In Scot we trust?

[mooby]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

That quote jumped out at me too - I watched him in the press conference yesterday when he said this. You know how sometimes you hear a snippet on the radio, or read a quote in an article, and without the context it can seem like the media's making a big deal out of nothing.

With this one I thought it was a clear shot at McCloughan. I think they probably have a good enough working relationship but it's clear Jay would rather see need enter the equation a bit on the 1st rounders. Makes sense, the coach's time horizon is always shorter than the GM's.

Like I've said before I just hope McCloughan does the right thing and gets aggressive with a couple of these big needs.

This. We need some more playmakers on d. Last year he just kinda sat back and hoped something good fell into his lap. This year he needs to fill some lesser needs in FA and leave the long term needs (like playmaker) for the draft. If he signed a couple d-linemen in FA I wouldn't be upset. And there's always trades that could be had.

[KI Skins Fan]

Originally Posted by mooby

This. We need some more playmakers on d. Last year he just kinda sat back and hoped something good fell into his lap. This year he needs to fill some lesser needs in FA and leave the long term needs (like playmaker) for the draft. If he signed a couple d-linemen in FA I wouldn't be upset. And there's always trades that could be had.

I disagree with you based on the fact that there will be some top-notch playmakers available in FA this year when we have the cap room to sign a couple of them. We should take advantage of this convergence which I think is hardly a coincidence. I think Scot planned for it.

Players who fit our needs, such as Calais Campbell, Kawann Short, and Eric Barry should be available. You can't count on the draft to produce NFL playmakers of that caliber.

[mooby]

Originally Posted by KI Skins Fan

I disagree with you based on the fact that there will be some top-notch playmakers available in FA this year when we have the cap room to sign a couple of them. We should take advantage of this convergence which I think is hardly a coincidence. I think Scot planned for it.

Players who fit our needs, such as Calais Campbell, Kawann Short, and Eric Barry should be available. You can't count on the draft to produce NFL playmakers of that caliber.

I disagree on all 3, we have been down that road before and we should know better. Get your playmakers through the draft, not free agency.

Campbell - I'm not paying big money on a long term deal to anyone over 30 in free agency. Sure he's good, the question is for how long, and is he consistent? Just because he dominated us doesn't mean he still dominates every week.

Short - I'm just hesitant to pay any FA d-linemen huge money after you-know-who. Is he the right scheme fit? That should be the first question after our last big money contract for a d-lineman. And you know if Carolina doesn't pay him someone will. If they asked him to fill the exact same role that he did in Carolina it might work out, but I don't think we're that kind of team. We're more of the "we're paying you huge money, you should be dominant at any role we ask of you" style.

Eric Berry - love the player, hate the money. He will get paid wherever he goes, and since our (current) scheme says our safeties need to be able to play both free and strong does that mean he's a good fit? I wouldn't mind switching to a more traditional safety alignment but right now we don't have the personnel or the scheme for it.

[FrenchSkin]

Originally Posted by mooby

I disagree on all 3, we have been down that road before and we should know better. Get your playmakers through the draft, not free agency.

Campbell - I'm not paying big money on a long term deal to anyone over 30 in free agency. Sure he's good, the question is for how long, and is he consistent? Just because he dominated us doesn't mean he still dominates every week.

Short - I'm just hesitant to pay any FA d-linemen huge money after you-know-who. Is he the right scheme fit? That should be the first question after our last big money contract for a d-lineman. And you know if Carolina doesn't pay him someone will. If they asked him to fill the exact same role that he did in Carolina it might work out, but I don't think we're that kind of team. We're more of the "we're paying you huge money, you should be dominant at any role we ask of you" style.

Eric Berry - love the player, hate the money. He will get paid wherever he goes, and since our (current) scheme says our safeties need to be able to play both free and strong does that mean he's a good fit? I wouldn't mind switching to a more traditional safety alignment but right now we don't have the personnel or the scheme for it.

Doesn't the fact that Cravens will play safety mean that we'll switch back to a traditional safety scheme?

I'm sure Cravens will be great at SS but don't think he'll have the speed to play FS.

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by FrenchSkin

Doesn't the fact that Cravens will play safety mean that we'll switch back to a traditional safety scheme?

I'm sure Cravens will be great at SS but don't think he'll have the speed to play FS.

You place a lot of faith in the defensive coaching staff's ability to adapt and adjust their scheme.

If we turn over the DC like we should, then anything's on the table, including Cravens being taken out of the plans at safety (I don't think they should do that, just saying that with a new defensive coach anything goes on the table).

[SirLK26]

I like how two years ago when Scot came on board everyone was glad we were going to build through the draft. Now people want to sign all the big name free agents again. Scot hit a home run with Norman, but I hope he doesn't make signing big dollar free agent contracts the norm

He's finding us some good players each year in the draft, give them time to develop. Preston Smith has shown an ability to take over games, next year could be a breakout year for him. Cravens looks to be a beast if he can stay healthy. All the experts including Cooley love Kendall Fuller. And other young guys are contributing like Dunbar, Spaight, Ioaniddis, Lanier, Everett. Let's have patience and stay the course

[punch it in]

Originally Posted by SirLK26

I like how two years ago when Scot came on board everyone was glad we were going to build through the draft. Now people want to sign all the big name free agents again. Scot hit a home run with Norman, but I hope he doesn't make signing big dollar free agent contracts the norm



He's finding us some good players each year in the draft, give them time to develop. Preston Smith has shown an ability to take over games, next year could be a breakout year for him. Cravens looks to be a beast if he can stay healthy. All the experts including Cooley love Kendall Fuller. And other young guys are contributing like Dunbar, Spaight, Ioaniddis, Lanier, Everett. Let's have patience and stay the course

I have never see Smith show the ability to take over a play let alone a game. Lol.
Just because they are playing does not mean they are contributing. Fuller looked absolutely lost.
Listen any of the guys you mentioned can certainly turn it around or become, at the very least, solid roll players.
None of them get me too excited now though. Cravens, but he has to stay healthy.
We will see. Hope they all turn into solid contributors.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by SirLK26

I like how two years ago when Scot came on board everyone was glad we were going to build through the draft. Now people want to sign all the big name free agents again. Scot hit a home run with Norman, but I hope he doesn't make signing big dollar free agent contracts the norm



He's finding us some good players each year in the draft, give them time to develop. Preston Smith has shown an ability to take over games, next year could be a breakout year for him. Cravens looks to be a beast if he can stay healthy. All the experts including Cooley love Kendall Fuller. And other young guys are contributing like Dunbar, Spaight, Ioaniddis, Lanier, Everett. Let's have patience and stay the course

Most fans have no patience at all, they want results yesterday and unless a player is an all pro as a rookie get him outta here.

[44Deezel]

Originally Posted by SirLK26

I like how two years ago when Scot came on board everyone was glad we were going to build through the draft. Now people want to sign all the big name free agents again. Scot hit a home run with Norman, but I hope he doesn't make signing big dollar free agent contracts the norm

He's finding us some good players each year in the draft, give them time to develop. Preston Smith has shown an ability to take over games, next year could be a breakout year for him. Cravens looks to be a beast if he can stay healthy. All the experts including Cooley love Kendall Fuller. And other young guys are contributing like Dunbar, Spaight, Ioaniddis, Lanier, Everett. Let's have patience and stay the course

At some point, maybe after year 3, I'd love to see a detailed analysis of Scot's draft performance as it relates to the rest of the division. When he came here, I thought he'd outsmart everyone else and find late round gems year in and year out, but it appears to me that Dallas and NY have done better during his time here. Dak and Zeke were in the MVP discussion this year and the Giants found a pro-bowl safety in Collins at pick #33 while we got a pro bowl guard with the 5th overall pick in the same draft. Yes, Crowder was a good find, but the Giants got similar value with Shepard.

Matt Jones in the 3rd round looks like a bust, but Preston Smith, Fuller and Cravens may turn into something. He's found some good contributors, but no one that really knocks your socks off. Time will tell I guess.

[FrenchSkin]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

You place a lot of faith in the defensive coaching staff's ability to adapt and adjust their scheme.

If we turn over the DC like we should, then anything's on the table, including Cravens being taken out of the plans at safety (I don't think they should do that, just saying that with a new defensive coach anything goes on the table).

I know you know a lot about this game, could you explain how complicated it would be to fix this "both safeties need to play both positions" issue?

With what I know, I don't see anything too hard to overcome with a whole offseason to work on it... But maybe I am missing something.

Envoyé de mon TOMMY en utilisant Tapatalk

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by FrenchSkin

I know you know a lot about this game, could you explain how complicated it would be to fix this "both safeties need to play both positions" issue?

With what I know, I don't see anything too hard to overcome with a whole offseason to work on it... But maybe I am missing something.

Envoyé de mon TOMMY en utilisant Tapatalk

Rewind back to November 2007 and convince Sean Taylor not to stay in his Miami home that night? I know that's not your question but man do I miss his ability to play single-high and still cover sideline to sideline in the deep middle. You didn't even need a second safety, he became an eighth box player.

Sigh. What could have been. Still makes me emotional.

So if I have Cravens as one of my safeties I think it affects me on a game-by-game basis as I develop my gameplans. For example, if I'm facing the Eagles with their dreadful WRs this year, I think I don't bother flexing the responsibilities of the safeties. I'd tell Cravens, you look at the formation, and you line up on the strong side of the formation. If a guy goes in motion and switches the strong side of the formation to the other side of the field, then you motion with him to the other hash mark.

I tell my free safety, whoever it is, to do the opposite. On the snap, he retreats to single high while Cravens takes up a zone coverage responsibility around the seam at the 10-12 yard mark. If it's a run then he's positioned to come up and hit, if it's a pass then he's not asked to run too deep.

Since their WRs aren't that threatening, you put the onus on the corners to win, and you let the single high free safety just be responsible for saving the day and keeping the guy out of the end zone.

Right now, Barry seems to love having everyone be responsible for a side of the field. I hate it, because offenses put players in motion to move them into position for mismatches. I'd instead teach the secondary how to move as the formation shifts. Cravens goes to the strong side, Norman follows the best WR, the FS goes opposite Cravens. These players aren't dumb, it should be entirely possible to teach them this.

Now, against a team with very good WRs like the Giants with Beckham and Shepherd, I'm feeling pretty vulnerable with Cravens back there no matter what I do. So I'm probably blitzing the hell out of the Giants and hoping for the best, including sending Cravens on occasion. If my FS was Sean Taylor, I'd feel pretty good about it.

Sigh.