Looking to the future...DE

[defense03]

I think that BC guy is a bit overrated but mario williams from nc state is a monster. He dominated almost every play when they played md. I also drafted ray edwards in madden and he is good and will vary the defense up as a pass rusher.

[FBChick]

The amount of pressure Clemons gets for a very limited number of snaps is amazing. He is the situational pass rusher and he's done a great job. We need the next generation of defensive linemen more than we need a situational pass rusher.

You’re not wrong Art, Clemmons really has done an excellent job in the role he has been asked to play. But, there are some factors which may or may not play out this off-season that may require a change in Clemmons primary role. IF (and I stress IF), Arrington is let go this off-season for cap reasons... we’ll be looking for a new WLB. Holdman has already shown he isn’t the guy Williams thought he could be, so right now Clemmons would be next in line for the job. There have been a couple of articles recently making it sound as if the coaches have already started evaluating him in that role and like the improvements they have seen. If that would be the case, there may be a greater need to find a new situational pass rusher.

A guy like Edwards, could be a very good pick. Start off as the situational, while working on his run block skills and bulking him up a bit to eventually take over. A late second round pick wouldn’t be a far fetched spend on someone like this.

Of course if you ask me, I have the feeling Gibbs and company are very much in the spot of drafting best available players, not filling needed holes, so I wouldn’t be surprised to seem some picks that seem a little off the wall or not “needed”. I think they are very happy with the nucleus they have built here, and if I remember correctly, there aren’t many up for FA status this year. Depth is about they only place we are hurting right now and outside of RB,QB and HB.. There isn’t a position on the field that isn’t a need in that department.

[feeshta]

Uh, no we didn't. We never met with Kearse. They called us to see if we wanted to bid and we said no thanks. Courtney Brown is precisely the type of player this team would seek. He's in the mold. That's why we went after him for a mild contract.

Another one to add to the list of guys Williams may covet. In the Courtney Brown mold is Tomba Hali, also of Penn State. Hali is a great all-round DE who can play both run and pass well, and seems to be very much on top of the game mentally. He has a great motor, never giving up on a play, but combines that with great assignment discipline. He has the speed to be good in pursuit from the backside of a play, but very rarely overcommits. He seems to understand where everyone else is and uses his teamates much like the great running backs use their blockers, corraling the ball carrier. There does not seem to be a real weakness in his game to me, and I've watched him for several seasons now. As someone else mentioned him here, Charles Mann is the Pro he most reminds me of.

Unfortunately for us, other outside of PSU territory have suddnly started t notice Tomba with the resergence of Penn State. He's probably a first round pick now, unfortunately.

[zoony]

Uh, no we didn't. We never met with Kearse. They called us to see if we wanted to bid and we said no thanks. Courtney Brown is precisely the type of player this team would seek. He's in the mold. That's why we went after him for a mild contract.

Well of course we didn't meet with him. I don't think the Eagles did either, as the bidding war started at midnight the first day of free agency. But make no mistake that we wanted him.

and it is no small consideration that they have kept him away from a huge divisional rival, the Washington Redskins, who also had Kearse on their wish list.

-Vic Carucci

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/7139423

The Philadelphia Eagles one-upped Daniel Snyder and the Washington Redskins, outbidding them for defensive end Jevon Kearse on the first day of the free-agency signing period.

-Associated Press

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A28385-2004Mar3.html

We should not pretend like the Redskins Defensive staff would value more pressure from their front 4 than what they're getting. They've made several attempts in free agency to get a guy to fill those shoes... and they even landed one in Griffin.

However, they are being smart about it, refusing to overpay and making the most of what they have. Which is definitely a good thing.

[SkinsNeverDie]

I still want to see this team convert Clemons to DE.