weren't smart enough, you wouldn't be playing for Williams defense. And by smarts, I don't mean book smarts otherwise Taylor wouldn't have a job.

Yeah, peirce was a smart lb but I'm pretty sure Williams fed him the plays and peirce made adjustments at times whereas peyton calls most of the plays in the huddle and then adjusts them practically every play depending on what he sees when under center. I think a mixture of Holdman, Marshall, and Mccune will do well under Williams leadership, but I still wish Barrows had worked out and provided us with some on the field production.

Pierce is far from Manning. Before last year Pierce made as many bonehead mistakes as Sellers on special teams. He might have picked up the system well but thats exactly what he is, a product of the system. He will have 100 tackles this year because he is the MLB for a weak defensive team. Look at the MLB's in the league, they all have big numbers. Holdman is a much better LB than Pierce. Will he pick up the system as fast? We will have to wait and see. Don't sleep on McCune or Clifton Smith.

I am just waiting to see how Antonio does in a defense that isn't Greg Williams....I bet he goes back to being just another average linebacker and not the "smart" one that everyone keeps harping on.

I can't help but worry about lemar marshall playing MLB. The guy was a safety in college. Antonio Pierce was able to adapt so quickly because he's the intellectual equivalent of Peyton Manning on defense. Now with the release of Barrow...i just cant help but wonder.

Whoa man, the intellectual equivalent of Manning? I mean, what were people thing of of AP before the start of last season, don't you think G. Williams and whoever gets that spot deserves a least a chance??

I think of Peirce and I think two words "system player." No more no less. He was one average sized piece in a big puzzle.

Hell, if he had any skills he would at least got drafted? Gregg Williams made AP, not the other way around!

I think the our biggest concern has to be who'll at least do as good as a job as Smoot. Not that he was any kind of game breaker ....

To be honest Im much more worried about that 2nd CB spot than I am about MLB. Pierce was a roleplayer his whole career. Smoot was a starter for a majority of his whereas Walt Harris wasn't. CBs are so essential to this defense and I really dont feel confident in Harris as our starter. I think Rodgers will be a great player one day; however hes missing part of camp, has an injury, and most of all still a rookie. I think that's going to hurt our defensive rating. I think it wont be ranked as high but I feel we'll get far more turnovers this year.

What really is aggravating is now that Pierce plays for the NEW YORK Giants.......now he's getting media coverage, even in SI's in and out segment.............