I remember last year Rex saying that Gholston was very impressive in the goal line package, so I think with some bulking up and some practice he can be effective in a 3-4 end rotation. At this point, yeah he wont ever live up to the #6 pick in the draft, but if he develops into a nice 3-4 end then he could immensely help our team this year.
I'll take whatever we can get out of him at this point. Bryan Thomas was supposed to be this great pass rusher off the edge too and he was called a bust early on. Now he's serviceable but doesnt accumulate big sack totals. If Gholston can stop the run and be an anchor at DE then I'll take that for this year.
I agree with the OP Gholston could not play in space. He looked horrible at OLB. Maybe he'll play better with 2 gap responsibility b/c it is a more natural position for him (even though he was a 4-3 DE at Mich). I hope we get some value out of him this year and I think he will do better at DE.
When Vernon's only responsibility was to push a tackle backwards on a play, he did it very well. I'm not being sarcastic. This could work. Rex isn't trying to save face; he's trying to win a fucking championship! He knows he can't win without a decent DE and he made no effort to acquire one. I still say this says more about Mike DeVito, though. If anybody is still upset about our "hole" at DE, re-watch some 2010 games. DeVito was a good defensive end for us. The Steve Slaton fumble recovery in week one that started the season off so sweetly? Mike DeVito. The Curtis Painter strip sack in week 16 that got us into the playoffs? Mike DeVito. And between those two events? A whole lot of blue collar line-clogging from Mikey D.
Devito and Ellis at DE, plus Jenkins can move outside with Pouha at NT sometimes (I think). Add in VG (if Rex can get anything out of him), Pitoitua, Rodrique Wright, a potential UDFA making the team, and/or re-signing Marques Douglas, and I think we have the makings of a sufficient rotation. Given our linebacking core and our secondary, I still think we're a top-5 defense even if we add nothing to our D-Line.
I do too. If you see highlight videos from the first four games you can see the Ghost pushing guys back vs the Texans. Its a bright view of what he can do, i think
I think the idea would be more to use him with his hand down on situational passing downs, than to have him as a 3-4 defensive end. Also, our scheme is more of a hybrid that uses 3-4 personnel.
I'll be the first to admit I have no idea what the hell they should do with this Adonis "statue" at this stage of the game so I'm just wingin' it: if nothing else, what the heck, run this workout warrior's ass non-stop. He's been spoon fed in 'responsibility' slots and hasn't been able to make the grade so give him a heavy DE work load in camp and in preseason games if nothing else than to help keep Ellis' legs fresh for opening day. If he ends up being nothing more than an expensive sparring partner so be it--nothing else seems to have moved this guy off square one. Wring out this sponge and see, well, whatever...
