Middle Linebacker

rodjmaw · 06-19-2003, 04:01 PM

I agree that godfrey is a above average MLB, but the guy have a serious problem of staying healthy. The saints should just stick with their guns and play with the guys they have unless a every down MLB become availabe.

I bet alot of guys will be surprise how well Darrin Smith play the MLB, but I think he well play better than most MLB in the league this season. Darrin still have more than enough speed, knowledge, and leadership to be the starter.

nocloning · 06-19-2003, 04:40 PM

I just wanna see Ruff play 3-5 games. The coaches aren\'t totally blind and apparently they are very pleased with him. He\'s a question mark right now, but so many in our defense are and I\'m giving him the benefit of the doubt for now.

JOESAM2002 · 06-19-2003, 06:53 PM

Hell, I used to be fast too. But that was 75 or 80 lbs and 4 knee operations ago.

BillyCarpenter1 · 06-19-2003, 06:56 PM

Hell, I used to be fast too. But that was 75 or 80 lbs and 4 knee operations ago.

It\'s not like Godfrey is 2-days older than dirt.....

saint5221 · 06-19-2003, 09:16 PM

We should talk to this guy\'s agent right away , he only had injury problems last year, before that he was an ironman.He can still play and is character wise just the kind of guy we need here. He was a leader on his teams, many of his teammates can\'t beleve he is gone and are pissed about it.

Here is what ESPN had on his release

Godfrey won\'t be jobless for long

By Darrell Trimble
NFL Insider
Send an Email to Darrell Trimble Thursday, June 19
Updated: June 19
10:55 AM ET

After the Tennessee Titans released linebacker Randall Godfrey in a cap-related move, it didn\'t take long for his phone to start blowing up. Teams in desperate need of linebacking help, like the Packers and the Seahawks, called immediately. Other teams, like Jacksonville and Philadelphia, decided that their units weren\'t so good that they couldn\'t add a former second-team All-Pro player to the mix.

Godfrey

Godfrey was cut despite taking a $2.5 million pay cut in February to stay with the team, a move that had some Titans disgusted, but Tennessee\'s loss could be another team\'s gain. Godfrey missed eight games last year due to an ankle injury and was fairly productive on a gimpy knee in 2001. However, it was three years ago that he distinguished himself as an extremely effective middle linebacker.

The Titans added Godfrey as a free agent in 2000, and they got more than they bargained for. Coach Jeff Fisher praised Godfrey, calling him an \"emotional leader and an inspirational leader\" for his defense. The former Bulldog set career highs in tackles (121) and interceptions (two), and was a force, leading the Titans\' defense to a No. 1 ranking, ahead of the record-setting Baltimore Ravens.

At 30, he\'s not past his prime and should he remain healthy there\'s no reason to think he can\'t regain the form that made him such a force three years ago. Godfrey will work out for the Jaguars today at Alltel Stadium.

\"It\'s a chance to take a look at a talented individual,\" Jaguars senior vice president Paul Vance told the Florida Times-Union. \"We\'ll see how it develops. He obviously was a very good player before he was injured.\"

The Jaguars have done their best to improve their shoddy defense, signing Hugh Douglas and linebacker Mike Peterson, who is slated to start in the middle. Godfrey would move to the strong side, the position he primarily played as a member of the Dallas Cowboys. With that trio, along with holdover Donovin Darius, the Jaguars would have some quality defensive players.

Another reason the Jaguars desire Godfrey is the flexibility he gives them. Peterson has never been a middle linebacker on a full-time basis. If he should falter, Godfrey could shift to the middle and Peterson could slide back to his outside spot.

Godfrey might sign quickly with the Jaguars because it\'s close to his hometown of Valdosta, Ga., and because he would get to play against the Titans twice a year.

Godfrey would also be an asset in Green Bay and Seattle; neither team in set in the middle. The Packers have rookie Nick Barnett slated to be their starting inside backer, and on the outside they have the solid Na\'il Diggs and the injury-prone Hannibal Navies.

In Seattle, Godfrey could perhaps make the biggest impact. The Seahawks have Isaiah Kaczyvenski, Orlando Huff and rookie Solomon Bates as the candidates for starting middle linebacker. But if they could nab Godfrey, he would team with Anthony Simmons and Chad Brown in Ray Rhodes\' new defense, and the Seahawks could make a huge improvement.

All these scenarios depend on Godfrey staying healthy, but that shouldn\'t be a problem. Before last season he had missed only two of a possible 96 games.

coastalkid · 06-20-2003, 06:23 AM

The local news in Philly is that the eagles are very interested in him and are trying to get him in for a try out. I\'m not saying this is \"the guy\" for us but we should should atleast take a look at him. Ok so he has had some injury problems the last year or so but Ruff was beaten out of a starting role by a rookie. Ruff may work out fine and Smith may end up a pro bowl mlb for us but if this guy doesn\'t cost too much why not look at him? We NEED someone to do what everyone is saying this guy does, cover running backs and tight ends. He obviously has some speed to be able to do that. Stuff the run for two plays and shut down the screen or a tight end dump off pass force a punt. Sounds just too good to me!

tweeky · 06-20-2003, 12:28 PM

Lets face it, our coaches probably know more about what they have at MLB than we do.

If they sign this guy, we were all probably correct about this position being a weakness.

If they don\'t sign this guy, we may have something special at MLB that will surprise us all.

If the coaches think its a weakness, the answer is shopping his services right now.

pakowitz · 06-20-2003, 02:10 PM

ruff was not beaten out of a starting job by a rookie... he lost his job when the chargers signed perinnial pro-bowler donnie edwards

BlackandBlue · 06-20-2003, 02:20 PM

ruff was not beaten out of a starting job by a rookie... he lost his job when the chargers signed perinnial pro-bowler donnie edwards

Speaks the truth, he does.

saint5221 · 06-20-2003, 03:11 PM

Four teams scheduled visits with Godfrey only hours after he had been cut, the one team he has visited (Jags) has already begun contract negotiations with him. Thats whats other GM\'s and staffs think of this guy. Godfrey can play both middle and outside LB and play them both well. Aside from his skills he has been a leader and very well regarded presence in the locker room on every team he has been on. Plus he is a player now looking to prove himself to the league. This is just the kind of player we need in here now. With the youth we have on this team Godfrey\'s leadership and playmaking ability are just the ticket. Regardless of the optimism one may feel for Ruff ,Godfrey would make us a better team. At worst he would bring competion and depth across the wholeLB corp, at best he could provide so much more. We are in better cap shape than any of the other teams talking to him now, of course I do not advocate us jumping into a blind bidding frenzy,but how can we let this pass without a try?

06-19-2003, 04:01 PM	#21
rodjmaw 100th Post Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 138	Middle Linebacker I agree that godfrey is a above average MLB, but the guy have a serious problem of staying healthy. The saints should just stick with their guns and play with the guys they have unless a every down MLB become availabe. I bet alot of guys will be surprise how well Darrin Smith play the MLB, but I think he well play better than most MLB in the league this season. Darrin still have more than enough speed, knowledge, and leadership to be the starter.
rodjmaw 100th Post Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 138

06-19-2003, 04:40 PM	#22
nocloning 100th Post Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 302	Middle Linebacker I just wanna see Ruff play 3-5 games. The coaches aren\'t totally blind and apparently they are very pleased with him. He\'s a question mark right now, but so many in our defense are and I\'m giving him the benefit of the doubt for now.
nocloning 100th Post Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 302

06-19-2003, 06:53 PM	#23
JOESAM2002 1000 Posts + Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: CRYSTAL BEACH TEXAS Posts: 4,100	Middle Linebacker Hell, I used to be fast too. But that was 75 or 80 lbs and 4 knee operations ago.

06-19-2003, 06:56 PM	#24
BillyCarpenter1 Banned Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 2,209	Middle Linebacker Hell, I used to be fast too. But that was 75 or 80 lbs and 4 knee operations ago. It\'s not like Godfrey is 2-days older than dirt.....
BillyCarpenter1 Banned Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 2,209

06-19-2003, 09:16 PM	#25
saint5221 500th Post Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 598	Middle Linebacker We should talk to this guy\'s agent right away , he only had injury problems last year, before that he was an ironman.He can still play and is character wise just the kind of guy we need here. He was a leader on his teams, many of his teammates can\'t beleve he is gone and are pissed about it. Here is what ESPN had on his release Godfrey won\'t be jobless for long By Darrell Trimble NFL Insider Send an Email to Darrell Trimble Thursday, June 19 Updated: June 19 10:55 AM ET After the Tennessee Titans released linebacker Randall Godfrey in a cap-related move, it didn\'t take long for his phone to start blowing up. Teams in desperate need of linebacking help, like the Packers and the Seahawks, called immediately. Other teams, like Jacksonville and Philadelphia, decided that their units weren\'t so good that they couldn\'t add a former second-team All-Pro player to the mix. Godfrey Godfrey was cut despite taking a $2.5 million pay cut in February to stay with the team, a move that had some Titans disgusted, but Tennessee\'s loss could be another team\'s gain. Godfrey missed eight games last year due to an ankle injury and was fairly productive on a gimpy knee in 2001. However, it was three years ago that he distinguished himself as an extremely effective middle linebacker. The Titans added Godfrey as a free agent in 2000, and they got more than they bargained for. Coach Jeff Fisher praised Godfrey, calling him an \"emotional leader and an inspirational leader\" for his defense. The former Bulldog set career highs in tackles (121) and interceptions (two), and was a force, leading the Titans\' defense to a No. 1 ranking, ahead of the record-setting Baltimore Ravens. At 30, he\'s not past his prime and should he remain healthy there\'s no reason to think he can\'t regain the form that made him such a force three years ago. Godfrey will work out for the Jaguars today at Alltel Stadium. \"It\'s a chance to take a look at a talented individual,\" Jaguars senior vice president Paul Vance told the Florida Times-Union. \"We\'ll see how it develops. He obviously was a very good player before he was injured.\" The Jaguars have done their best to improve their shoddy defense, signing Hugh Douglas and linebacker Mike Peterson, who is slated to start in the middle. Godfrey would move to the strong side, the position he primarily played as a member of the Dallas Cowboys. With that trio, along with holdover Donovin Darius, the Jaguars would have some quality defensive players. Another reason the Jaguars desire Godfrey is the flexibility he gives them. Peterson has never been a middle linebacker on a full-time basis. If he should falter, Godfrey could shift to the middle and Peterson could slide back to his outside spot. Godfrey might sign quickly with the Jaguars because it\'s close to his hometown of Valdosta, Ga., and because he would get to play against the Titans twice a year. Godfrey would also be an asset in Green Bay and Seattle; neither team in set in the middle. The Packers have rookie Nick Barnett slated to be their starting inside backer, and on the outside they have the solid Na\'il Diggs and the injury-prone Hannibal Navies. In Seattle, Godfrey could perhaps make the biggest impact. The Seahawks have Isaiah Kaczyvenski, Orlando Huff and rookie Solomon Bates as the candidates for starting middle linebacker. But if they could nab Godfrey, he would team with Anthony Simmons and Chad Brown in Ray Rhodes\' new defense, and the Seahawks could make a huge improvement. All these scenarios depend on Godfrey staying healthy, but that shouldn\'t be a problem. Before last season he had missed only two of a possible 96 games.
saint5221 500th Post Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 598

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06-20-2003, 06:23 AM	#26
coastalkid 100th Post Join Date: May 2003 Location: Spain Posts: 287	Middle Linebacker The local news in Philly is that the eagles are very interested in him and are trying to get him in for a try out. I\'m not saying this is \"the guy\" for us but we should should atleast take a look at him. Ok so he has had some injury problems the last year or so but Ruff was beaten out of a starting role by a rookie. Ruff may work out fine and Smith may end up a pro bowl mlb for us but if this guy doesn\'t cost too much why not look at him? We NEED someone to do what everyone is saying this guy does, cover running backs and tight ends. He obviously has some speed to be able to do that. Stuff the run for two plays and shut down the screen or a tight end dump off pass force a punt. Sounds just too good to me!

06-20-2003, 12:28 PM	#27
tweeky 500th Post Join Date: May 2003 Location: South Alabama Posts: 779	Middle Linebacker Lets face it, our coaches probably know more about what they have at MLB than we do. If they sign this guy, we were all probably correct about this position being a weakness. If they don\'t sign this guy, we may have something special at MLB that will surprise us all. If the coaches think its a weakness, the answer is shopping his services right now.

06-20-2003, 02:10 PM	#28
pakowitz The Dark Overlord Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: dirty south Posts: 3,450	Middle Linebacker ruff was not beaten out of a starting job by a rookie... he lost his job when the chargers signed perinnial pro-bowler donnie edwards

06-20-2003, 02:20 PM	#29
BlackandBlue Kinder, gentler Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: dirty south Posts: 3,889	Middle Linebacker ruff was not beaten out of a starting job by a rookie... he lost his job when the chargers signed perinnial pro-bowler donnie edwards Speaks the truth, he does.

06-20-2003, 03:11 PM	#30
saint5221 500th Post Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 598	Middle Linebacker Four teams scheduled visits with Godfrey only hours after he had been cut, the one team he has visited (Jags) has already begun contract negotiations with him. Thats whats other GM\'s and staffs think of this guy. Godfrey can play both middle and outside LB and play them both well. Aside from his skills he has been a leader and very well regarded presence in the locker room on every team he has been on. Plus he is a player now looking to prove himself to the league. This is just the kind of player we need in here now. With the youth we have on this team Godfrey\'s leadership and playmaking ability are just the ticket. Regardless of the optimism one may feel for Ruff ,Godfrey would make us a better team. At worst he would bring competion and depth across the wholeLB corp, at best he could provide so much more. We are in better cap shape than any of the other teams talking to him now, of course I do not advocate us jumping into a blind bidding frenzy,but how can we let this pass without a try?
saint5221 500th Post Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 598