Predict the 2011 Opening Day 53 Man Roster

[Defensewins]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag59

As much as I love OMGang and as much as I feel its a better fit, I still don't see him beating out the likes of Riley or Henson.

IMO Lorenzo Alexanders combination of fearlessness, strength, speed and hitting ability makes him perfect for ILB position and IMO better then those two. Anyone that can play Guard, NT, DE and OLB and do it well, is an incredible football player in my book. I have always been so impressed with Lorenzo's fearless one man wrecking crew type of play. Riley and Henson are good and will compete for a starting position with Alexander, but they do not have the on the field NFL playing experience that Lorenzo brings to the table.
We are strong at LB. Yes.
We will see who is starting in 2011.

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by Defensewins

IMO Lorenzo Alexanders combination of fearlessness, strength, speed and hitting ability makes him perfect for ILB position and IMO better then those two. Anyone that can play Guard, NT, DE and OLB and do it well, is an incredible football player in my book. I have always been so impressed with Lorenzo's fearless one man wrecking crew type of play. Riley and Henson are good and will compete for a starting position with Alexander, but they do not have the on the field NFL playing experience that Lorenzo brings to the table.
We are strong at LB. Yes.
We will see who is starting in 2011.

The thing is he doesn't have the same range to move from sideline to sideline that you get from the more natural linebackers in Riley and Henson, and personally I believe that if Henson is healthy he wins that job hands down.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Defensewins

IMO Lorenzo Alexanders combination of fearlessness, strength, speed and hitting ability makes him perfect for ILB position and IMO better then those two. Anyone that can play Guard, NT, DE and OLB and do it well, is an incredible football player in my book. I have always been so impressed with Lorenzo's fearless one man wrecking crew type of play. Riley and Henson are good and will compete for a starting position with Alexander, but they do not have the on the field NFL playing experience that Lorenzo brings to the table.
We are strong at LB. Yes.
We will see who is starting in 2011.

I agree with you, with one caveat: our ILB positions are complementary, not identical. Lorenzo can play inside, on the strong side against the TE in coverage. But that was Fletcher's position, not McIntosh's. If Alexander plays ILB in 2011, Fletcher is going to need to have a different set of responsibilities (he'll still call the defense, obviously). And as good as Fletcher is, when he's in space against RBs or WRs ten or more years younger than him, I would imagine that those are battles the offense has to imagine it will win.

He won't be quite as poor as McIntosh was in the same role, but the Redskins don't have a true cover linebacker whose best days are in front of him.