Some holes have been filled..for now

[buffalo_bills]

Going into the season, our main concerns were the following: LB's, DL, LT,RT, WR,TE and QB.Would you now take LT, WR and QB off that list? Well, they certainly aren't the problems of this team, and not the reason why we are going to finish with 4 or 5 wins. Bell has played like a starting caliber LT, and i like some of our young receivers like Johnson, Parrish and Nelson. I say the QB position is not a hole, but more of a question mark. Fitz has had some good games this year, but at times has been not so good. I believe if we can somehow fill the RT, LB, DL and TE holes in this offseason, we will make a lot of noise in the AFC.I say thats about 6-7 players.And maybe if Troup and Carrington can become solid players, which i think they will be, we may be closer than many think. With a good draft, and a couple nice free agent pickups, who knows, the playoffs CAN come sooner than thought.

[Mr_Blizzard]

Going into the season, our main concerns were the following: LB's, DL, LT,RT, WR,TE and QB.Would you now take LT, WR and QB off that list? Well, they certainly aren't the problems of this team, and not the reason why we are going to finish with 4 or 5 wins. Bell has played like a starting caliber LT, and i like some of our young receivers like Johnson, Parrish and Nelson. I say the QB position is not a hole, but more of a question mark. Fitz has had some good games this year, but at times has been not so good. I believe if we can somehow fill the RT, LB, DL and TE holes in this offseason, we will make a lot of noise in the AFC.I say thats about 6-7 players.And maybe if Troup and Carrington can become solid players, which i think they will be, we may be closer than many think. With a good draft, and a couple nice free agent pickups, who knows, the playoffs CAN come sooner than thought.

 

I say WR can come off the list. QB is a ?. I think Fitz is decent and given the right surrounding cast, he could lead the Bills to the playoffs. Not so sure about LT at this point..

[Dr. Trooth]

Would you now take LT, WR and QB off that list?

 

Absolutely not. Obviously, WR is not as great a concern as LT and QB. As Bills fans, we tend to be the ultimate "homers" and think much much higher of Bills players than is deserved. If we step outside that role of a Bills fan and objectively stack some of the players up against the top players in this league, it is really ugly. For example, if one uses a 1-10 scale for players, at QB, if Manning and Brady are a 9 or 10, then what is Fitz?... Best case scenario a 7, maybe? 7's don't win Super Bowls. I regard Fitz as nothing more than a warmed over Kitna or Feidler. Granted, Fitz has jump started the offense, but we're still talking a 4-11 team ranked around #20 on offense. As for Bell... how does he stack up against other LTs? Let's face it, he's not in the same league as Jake Long or Joe Thomas..., definitely not in Da'Brick's class... or even Light's. Not in Oher's class, McNeil's class... and on and on. You might be able to live with a 6.5 LT if you're Manning or Brady because you're so damn good, make quick decisions, and have outstanding accuracy. But a 6.5 LT with a 7 QB is getting you nowhere... exactly where the Bills are.

 

Biggest need, from my perspective, a big fat run stuffing/pocket pushing nose tackle and a lights out pass rusher off the edge. Fat slob NTs can be had in rounds 2 and beyond. Great edge rushers are usually found in rounds 1 & 2. But... mark my word, the Bills will screw it up once again in the draft and overpay for marginal and mediocre free agents that no other team will sign for that amount of money.

 

This team needs a lot of help, and with the potential for Whitner and Posluzney to not be re-signed (which is a very good decision IMO) those holes need to be filled with better players. In fact, there are at least 7 or positions on defense that need quantum leap upgrades for the Bills to even get to a point where you can consider them a viable playoff team.

[buffalo_bills]

Absolutely not. Obviously, WR is not as great a concern as LT and QB. As Bills fans, we tend to be the ultimate "homers" and think much much higher of Bills players than is deserved. If we step outside that role of a Bills fan and objectively stack some of the players up against the top players in this league, it is really ugly. For example, if one uses a 1-10 scale for players, at QB, if Manning and Brady are a 9 or 10, then what is Fitz?... Best case scenario a 7, maybe? 7's don't win Super Bowls. I regard Fitz as nothing more than a warmed over Kitna or Feidler. Granted, Fitz has jump started the offense, but we're still talking a 4-11 team ranked around #20 on offense. As for Bell... how does he stack up against other LTs? Let's face it, he's not in the same league as Jake Long or Joe Thomas..., definitely not in Da'Brick's class... or even Light's. Not in Oher's class, McNeil's class... and on and on. You might be able to live with a 6.5 LT if you're Manning or Brady because you're so damn good, make quick decisions, and have outstanding accuracy. But a 6.5 LT with a 7 QB is getting you nowhere... exactly where the Bills are.

 

Biggest need, from my perspective, a big fat run stuffing/pocket pushing nose tackle and a lights out pass rusher off the edge. Fat slob NTs can be had in rounds 2 and beyond. Great edge rushers are usually found in rounds 1 & 2. But... mark my word, the Bills will screw it up once again in the draft and overpay for marginal and mediocre free agents that no other team will sign for that amount of money.

 

This team needs a lot of help, and with the potential for Whitner and Posluzney to not be re-signed (which is a very good decision IMO) those holes need to be filled with better players. In fact, there are at least 7 or positions on defense that need quantum leap upgrades for the Bills to even get to a point where you can consider them a viable playoff team.

I agree that we do overate our own players, but look back at this season. We have won 4 games, and couldve easily had 7-8 wins. Now imagine if we actually get a competent linebacking crew and d-line, and are able to stop the run! How many more wins could we have? And keep in mind guys like Bell, Moats, Troup, Carrington are very young, and only going to get better. It may take time, but i can actually visualize for the first time in years some sort of direction with this team.

[Zulu Cthulhu]

If brady and manning are 10s, and perhaps rivers and rogers are 9s, fitz is no where near a 7. Im sorry but the above poster is right, we over-valuate guys that occasionally put up big numbers. Fitz did the same thing in ohio filling in for palmer.

 

Look at his qb rating. And look at the qbs below him in qb rating. He's beating out scrubs and rookies in that particular stat. He's nowhere near the top echelon guys, i.e. Brady, rivers, etc.

 

I know not everyone is sold on the qb rating as a valid stat. I think it is. And at times Fitz does pass the eyeball test i know, but he's simply not as good over time as many here might believe.

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/player/_/stat/passing/sort/quarterbackRating

[ET1062]

Some holes have been filled? Hell, I thought this was another Rex Ryan thread!

[reddogblitz]

I'd say we have less of a hole at these positions. QB is OK. Fitz has played well. If the rest of the team was better, like the OLine and WRs that didn't drop big passes and a defense that could hold a team under 25 or so, he may be fine. WR is still somewhat of a hole. Steve had a good year, but made some critical mistakes too. I don't see Roosevelt or Donald Jones as the answer to anything. They've done OK. Easley, who knows? We still need to shore up that spot. As far at LT goes, I'm not so sure about that one either. I'll watch it a little closer on Sunday.

[John from Riverside]

You will never get some here to take QB off the list of huge needs because Fitz is not the new shiny toy

 

QB is a need because Fitz needs an understudy but we need to biuld a team up around the QB position first.....both lines need to be addressed in a huge way (RT.....and a utility linemen that can fill in at different spots) we need at least 2 defensive linemen.....2 linebackers.....and a Tight End that actually scares somebody

 

QB and WR are so far down the list (especially with Easley returning) that I dont even put it on the list....unless a QB with high ceiling falls in this draft I wait till next....then you can make the the NUMBER ONE priority because we will have addressed the other huge needs of this team.

[BB-Gun]

If I had to rank our team's needs for next year, I would not put QB, WR, or LT at the top of the list. I wouldn't take any position off the list, but kicker and punter.

 

1. pass-rusher

2. outside linebacker that can cover tight-ends and stuff the run

3. DE that can stop the run, and can help out in the pass rush

4. TE that can block AND is a pass receiving threat

5. RT

...

 

If Luck is available, definitely take him, but a QB is no longer a top need. Fitz is not an excellent QB, but the Ravens have won a superbowl without one. You just need an excellent running game, solid defense, and a good special teams.

Edited December 30, 2010 by BB-Gun

[Dr. Trooth]

If brady and manning are 10s, and perhaps rivers and rogers are 9s, fitz is no where near a 7.

 

Well, I gave him a 7 at best. So, I won't argue that he's somewhere less than that. I might have lost my flippin mind and got a bit giddy over a Bills QB for throwing more than 20 TDs

[muffmonster]

Well, I gave him a 7 at best. So, I won't argue that he's somewhere less than that. I might have lost my flippin mind and got a bit giddy over a Bills QB for throwing more than 20 TDs

 

You guys have really high standards, tell me you've never slept with a 7 or below, only super models for you guys?

[Dr. Trooth]

You guys have really high standards, tell me you've never slept with a 7 or below, only super models for you guys?

 

Well, I'm not going to admit to it.

[Tortured Soul]

Going into the season, our main concerns were the following: LB's, DL, LT,RT, WR,TE and QB.Would you now take LT, WR and QB off that list?

QB isn't a hole on this team. It's a gaping chasm. It's the Grand Canyon. Until this team gets serious about addressing it, forget about competing.

 

If Luck is available, definitely take him, but a QB is no longer a top need. Fitz is not an excellent QB, but the Ravens have won a superbowl without one. You just need an excellent running game, solid defense, and a good special teams.

The Ravens had the greatest defense in the history of the NFL. Not only did they set the record for fewest points allowed, they gave up 23 points in four playoff games. They allowed an average of 13 points per game in their losses. Maybe once every decade or so a team can win the Superbowl with a below-average quarterback. I don't want to wait for that.

[bkc]

You will never get some here to take QB off the list of huge needs because Fitz is not the new shiny toy

 

QB is a need because Fitz needs an understudy but we need to biuld a team up around the QB position first.....both lines need to be addressed in a huge way (RT.....and a utility linemen that can fill in at different spots) we need at least 2 defensive linemen.....2 linebackers.....and a Tight End that actually scares somebody

 

QB and WR are so far down the list (especially with Easley returning) that I dont even put it on the list....unless a QB with high ceiling falls in this draft I wait till next....then you can make the the NUMBER ONE priority because we will have addressed the other huge needs of this team.

 

 

Could not agree more

[Bob in STL]

Going into the season, our main concerns were the following: LB's, DL, LT,RT, WR,TE and QB.Would you now take LT, WR and QB off that list? Well, they certainly aren't the problems of this team, and not the reason why we are going to finish with 4 or 5 wins. Bell has played like a starting caliber LT, and i like some of our young receivers like Johnson, Parrish and Nelson. I say the QB position is not a hole, but more of a question mark. Fitz has had some good games this year, but at times has been not so good. I believe if we can somehow fill the RT, LB, DL and TE holes in this offseason, we will make a lot of noise in the AFC.I say thats about 6-7 players.And maybe if Troup and Carrington can become solid players, which i think they will be, we may be closer than many think. With a good draft, and a couple nice free agent pickups, who knows, the playoffs CAN come sooner than thought.

 

 

Start of season List of Concerns:

 

QB, LT, RT, TE (receiving and blocking TE), WR, DE, DT/NT, OLB, ILB

 

End of season Status:

 

QB - Fitz is doing a good job. I would not pick a QB in round 1 unless a great prospect drops to us. I would pick a QB somewhere in the draft.

 

LT - Bell did a good job, not great. I don't like his run blocking as much as his pass blocking. He did not get as much help against top pass rushers because our TEs have to help the RT more. I would draft the best OT I can find I would not wait past round 4 to do so.

 

RT - We really need to improve here. Draft and free agency should be used to improve talent and depth.

 

TE - We need to draft someone that can be another weapon. We also need to look at free agency

 

WR - Johnson had a breakout year. Parish looks like he fits into Chan’s plans. Nelson, Jones and Roosevelt all contributed and look good. Easley is still in the mix and has top end speed. The future looks good. Lee Evans may now be tradable if we can get a decent pick. (See Patriots)

 

C/G - Wood played ok with the injury situation and should comeback even better next year. Levitre was solid all season. Hangartner was solid too. Urbik looks like he can help our depth. Howard and Rhinehart contributed. The middle of the line looks ok. Maybe add a late round pick to push them.

 

DE - Stroud looks finished. Dwan is ok versus the run. Spencer is a backup at best. Carrington showed some promise at the end but is still a project. This is a very high area of need and I could see spending the first pick here. Also need to bolster with free agency.

 

DT/NT - Williams had a great season and Troup looks promising. McCargo needs to go. We brought in the prospect from Oakland’s PS. Adding another good DT is always a good thing to do. Mid round pick and free agency could.

 

OLB - Moats showed something but I am not convinced yet that is is a consistent every down player. This is the other area, along with DE, were I could see us drafting in the first round. An OLB that plays DE in the 3-4 is a premium need. Kelsey was bad. Maybin is bad. Ellison is too small for the 3-4. Most of the players we have are not good enough. Need to find free agent help too.

 

ILB - Poz made a lot of tackles but questions arise on his overall effectiveness. Like Poz, Andra Davis was very poor in coverage. We lack talent at ILB. We need to address with free agency and with a top 3 draft pick.

 

DB - Started the season as an area of strength and if we had a pass rush our corners would look better. If we had better LBs our safeties would look better. Even if we lose Whitner I don't see the need to draft high here. Byrd was disappointing to me. McKelvin does not look like a natural football player. He seems to lack football sense. Youboty did not contribute and will be gone next year. I could see using mid to late round picks to push the talent we have.

 

RB - We are set for now. Draft late round RB and FB to push the talent we have.

 

Top needs by priority:

 

1. DE and OLB (pass rusher)

2. ILB and DT (run stopper)

3. QB - if a good prospect is there

4. OT and TE

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

So if Fitz is a 7, then what's Eli Manning a 7.5?? Trent Dilfer? I watched last Sundays Giants game and some of Eli's passes didn't look any worse than Fitz. I can recall many of a Jim Kelly five turnover day.

 

 

I wouldn't want to see the Bills use a high draft pick on a QB at this point with all the other holes to fill. Use a 4th rounder, I'm fine with that and groom him. There also may be some mechanics issues that Fitz could work on in the off season to improve the accuracy issues. To me right now that's his biggest problem that's preventing him from becoming maybe an 8 which there aren't many teams better than an 8. I'd give Rothsberger maybe an 8 to 8.5.

 

As far as LT goes, yeah I'd go around 6 to 7. But remember Bell had no time last off season to work at strengthing. Before you're ready to find a replacment, give it another year oto see if he can improve more. I think he made a big jump this year in his play. With another offseaosn, not a stretch to see him become an 8. While I agree that a Manning or a Brady may be able to live with a 6.5 LT, I think a more likely situation is any team can live with a 6.5 at any position IF they are surrounded by 8's Getting a better RT, maybe move Woods to center and fill his spot with either Reinhart or Ulrck or a FA signing, I think would produce a solid line. Bell would quickly look like an 8!

 

The biggest way to continue to fail as a team is to continually look for replacements to your existing players. You need to give them time to develop unless you're certain a guy is never going to further improve. I'd use the draft picks on other positions, if there's no improvement by next ear with Bell, thn look for another solution. Does that potentially set the team back a year? Yes but if you pick a LT this year, then you're leaving a hole someplace else for another year. So fill that one first and give Bell a year.

 

Absolutely not. Obviously, WR is not as great a concern as LT and QB. As Bills fans, we tend to be the ultimate "homers" and think much much higher of Bills players than is deserved. If we step outside that role of a Bills fan and objectively stack some of the players up against the top players in this league, it is really ugly. For example, if one uses a 1-10 scale for players, at QB, if Manning and Brady are a 9 or 10, then what is Fitz?... Best case scenario a 7, maybe? 7's don't win Super Bowls. I regard Fitz as nothing more than a warmed over Kitna or Feidler. Granted, Fitz has jump started the offense, but we're still talking a 4-11 team ranked around #20 on offense. As for Bell... how does he stack up against other LTs? Let's face it, he's not in the same league as Jake Long or Joe Thomas..., definitely not in Da'Brick's class... or even Light's. Not in Oher's class, McNeil's class... and on and on. You might be able to live with a 6.5 LT if you're Manning or Brady because you're so damn good, make quick decisions, and have outstanding accuracy. But a 6.5 LT with a 7 QB is getting you nowhere... exactly where the Bills are.

[Hapless Bills Fan]

If brady and manning are 10s, and perhaps rivers and rogers are 9s, fitz is no where near a 7. Im sorry but the above poster is right, we over-valuate guys that occasionally put up big numbers. Fitz did the same thing in ohio filling in for palmer.

 

Look at his qb rating. And look at the qbs below him in qb rating. He's beating out scrubs and rookies in that particular stat. He's nowhere near the top echelon guys, i.e. Brady, rivers, etc.

 

I know not everyone is sold on the qb rating as a valid stat. I think it is. And at times Fitz does pass the eyeball test i know, but he's simply not as good over time as many here might believe.

 

http://espn.go.com/nfl/statistics/player/_/stat/passing/sort/quarterbackRating

 

Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn

 

QB rating is exactly like any other statistic. It tells you something, doesn't necessarily tell you what it's thought to tell.

 

Taken at face value, QB rating shows Fitz as about equal to Carson Palmer (whom the Bengals seem intent upon building around),

better than the guy who was the 1st round pick in Fitz' draft year (Alex Smith), better than 1st round draft pick and playoff-bound Jets starter Sanchez, better than rookie 1st overall pick Bradford, who is often-cited on TSW as example of how drafting a top QB can totally turn a franchise around immediately.

 

Dismissing all those QB as "scrubs and rookies" strikes me as fitting the data to your conclusions.

They're worse than Fitz in rating, and he's not so good, so they must be scrubs.

 

Do I think it means Fitz is a better QB than Sanchez, Bradford, Stafford (last year his rating was 61)? Not on the basis of QB rating alone, no.

 

Truth: QB rating is heavily influenced by team play. Quality of the OL, quality of the receiving corps, and quality of the play-calling.

It's a metric assessing some aspects of a QB play THAT YEAR.

 

If you like statistics, I like this site better: http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/F/FitzRy00.htm

(you have to read the glossary to understand all the calculations)

 

Things to note about Fitzy:

-overall, he improved markedly between last year and this year in yards per game, TD/Int ratio (thus QB rating) and so forth

-very typical pattern for a devloping QB between his 2nd and 3rd season, which is where Fitz is right now in terms of game starts

 

This suggests he could fit the pattern of a late-round draft choice who takes 3-4 years (of playing time) to become successful and argues against a QB who "is what he is" or has plateaued.

 

Where I think statistics don't tell the story on Fitz, and that people see and don't like, is his resemblance to the Longfellow poem about the girl with the curl:

'When he was good, he was very good indeed, But when he was bad he was horrid'

 

Fitz isn't an average QB. He's bipolar: a cross between a hot tamale and a stinky pile. I think the arguments about Fitz can be boiled down to two camps:

1. He's been in the league 5 years, he's had chances to develop, "he is what he is": the "horrid" part of his Bipolar nature means he'll never be a top-tier QB

2. He's had limited starts and seems still improving and developing. Give him a training camp, a TE, and a better OL and see if he continues to lose the "horrid" part. Then we'll have something.

[yungmack]

Going into the season, our main concerns were the following: LB's, DL, LT,RT, WR,TE and QB.Would you now take LT, WR and QB off that list? Well, they certainly aren't the problems of this team, and not the reason why we are going to finish with 4 or 5 wins. Bell has played like a starting caliber LT, and i like some of our young receivers like Johnson, Parrish and Nelson. I say the QB position is not a hole, but more of a question mark. Fitz has had some good games this year, but at times has been not so good. I believe if we can somehow fill the RT, LB, DL and TE holes in this offseason, we will make a lot of noise in the AFC.I say thats about 6-7 players.And maybe if Troup and Carrington can become solid players, which i think they will be, we may be closer than many think. With a good draft, and a couple nice free agent pickups, who knows, the playoffs CAN come sooner than thought.

I pretty much agree with your take. My one hope is that, no matter which position they draft for, that they get "beasts." "Good, reliable, steady" are NOT adjectives I want to hear. The Bills have enough of those "good player, not a game-changer." I want opponents to stay up late at night working out game plans that have to account for key players on both offense and defense. And one more thing: no more RBs in the first three rounds!!!

[qdawg in philly]

Start of season List of Concerns:

 

QB, LT, RT, TE (receiving and blocking TE), WR, DE, DT/NT, OLB, ILB

 

End of season Status:

 

QB - Fitz is doing a good job. I would not pick a QB in round 1 unless a great prospect drops to us. I would pick a QB somewhere in the draft.

 

LT - Bell did a good job, not great. I don't like his run blocking as much as his pass blocking. He did not get as much help against top pass rushers because our TEs have to help the RT more. I would draft the best OT I can find I would not wait past round 4 to do so.

 

RT - We really need to improve here. Draft and free agency should be used to improve talent and depth.

 

TE - We need to draft someone that can be another weapon. We also need to look at free agency

 

WR - Johnson had a breakout year. Parish looks like he fits into Chan’s plans. Nelson, Jones and Roosevelt all contributed and look good. Easley is still in the mix and has top end speed. The future looks good. Lee Evans may now be tradable if we can get a decent pick. (See Patriots)

 

C/G - Wood played ok with the injury situation and should comeback even better next year. Levitre was solid all season. Hangartner was solid too. Urbik looks like he can help our depth. Howard and Rhinehart contributed. The middle of the line looks ok. Maybe add a late round pick to push them.

 

DE - Stroud looks finished. Dwan is ok versus the run. Spencer is a backup at best. Carrington showed some promise at the end but is still a project. This is a very high area of need and I could see spending the first pick here. Also need to bolster with free agency.

 

DT/NT - Williams had a great season and Troup looks promising. McCargo needs to go. We brought in the prospect from Oakland’s PS. Adding another good DT is always a good thing to do. Mid round pick and free agency could.

 

OLB - Moats showed something but I am not convinced yet that is is a consistent every down player. This is the other area, along with DE, were I could see us drafting in the first round. An OLB that plays DE in the 3-4 is a premium need. Kelsey was bad. Maybin is bad. Ellison is too small for the 3-4. Most of the players we have are not good enough. Need to find free agent help too.

 

ILB - Poz made a lot of tackles but questions arise on his overall effectiveness. Like Poz, Andra Davis was very poor in coverage. We lack talent at ILB. We need to address with free agency and with a top 3 draft pick.

 

DB - Started the season as an area of strength and if we had a pass rush our corners would look better. If we had better LBs our safeties would look better. Even if we lose Whitner I don't see the need to draft high here. Byrd was disappointing to me. McKelvin does not look like a natural football player. He seems to lack football sense. Youboty did not contribute and will be gone next year. I could see using mid to late round picks to push the talent we have.

 

RB - We are set for now. Draft late round RB and FB to push the talent we have.

 

Top needs by priority:

 

1. DE and OLB (pass rusher)

2. ILB and DT (run stopper)

3. QB - if a good prospect is there

4. OT and TE

All good points except round 3. If we aren't going to get a QB in the first such as luck or newton, its no need to grab one.

 

We have a lot of needs and along with those needs getting more picks should be included. If there was a way we could get another 2nd or 3rd, I think that would give us some more options on our 1st round pick! If we can't get Luck, I really like Newton! But we have so many needs. That's why imho, I think we need more picks.

Edited December 31, 2010 by qdawg in philly

[Sisyphean Bills]

Start of season List of Concerns:

 

QB, LT, RT, TE (receiving and blocking TE), WR, DE, DT/NT, OLB, ILB

 

End of season Status:

 

QB - Fitz is doing a good job. I would not pick a QB in round 1 unless a great prospect drops to us. I would pick a QB somewhere in the draft.

 

LT - Bell did a good job, not great. I don't like his run blocking as much as his pass blocking. He did not get as much help against top pass rushers because our TEs have to help the RT more. I would draft the best OT I can find I would not wait past round 4 to do so.

 

RT - We really need to improve here. Draft and free agency should be used to improve talent and depth.

 

TE - We need to draft someone that can be another weapon. We also need to look at free agency

 

WR - Johnson had a breakout year. Parish looks like he fits into Chan’s plans. Nelson, Jones and Roosevelt all contributed and look good. Easley is still in the mix and has top end speed. The future looks good. Lee Evans may now be tradable if we can get a decent pick. (See Patriots)

 

C/G - Wood played ok with the injury situation and should comeback even better next year. Levitre was solid all season. Hangartner was solid too. Urbik looks like he can help our depth. Howard and Rhinehart contributed. The middle of the line looks ok. Maybe add a late round pick to push them.

 

DE - Stroud looks finished. Dwan is ok versus the run. Spencer is a backup at best. Carrington showed some promise at the end but is still a project. This is a very high area of need and I could see spending the first pick here. Also need to bolster with free agency.

 

DT/NT - Williams had a great season and Troup looks promising. McCargo needs to go. We brought in the prospect from Oakland’s PS. Adding another good DT is always a good thing to do. Mid round pick and free agency could.

 

OLB - Moats showed something but I am not convinced yet that is is a consistent every down player. This is the other area, along with DE, were I could see us drafting in the first round. An OLB that plays DE in the 3-4 is a premium need. Kelsey was bad. Maybin is bad. Ellison is too small for the 3-4. Most of the players we have are not good enough. Need to find free agent help too.

 

ILB - Poz made a lot of tackles but questions arise on his overall effectiveness. Like Poz, Andra Davis was very poor in coverage. We lack talent at ILB. We need to address with free agency and with a top 3 draft pick.

 

DB - Started the season as an area of strength and if we had a pass rush our corners would look better. If we had better LBs our safeties would look better. Even if we lose Whitner I don't see the need to draft high here. Byrd was disappointing to me. McKelvin does not look like a natural football player. He seems to lack football sense. Youboty did not contribute and will be gone next year. I could see using mid to late round picks to push the talent we have.

 

RB - We are set for now. Draft late round RB and FB to push the talent we have.

 

Top needs by priority:

 

1. DE and OLB (pass rusher)

2. ILB and DT (run stopper)

3. QB - if a good prospect is there

4. OT and TE

Nice post.