LB'S AND SAFETIES
 

Gates scores 2 TD'S against our LB's and safeties. Just think what a TE like Gonzalez will do?! We were one pick low of Jonathon Vilma in the draft. What position should we go for with our high first round pick in 2005??

LB'S AND SAFETIES
 

I think we have a very strong roster filled with great players, the only problem is they don\'t seem to gel together on game day when it counts. With this in mind, it is hard to pick out any weak players that need replacing. So i think the plan should be to get rookies in ready to fill in the shoes some of the older players....i\'m really not sure, maybe a safety??

LB'S AND SAFETIES
 

Well it was DJ Williams actually.
The Saints were going to trade up with Pittsburgh to take Vilma but when Rothlisberger slipped to them that nixed the deal.
But just imagine if DJ was still there and we didn\'t swap with the Vikes and take Henderson we could have ended up with

DJ Williams (starting with the Broncos, NFL ROY candidate)
Donterrious Thomas (Starting with the Vikes)
Courtney Watson (Probably our best LB already)

I love the Will Smith pick but oh man would that trio have been sweet?

LB'S AND SAFETIES
 

Yeah, I was on the edge of my seat hoping Johnathan Vilma would slip to us, but it wasn\'t meant to be. Still, that\'d be a nice trio, for sure. A nice, young linebacking corps added to a talented set of young DE\'s. Sounds like a solid foundation to start re-building a defense around. But listen to me rambling, better shut up before I slip off into dream land again...

LB'S AND SAFETIES
 

I think we have a very strong roster filled with great players, the only problem is they don\'t seem to gel together on game day when it counts. With this in mind, it is hard to pick out any weak players that need replacing.

How can this be said?
We would br better off without:
Tebucky Jones
Sedrick Hodge
Derrick Rodgers
Johnathan Sullivan
Victor Riley

LB'S AND SAFETIES
 

FOB,

While I agree with the spirit of your post, it is hard to say if we\'d be better off without those players. The truth of that depends on who we\'d replace them with. I just don\'t have much faith in our front office; if we didn\'t have those guys, we\'d have some even more ridiculous pylon (road cone) in there instead.

Furthermore,

(1) Rodgers is a fine LB in a pinch. Why are you so down on him?

(2) Jones just isn\'t as good as we wanted. He is by no means a BAD FS, he does make a few mental errors, but if we were paying less for him, there would be FAR fewer complaints about him.

Why not add these guys to the list:
Jacox, Stinchcomb, Bouman, Hall, Leisle, Bryant, Allen, and Craft.
As near as I can see, they are \"talented\" enough to play in the NFL, but beyond that I don\'t see a lot of \"talent\" there. Do you?

[Edited on 13/11/2004 by JKool]

LB'S AND SAFETIES
 

I guess I was going after the starters, is why I named that group.
Yeah maybe Rodgers is average at best, but he is the captain of our defense and he doesn\'t seem to do anything special out there. He\'s a solid enough tackler, but he doesn\'t shed blocks well enough and gets lost in the shuffle.
I flat out am distgusted with Tebucky. Last year he couldn\'t tackle my mom. This year he\'s improved at that, hell he\'s our leading tackler. But that stat just shows how poor our line, and linebackers are playing.
He is just a non-playmaker. The only interception he got was a terribly thrown ball. He doesn\'t look for them. He always shows up a step or two late after the pass is already completed. He has the physical attributes to be an awesome safety, but he doesn\'t convert his potential to plays. I agree with your point on if we paid less for him we wouldn\'t complain so much about him. If he was a cheap free agent pick-up I would be a lot easier on him. Tthe point is when we signed him we made him the highest paid safety in the league, and he plays like a rookie learning the ropes.
The other guys you listed may not be overly talented but are fine for backups so that\'s why I\'m not as hard on them.

LB'S AND SAFETIES
 

What you say about Tebucky is true, but....having played safety myself, it aint easy when you have to be the one making all the tackles, like you said he is our leading tackler, followed by Jay, and he is doing a job that shouldn\'t be left up to him to do.....on the the other hand though is it that the secondary is allowing too many easy balls to be caught, and that is why they lead the tackle count?