05-12-2024, 04:50 PM
Tier 5: Marginally Worse
11. Linebacker
5 of the 6 who finished on the 53 are back: Wilson, Pratt, ADG, Bachie, & Harper. As is Heyward from the PS. We added USFA's Casey from Indiana and Njongmeta from Wisconsin.
Bailey is gone, and he was mostly a ST guy, but played well when called upon, and was #2 in ST snaps.
How the new kickoff rules impact soecial teams configurations will be interesting.
I doubt we keep 6 LBs again, it could only be 4. Probably 5.
LB ratings via PFF dropped off significantly last year, the coaches/FO seemed to attribute it to lack of faith/communications in the S calls. That should improve things, and we should see better LB play grades as a result. And that should offset the prerty minor loss of Bailey.
However, losing DJ Reader is gonna make things MORE difficult for LBs. So I still rate LB as a marginal downgrade. How much the improved S play and loss of Reader impact things will tell the tale here.
12. Interior Offensive Line
Unlike some other spots that I could see going either way (WR, DE, RB, LB, even CB), I do not really see much hope for IOL improvement.
The staters (Cappa, Karras, Volson) all return. T. Hill is back as the backup C. As is Ford as a swing tackle/backup guard. We drafted C Mike Lee in the 7th. Carman & Smith can play some G. On the PS, Gilliam & a now healthy Kirkland are back.
The departure is OG/C Max Scharping, which hurts our depth.
The path for improvement is Volson leveling up and Lee being a Hill upgrade at C. Even so, I see G depth being worse right now. There were whispers we liked Kirkland last year pre-injury. I don't have much faith in Ford, and less at G than OT. Maybe Carman/Smith level up to decent backup?
11. Linebacker
5 of the 6 who finished on the 53 are back: Wilson, Pratt, ADG, Bachie, & Harper. As is Heyward from the PS. We added USFA's Casey from Indiana and Njongmeta from Wisconsin.
Bailey is gone, and he was mostly a ST guy, but played well when called upon, and was #2 in ST snaps.
How the new kickoff rules impact soecial teams configurations will be interesting.
I doubt we keep 6 LBs again, it could only be 4. Probably 5.
LB ratings via PFF dropped off significantly last year, the coaches/FO seemed to attribute it to lack of faith/communications in the S calls. That should improve things, and we should see better LB play grades as a result. And that should offset the prerty minor loss of Bailey.
However, losing DJ Reader is gonna make things MORE difficult for LBs. So I still rate LB as a marginal downgrade. How much the improved S play and loss of Reader impact things will tell the tale here.
12. Interior Offensive Line
Unlike some other spots that I could see going either way (WR, DE, RB, LB, even CB), I do not really see much hope for IOL improvement.
The staters (Cappa, Karras, Volson) all return. T. Hill is back as the backup C. As is Ford as a swing tackle/backup guard. We drafted C Mike Lee in the 7th. Carman & Smith can play some G. On the PS, Gilliam & a now healthy Kirkland are back.
The departure is OG/C Max Scharping, which hurts our depth.
The path for improvement is Volson leveling up and Lee being a Hill upgrade at C. Even so, I see G depth being worse right now. There were whispers we liked Kirkland last year pre-injury. I don't have much faith in Ford, and less at G than OT. Maybe Carman/Smith level up to decent backup?
