Is Mathias Kiwanuka a FA this year? He might be someone to look at as he has some experience playing LB now and dropping into coverage. Far fetched, but hey who's counting the distance?
In regard to Crowder and the ILB position I still think that Karlos Dansby would be a great fit as an every down ILB in our scheme. Got the size Parcells and Ireland covet, very solid run stuffer, good tackler, can drop into coverage and brings the kind of blitzing skills to the table that Crowder lacks. He's also an outside guy by default making for some interesting flexibility on several downs. Plus, Arizona still hasn't signed the guy to a long-term deal, even though they let Pace walk.
I'm a big fan of Dansby and considering the contract issues they have forthcoming with Warner, Boldin, Wilson and Dockett, Dansby might well be free. He's a much better player than Pace.
I think part of Roth's problem is that he needs to drop weight. The guy was not lightning fast at 265. He's very much still adjusting on the fly to his position change, though, and he stated he was in the 280's a couple weeks back in one of the newspapers. [
He's just not explosive to begin with. And you're right extra weight will hurt him, but how much of s difference will it make if he loses those pounds. IMo he still isn't going to have the change of direction nor flat line speed to be a starter on defense. If Roth can be used in a condensed version of the role Gregg Ellis plays in Dallas, then he should do fine. If his snaps are limited, it could work out much better for him in the long run. I have no issues with keeping him around, just not as a starter. This team will need much more than Roth can give them moving forward. And Buck, his first step is not that great, and he doesn't build on his momentum. He has shorter strides than other players, and is at top speed - if you can call it that - pretty fast. He just isn't blessed with that gift.
I would think OLB from what I remember from the Cards and I believe Auburn. He's got to be around 6-4, 250. I would be all for picking up that guy in FA. Quentin Moses remains a mystery, I wish that I had more info on what is short-circuiting his pro career. The guy has talent, what a waste.
Sounds, like me. First ten yards I could keep up with most everyone, even beat faster people sometimes, but beyond that. Ummm, yea.
I would rather have boldin but he would be a nice consolation prize. Boldin , Ginn , Camarillo , Bess sure sounds good to me I think we need a vetran WR but I see us getting our defensive players in the draft. Boomer , what are your issues with Spikes playing? I am a Gator fan so its hard to judge him without bias until after the season.
I was under the impression that Dansby was an OLB in the same sense that Channing Crowder was under Saban/Capers and Bart Scott is in Baltimore- As in, they line up in a position virtually identical to 3-4 ILB, but the edge rusher on their side is often in a down stance. From what I could pull up on NFL.com, it looks like he's an ILB. NFL Video Galleries NFL Video Galleries NFL Video Galleries
The last few times I've seen him, I've come away less than impressed. His ability in coverage is good; he reads the QB's eyes very well and has impressive footwork in his backpedal. But time and again he gets washed out in the run game. He plays very high and whether it's the FB as evidenced for example against LSU or a pulling G or even the center, when they get their hands on him, it's over too often for me. Time and again he reads the hole and then gets blown out of the way. The first drive of the 2nd half against LSU was something of a microcosm of his whole season for me; he was bullied out of a hole by the C on a 3rd and short, he then failed to seal the edge when Trindon Holliday went off left tackle. Yes Holliday is quick, but his lack of hustle a) to the corner and then b) when Holliday was running downfield, even though Spikes had an angle in pursuit was disappointing. Then on the goaline, he had Andrew Hatch bang to rights and Hatch knocked him on his rear and scored. It was like 18 or so years ago in the Kingdome watching Bo Jackson deposit Brian Bosworth on his $11 million dollar bum. I want to see more metal, more fight from that from Spikes. Really been disappointed with him at times.
I've only seen him play once and he was out of the screen much, but a guy that is an interesting name is Aaron Webster of Cincinnati. Hes' 6'3", 205 strong safety that can lay the wood, is always around the ball and has had extensive time as he has played since his freshmen year, I'm not sure if he started though. There isn't a lot of information out there on him other than he majors in criminal justice and that he's somewhere in the 4.5-4.6 forty range.
Interesting because I've seen quite a bit of him this year and whilst I wasn't focusing on him, I seemed to notice him on the edge and then coming inside on obvious passing downs. But I watched him this morning and he plays all over the place; times he was at SOLB, times at WLB, sometimes he was outside in a 4 man front and a regulation 4-3, sometimes he was inside in a 3-4, sometimes they just played 2 MLBs in a 5 man front and even when they played 6 men on the line; regulation front 4, two outside and Dansby at MLB.
