His numbers haven't been overwhelming but his contribution to the running game has been huge, and his numbers are still above average. People have to remember that a rookie QB throwing to a receiver that's only been around a few weeks isn't good for chemistry, I'm confident Edwards will be in top receiving form next year after a whole training camp and preseason with Sanchez.
Its kinda hard to have an amazing year number wise if you have a rookie QB throwing you the ball. Yes edwards dropped that pass in the bills game but if you give sanchez and edwards an offseason together they will both be really good next year
Rex has been preaching that in his press conferences. Braylon has helped the running game some, but don't kid yourself Edwards has been extremely inconsistent. You get what you get with BE....a physical weapon, with inconsistent hands....I don't expect him to change. Not worth the huge money he'll want next year. I want him on the roster but he's going to have to settle for alot less coin.
Haden is my pick over anybody, but to me OLB is the most important need but we can get one later in the 2nd im thinking Eric Norwood. But the most important thing in this draft is to aquire more picks, trade future picks if we have to, next years draft is not that good.
I believe we pick a CB first and we might even trade up to get our man if history has anything to say about it. Looking back at Tanny's last three drafts (I know small sample but what the hell, it's snowing and I'm bored) a common pattern has emerged. He has traded picks for a need before the draft, then target two picks for the best player available at a position of need, kind of a hybrid of the old adage. First he traded for TJ then moved up for the best CB available (Revis) and ILB (Harris). The rest of the draft was just bargain shopping. Next traded for Jenkins, took the Ghost where he was but talk was he would have moved up if he needed, then moved up to get the best “receiver” available in Keller. Last year he gets Lito pre-draft and then moves up for Sanchez and Greene. You could make the arguement that Greene wasn't a huge need but they did have a 1st round grade on him and TJ and LW were both threatening to sit out at the time. Going into this draft he has made his trade for Braylon and I believe he will be back next year. So now he targets his two highest needs and I think everything points to CB. First, that was the first hole he filled last year but Lito flopped. And while Rex’s D is all about pressure, he believes you start with man to man corners to give more time to reach the passer and free up LBs and DBs to be blitzers so I believe he goes CB over DL for the biggest impact. As for pick number two, I believe the best DE \ NT available.
Haden would be awesome. Revis could mentor him and we could shut down the opponents top 2 receivers every game for the next 10 years, and not worry about drafting a CB before round 5 the next 10 years. But DL is just a bigger need now so I don't see it happening, I don't see him dropping to a playoff team anyway.
Our need for a pass rusher at OLB never left this team.. Gholston is little bitch and now we still have a glaring need at OLB. I can't argue about getting an Elite NT/DE but we might be able to get one later in the draft.. same thing to be said in regards to OLB but the need is heavier on the OLB compared to the NT.
I think you have to draft the dominant NT when you are in the 3-4 any time he falls to you. You could always shift one of the NTs to end like the Ravens did to Ngata.
I'm totally against drafting another DE/OLB in Rd 1. There will be some better options in rd 1. Let's leave the experiments to a later rd. DE, NT, CB & OG/RT are more pressing needs.
Umm, how do you know? Big Jenks will be 32 next season, plus he's got a long list of serious injuries. It's not a sure thing that he'll be the same player that he's been for us in the past. We have to get younger on the defensive line. I think I've said this about 50 times this month already: Pitoitua and DeVito are the only players under 30 on our defensive line.
lol theres too many variables to this. but common sense would say NT/DE depending on whos there. as far as Jenkins goes, hes my favorite player on the team aside from Revis/Leon. loved the guy as a Panther. we needed DL depth whether he stayed healthy this year or not. the injury makes it the most glaring need. sidenote, I wouldnt trade Jenkins at all. his play on the field is worth more than a 4th rd conditional. which would probably be best case scenario in a trade. I have faith in Jenkins to return, furthermore he was a legit pass rusher at NT. worst case scenario he comes back as a prototype run stuffer, which as big as a compliment it is, its a downgrade from his current talent level. Jenkins, Rookie DL, Ellis, Devito, Douglass, Pitouitua, Green thats the rotation I want next year. and if you get a NT you can kick Big Jenks to DE.in other packages
Don't underestimate Lowery, he's been playing better before the injury. Lito may re-up at a nice price for tanny to resign. Very difficult to invest a Ton of money for a #2 CB. Revis' payday will be coming soon. There isn't much pickings for CB in Rd1...Haden will be out of reach and Cox/Wilson will probably be a late rd 1 picks.
I say draft the best player available unless the player is a QB (obviously), WR or HB...lot of money invested in those positions and no real need to upgrade. OLB has a lot of money invested in it as well but it would not hurt to upgrade over Bryan Thomas.
Im tempted to want to take an explosive playmaking wide receiver with our first round pick. This strategy would give Sanchez plenty of weapons and would give us one of the top receiving corps in the league. This explosive playmaker would also be a punt or kick returner; an area of the team that needs improvement. That being said, I think I understand the popular sentiment that this team is gonna be all about running the football and playing defense in 2010 and the defensive side of the ball has more pressing needs to address than RB (assuming we resign Leon) or offensive line (I think we can cross our fingers and hope this group makes it through 2010; we can address the line next offseason) . With all that being said, I am ok with simply signing Braylon and Leon and turning all of our free agent and draft attention to defense. I would like Tanny to sign Seymour, Adalius, Dunta Robinson and draft a DE/NT in round 1, and a pass rushing OLB in round 2. I believe this strategy would give us a legitimate super defense (no 4th quarter lapses) that no team would want to play and coupled with an elite running game would equal us taking the AFC East division in 2010.
Long term, DL maybe the team's biggest need. However, Rex's defense doesn't really put too much stock in playmaker's along the DL. The only real stud he ever really employed was Ngota who fell into Baltimore's lap on draft day. Otherwise, he prefers gap shooting space eaters that allow the back 8 to make plays against the run and the pass. Additionally, based on the performances he's already getting out of guys like Pouha,Green and Devito...I'm not sure a first round DE is worth that type of commitment draft value wise and monetarily; unless of course it's a truly elite talent, which I doubt will be at our spot. OL is another long term need we could address. Couple things to consider, however, is similarily to Ryan w/ the DL, Callahan seems to get alot of the OL's we employ. I get the feeling the team likes the depth that Turner, Hunter and Slauson provide. They are alot better than many on here give them credit for. W/ the way things are going, Hunter and Slauson maybe battling for the starting LG position w/ Faneca departing.I'm not sure any rookie Guard,specifically in this class, is gonna come in and beat either of those guys out. OT is an option w/ Woody approaching the end, and Hunter being shakey at OT, but I'm not sure this class has alot of depth in the late first round, and I'm willing to bet the FO doesnt want any more huge contracts along the OL that they can prevent. That leaves us w/ acouple different needs to possibly address. the first is outside OLB that can actually create some pressure. My concern is after the Gholston disaster, I'm hesitant, as I'm sure the FO is, that projecting these 3-4 OLB's out of college is a complete crapshoot. I'm thinking getting a proven commodity in FA and maybe a late round developmental guy, maybe a better way to go. To be honest, I wouldn't mind adding another offensive skill player to help Sanchez in his development. Greene, LW,Woodhead,Cotchery,Clowney, & Edwards(assuming he gets extension) is a great start. But what's winning right now in the NFL is multi-dimensional offenses that can attack defenses in alot of different ways. Sanchez certainly has the skillset to flourish in this type of offense. If we were to combine a high scoring offense, w/ Rex's defense....I'm not sure we'd be beatable. Adding a WR like Tate or Benn, Gresham at TE(To pair w/ Keller for the ground and pound) or even an Hback type like Gerhart...could be a really intriguing possibility to really take this team to the next level.
Gilyard Reminds me of this years Crabtree... He is a little bit less in weight but faster then Crabtree but mainly the reason i say that is they run that same style of offense with the slip screens etc
the overall performance of the D without jenkins probably takes NT off the day one list. however, DE and/or OLB, IMO should be a day one focus. for offense - aside from QB, any position is fair game on day one. jil
