Do we need another LB?

[@DCGoldPants]

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/articles/20010712/329192.html

thoughts?

is he worth it? is he cheap? do we need a DT and RB before another LB?

[joe]

Can he play in Marty's 4-3 alignment?

[bulldog]

Inferring from the article, Holochek is suited to playing a 3-4 and since the Bills changed to a 4-3 then seemed ill-suited to that alignment. My guess is he is big and aggressive enough to be a MLB in a 4-3 but lacks the lateral quickness to cover that much ground. He probably also lacks the ability to take the TE or FB in coverage on the outside. So, he is the classic tweener when taken out of the 3-4.

So, where does he fit in here? Gregg Williams is as yet unproven as a Head Coach but he does have an excellent reputation as a defensive mind. If Holochek doesn't fit

the Bills' 4-3 to Williams' satisfaction than I doubt he would be of considerable value to the Skins in theirs.

[Buddha]

The question is whether he would be better than Robert Jones or Kevin Mitchell in the middle. I feel really uncomfortable with those two as the only options, especially with the "soft middle" we will have on the d-line. I'd at least give him a call to see if he could be had for cheap for one season and a chance to compete for a starting job.

[@DCGoldPants]

The Bills are also deal with Cap issues. I guess the best person to go to on this topic is Bruce Smith. They played together two years ago.

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Sa Da Tai!

[bulldog]

unfortunately Buddha in terms of dollars it makes a lot more sense to keep the dollars and wait for a veteran tackle to come available in August than go out and acquire a third veteran to compete for the MLB job.

There are other positions on the team such as at FS, FB, DT, TB where we have little if any proven depth.

Jones and/or Mitchell might not be in the Pro Bowl in 2001 for the Skins but I think we will get solid performances.

As stated before, I think Jones will win the job and go on to have a good year. I don't see Jones at 6'3 and 245 as being too small or lacking in strength to play inside.

Not after watching Derek Smith flounder around for the past two or three years.

[Buddha]

I'd definitely prefer adding a veteran DT, but who is currently available and who might become available later on? Anyone better than Kenard Lang? If no prospective DTs can be identified, I'd rather try to snag Holecek now at a good price and worry about DT later if circumstances change. And by a good price I mean 1 year, $500K deal with a small (if any) signing bonus and performance incentives.

[redman]

Right now, after the Jones signing, we have the bodies at LB. The same cannot be said for the D-line. I think that's our next signing, unless Marty is impressed enough by our young talent to believe that they can do the job. We won't know one way or the other until we're into training camp.

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"Loosen up, Sandy baby. You're just too damn tight!" - John Riggins to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor

[NavyDave]

Unless Mario Monds Lost 30 lbs of fat and has a constant motor in camp to replace K Lang as a starter I can't see us doing anything but going for a DT.

I'm not saying we are set at MLB but we can't be worse than we were last year.

A DT that occupies two O lineman or gives a push will allow the MLB to attack the ball carrier or seal the hole without facing a Lineman so IMHO save the money and wait or a DT.

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Dave