Quote
zn
Quote
LMU93
I agree. It's about some targeted improvements and hole-filling vs. the more wholesale changes from a year ago. I like Ebukam and Longacre a lot which may mean they need just one new OLB, not two. And like a year ago when they added Webester and Barwin whether it's at CB, OLB, NT, etc. they can find role players for those spots. My guess is their 1st round pick will be on defense.
Offensively to me job one is improving OL depth where they had very little this year and they were fortunate it wasn't tested.
There weren't even wholesale changes from 2016 to 2017. Mostly a couple of OL pieces, WR, and the secondary.
And yes there's just improvement left, not rebuilding.
I too am hopeful that Longacre and Ekunam can provide something. They do need a CB or 2 and someone at NT. On offense I would like to see future replacements for Whitworth and Sullivan. Problem with that is, you usually don't find good starting LOTs after round 2. (I looked at OTs drafted round 3 and after from 2006-2015 and out of 122 draft picks, there were 4 decent to good starting LOTs...that's a hit rate of just over 3%.) (Some disagree with me about taking a left OT this year, I don't remember if you agreed with that or not).
Mostly what they need is some off-season improvement and development from the starters, who will be in their 2nd year of these offensive and defensive systems.
...
I think that this is understating the ‘17 changes, tbh.
Aside from the sea change in all but 2 asst coaches, not to mention the dramatic coaching philosophy change throughout?
On O:
LOT
C
3 WR starters
That’s 5 new starters among 11 player positions.
On D:
Going to the 3-4.
Quinn to OLB
Barwin to other OLB
Webster
NRC
Joyner to FS
Johnson to SS
You could say that only TruJo remained at his ‘16 position as starter. Kinda...
I’d call the above “wholesale changes”.
Just sayin’...