Taking Landry over a D-lineman: okay, someone please explain to me....

[JMURedskins]

We wasted a #6 pick on another overhyped thug who can't cover and will be lucky to see spot special teams duty next year.

This is statement is a complete joke. First off, what makes him a thug? What makes him ovehyped?

Don't give me the same old Arch comparison. If you use that, then you definitely haven't watched him play very much. I will being willing to bet that he will make his way into the starting line up this year.

[bubba9497]

Gibbs said I want Landry

end of story

[Skinsinparadise]

From sporting news insider I think it explains why pretty well:

6 (6) Redskins LaRon Landry S LSU

Pity every wide receiver on the Redskins' schedule. Washington, with Landry now paired with Sean Taylor at safety, have a fearsome duo that can cover deep and deliver hard hits with regularity. With Landry's and Taylor's unique talents, coordinator Gregg Williams' unit will be much tougher to game plan against. In-depth analysis

[GSF]

We wasted a #6 pick on another overhyped thug who can't cover and will be lucky to see spot special teams duty next year.

Landry will be starting by week 4 if not sooner, just like Taylor did. Landry is actually more ready than Taylor was when he came out.

[ceviker]

<sigh> Our D-Line is not a problem. Look back over the past 3 years. We had the same (if not more actually) production from our DL. The thing last year was that we couldn't get ANY production from our LBs and secondary. I repeat: our line is fine.

We finally have a deep and talented secondary and our LB core is much better than last year with the addition of Fletcher and the maturing of Rocky.

We're going to be scary defense next year.

[Hauss]

Very simple..... We got beat by the pass last year...Our DB's are much improved now with Smoot and Landry. D linemen are not bad as is, and Fletcher will make a huge difference on the run. I think Landry was by far the right guy to pick. ALSO this draft is not over...

Landry might be the right pick. But the pass didn't beat us--it was the run. Peyton Manning is really the only Qb that beat us last year.

[JaimeDeCurry]

I'm angry because a lot of us that aren't getting paid millions of dollars realize our glaring need is on the D-line...

Weird how all the people who ARE getting paid millions of dollars and do this for a living seem to disagree with you...maybe you should sign up?

[Truant]

Surely we don't plan to have our DBs cover for more than 4-5 seconds on any plan. Gregg Williams schemes to get at the QB. Injuries and a general lack of cohesion contributed to the low sack numbers.

A player like Landry adds range to the secondary. Williams can send blitzers with more confidence now that Landry and ST can share deep responsibilities. Also, we can use ST or Landry on a blitz and let the other play center-field.

I believe Landry will afford Gregg Williams more options in his blitz packages. We helped our pass rush, but not our defensive line.

[spanishomelette]

Here's the explanation:

Look at all the raw DL talent ready to be molded by Blache....Chris Wilson CFL Grey Cup winner, Jamaal Green 3 year UM starter, Lorenzo Alexander a Cal stud, Joe Sykes a preaseason favorite ...and Bryant Shaw was a NFL-E World Bowl winner with the Berlin Thunder in 2002 and has been vacationing in the Arena leagues for a few years.

[dent19]

We're good.....chill

[MadDog97]

This was a bad choice. Landry is a great safety, but we need a stabilizer next to Sean, not another hard hitting run support safety. Okoye and Jamaal Anderson were available when we drafted. I consider both a stretch at 6, but Okoye has a lot of upside. I still would have gone after him before Landry. Landry and Taylor will be great individually, but ineffective as a team. The defensive line is weak at one of the tackles. Golston is a starter, but Montgomery did not show much last year.

[terpfan]

Greg Blache doesnt care about sacks. And we were pretty decent those two years before last. The thing is our DL has never been good, but our DBs and LBs have been. We've shored up those two positions again with Fletcher, Smoot, Macklin, and Landry. Griffin and Carter will anchor the D-line if they are healthy. Hopefully we will be able to get by with the average line, it's not like we've never done it before.

[terpfan]

This was a bad choice. Landry is a great safety, but we need a stabilizer next to Sean, not another hard hitting run support safety.

Landry is not bad in coverage! Why do people keep assuming this?

[smalex41]

I know that the D-line has to get pressure on the QB on a pass play, and we sucked at sacking the QB in 2006

But I have also always heard that if you have a rock solid secondary that can defend the pass well, and if they are able to prevent the opposing WRs from getting open, doesn't that HELP the pass rush by allowing the D-line a better shot at making a sack if no one is open?

Can someone please try to explain to me why I am either spot on with this or why I have rocks in my head?

Landry is a "terrific" addition and I feel like he will make an immediate impact. Landry fills a "void" that Archuleta was projected to contain, however all of us know that he "failed" and the skins had to immediately address this position.

My thoughts are that the injuries sustained in '06 will subside and that Washington and Wynn will return from their injuries. I also think that Rocky McIntosh will have a "break out season". Thus, I hope that we "opt out" of negotiations involving Lance Briggs.

[Mackdaddydean]

Ok I'll explain it to you....

Ready? When you have 1 pick in the first 4 rounds...you take best available talent. LaRon Landry was not only the best available talent at the time of our pick but the best Defensive talent in the entire draft. There ya go. Wasn't our D-Line good in 2005? The guys from that D-Line aren't gone...they're still here. They still have skill. Don't let one bad year fool you. Landry was the right pick.

[cmendenh81]

If you have to drop 6-7 into coverage on most of plays then of course we wont get pressure or sacks.

Our D-Lines stats were weak due to the fact our coverage was abyssmal and they had to drop so many back to play pass rather then blitz or stop the run hence why teams were running all over us. By picking up a smoot/landry we re-solidify the secondary alowing us to pu them on an island a bit more and blitz for pressure again.

Its not hard to realize if you only rush 3-5 people every play they can either run all over us or if we rush 6 or 7 pass all over us due to weak secondary.

*edit* there is also a thing called coverage sacks

[AvesPKS]

Greg Blache doesnt care about sacks. And we were pretty decent those two years before last. The thing is our DL has never been good, but our DBs and LBs have been. We've shored up those two positions again with Fletcher, Smoot, Macklin, and Landry. Griffin and Carter will anchor the D-line if they are healthy. Hopefully we will be able to get by with the average line, it's not like we've never done it before.

See, and this is what really puzzles me. We've already shored up the LB's and DB's, the one area we've neglected is DL. And I saw some flashes from Golston last year, so I'm not writing him off yet. Of course, everything else being equal, shoring up our secondary with a (hopefully soon) starting safety is going to help the defense. I just think shoring up the DL would help us more. Hopefully we'll see this addressed further.

[Pedro]

We didn't really have a choice. Landry was the only safe D pick. The problems and anger we have are not caused by picking Landry, he is the result.

The problems and anger are caused by having a 1st round pick we couldn't trade down from and nothing else until the 5th. If we had a second we could have traded up and got Branch as an example.

This draft has hopefully shown Danny that we must keep a decent selection of draft picks every year (so when Joe goes we keep to it). Sure we can use some as trade bait for established players but that should be the exception especially for day 1 picks.

If we had a second I think most everyone would be happy with Landry after all he can cover and hit which we like in ST plus he is football smart which in my book potentially puts him over ST who is an instinct player.

That being said bar the odd exception that proves the rule SB winners can stop the run. With our current DL I think we will struggle in this crucial aspect against the better teams. However there are still chances to upgrade this. Walter Thomas if he still available may be worth a risk. Kris Jenkins is another if our 5th would be enough to induce the trade (is this why Wynn restructed? maybe?). I'm sure there are others too.

We may only have a few low round picks left but let's be honest, any DL help we do get won't have to be a superstar to upgrade some parts of our line.... EDIT: and if we can do this it will allow our LBs etc to shine. It's all about stopping the blockers getting through now.

Second Edit: Was to change from Marcus Thomas to Walter Thomas, Marcus is too small at 314, Walter is the giant I was thinking of just got the first names mixed.

[FrFan]

I think the FO was looking for the best defensive player over the most needed one (DE), trying to make sure he won't be a bust. They obviously think our secondary needs another great safety.

I just hope know they will find a gem at DE in the fifth who will be able to play asap and not being a bench warmer. Walter Thomas is really intriguing in terms of physical performance, despite some off field issue and lack of playing time.

Hail

[steve57]

The Best Available (Defensive) Athlete argument might hold water elsewhere, but here? Time and again we have spent too much $ on players, and now, all of sudden, we start counting pennies because we can't trade down a few slots to get the defensive lineman (that we really need) where he belongs on the draft board? There is no logic or sense to this team and the way they do things. And is Landry the "Heart" and "Core Redskin" that Gibbs keeps talking about getting for the "Team"? Maybe. He might even prove to be more coachable than the eratic Spitman -- which might be the underlying thought with this pick, since Taylor probably has his own entry now in Wikepedia under "Loose Cannon." Anymore now, I just keep my expectations low with this bunch. At least he's a defensive player.

[chesapeakehog]

This is a good pick I questioned it my self all day but we did need saftey help also not just D-line, we have a few young linemen that are coming on. Sometimes, you find gems in the lower lvls of the draft than in the upper lvls. I would rather have a lower lvl D-lineman that can mature into a great player than a quick starter. Landry won't strart right away but he will start by midseason, and we will be better.

[Morneblade]

<sigh> Our D-Line is not a problem. Look back over the past 3 years. We had the same (if not more actually) production from our DL. The thing last year was that we couldn't get ANY production from our LBs and secondary. I repeat: our line is fine.

We finally have a deep and talented secondary and our LB core is much better than last year with the addition of Fletcher and the maturing of Rocky.

We're going to be scary defense next year.

I have a feeling your going to eat those words at the end of the year. It's a very old, injury prone line with 2 positions on it that need to be upgraded. building a team from the outside in doesnt work, and it wont work for us either. Your front 4 dictates everything. Ours is ineffective. Options for improving it are limited now.

[LiveStrongSkins]

Just two seasons ago Griffin and Big Joe did a more than decent job holding up against the run. Last year both were injured but they are not that much older then they were that season. I'm thinking that we arent as bad off as we think. I think if healthy, we have a good enough DT rotation to hold up against the run and get us to more third downs. Fletcher, Rocky, and allowing Taylor to roam will all help against the run.

[Morneblade]

Just two seasons ago Griffin and Big Joe did a more than decent job holding up against the run. Last year both were injured but they are not that much older then they were that season. I'm thinking that we arent as bad off as we think. I think if healthy, we have a good enough DT rotation to hold up against the run and get us to more third downs. Fletcher, Rocky, and allowing Taylor to roam will all help against the run.

Joe lost his Job to Golston at the end of the season though. And Golston should be rotating with Griff. Also, Griff has missed games in 6 out of his 7 NFL seasons. He is never healthy. Something to consider.

[RWJ]

Take a look a this youtube video of LL. http://youtube.com/watch?v=Bip9KlMxd04&mode=related&search. This is who we picked and although I would have loved to have draft a DLineman with our 1st round, this kid is the real deal. A human missle!