Is a New Coordinator Enough Change for Saints Defense?
by Dave Cariello on Jan 27, 2012 6:00 AM CST
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PrintI know we're all happy to see Gregg Williams out and Steve Spagnuolo in as defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints. Changes are coming, I think we can only hope they are for the better. But the question I ask all of you today is this: have there been enough changes to the coaching staff to truly make a difference?
I'm talking about assistant and positional coaches. Guys whose names you don't hear very often but still play a huge part in player development and the overall success of the team. The guys that are really working with the players day in and day out, getting their hands dirty and building important bonds. We all look to the top guys when things go terribly wrong, but do the Saints need to trim some fat and add some fresh perspective in the assistant coaching department as well?
Because I can't help but think about, say, the linebacking corps. Every year we bitch about these guys, right? Every off-season we talk about how this group needs to improve but it never seems to happen, despite free agent signings and draft picks. In short, their development has been stagnant. The one constant since 2006, however, has been assistant head coach/linebackers coach Joe Vitt. But nobody ever points a finger at him. Coordinators can be lightning rods for fan discontent; they're always the first to take the blame. Perhaps, though, we've been overlooking problems elsewhere.
We've got to assume that, given the revolving door nature of NFL coaching, anyone under performing would be let go and free to move on. But does Vitt get a pass given his relationship with Sean Payton? Vitt was one of Payton's first hires in 2006, who was looking for a "consigliere" to act as an adviser. Who better for the job than one of Payton's closest friends. And when Payton was sidelined this season with his leg injury, it was Vitt handling the press conferences. Basically, Vitt is second in command so it's probably safe to say that his job security is directly in line with Payton's.
Which would be a problem if it turned out Vitt has been holding this defense back. Because he's not going anywhere as long as Payton's in charge and we've got a while to go before that ever changes.
So are we destined for continued defensive mediocrity from the Saints defense or is Joe Vitt not to blame in the slightest? How much importance do you place on the role of assistant/positional coaches? Can the right defensive coordinator make up for or override assistant/positional coaching deficiencies?
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I fully
expect Spags to look at all the coaches on his Defensive staff and see who is not up to his standards and let them walk. Vitt doesnt have to be fired, he could still play a role in Payton’s staff, but he needs to be removed from LB Coach.
The base paths belonged to me, the runner. The rules gave me the right. I always went into a bag full speed, feet first. I had sharp spikes on my shoes. If the baseman stood where he had no business to be and got hurt, that was his fault. -Ty Cobb
Joe Vitt
was always the one coach who Gregg Williams always raved about his knowlege of the game, even though GW and JV never coached on the same staff until comming to New Orleans. I’m kinda surprised GW didn’t try to take JV with him {back} to St. Louis. Then again, he might still do it, though.
I remember
Back when Payton first hired Vitt, Rams fans were calling into WWL saying that our linebackers would never be good as long as he was responsible for their development.
NEW COORDINATOR
Maybe having a new coordinator will give fresh eyes to the talent on the team. people always say that the best players will play on sundays but we all know that is not normally the case. coaches develop favorites. that’s probably just human nature. Our coaches love smart players, but the smartest players aren’t necessarily the best players on the team. we have some young guys that can possibly now get a chance to play or at least get a fresh look by a new coach. we have some older guys that may have been getting their starts by name and reputation only.
On another note…I think that junior galette is the type of de that spags is going to love. reminds me of the de’s in ny.
i agree.. fresh start makes big difference..
from the revitalized attitude.. to a more fair evaluation of recent newcomers..
the staff will get on spags page in the off-season..
it was not vitt’s fault we decided to cover davis manned-up with single safety over the top with harper actually playing it..
maybe some of us fail to recognize the development of guys out of the street (literally) like dunbar or humber.. just to make a comparison.. the starting LBs for SF were all mostly high draft picks..
willis.. maybe the standard as LB now, is pretty good.. but jimmy still walked his dog around him and then turned around & caught passes on him, all day.. you can have all the individual talent of the world but a great player/play will beat you, still..
i’m confident the position coaches will learn spags way & they’ll figure how to get the best out of our talent..
by the 9th plague on Jan 27, 2012 9:48 AM CST up reply actions
agreed
In Breesus' name we play
by Breesus Christ Superstar on Jan 27, 2012 11:22 AM CST up reply actions
new coordinator is the main thing, then acquire some new talent at DE. I think our DTs might be ok
with some additiional conditioning and some good competition.
"We've established the run; we've established the pass. Now all we have to establish is another championship!" (And a Defense!)
"Some say the glass is half empty;
Some say the glass is half full.
I say- 'are you going to finish that beer'?"
I've learned so much from my mistakes...I'm thinking of making a few more!"
I think
the dt’s should be a lot better since they actually practice against two of the best guards at training camp. one would think that after practicing against the top guards during training camp, going against other guards in the league should be a little easier.
I see mostly bull rushes by our de’s. do we not practice any other techniques?
by westbanker4L on Jan 27, 2012 9:02 AM CST up reply actions
I think the positional coaches are very important
But having players who have actual talent, who are still hungry, and who are not washed up is even more critical.
The best DL coach in the universe could not turn Haynesworthless back into an elite DT again. All he wanted was the money and once he got it he didn’t care anymore and never will again.
Shanle has been a solidly average-to-mediocre performer for a long time, but he’s on his last legs. Vitt could be the best LB coach in the universe and he couldn’t make him have the body of even a 28 year old again. Nor could he give him the talent he never had in the first place.
Still, we do need the best position coaches we can get our hands on. If Vitt is holding the LBs back, then he needs to be “promoted” to some other position where he still gives Payton whatever help he wants from him but no longer can hurt the development of the kids.
But it could also be we’ve just made bad decisions in our defensive player evaluation as well.
totally agree with you
about players having talent, still hungry and not being washed up. We have a few of those on our defense that are playing b/c of their names only. We need a playmaker. Some teams have two or three. We have none. In 2009, we had one playmaker on defense and we won a superbowl. MJ was supposed to be the next thing, but I didn’t see it this past year. I sort of wish D Sharper was kept around to be more of a mentor than an actual player. I think another year M jenkins would have had with Sharper would have made a world of difference.
by westbanker4L on Jan 27, 2012 9:09 AM CST up reply actions
Scheme...
The tackling issues maybe attributable to Vitt, but I think it was more GW’s scheme, and basic lack of talent, in our line-backing corp, more than anything. SpragNOLA should definitely, have the power to move Vitt, if he can’t fire him, into any position, he feels would be better suited to him. Don’t know if he will have that control or not. Guess we will see next year. Vitt does seem to be a good coach, but does he have what it takes to turn our coals into diamond?
Drew Brees....MVS Most Valuable Saint! Who Dat!!!
by cajuncommando58 on Jan 27, 2012 9:20 AM CST reply actions
This
This season in particular, GW’s defense was a poor fit for our players, the old “square peg, round hole” issue. If I never see Patrick Robinson lined up 10 yards off a receiver it will be too soon.
If the DC
…picks his assistants then he is responsible for their performance..If Vitt is not up to the task, SpagNola has to be strong with Payton and demand a new coach for that position.
My view is it is a lack of overall speed and athleticism in the front 7 starters that is the problem.
"I've seen George Foreman shadow box, and the shadow won." Muhammad Ali
new sheriff (spagnola) so, the coordinators must adjust to his schemes..
the position coaches teach mostly individual techniques.. but the scheme on positioning or what the position group is trying to accomplish, comes from the boss of the defense.. in our case now, espan~ol-awesome..
so, i don’t see a problem after the whole off-season meetings, the mini-camps, etc, that the position coaches “learn” spag’s theory, enogh to transmit the necessary fundamentals to the players we may have..
sure if we had better players, it would be easier.. we’ll see.. the money is tight to go get anything..
but.. we do have some interesting prospects in the hizzy, already..
wilson, humber, dunbar (if they come back) bussey, herring (yes.. you heard me: a very good fit for a spag’s LB, imo..)
Everyone assumes a new coordinator will whip everyone in shape and fire whoever needs to be fired
But do you really think Spags is going to get Vitt fired? I doubt it.
Who has more power anyway? The new defensive coordinator who is supposed to have control over everything, or Joe Vitt who has been with Payton since the beginning and is second in charge? Seems like there might be a conflict there.
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just because payton has confidence in vitt's organizational/executive skills..
doesn’t mean he will undermine spags tenure.. wait a minute.. are you assuming that vitt will bring schism in the team.. out of what , jealousy.. ? there’s nothing that indicates that, imo.. if payton was so vitt-crazy he would have named him defensive coordinator..
like i said.. spags = new sheriff.. all defense position coaches report to him..
by the 9th plague on Jan 27, 2012 10:02 AM CST up reply actions
Have to remember…Joe Vitt is the LB coach…but he also has the title of assistant head coach. Who has more power…a coordinator…or the assistant head coach? When Spags went to the Giants to be there defensive coordinator…there was little turnover in the personnel. He worked with everyone that was still on staff without issue. I see no reason why the same wouldn’t happen here.
It’s not like Vitt goes off on his own with the LB’s and teaches them his own schemes and mechanics etc. Vitt goes off and runs them through the things that have been outlined by the Defensive Coordinator…all under the lurking eye of the defensive coordinator. I’m sure Spags is well aware of who is on staff and their current relationships and any conflict he might have had with a situation would undoubtedly have come up on the conversations before the hire.
-Lombardi was wrong...it's the internet, not fatigue that makes cowards of us all. But then again, what do you expect. Not like the guy could see the future.
I’m sure Spags is well aware of who is on staff and their current relationships and any conflict he might have had with a situation would undoubtedly have come up on the conversations before the hire.
What was the result of the conversation? How do you know the conversation didn’t go like this:
Vitt: “You’re in control, but I will do whatever I want. Got it?”
Spags: “Yessir.”
Who has more power…a coordinator…or the assistant head coach?
That’s the question I’m asking. I’ve got your answer. Vitt has already outlasted two defensive coordinators. I would say his job is safer than any coordinator the Saints have had or will have. So, again, who has more power?
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by Dave Cariello on Jan 27, 2012 12:41 PM CST up reply actions
there was a rumor going around the eagles blogs..
that the reason spags didn’t even interviewed for the DC position was the presence of the incumbent DL coach (forget his name..) a strong character type, used to calling the shots & long connection with HC reed..
sorry, but i can’rt see vitt as such a threat to spags new plan.. if anything, there the asset of knowing what we have in the building..
i think vitt is valuable for his leadership qualities.. if he sucked so bad at transmitting the defensive coordinator’s concepts, i’m sure they would have quietly moved him to another position..
the DC is the guy responsible for the whole defense, including the LBs.. his position coaches, just assist him..
the linebackers have sucked, cause our defensive coordinators’ schemes were not sound enough, we didn’t draft well enough nor acquire any actual playmaker..
the position coach just complimented the DC’s work..
by the 9th plague on Jan 27, 2012 1:55 PM CST up reply actions
Here's how I look at it...
Vitt has been coaching the linebackers since 2006.
If you keep a the same coaching job for 6 years in the NFL, you’re either a good coach or your relationship with the powers that be mean you’re untouchable.
The linebackers have always under performed.
So what’s the logical conclusion?
If Payton want’s to keep Vitt around as an assistant head coach, that’s fine. But, for crying out loud, get somebody in here who can coach linebackers better.
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by Dave Cariello on Jan 27, 2012 12:45 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
I don’t agree that our linebackers have always under performed. Sorry…I’ll give a paraphrase of a Stujoism that I agree with on this one….Chicken Salad out of Chicken $&*t. Our linebackers performed as well as their incredible lack of athleticism and ability allowed them to.
-Lombardi was wrong...it's the internet, not fatigue that makes cowards of us all. But then again, what do you expect. Not like the guy could see the future.
Chicken Salad out of Chicken $&*t. Our linebackers performed as well as their incredible lack of athleticism and ability allowed them to.
Okay…so then why do we have Chicken $&*t as our linebacking corps? Whose fault is that?
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by Dave Cariello on Jan 27, 2012 5:32 PM CST up reply actions
Payton, Loomis, and Brees’ upcoming contract are who are at fault for the chicken $&*t.
We had, what, three years in a row of first round draft picks being cornerbacks?
"Move over Marino, there's a new Brees coming through town!"-Jim Henderson
by BRSaintsFan on Jan 28, 2012 2:56 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
2, actually.
And one, Malcolm Jenkins, was basically slotted as a FS before he got drafted anyways.
Drew Brees- the REAL MVP.
I didn’t say anything about firing Vitt. If he’s in the wrong spot, he needs to be “promoted” to just official assistant head coach. Let somebody else come in and handle the linebackers.
The perfect solution. Or any other BS title.
"Move over Marino, there's a new Brees coming through town!"-Jim Henderson
by BRSaintsFan on Jan 28, 2012 2:58 AM CST via mobile up reply actions
He could become the new Assistant to the Traveling Secretary
"We live by the blitz, and we die by the blitz.'' - Roman Harper
"So I guess the blitz died.'' - Alex Smith
by Hans Petersen on Jan 28, 2012 2:26 PM CST up reply actions
or better yet, with Blake Williams gone
they now have a defensive quality control slot open they could add some duties to…
"We live by the blitz, and we die by the blitz.'' - Roman Harper
"So I guess the blitz died.'' - Alex Smith
by Hans Petersen on Jan 28, 2012 2:27 PM CST up reply actions
My view of the defense
which could be b/c of the position coaches are:
1. de’s bull rush (90%) of the time. throw in a spin move or speed rush. You cannot over powere a tackle every play
2. dt’s never take up two blockers which means our lb’s are always getting hit by O-linemen
3. if you are going to play press coverage, you have to get a hand on the receiver at the line of scrimmage. wth is up with free releases for every receiver we play against.
4. our safeties, mostly RH, are lost in coverage. MJ had his share too.
I think all of those are things that are addressed by position coaches. Apparantly those that we have aren’t teaching it.
the play of the defensive line is a direct result of GW's scheme..
the D-linemen are role players to “entertain” the O-tackles so his super-blitzing LB or safety can get there.. there were hardly any stunts.. deceiving 3-man fronts.. very little wide-9..
the DTs were not of stellar play.. most graders, including out contributor.. juge, thought they laid an egg all year.. we do need some extra ideas & maybe (hopefully, not..) start over with new players..
the lose coverage is a direct result of the blitz.. cannot get beat on a double move over the top when you playing outside, man-to-man.. there is no safety to help you deep.. so you got to keep everything in front..
the play of jenkins has regressed.. there is no doubt.. i can’t understand how they don’t see on film.. that at times he seems to have plays on the ball.. & he is not looking at nothing but the waistline of the the receiver, to deliver a hit.. sure.. that has to be coaching..
harper will never learn to cover.. to be a good cover man.. you have to understand space, angles and a little trigonometry..
it’s basically a triangle problem:
the QB – point A.
his receiver – point B
and you – point C
if you can figure you positioning to get in the path of the ball (that travels in a straight line) you win.. harper can’t seem to understand this concept.. we need a fresh starter..
by the 9th plague on Jan 27, 2012 10:21 AM CST up reply actions
I'm thinking it has more to do with the players
Or, the players we can afford. Mickey only has so much cap room and the offense obviously comes first on a Sean Payton team. Not that I’m complaining because it’s been working pretty well. There also may be a problem with how they evaluate defensive players coming out of the draft. We’ve spent our last three first round draft picks (excluding this year’s first round pick for Ingram last year) on defensive players. Of those three, Patrick Robinson looks like the best so far. Cam Jordan may improve, but can anyone argue that Sedrick Ellis has lived up to expectations after we drafted him 7th overall in 2008? He also cost us our third round pick that year as we traded up from 10th to 7th with the Patriots so we could get him. Pay-Loo reportedly most wanted Glenn Dorsey that year, but he was gone before they could get him. Dorsey hasn’t lived up to expectations either. I know it’s mostly a crap shoot on draft day when trying to evaluate talent, but our draft history on D under Payton hasn’t had nearly the success of our draft history on O. Pay-Loo has been really successful there in finding diamonds in the rough like Colston (7th round), Nicks (5th round), Evans (4th round), and Graham (3rd round). Undrafted players like Pierre Thomas and Lance Moore have turned out well too.
I have high hopes for Spags and I eagerly await whatever changes he makes. If he thinks there’s a better LB coach than Vitt out there, I have to think Payton would allow him to make the change or else Spags probably wouldn’t have come here.
Another assistant coach who should be mentioned is D-line coach Bill Johnson. There’s a reason Williams blitzed so much and that reason must be largely because he could never get good pressure from the D-line. Having your strong safety lead the team in sacks is very telling. Could someone else get more outta our D-line players? Spags reportedly doesn’t like to blitz as much and wants his D-line guys to provide sufficient pressure. That may be where the biggest changes will come.
"As soon as Tony (Dungy) said we had no chance, I knew we had 'em right where we wanted 'em"--Coach Sean Payton right after Super Bowl XLIV with the Lombardi Trophy firmly in hand. WHO DAT!!
by David "Satch" Kelly on Jan 27, 2012 10:07 AM CST reply actions
I've said this before....
There’s a reason Williams blitzed so much and that reason must be largely because he could never get good pressure from the D-line.
The main reason our D-line couldn’t get pressure is because we blitzed some much. Not we blitzed because we couldn’t get pressure. It worked in 2009 because our coverage could prevent QB’s from having quick releases. Sharper being one factor, as well as better play from Porter. Also inexperienced New QB’s such as Stafford and Sancize helped. Our LB’er play doesn’t help, but if we dropped more people back in coverage, which is more Sprag’s model, we would have gotten more coverage Sacks and not given up so many big yardage plays to QBs like Alex Smtih.
Drew Brees....MVS Most Valuable Saint! Who Dat!!!
by cajuncommando58 on Jan 27, 2012 10:18 AM CST up reply actions
Coverage sacks
are good, but where are the “i beat my man and got to the qb” sacks. We have noone on our line that can do that. Spags defense worked in NY b/c he had a line that can get pressure with just the front four. If our same d-line is there next year with that same scheme, it will be more of the same.
by westbanker4L on Jan 27, 2012 10:41 AM CST up reply actions
Well, I guess that's the opposite way of looking at it.
I don’t see how that’s the more likely reason, though. It’s like we’re debating if the chicken or the egg came first. Did GW blitz that much everywhere he’s been regardless of the players he had?
"As soon as Tony (Dungy) said we had no chance, I knew we had 'em right where we wanted 'em"--Coach Sean Payton right after Super Bowl XLIV with the Lombardi Trophy firmly in hand. WHO DAT!!
by David "Satch" Kelly on Jan 27, 2012 11:07 AM CST up reply actions
it is a chicken-egg conundrum..
it goes like this:
you play good coverage.. the QB has to go thru his progressions, so has to hold on to the ball longer.. the passrush, even if not so talented can get there or disrupt, force throws into coverage, even sacks.. all good things..
you blitz.. the OL has more of a contributing role.. where the entertain the O-linemen.. for the blitzing player(s) are the true pressure.. the ball comes out sooner, to beat the blitz.. the coverage is man-to-man but soft.. cause you can’t get beat deep, since the safeties are blitzing..
i think the reason our O-line has underperformed was in part, due to the blitzing scheme.. a better cover oriented scheme, will make the same lame guys look better..
by the 9th plague on Jan 27, 2012 11:19 AM CST up reply actions
Team definitely has to get more athletic up front
The best linebacker is reaching the end of the line (Vilma), and the d-line is in need of a major revamping with both Rogers and Frankling UFAs, Ellis inconsistent and Will Smith also past his prime. Gallette gives them some speed but they need him to keep improving. Jordan reminds me a lot of a younger Smith but I’m not sure he’s ever going to be a great pass-rusher.
Writer (and a handsome one at that),
And the Valley Shook
Priority
Until the 2011 Draft, we had only selected two LBs (Stanley Arnoux 4th Rd, Marvin Mitchell 7th) since 2006. Perhaps they haven’t felt like the position was a priority. Outside of Vilma and maybe Fujita, the best thing you can say about our LBs during the Payton era is that they are “serviceable.” They certainly will not make us forget Swilling, Johnson, Jackson and Mills. Bussey and Wilson might pan out to be solid players. We’ll see.
So what is the priority?
Out of the 11 positions on defense, what do we need to address first? Does anyone think we have talent on the bench that maybe didn’t get a chance to shine?
by westbanker4L on Jan 27, 2012 12:57 PM CST up reply actions
You can't coach slow.
But you hope smarts can cover some of it.
I expect a lot of progress from last year’s rookies, but not a lot of improvement in overall defensive performance. Unless you’ve got a lot of raw talent, big changes don’t happen overnight.
LB talent
Defense # Pos.
Nate Bussey 59 LB
Jonathan Casillas 52 LB
Jo-Lonn Dunbar 56 LB
Will Herring 53 LB
Ramon Humber 54 LB
Scott Shanle 58 LB
Jonathan Vilma 51 LB
Martez Wilson 95 LB
Casillas, Martez, Bussey, and Humber look to be the future plan for the LB corps. Vilma will likely stay on for his leadership abilities even as his skill abilities decline. Not sure about Dunbar, I actually like him for some reason and the team will probably resign him unless some team wants to throw good money at a Saints LB. Shanle and Herring are likely on the way out.
I’d like to see one of our top picks used for a LB. Hopefully SpagNOLA has a good eye for talent here and the team lets him go for it here.
Which people claim that their team can defeat our professional football squad?
I fail to see how people seem to think a 7th round throw away draft pick who has never done anything but practice squad duty and fill in roster spot is considered part of the future of the LB corps.
-Lombardi was wrong...it's the internet, not fatigue that makes cowards of us all. But then again, what do you expect. Not like the guy could see the future.
Well, that seems to be the state of things
Also, who throws away draft picks in the NFL? It’s not like baseball where there are 50 rounds, and by round 35 teams are signing coaches cousins as favors.
Which people claim that their team can defeat our professional football squad?
bussey..?
very tall.. fast although underweight.. good ball skills played some safety & was a converted quarterback.. just the measurables alone make him intriguing.. he was a long shot coming from a small school.. so, were many before him.. some of them (like our starting guard are probowl players)
jimmy graham: 3rd round.. took b@!!s to take him.. now payton looks like a genius.. just to correlate vernon davis was the 5 overall pick, as i recall..
i do expect bussey to get in the mix with spagnola’s defense.. he has coverage skill.. which are crucial for what he’ll be asked to do..
coach.. btw.. you are wrong about herring.. he will flourish under spag.. he can cover..
by the 9th plague on Jan 27, 2012 2:46 PM CST up reply actions
An *Eli Manning* INT at that
Which people claim that their team can defeat our professional football squad?
Long shot coming from a small school? He played for Illinois…since when is that a small school? And taking Jimmy Graham in the third round didn’t take balls at all…which is why everyone after the draft said it would probably be the steal of the draft…because all the pundits knew of the extreme talent he had. It was considered a steal at the time because of exactly that…he fell in our laps in the third…it was hardly a stretch pick. The only reason he fell that far is because he was as raw as raw can be. There was no doubt of his talent…the question was whether or not who could understand the intricacies of the position having never really played the position except for one year of college ball. You don’t spend a first or second round pick on a guy at that position to sit him for 2 years…which is what most expected it would take. Instead it took only one year.
Bussey was a 7th round pick for a reason…feel free to go to the 3% gems that show up in the 7th round if you want to….reality states he’ll most likely be out of the NFL within 3 more years.
-Lombardi was wrong...it's the internet, not fatigue that makes cowards of us all. But then again, what do you expect. Not like the guy could see the future.
I haven't seen Bussey at all
So I can’t really comment on his talent level. He might even be the guy that just bought the house across the street and I wouldn’t even realize it. I was asking about him and Romeus on here the other day, but I didn’t get a response. But just because he didn’t make the roster as a rookie doesn’t mean that he’s garbage. I don’t know, I just see a guy on the roster that’s young and figure he’s part of the plan…that’s why I’m just a Coach on the internet ;)
Maybe he doesn’t pan out, that happens. But I’m not going to judge a guy based solely on his school and draft position, we can all point out high pick busts and low pick finds.
Which people claim that their team can defeat our professional football squad?
I look at it like this...
He got drafted beyond late…he stuck around and was able to make the practice squad…so he has some talent. However anyone who thinks that the Linebacker talent on this team is above average…is fooling themselves. If he can’t crack playing time with the current linebacking corp we had…I don’t see how he’ll be able to when we bring in even more talent this next year through the draft and FA and UDFA’s. If he’s smart and capable…he could stick around for a while, maybe even make a good name for himself as a special teams ace etc. But if you couldn’t crack playing time with perhaps one of the weakest linebacking corps in football..especially depth wise…you probably aren’t going to suddenly make leaps and bounds.
I remember his interviews…he seemed like a good, well-spoken kid. I wish him the best and I hope he can find a spot on this team if he’s deserving. I just don’t see anyway possible at this point that he can become more than a key special teams contributor or fill-in roleplayer.
-Lombardi was wrong...it's the internet, not fatigue that makes cowards of us all. But then again, what do you expect. Not like the guy could see the future.
i was thinking kent state.. for whatever reason..
maybe he went there first.. but, you right..
the reason he might have been passed on, may be the fact that he changed positions along the way.. only becoming a LB in his junior year.. maybe not enough tape.. couldn’t say.. but he seems like a very athletic player with various skill sets, including special teams.. that may help him “stick” for more than 3 years..
about jimmy.. if any of the 32 teams had projected what he could to he might have been drafted top 10.. i think it took balls cause it was somehow a luxury pick.. a pick that most teams didn’t have the balls to make.. that how i saw it..
by the 9th plague on Jan 27, 2012 3:16 PM CST up reply actions
I liked the Bussey pick...
Lots of potential. Could well be a seventh round gem. Time will tell.
Nate Bussey
Drew Brees....MVS Most Valuable Saint! Who Dat!!!
by cajuncommando58 on Jan 27, 2012 5:08 PM CST up reply actions
I'll be OK with being wrong about Herring if he pans out
He’s 28, so time’s running out for him though. At 6-3/215, you could maybe switch him to safety.
Which people claim that their team can defeat our professional football squad?
Any chance PayLoo goes after LaVonte David?
He isn’t going to be a first round pick because of his size, but for sheer instincts, speed, and sure tackling there aren’t much better.
There’s a chance to get tremendous value here.
by Drinkin' Wit' Terrell Farley on Jan 28, 2012 6:51 AM CST up reply actions
He doesn't have a brother or cousin named Jason, does he?
Just checking.
This isn't about rules, it's about manners. Now there's no rule that says that I cant come over here and fart on your entree. But I don't do it. Why? Because it's not good manners.
lol, no, he went to HS at powerhouse Northwestern HS of Miami
about as far away as you can be from Edmonton where Jason David was born
much better prospect than Zach Brown of UNC, 270+ tackles in 2010, and 2011 combined
by Drinkin' Wit' Terrell Farley on Jan 28, 2012 4:30 PM CST up reply actions
For real for real
if we can figure out how to put pressure on the QB without blitzing so much ALWAYS being in a man to man and sure up the middle holding the run I’d be happy. Rick Ross aka Sean Rogers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VLXzDkV4Ck&feature=related would have done more this year. Does he come back?? Can SpagNola get more out of the ends and Jordan?
Never thought about the Rick Ross comparison
But the similarities are indeed striking….and quite funny.
I guess I can go anywhere I want. If only I knew where to go-Layne Staley
by AcquiredPanic on Jan 27, 2012 7:02 PM CST up reply actions
Moves
The NYG defense with Spags had good DTs but great edge rushers. Considering the cap why not move Cam Jordan inside to DT and get a few guys in the draft, maybe Jake Bequette or Malik Jackson in round 3 and someone like Frank Alexander, Derrick Shelby, or Logan Harrell in round 6. Dave Ball or William Hayes from the Titans could be affordable contributors.
by caomhin on Jan 27, 2012 8:15 PM CST via Android app reply actions
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