starting dline

[sportscurmudgeon]

joecrisp:

The ability of the defense to use 3-3-5 and 2-3-6 sets will depend on the ability of the standard defensive front to stop the run. If the four mooses that they put in there on first down can't stop the run, then all the fancy stuff will have to be relegated to those plays after the opponent gets called for offensive holding on first down and it is 1st and 20.

No one on this board - and I mean NO ONE - is rooting for Brandon Noble to be able to play solidly this year more than I am. That would be a HUGE help for the DL because he will play hard and he will play smart on every down and when he hits a QB or a ball carrier, he will make the tackle or hold on until help arrives. He will not do any arm tackling!

I am not sanguine about Haley; he was unimpressive for all of his career until last year - - when he just plain stunk out the joint.

Daniels can play DT but he is really a defensive end. Watch the Bears' games from last year and you'll see that he is at his best when he does not need to take on a blocker head on. His value to the Skins is applying pass pressure from the DE position.

Griffen needs someone to jam a hot poker up his butt to keep him hustling on every play. If Greg Williams can do that - or if Noble is there to play next to Griffen and lead by example - then that will be a big improvement.

Wynn, Upshaw and the like are space fillers. You can find players of that ability on the waiver wire as training camps are closed down. They don't hurt you; they can't help you very much.