Re: LB
 

I see what you're saying about Pressley saintpaul. I watch a great deal of ACC football because it's always on ESPN. I've always liked what I've seen. I'll tell you the straight dope on Pressley, and this is coming my scout friend, he will either be a 10 year pro or he will never try hard enough to max out his ability. Typical boom or bust. I say he boom's, big time! We'll see.

Re: LB
 

Thats why he was there in the 5th. A lot of questions around the kid. He can bust all he wants. He is only a 5th rounder and he is not going to get a ton of cash. Some people have him talent wise as the #3 DT in the draft. Others had him going right were he went because of heart. If he would have blown people away at the combine and stuff he would still have the questions but would have been gone in the third. I for one am glad he didn't.

Re: LB
 

TSF, I think the second line up is more likely, if we were going to a 3-4. Given our personel, I think it is less likely.

A lot of interesting things can be done from a 4-3. We just don't do them all that often. Consider a zone-blitz package, where Fugita or Vilma take an inside rush and Will Smith drops to coverage? A well built 4-3 can do almost all the same things as a 3-4. I think sometimes we Saints fans love the 3-4 more than we should because that is what the beloved Dome Patrol played.

SP25, I think Pressely is a good X-factor right now. Speaking for myself, I tend to get over-excited about the draftees. I always think they'll make the team, and I always think we'll find a steal! If experience is any indicator, I'll be wrong about every pick put the first and maybe the second. If only I could learn not to buy the hype on our 3-7th picks. Oh well.

I agree that with better players (or better play) in the front 4, we may not have to change our Defensive Schemes too much; I was just hypothesizing about Vilma's position in our D.

Re: LB
 

SIMONEAU to start HELL NO he really shouldn't be on the team and pluse your taking Vilma out his natural position,

Re: LB
 

The ideal starting situation with the linebackers is:

MLB - Vilma
SLB - Fujita
WLB - Morgan or Shanle

Vilma is a middle linebacker, he has been ever since he's played major football. That's his position and it makes no sense to move him to another position to let Mark Simoneau play.

Re: LB
 

Again, I'm not in favor of Simoneau starting. I don't think he is as bad as people seem to be claiming, which I argued earlier. Further, I think, if he is asked to do certain things, rather than others he can be a much better player.

As far as moving Vilma to WLB, that did depend on my suggestion that we reformulate how we use our MLB and WLB (which would make the suggested WLB position a lot more like what our current MLB position is designed for). Thus, I do think it is a problem to move Vilma over (out of his usual alignment), but I think it is also a problem to merely insist that he play MLB if we were to change the responsibilities of the MLB.

In more simple terms: MLB isn't just a name for where you stand on the field at the snap of the ball, it is also a set of responsibilities. There is a set of responsibilities for a MLB that are different when you have rushers on the interior of the DL from what you have when you have run stuffers on the interior of the DL. I suggested that a WLB set of responsibilities that is a lot more like what Vilma does at MLB (in the Jets system), and I suggested that we redesign the responsibilities for the MLB position too.

Why continue to insist that were he lines up at the snap is more important than his positional responsibilities? That is all there was to my suggestion.

Re: LB
 

Remember also that the MLB is going to be the one that has the speaker hooked up to his helmet this year. He is the playcaller of the defense.

Re: LB
 

I hope they don't screw up and put the speaker in Morgan's helmet. The sound might give him a concussion.

Re: LB
 

I hear voices man! They are talking to me in my head.

Re: LB
 

The MLB doesn't have to make the defensive play calls. In fact, Bellamy was calling our D for a time. It is a mere convention that the MLB calls the plays, not a necessity. Vilma can be the defensive capitain, make the play calls, and wear the speaker, no matter which LB position he plays.

In fact, it might be wise to have Fugita call the plays. He has more experience with our defensive system. However, I'm sure this will decide closer to the start of the season.

As long as Morgan doesn't start claiming he's Batman...