My proposed starting defense for next year...

[fdarugar]

In my opinion if we sign some big name guys it needs to be on the dline. SO, we sign Charles Grant DE and Rod Coleman DT...which dramatically improves our front 7.

Starting DL

Carter

Griffin

Coleman

Grant

TRADE DOWN...to pick 13 w/ the Rams and recieve picks 13 and 45 at 13 pick Lawrence Timmons and at 45 pick Lamar Woodley or Buster Davis. I know that will be a logjam at LB but this allows Williams' to platoon his guys again. Which is something he was well known for when this defense was successfull. SO, the starting LB's look the same but with an infusion of youth and hopefully one of the three turns out to be a stud and the other two become serviceable. Remember McIntosh has played some MLB in the past and has the smarts and ability to play the position in certain packages.

In the secondary...I firmly believe an excellent front 7 make the secondary look good. SO, we sign Hood and Harper. Make Springs an all purpose DB play him at SS on passing downs and AA on running downs. (I assume AA will be there until we get further notice).

Two major flaws with this defense are the pressure on the qb and depth...with these moves we don't completely break the bank but I believe we fix our problems.

[DieHardWSHfan]

How about we just get Rod Hood, Justin Smith, and London Fletcher-Baker in FA and then Branch in the draft, with later picks used to get CBs and OLine? This means absolutely no major free agents. We don't break the bank.

CB1- Springs- when hurt, play Rogers/Hood (whoever got beat out for CB2)

CB2- Rogers/Hood- Open competition

FS- Sean Taylor- Had a bad year. Just one. Hopefully he'll shine again.

SS- Open competition amongst Vincent/Fox/Archuleta/etc

SLB- Washington

MLB- Fletcher/Marshall

WLB- McIntosh/Marshall

DE- Justin Smith

DT- Cornelius Griffin

DT- Alan Branch

DE- Andre Carter

-Our run game becomes solid (not necessarily great, but solid)

-We have big men on the DLine who can get to the quarterback and collapse pockets, while eating up blockers for McIntosh and Washington

-Fletcher, who has played in GW's system and is a veteran leader, sures up the MLB spot, doing what a leader is supposed to do

-Our CB corps gets less pressure to perform as the pass rush and run stop get better. They look better in the process. Hood and Rogers looks like a good combo once Springs gets too old, just let them grow.

-WE DON'T BREAK THE BANK! unbelievable.

[RDSKNfaithfull]

Stay away from Clements and Samuel they are big fish in a little pond who want to get paid Champ money :doh:

We are better off with a guy like Nick Harper or Fred Smoot

We need another corner though anybody that depends on Springs to play a full season is very wishfull. He needs to start his transiton to saftey this year as we work in a young corner.

[Lombardi's_kid_brother]

In what universe is Gregg Williams going to let a rookie start at MLB in Week One?

[LiveStrongSkins]

Stay away from Clements and Samuel they are big fish in a little pond who want to get paid Champ money :doh:

We are better off with a guy like Nick Harper or Fred Smoot

Even if we didnt sign any corners Terdell Sands and Jamaal Anderson would make the ones we do have look better.

I say sign Harper or Hood, then go get Sands and draft Jamaal Anderson. Those moves along with starting Rocky to pair with a healthy Washington and Marshall would make this a much different defense.

[fight4oldc]

Golston at DE is a "no brainer", he doesn't possess that first "explosive" step and he would be playing out of his natural position which is tackle. Also, i'm not that high on Blades in the middle, i'm not that keen on Marshall either. We have to become "stout up front and stop the run", when we employ our safeties to play closer to the line to do this, we get "burned" !!!. I'm in favor of trading down, however the D Line and MLB has to be addressed in the upcoming draft.

I rate your starting defensive line-up as being very pourous. !!!

"no brainer" means it's a really really good idea. Kinda like you don't have to think about it. But then you pointed to why it's a bad idea? I don't like the idea either but it's not a no brainer. The chargers starting LT at RB that is a no brainer.

[mistertim]

I want to see either Branch or Anderson drafted and then we pick up a CB and DT in FA...possibly a MLB too. I am waiting for the combine results before I completely throw my support behind Anderson, mostly because of confusion over his speed. I've seen such a wide range of estimates as far as his 40 speed goes. I saw one that estimated 4.9 but they gave no indication of where they came up with that number. Anderson himself said in an interview that he is confident he can run it between 4'5 and 4'7. If he runs a 4.6 40 I think picking him up is an absolute no-brainer if he is around. That is fast for 6'6 280. I think Peppers runs around a 4.6 40 and he is about the same size (I think he is 3 lbs heavier and maybe an inch taller). Plus he is so raw that he will basically be a sponge once he gets in the hands of NFL coaches. He has only been playing DE for 2 years and he already had the most sacks in the SEC and was second in tackles for loss. His potential ceiling could be very very high. If he ends up with something closer to a 4.9 then I would have a bit more trepidation since he might not have the speed to be a dominant pass rusher in the NFL. We could still pick him up, but in that case I would prefer Branch.

Either way we have options. If we pick up Anderson we can get a huge DT in FA (Sands maybe) to help clog the middle. If we get Branch we can get Justin smith at DE to provide pass rush on the other side while Branch clogs the middle. Other FA pickups should be CB and possibly MLB. CB is a tough one. Clements and "Get Paid" Samuel are both tempting. Clements is a proven Pro Bowl playmaker and Samuel has certainly shown that he has the skills to be a great CB. However, both of these guys are going to cost a alot of money. Whether they are worth it or not remains to be seen. We could pick up someone like Hood for much less but we would also be less assured of his talents and we might just end up with another guy only good enough to rotate in at nickel back. MLB is another tough one. Do you go all out and try to pick up Thomas or Briggs, or do you go with Fletcher? Thomas and Briggs are both undeniably talented but both are OLBs. I'm not saying that they couldn't come in and move to MLB but it is a risk. It is quite different from OLB. Fletcher is a true MLB and always has been. He knows the position, knows GW's schemes and is a great player. Downside is that he is 31 and it has been reported that he isn't as good against the run as some LBs. I guess we'll have to wait and see what the Skins do.

[RedskinDan0557]

If we get Branch we can get Justin smith at DE to provide pass rush on the other side while Branch clogs the middle.

I think your overall assessment in this post is good. I've seen multiple posts regarding the possibility of picking up Smith. It seems like a potentially sound move, and Smith seems like a solid player. Therefore, it doesn't seem likely to happen.

I have a couple of questions about Smith:

1) Will he really be that affordable?

I think Smith will definitely be much cheapier than Freeney, but the only decent UFA DE's seem to be Freeney and Smith. Did I miss somebody?

With such a small pool, and multiple teams needing, to varying degrees, a DE (maybe NYJ, CLE, TEN, ATL, TB, SF, STL,) it seems like Smith might command some money.

2) Will Smith be available, or will the Bengals re-sign him?

Smith seems solid enough, young enough, and affordable enough for the Bengals to re-sign. Thinking this, I did a google search and came upon the following article:

http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=5840

Bengals (pass) rush to deal

By GEOFF HOBSON

January 10, 2007

Posted: 9:10 p.m.

"...It's believed that Geathers' hit under the '07 salary cap is about $5 million, which probably leaves the Bengals enough for another major signing and all indications are they'll make a run to give it to Justin Smith, Geathers' tag-team partner on the edge on passing downs with 7.5 sacks this season scheduled to hit unrestricted free agency with 41.5 career sacks in six seasons.

Geathers, for one, would like to see Smith stick around and he thinks the current defense can get better by keeping many of them together even though a unit that finished 30th in total NFL defense is getting scalded daily..."

[dwills1]

no, lemar marshall does not need to be out MLB!

[Morneblade]

This is ok, but it looks pretty thin at CB and I don't think benching Griffin will do any good.

I was thinking the same thing when I was looking at it, but Iwas trying to keep it in the realm of possibliity. As for Griff, he's been injury plagued since he was playing with the Giants. Like Springs, you cant rely on him for a full season.

[Morneblade]

i dont like ur LB starters Washington yes but the other 2 r rookies hows that going to help our defense

For peple to be able to respond, they need to know who you were talking to.

[chaught76]

The only difference between Springs and Griffin's injuries are length of the injury. Because Griffin is a DT, he plays through being hurt a lot and only misses a couple games here and there. Because Springs is a CB, he needs to be healthier to higher degree and when is injured, he seems to be out over an extended period of time.

[Brotherz]

DE#1 - Andre Carter

DE#2 - Gaines Adams (with 6 overall)

DTs - Griffin, Salavea, Golston and Montgomery in rotation

MLB - London Fletcher (a stop gap for two years tops at which time we insert the one we draft NEXT year)

OLB - Mcintosh and Washington

SS- Taylor

FS- Springs/Prielou/Archuleta (rotating depending on situation)

CB's - Clements/Rogers

Nickel - ??

This is what I'd do. We dont trade any picks away, we get 7 next year and we can be gone with the trading picks for stuff philosphy all together. Trading down to get more picks is not really erasing the mistakes of the past as much as people seem to think. Remember the giving away draft picks problem resolves itself if we just stop giving them away! We will get 7 again next year and every year after that by just not trading anymore away!! London fletcher is not a long term solution but a large upgrade from Marshall for two years and we can draft his replacement next year. Fletcher and Clements will be doable deals with a few minor restructures. Leave the offense and special teams completely alone. That's it. I would be fine with this defense, our offense with Portis added and our special teams exactly the same (unless Suisham shows early signs of problems with consistency in offseason and then I think kicker becomes a problem again). We don't need an overhaul. We need a solid starting young corner to go alongside Carlos, a Safety that can be reliable in coverage rotating with run support safeties situationally and a pass rusihing defensive end so recievers don't get 10 seconds to make the secondary look ridiculous, and a veteran middle linebacker who can stop the run. That will solve alot of the problems we have and it doesn't turn us upside down cap wise, doesn't require mortgaging our future draft picks and takes advantage of the only positive thing a 5-11 record affords us - a top 10 pick in the draft. I am hopeful that we won't be picking this high again for ten years so while we are able to I think we should take an impact defensive pass rusher now. Just my humble opinion. :helmet:

[jivelikenice]

Okoye is only 19 and I wouldn't expect for him to be ready at that age to play a position that normal rookies have a hard time transitioning to.

[Morneblade]

The only difference between Springs and Griffin's injuries are length of the injury. Because Griffin is a DT, he plays through being hurt a lot and only misses a couple games here and there. Because Springs is a CB, he needs to be healthier to higher degree and when is injured, he seems to be out over an extended period of time.

Yes, but he isnt very effective when he plays hurt. Sure he gets out there and gives it his all (like Salave'a) but the D-line was very bad like that. So I dont think you can count on him to get most of the shaps and why I dont have him starting but in the regular rotation.

[Morneblade]

DE#1 - Andre Carter

DE#2 - Gaines Adams (with 6 overall)

DTs - Griffin, Salavea, Golston and Montgomery in rotation

MLB - London Fletcher (a stop gap for two years tops at which time we insert the one we draft NEXT year)

OLB - Mcintosh and Washington

SS- Taylor

FS- Springs/Prielou/Archuleta (rotating depending on situation)

CB's - Clements/Rogers

Nickel - ??

This is what I'd do. We dont trade any picks away, we get 7 next year and we can be gone with the trading picks for stuff philosphy all together. Trading down to get more picks is not really erasing the mistakes of the past as much as people seem to think. Remember the giving away draft picks problem resolves itself if we just stop giving them away! We will get 7 again next year and every year after that by just not trading anymore away!! London fletcher is not a long term solution but a large upgrade from Marshall for two years and we can draft his replacement next year. Fletcher and Clements will be doable deals with a few minor restructures. Leave the offense and special teams completely alone. That's it. I would be fine with this defense, our offense with Portis added and our special teams exactly the same (unless Suisham shows early signs of problems with consistency in offseason and then I think kicker becomes a problem again). We don't need an overhaul. We need a solid starting young corner to go alongside Carlos, a Safety that can be reliable in coverage rotating with run support safeties situationally and a pass rusihing defensive end so recievers don't get 10 seconds to make the secondary look ridiculous, and a veteran middle linebacker who can stop the run. That will solve alot of the problems we have and it doesn't turn us upside down cap wise, doesn't require mortgaging our future draft picks and takes advantage of the only positive thing a 5-11 record affords us - a top 10 pick in the draft. I am hopeful that we won't be picking this high again for ten years so while we are able to I think we should take an impact defensive pass rusher now. Just my humble opinion. :helmet:

I like getting Fletcher (for not too much money), but I think we need more in the D-line than Adams. Im not really sold on him and our DT need help as well IMO. Clements will require a huge contract to sign him, so I think that he will break the bank. Might be better served with a couple younger guys that are not top name DB's.

[chaught76]

Okoye is only 19 and I wouldn't expect for him to be ready at that age to play a position that normal rookies have a hard time transitioning to.

I wouldn't expect to find a 19 year old senior entering the college draft either, so mentally he is probably a lot more developed than most. Plus, at 20 years old entering the NFL, he physically probably has some develop to achieve as well. Besides, would we need an instant starter with Golston, Griffin, and Salave'a on the roster?