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WTEM Trotter update


Yomar

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Trotter was just starting to come on when he did get hurt. Without him our defense immediately took another turn down before the late stage turnaround against Houston and Dallas. Trotter is a dominating player we certainly need to become a dominating defense of the sort usually associated with how we were ranked at the end of the year. Very good news here.

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That definately great news, the one thing to remember is if D. Gardner does walk, we may have a weaker interior line and thus would require even more out of Trotter as the inside linebacker. I agree that Trotter was coming on and I think next season the 3 linebackers may get more comfortable with one another thus becoming one of the most dominateing (if not the most) linebacking corps in the League....the surely have the talent to do it.

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No matter how well his rehab is going, we know that he won't be at full speed next year. It's the second year when that happens, and only if all truly is well. That's just the way knees work.

Luckily we have Kevin Mitchell who is an adequate if not flashy starter at MLB to take the pressure off of him.

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Sonny,

Most teams should want him. He really is a very good linebacker and I have no resentment for him wanting the starting job. We decided to go another direction (probably due to our weakness at safety) but the guy could start on many a team in this league. he deserves that opportunity.

-DB

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DB,

I don't mean to slight Mitchell. He's servicable at MLB.

I just don't see him as being an every week starter. I thought Jones was a better MLB last year (in 2001) for the team than Mitchell.

I like Mitchell in his current role - he's a great backup MLB and someone who can play teams. I just wouldn't feel keen about having him as the starter. I see him as like Shade or Terrell in that regard.

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Kevin Mitchell is David Terrell at middle linebacker. He's fine. He can play and he is adequate and a GREAT guy to have when you need someone to fill in. David Terrell appears to be a guy better suited as a fill in and versatile player in situations. Just as Mitchell has always been. The difference is Terrell has already started more games in his four-year career than Mitchell has in nine years. There is a reason a nine-year player, who has largely been a backup, has career best 82 tackles to his credit at the middle backer spot. That reason is he's not a guy many teams are chomping at the bit to start.

Why Mitchell is embraced as such a good player is something I don't fully get. He started for us two years ago. The moment he went down for a couple of games and Robert Jones stepped in, our defense got better and most of us noticed how much better Jones was. Then we sign Trotter. Our defense seems to be coming together and he gets hurt. The moment Mitchell steps in, our defense starts to regress. The defense was very good in the last two games though, and Mitchell was a part of that. A six tackles in two games part.

I love Mitchell. If he's starting in the NFL next year I'd be stunned. He will want a chance and likely won't stay here because he'll want that chance. But, he'll be in the same spot elsewhere is my guess. On the bench waiting for a chance until he retires. I'd like him on our bench because he brings solid play in a pinch. He is just not a guy you want in there every game because that means you have a spot that is a weakness on the team as a regular starter.

Fortunately we don't have that regular weakness with Trotter.

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Trotter's fast and he's huge. I think he's a remarkable prototype as a middle linebacker. I don't know that he's a guy you want on the edges though. Especially when you consider that Armstead is still a ton better than Mitchell and why would we put Armstead down to test Trotter at an unknown position -- which would mean having to move Arrington to weakside as you'd have to run Trotter at strong though Arrington is a perfect candidate for weakside -- just to accomodate Mitchell.

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the real key is a mesh of talents and abilities on defense.

when the Skins had Grant and Butz inside they were able to win with undrafted Neal Olkewicz at middle linebacker. Neal was a good tackler and aggressive player, but he was not a guy with speed or great athletic ability. He was replaced on passing downs by other players such as Monte Coleman, Larry Kubin and Kurt Gouveia.

Trotter is a good talent. He is just 26. He has every chance to be successful here.

My point was not to say he did not.

What I have been saying is that managing under the cap is a challenge and an art.

When you commit dollars to one spot that usually means there are more limited options elsewhere.

To me we simply can't skimp on our DL talent. We have allowed the situation at RDE go for two seasons now where we had a 38/39 year old player out there.

We also don't have a backup DL on the roster that looks to be the answer for us behind Smith or if Gardener leaves via free agency.

And I think we can all agree that good defense starts up front.

Not coincidentally, DL players with real talent are among the most expensive and hard to find in free agency.

So, looking in the draft to me is a priority.

And one that should not be overlooked to find a guard or safety early on.

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