02-05-2024, 12:15 PM
(02-05-2024, 11:49 AM)SunsetBengal Wrote: A lot of people think that pass rushing DT is more important than a behemoth, double team commanding, run stuffing NT, until you don't have one. Then, teams realize that all they have to do in order to score is keep handing the ball off and chewing the clock...
This. There may be other nose tackle candidates in the first 3 rounds, and there are a lot of unknowns and concerns about sweat.
But we struggled even with Reader. And the wheels came completely off when he was gone. The run stuffing, double team commanding, pocket collapsing players are (I think) the number one concern. Right behind it is the OL equivalent. Everything else is secondary.
They need to figure out how they can address both in the first 3 rounds, and whether there are really good options in the later rounds. Reader was (I think) a 4th or 5th round pick.
I think the DL depth is better than the OL depth. And we need both a RT and (I think) and improved IOL - at least for depth. But players like Barton and Powers-Johnson are very tempting guys in addition to the RT candidates.
But if it's me, I'm resigning Reader and getting a quality NT guy in the draft. Upgrades the entire defense. # 2 is upgrading the interior pocket. If Joe can reliably step up, he's very hard to defend. Also opens important holes for our RBs.