Our Defensive Future

People are stupid. They think that because our defense has been talked about for a number of years now, that it must still be the same starters and therefore old.

 

i take it you're not 21 anymore?

 

Most of these guys are my age, but apparently the power of the "" eludes you

 

I have read that our defense is old in a couple of articles too but I am not sure where that is coming from. Rucker and Minter are getting older but the rest of them are still young. We have several guys who are either starters or key reserves who have been drafted in the last four years: Gamble, Marshall, Davis, Beason and McClover. We have several guys who are in their prime: Peppers, Lucas and Lewis. I think the perceptions comes from guys like Jenkins and Morgan who seem older than they are due to injuries.

 

Rucker is easier to replace now that we have Johnson, and a potentially solid player in McClover. We know Minter is done after this year, but we shouldn't have any trouble replacing him, either. We're cool.

 

I guess I can agree since we would be replacing the current version of Minter which we should not have any trouble finding a guy with a similar level of skills. There should be plenty of other available safeties out there in the twilight of their careers.

 

We don't give a shit about the position in the first place, so yeah. Just find a decent run defender who can cover the deep third.


(Despite our disregard for the position, we're actually one of the few teams I know of that have a safeties coach. That's a little strange. I guess we figure it's easier to coach-up cheap safeties than it is to sign expensive ones.)

 

Rucker and Minter aren't especially old, either. In early 30s, it's always a concern, but for two guys to be in their 30s, and not the cornerstones?

Minter has declined, but I think people overblew his talent to begin with. Rucker was still very productive last year, even though people roll his sack numbers. If he was "just a run stopper" for this year and next, so be it, but I don't think we should automatically write him off.

I could also see Minter actually being here next year, good or bad.

 

Gillhamer is a third-tier assistant, like a quality control coach and etc. He replaced Alvin Reynolds, who backed Perry, though I think initially Flajole was the assistant there and we moved him for Mills. We call him a safeties coach, but he has about the same responsibilities - assist the DBs coach, and take on some responsibilities of tape or other tendency study for things like 3rd down defense.

Also, for all the griping early about Trgovac and Sunseri, guys who I told y'all are good quality coaches, we've fielded a good solid defense and a good DL despite how awful y'all thought they were. Sunseri got rolled because he started as a third-tier assistant, but he went way back with Fox and Fox had to find a way to fit him on the staff. Glad he did.

 

A lot of negativity notwithstanding, a little bit of a progress report just past halfway.

Davis is getting mention nationally for play. He's not perfect, but he's been able to stay with TEs. He's made a couple run stuffs, and had some excellent outside rush v/s ATL. He's certainly long term.

Beason is really knocking it out at MLB, obviously. He and Davis obviously make up the vast majority of talent we need at MLB; we can always use depth and it wouldn't be bad to get someone with some size, but with this pairing, it's fine to have a third wheel that's one dimensional.

Lucas, certainly, is core. Gamble, despite some issues this week, seems to be heading that way, and while he's not a guy I'd put five more years on, I'd extend him now, early, and add 2-3 years. Marshall didn't overtake him, and got picked on in TB, but he's our key reserve.

Harris isn't a core player but you can't overlook his positives and the idea that he needs to stay here, at SS.

Right now, that's our base for the year. The DL hasn't qualified this year.

Peppers will probably still be here for years. After the year, we'll hear about a strange malady that befell him that we couldn't divulge. Jenkins is, of course, negotiable. Who knows what happens there. With our other DT unrest, I have a hard time seeing them not keep him, but eventually, you either pay him or trade him.

I still like Rucker here a little longer. I know, he's not an elite rusher anymore. He's not a core player. He's not the reason the guys behind him blow, though. They can't beat him out.