papz

Haha saintswhoadi... yea Mel Kiper was talking very good about Campbell for the senior bowl practice... we\'ll see!

Yea I think we should deal with our linebacking situation through free agency. Many top names and impact players that can help lead our defense. They need mentor(s) that will show them the tidbits and what they should be seeing and anticipating. Hartwell is also my number one choice. I think Trotter is a product of the Eagles system because he absolutely blew in Washington.

Can we draft a defensive coordinator?

shadowdrinker

Mel Mitchell?..What the heck has he ever done?...He has a total of 36 tackles for his career..no int\'s... no sacks...He\'s not going to be the answer....

He has had a few decent plays in pre season games..but , that\'s about the peak of his accomplishiments...

They have tried to address the LB situation..And..they have done a fair job of getting talent in that spot...

This year..The backfield needs to be the focus of the Draft...If we can\'t get a top 5 safety..we need to get a top 5 CB..period...

Mel Mitchell has shown very little potential, other then riding the pine..and keeping it warm...and it\'s about time the team focused on improving the backfield...Mitchell couldn\'t be a starter on any NFL team...

papz

Where is the faith shadowdrinker... he\'s too talented to stay just playing special teams. Remember he was hurt and had already won the starting safety job the year before. He does have the talent just not the oppurtunity. It will be all sorted out after the draft and in camp anyways. Whether or not he ever gets his chance, I still believe he is very talented and he does a fabolous job on special teams. Don\'t be surprised if he makes the pro bowl one day just for special teams ala Larry Izzo, Steve Tasker, and remember Terrence MaGee started off returning kicks only. Now he\'s a full time corner for the bills. Some guys just need to get the oppurtunity to showcase their talents and Mitchell hasn\'t received his fair chance yet.

Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.

All little common sense goes a long way.

shadowdrinker

So..Then your saying he should be another \'\'Project\'\'?

The team needs playmakers in the Secondary...We have an excellent chance of picking up a very good Safety in the draft..And I pray they get the position filled , after years of dismal play from the Strong Safety position...

They addressed the LB situation fairly well last year..and we will likely see measurable improvement in that area in the coming years...

We needed a big time guy in the Backfield , and they did thier best to get Mike...and he has had reasonable success..but..he\'s about the only one in the backfield with any real promise..Brown is not going to be savior of the secondary..he was very subpar this year...and is looking like another candidate for the \'\'project\'\' squad....

However..the position that has been neglected..is now one of the greatest needs on the entire depth chart..Safety...

When Knight was here..we were a better defense..period...We need to get some strength in the backfield..and Mel Mitchell can\'t even beat out crappy Bellamy...and he won\'t this year either...He has never had a sack..a forced fumble..a recovered fumble..an Interception..hell..he\'s never even deflected a pass in his carreer...36 tackles total for his carreer..He\'s not Tasker..nor Mcgee..he\'s just not going to make us better...

While I agree the O line needs new blood as well..The Defense was as weak as I have ever seen..and It just isn\'t going to fix itself...If we get a top 5 safety..we move up at least 10 spots in overall Defense rankings....With the young guns we have at Lb now..we should be able to get better up front...and quickly at that...without a backfield to complement them..it a lost cause...

Danno

Hmmm. Only played 2 seasons, suffered an ACL and missed his entire 2nd year. So in basically his 2nd season (1st season after the ACL which usually takes about a year or so to recover from) he was a special teams stand-out.

He appears to have nearly all of his lateral agility back. Was voted the hardest hitter on the team, when Sammy Knight was still here. Was drafted with the intention of learning the position for a couple years, hopes of taking over the safety position in 2 or 3 years. He had already beaten out Bellamy, in only his 2nd year, then he got clipped.

Its hard to get sacks and picks when you\'re playing special teams. Yea, he\'s worthless, lets cut him.

Unbelievable. He MAY not develop into a stud, but he has the skills and talent to develop into the next Rodney Harrison.

Nobody said lets cut every one of our safeties and only depend on Mitchell. We said don\'t rule this kid out. Do you have something against developing young players?

shadowdrinker

Where do you guys come up with this stuff?

Now his skills are comparable to Rodney Harrison?

He played in all but 2 of the games last year...If he was healthy enough to play on Special Teams, He was healthy enough to play on Defense...he just wasn\'t good enough...

He has had 3 years now for his development...although 1 of those 3 was spent on injured reserve, that should have allowed time to grasp the mental side of the position he was drafted to play..and yet, he didn\'t start...

I am all for developing young talent...We needed LB\'s desperately last year..We went out and got 2, they have played well and are right on schedule for replacing the weak spots we have in that area...

We also needed a Defensive Back to come in and make an impact..We did well to get Mckensie...and he is working out fine, so far...

We have enough \'\'Project\'\' players...We need help in the Safety dept...and Mitchell has failed to be of any help in the Defense...He is a decent Special Teamer...and that about sums it up...

How many years should he get to become better?....

Luckily...he was signed to a 3 year deal coming out...and will likely be replaced..or..signed as a plug for special teams...Either way..Don\'t expect much of a different Mitchell this year, than the same one we have seen for three years now...what has he shown to make you think otherwise?

Safety has been a position in question for too long now..It needs to be addressed, by drafting a player who can actually start....Mitchell was a 5th round draft pick....We should look for a Safety the first day of the draft....maybe even the 1st round...

Danno

I\'m not saying he\'s the next Rodney Harrison, I\'m saying he has similar skills, basically big-time hitting ability. He MAY develop into a good safety. He also MAY not.

MAY: a possibilty, might

Try a dictionary if you\'re still confused.

Rodney Harrison didn\'t start a single freaking game in his 1st two years. He had a whopping 24 career tackles. Gee, I wonder how many people wanted to cut him because this 5th round selection from a small school didn\'t do squat in his 1st two years.

Safety\'s rarely go in the 1st round unless its a Sean Taylor type. I don\'t think there\'s a Sean Taylor type in the draft this year. I\'d rather get a LB/OT this year.
Id look at a good safety in the 2nd/3rd, maybe even 4th if this years crop is deep enough.

I\'m also more concerned with FS than I am SS. But I\'d bring in some competition for both.

papz

Thanks Danno my sentiments exactly. You are obviously just looking at the stat lines shadow and haven\'t ever watched this guy play. The man can hit. You say we need playmakers in our secondary, then why not cut Jones and Bellamy years ago? He already beaten out Bellamy for the job if we didn\'t already state that earlier. HE GOT HURT. When he was drafted he was our safety of the future. He was a steal where he was drafted and everyone said so. He was from a very small school therefore not many people considered him. He is bigger than Jones and Bellamy, as fast as Jones, and tackles better than both of them. What is not to like?

Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.

All little common sense goes a long way.

shadowdrinker

What\'s not to like is the fact that noone has seen how well he can cover Wide Recievers, or Tight Ends.

Your right..I haven\'t really seen him play all that much..and niether has anyone else...He is a Special Teamer..other than a few big hits in the Pre season against 3rd and 4th srtingers..He has had no real success to speak of... Gleason is a hard hitter too..we have several of those type of players..

We need a guy who has been playing safety for the last few years...I would prefer we get someone from the College ranks...But if the right Free agent were to become available..then that would be nice as well..

Our needs..In order of preference..In my opinion..

1 Safety

2 Tackle

3 QB

4 CB

5 LB

The only reason I say LB so late is ..I believe the Staff did this one right last year..they infused 2 talented young LB\'s..and with 1 year of development...and the Off-season..I believe they will start to fill the void we have had for quite sometime in that area...

Young has been a very decent DT throughout his carreer..and had a good year last year...If , ..Somehow,...The staff can begin to get some production out of Sullivan, then we stand to improve an allready young, talented D line..

papz

LOL I dont think you read anything but the last sentence of the comment written and responded to it. Oh well you are entitled to your opinions. This coming from a guy who thought Ahmad Brooks was still in the draft when he pulled out a month ago. Also Tasker, MaGee, etc had to start somewhere. Oh wait it was special teams. He\'s not those players because he\'s Mel Mitchell. The guy who beat out Bellamy and tore his ACL which caused him to lose his STARTING SS job. I don\'t know how many more times WE CAN REITTERATE THAT TO YOU.

DT, CB, OL, back up running back,QB... linebacker can be filled via free agency.

Everyone is entitled to be stupid, but some abuse the privilege.

All little common sense goes a long way.