D-Lineman??? We Dont Need No Stinkin D-Lineman

[Schneed10]

In the end, I think this type of analysis really highlights exactly how much of a team sport football really is. Bolstering the defensive line takes pressure off the secondary, and bolstering the secondary can take pressure off the defensive line.

Each unit operates in lockstep with one another. Given that, getting the best overall defensive player on the board probably made a lot of sense.

A DT like Okoye probably would make a big impact for us just as Landry will. But often in our narrow view, we tend to focus on the production of an individual unit (this year, we zeroed in on the defensive line). But the d-line's performance can't be examined in a vacuum very easily, there are too many codependencies in football. The improvement in the secondary could improve the play of the defensive line. In the end, Landry's presence (along with Fletcher, Smoot, and Macklin) should make everyone better.