03-22-2018, 11:19 AM
This is kind of 2 fold for me. On one hand I understand why you think LB'er would be covered for THIS YEAR. You're right, we do have a few options but the one thing that has killed this team for the last few years is speed and lack of athleticism at the position. Outside of a LB that can fly sideline to sideline, I would agree with you that LB'er could probably wait. But if Edmunds, Smith or Evans are still there at 21, you have to give them a long hard look.
With that said, I honestly think that we already have an in-house candidate that we could look to if we finally select a true FS that we don't currently have on this roster. Much like teams have done with bigger safeties already, I think we should look at moving either Illoka or Williams up into the LB'er corp on passing downs. Both are true SS that love to play close to the line already and this would give them the ability to read and react more than they have at safety and 20 yards off the ball when you have to make guesses at what a WR is doing. The Rams did it with Mark Barron who was struggling at S and look what happened. Same could be said about Deone Buchannon.
If James is there at 21, I'd take him in a heartbeat and slide one of our safeties into a LB role to cover TE's and add more speed. Two birds, one stone.
With that said, I honestly think that we already have an in-house candidate that we could look to if we finally select a true FS that we don't currently have on this roster. Much like teams have done with bigger safeties already, I think we should look at moving either Illoka or Williams up into the LB'er corp on passing downs. Both are true SS that love to play close to the line already and this would give them the ability to read and react more than they have at safety and 20 yards off the ball when you have to make guesses at what a WR is doing. The Rams did it with Mark Barron who was struggling at S and look what happened. Same could be said about Deone Buchannon.
If James is there at 21, I'd take him in a heartbeat and slide one of our safeties into a LB role to cover TE's and add more speed. Two birds, one stone.
