How do we evolve on defense this offseason?

[Bengalstripes9]

I just wanted to float a potential strategy out there. All this talk about being ‘multiple’ has got me thinking...How do we evolve on defense?

Edit: below are a few ideas ive been pondering today, maybe you guys could throw out some ideas on how we could adapt to the modern game.

For starters, we need pressure up the middle. We saw the Rams defense and Patriots defense do it, and i think its necessary that we are able to team Geno with someone. There’s plenty of options in FA and the draft to address this. I have us doing it in FA.

Second, we need linebackers that can cover. Why not sign Landon Collins? Im sure he’d love to be reunited with his db coach. Become a great chess piece for us as a guy that floats into and out of the box, blitzes, covers, etc. but really disguises what he’s doing.

One thing we struggled with I think on defense is offenses were able to tell what we were doing. There was no guess work. We need everyone to disguise what they are doing.

Press man coverage is also huge. Resign Dennard. Maybe look for another vet if they dont think anyone else is gunna step up beyond our top 3 corners. Zims defense used press a lot and i think Lou should too. Dennard and Wj3 excel here.

Get a presence in the middle of our defense by drafting devin white. We need a middle linebacker to build our defense around. He’s the guy. Trade up for him if we have to.

I think if we add a nose tackle, middle linebacker and Landon Collins we’d be a new team on defense. From there we just decide if we need another FA corner or to draft one in the mid rounds. We pick from what we have at linebacker for the other 2 spots and weed out the rest, possibly grab another linebacker in the later rounds.

On offense we need an offensive tackle and a guard. Draft one or both in rounds 2/3/4, along with a tight end. Sign Eifert for one more year.

So here it is. I dont have the time to look up specific names for the mid rounds of the draft. Im pretty busy getting my Landscape Design business going so i dont have much time to think draft, so maybe you guys could throw some names in for mid round tackles/guards/tight ends to target on offense to make this strategy work?

As far as Free Agency: DT and safety are big strengths so i think this strategy could work. We could also cut bait to make it work money wise.

Sign: Landon Collins safety
Sign: a nose tackle, lots of options out there. Im thinking of that former Jet. Probably get him for cheaper than the rest.
Resign our tight ends and slot corner dennard.

Round 1: ILB Devin White. Trade up to get him if necessary.
Round 2: offensive tackle or guard or tight end or linebacker or cb
Rounds3-5: same.

On defense weve been in dire need of a nose tackle for awhile now. Big problem fixed. DT now creates a solid backbone of our defense and allows us to get consistent pressure up the middle, freeing up our edge rushers and linebackers.

Devin White gives us a middle linebacker to set the tone. Someone to build a defense around.

Landon Collins and Shawn williams are safety/linebacker hybrids that can move in and around the box.

On the edge we’ve got Dunlap and Lawson, and Hubbard. Lawson gives us some flexibility in that we can drop him back so we have a 3-4 look. Or bring in Hubbard as the 4th lineman and use Lawson as the 5th, or as a linebacker.

[McC]

(02-22-2019, 05:20 PM)Bengalstripes18 Wrote: I just wanted to float a potential strategy out there. All this talk about being ‘multiple’ has got me thinking...How do we evolve on defense?

Edit: below are a few ideas ive been pondering today, maybe you guys could throw out some ideas on how we could adapt to the modern game.

For starters, we need pressure up the middle. We saw the Rams defense and Patriots defense do it, and i think its necessary that we are able to team Geno with someone. There’s plenty of options in FA and the draft to address this. I have us doing it in FA.

Second, we need linebackers that can cover. Why not sign Landon Collins? Im sure he’d love to be reunited with his db coach. Become a great chess piece for us as a guy that floats into and out of the box, blitzes, covers, etc. but really disguises what he’s doing.

One thing we struggled with I think on defense is offenses were able to tell what we were doing. There was no guess work. We need everyone to disguise what they are doing.

Press man coverage is also huge. Resign Dennard. Maybe look for another vet if they dont think anyone else is gunna step up beyond our top 3 corners. Zims defense used press a lot and i think Lou should too. Dennard and Wj3 excel here.

Get a presence in the middle of our defense by drafting devin white. We need a middle linebacker to build our defense  around. He’s the guy. Trade up for him if we have to.

I think if we add a nose tackle, middle linebacker and Landon Collins we’d be a new team on defense. From there we just decide if we need another FA corner or to draft one in the mid rounds. We pick from what we have at linebacker for the other 2 spots and weed out the rest, possibly grab another linebacker in the later rounds.

On offense we need an offensive tackle and a guard. Draft one or both in rounds 2/3/4, along with a tight end. Sign Eifert for one more year.

So here it is. I dont have the time to look up specific names for the mid rounds of the draft. Im pretty busy getting my Landscape Design business going so i dont have much time to think draft, so maybe you guys could throw some names in for mid round tackles/guards/tight ends to target on offense to make this strategy work?

As far as Free Agency: DT and safety are big strengths so i think this strategy could work. We could also cut bait to make it work money wise.

Sign: Landon Collins safety
Sign: a nose tackle, lots of options out there. Im thinking of that former Jet. Probably get him for cheaper than the rest.
Resign our tight ends and slot corner dennard.

Round 1: ILB Devin White. Trade up to get him if necessary.
Round 2: offensive tackle or guard or tight end or linebacker or cb
Rounds3-5: same.

On defense weve been in dire need of a nose tackle for awhile now. Big problem fixed. DT now creates a solid backbone of our defense and allows us to get consistent pressure up the middle, freeing up our edge rushers and linebackers.

Devin White gives us a middle linebacker to set the tone. Someone to build a defense around.

Landon Collins and Shawn williams are safety/linebacker hybrids that can move in and around the box.

On the edge we’ve got Dunlap and Lawson, and Hubbard. Lawson gives us some flexibility in that we can drop him back so we have a 3-4 look. Or bring in Hubbard as the 4th lineman and use Lawson as the 5th, or as a linebacker.

Well thought out.  I want to see our defense be a weapon too.  Confuse and destroy.

[SunsetBengal]

Step 1. Be good tacklers..

[McC]

(02-22-2019, 08:22 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Step 1.  Be good tacklers..

Think how many times last year, especially on third down, where guys were there to make the stop but missed a tackle and gave up the first down.

Tackling is a lot like rebounding--both are about form and desire.

[SunsetBengal]

(02-22-2019, 08:47 PM)McC Wrote: Think how many times last year, especially on third down, where guys were there to make the stop but missed a tackle and gave up the first down.

Tackling is a lot like rebounding--both are about form and desire.

To even get to the professional level, a player must have displayed excellent tackling ability throughout their scholastic and college career.  Whenever you see poor tackling at the pro level, it's because the coaches aren't holding people accountable.  By that, I mean that no one is getting called to the sideline for a play, and getting an earful when they miss a tackle, get caught up in a block they should have shed, tried to land an "atomic shoulder" when they should have wrapped up.

To be perfectly honest, we haven't had that sort of discipline and accountability on defense since Mike Zimmer was the DC.  Don't believe me?  Take a look at when Vontaze Burfict started having all of his issues, and connect the dots.

[Bengalstripes9]

Thought about it a bit more while i was driving today and i dont see us getting Collins. I do hope we get a defensive tackle to pair with Geno and a middle linebacker like Devin White though. What the Rams did with their two defensive tackles is what we need to do. Then get a middle linebacker to build around.

Starting to feel pretty good about Lou too. Some similarities with Zimmer. Different coaching style but he holds players accountable. Think he can do good things with our safeties and get us playing more man coverage.

[*SHRacerX*]

Agree 100% on the "disguise" discussion. We were also one of the least frequently blitzing teams. I think that has to change.

If there is one element that is needed other than aggression on defense, it is speed and instincts at the LB position. They hardly ever got beat deep, but the lack of a pass rush (as you eluded to) and the combined lack of speed and instincts at the LB position was a disaster. They need to draft two LBs (hopefully White and I really like the kid from WVU at MIKE). They could also re-sign Preston Brown for quality depth and base defense. It was a very small sample size but I thought he was solid before injury.

I wouldn't go after Landon Collins as a FA, but would definitely look at the draft to push Williams at SS. For FA, I would hope for a DT, and re-sign Dennard, CJ Uzomah, and Eifert (ok, that is a sentimental choice).