Zimmer v. Anarumo

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(06-08-2024, 01:10 PM)samhain Wrote: True, but oddly, I think that Zimmer's group was comprised of better players.

No player on this current defense is Geno Atkins-level elite at any position.  Zimmer's secondary was loaded on a regular basis.  Adam Jones is a top end athlete and regularly locked down opposing number 1 wrs.  He was obviously a budget guy because of his extracurricular activities.  Hall was terrific as well.  

Overall depth and quality is better with Lou.  He also had outstanding safety play with Bates and Bell, which might be the equalizer.  

I agree with your point.  If the FO had the inclination to get another DE to compliment Dunlap, it would have catapulted into world-beater status.  The year Johnson left was tough on them.  When he came back he wasn't quite the same player as when he was chasing the payday.  

I wholeheartedly disagree.

We had the 4th overall/6th scoring defense with these starters....
DL: Robert Geathers, Domata Peko, Tank Johnson, Jonathan Fanene
LB: Rey Maualuga, Dhani Jones, Keith Rivers
DB: Jonathan Joseph, Leon Hall, Nedu Ndukwe, Chris Crocker

We also had the 7th overall/9th scoring defense with these starters....
DL: Robert Geathers, Domata Peko, Geno Atkins, Frostee Rucker
LB: Manny Lawson, Rey Maualuga, Thomas Howard
DB: Nate Clements, Leon Hall, Chris Crocker, Reggie Neslon

Mike Zimmer got Antwan Odom in his first year and after that the next biggest outside FA we added to the defense in his 6 years here was I think Nate Clements at 2yr/$10.5m.

He did have Atkins, and Dunlap was very good, but the vast majority of our defense were not good players individually. He took a lot of bad pieces and turned them into a good collective.


... I mostly was just bummed out because I can't help but think we had a 5 year window there where if we actually participated in quality FA signing we had a couple legit SB shots there.