My Draft over-reaction
 

I thought I might jump into the pit with a thought.

Maybe we have so many UDFA's make this team because the players we draft just aren't really all that great?

We never draft LB's early. The only one I can remember is Tez, and he was a 3rd rounder and very raw. Its always 4th and 5th rounders.

Why do we hate LB's?

Re: My Draft over-reaction
 

We also plugged difficiencies in our LB corp with Safeties. We had two "leaders" on defense in Vilma and Shanle. Vilma was the field general. Shanle stepped up when Scott Fujita left for Cleveland.

We have never replaced those leaders on defense. Like their play or not, our LB's are essentially invisible on the field. I've said since the first game that our defense plays like they are only playing with 10 men on the field, that's because there's a double deficiency somewhere - probably poor d-line and unreliable LB's to plug those holes.

So we FIX the problem with safeties. Everyone trashes Roman Harper, but now it's apparent he was plugging holes as an outside linebacker. We didn't have the foresight to simply name him "OLB" on the roster and make way.

Finally, folks mentioning Malcolm Jenkins with 3 int's for the Iggles. He's able to play a TRUE safety position and let his talent shine at the Eagles because they have competant defensive linemen and talent at LB. At the saints he roamed between safety, CB and LB watching runners blow past the d-line, then past the LB's into the secondary where he has to make the tackles. At the Eagles he can ball hawk!

I've ALWAYS said, draft LB early and often, as much as possible. Great LB's can not only be field general QB's on defense, some are great pass defenders as well as run stoppers. At this point, anything has to be an improvement, but LB may be a great starting point.

Re: My Draft over-reaction
 

Maybe we hate LB's because our coach was a frustrated passing quarterback?

Maybe a guy who comes up through the coaching ranks and is laser focused on his QB's and the prolific passing game, maybe that guy is not gonna want to think too hard about how to thwart or stop that prolific passing attack, or the players who will most likely sack him or drive him into the dirt?

I have no idea, but it almost has to be something kinda deep in Payton's psyche.

Re: My Draft over-reaction
 

The sad truth is that I don't think it will change whilst we have the set of coaches that we do

SP is so set in his ways now that he refuses to change anything

We really need a Patrick Willis, navarro bowman kind of guy in the middle, #54 for the cowboys looks like an up and coming player

Teams like the patriots and seahawks every year have about 13 picks in the draft, I can't remember a time when we've had more than 6

Re: My Draft over-reaction
 

We did it before with Greg Williams. We simply need a coordinator who knows personnel and knows how to utilize the personnel we have. We were just hanging on by a thread with Harper and Jenkins out there acting as LB's, and we cut them replacing them with a pure safety (Byrd) and CB Champ Bailey who is simply washed up. Bailey didn't upgrade MJ... he didn't even make our team, and didn't make the Lions either after we cut him.

Looking back, defensive final cuts and personnel decisions were abysmal this offseason. As usual, peronnel decisions on offense with specialty players was good, but our front office has a hard time evaluating defensive talent.

Re: My Draft over-reaction
 

The reason no one is going off about the offense just yet is because we have been top 10 for 8 years straight, a top 10 offense has been the only constant for us

The offense has carried this team for the last 8 seasons, while the D can't decide if they want to show up or not

Our D is completely Jekyll and Hyde every season, until they accomplish the same sort of consistency as our offense they will always be questioned first.

Re: My Draft over-reaction
 

The offense isn't anywhere near as bad as the defense. I thought that was pretty obvious to everyone.

Re: My Draft over-reaction
 

I want this guy in this years draft, if he skips his senior year:

Re: My Draft over-reaction
 

It was to me. If the defense could have stopped them we might have been able to come back.