Will we have a better pass rush this year?

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(08-01-2024, 05:37 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: Unlikely.

Our secondary is  ass. Defense needs another offseason to fill some holes and make up for some roster turnover.

So it most definitely will be. Myles Murphy is a bum.

[NotBigzo]

(08-01-2024, 01:49 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I haven't heard much about Kris Jenkins, but I have heard McKinnley Jackson has been really hard to move and I know he will
only be a rookie but his comparison is DJ Reader. BTW DJ is still hurt and we don't even know if he will play this season for the
Lions. I wanted McKinnley Jackson before we drafted him, very stout against the run and has the body type for NT.

Kris Jenkins is a great run stopper, but he is still kind of a hybrid or Freak as Harbaugh called him at Michigan.

If Kris Jenkins starts to stink up the place, then i'm officially done with drafting defenders from Michigan and Clemson.

[NotBigzo]

(08-01-2024, 05:39 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: So it most definitely will be. Myles Murphy is a bum.

We'll have our verdict on that before the bye my sweet little Murphette. 

THe concerns are still there, but maybe he'll blossom,

[J24]

(08-01-2024, 05:37 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: Unlikely.

Our secondary is  ass. Defense needs another offseason to fill some holes and make up for some roster turnover.

IDK about Ass? That's seems to be an outrageous statement!

[007BengalsFan]

(08-01-2024, 05:45 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: If Kris Jenkins starts to stink up the place, then i'm officially done with drafting defenders from Michigan and Clemson.

Drafts are full of busts.  Not all of these guys we just drafted are going to be good.  Chances are we will have a few that wont help the team much.  Obviously you dont want to see that happen with a 2nd round draft pick but it could happen.

[NotBigzo]

(08-01-2024, 06:07 PM)J24 Wrote: IDK about Ass? That's seems to be an outrageous statement!

Hardly.

Them boys was burnt toast last year.

[NotBigzo]

(08-01-2024, 08:03 PM)007BengalsFan Wrote: Drafts are full of busts.  Not all of these guys we just drafted are going to be good.  Chances are we will have a few that wont help the team much.  Obviously you dont want to see that happen with a 2nd round draft pick but it could happen.

Kris Jenkins sucking would amount to 1 clemson defender (Murphy) and 3 Michigan defenders (DJ Turner, Dax Hill, Kris Jenkins) being sus. Either our program isn’t meant for them or the schools aren’t doing a good enough job prepping them for the NFL. Either way, I’m gonna be done with drafting their defensive players high for a while.

[J24]

(08-01-2024, 08:11 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: Hardly.

Them boys was burnt toast last year.

We added two new safeties, have arguably the best NB in the NFL,  and an improving Cam Taylor Britt at #1 CB.  The only weak spot right now is the number 2 CB spot.

[Soonerpeace]

(08-01-2024, 01:49 PM)Nate (formerly eliminate08) Wrote: I haven't heard much about Kris Jenkins, but I have heard McKinnley Jackson has been really hard to move and I know he will
only be a rookie but his comparison is DJ Reader. BTW DJ is still hurt and we don't even know if he will play this season for the
Lions. I wanted McKinnley Jackson before we drafted him, very stout against the run and has the body type for NT.

Kris Jenkins is a great run stopper, but he is still kind of a hybrid or Freak as Harbaugh called him at Michigan.

(08-01-2024, 05:39 PM)Sled21 Wrote: I liked Reader, but he is starting the season on PUP and may very well end the season that way.

They were pretty fair to D J Reader but we are very conservative when it comes to re-signing injured players

[Sled21]

(08-01-2024, 08:11 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: Hardly.

Them boys was burnt toast last year.

Last year is not this year.

[Lucius Cincinnatus]

(08-01-2024, 10:27 PM)J24 Wrote: We added two new safeties, have arguably the best NB in the NFL,  and an improving Cam Taylor Britt at #1 CB.  The only weak spot right now is the number 2 CB spot.

Nobody who actually other teams would argue he is in the same category as Mcduffie or Terron Johnson. When you're a CB and a liability in coverage, you can't be arguably the best player at your position. 

We return all our CBs from a terrible pass defense. I'd be shocked if our pass defense was a strength, so the whole argument of our pass defense helping our pass rush seems a little bit of wishful thinking. 

[WeezyBengal]

Corner is a weak spot. You're kidding yourself if you think otherwise.

CTB is being thrust into the #1 CB spot, which means hell be defending better WRs. This has a trickle down effect on Dax and Turner - who we don't even know if they are any good.

I think CTB will be fine, but the entire position group is just so up in the air.

Pass rush has a huge effect on the position as well. No pass rush equals more time with corners having to plaster. Im not sold on the pass rush either.

I hate to be a downer, but I just have my doubts about this defense.

[Mgbrown66]

Michigan has not typically recruited as well as Ohio State, Alabama, Georgia, Clemson over the last 8 years. They did a great job of developing talent. I wonder if some of these Michigan players have a really high floor but low ceiling. I'm interested to see how Jenkins pans out. He was an absolute beast against OSU last year.

[Bengalstripes9]

The secondary has never been extremely talented under Lou.
Safety we had a couple years of borderline elite play from Vonn and Bates.
At corner our players were mostly above average at best.

Last year the entire secondary sucked.
A lot of that had to do with losing Vonn and Bates, and going to a youth movement at both corner and safety.

Last year was basically rock bottom for the secondary.
They have addressed corner through the draft and safety through FA and the draft.
The young secondary players they drafted recently should be learning and improving.
Last year's experience is extremely valuable for those players.

At this point the secondary is very much wait and see when projecting how good they can be.
I'm optimistic.
I like the players they drafted.
I like the safeties they added in FA.

On paper they should be better than last year:
They added Vonn and Stone.
The young secondary players should be better with another year of experience.
They were terrible last year--so it's much more likely they are better.

How much better is anyone's guess.
In my opinion, the secondary has the potential to be as good as they were on their two deep playoff runs recently.

Up front on defense, they certainly have more depth in the pass rush and run defense.
They should be as good as last year.
Whether they are better will come down to how much the young players develop like Murphy, Ossai and the DTs.
If they are worse I think it will be due to injury or starters falling off a cliff.

My predictions?

I could see Murphy taking a step forward this year and building off of last year.
I think we'll see a much better rotation up front on defense.
A deeper and more talented rotation (what I'm expecting) should lead to a more successful front 7 in stopping the run and rushing the passer.
I'm expecting the pass rush and run D to stay fresh and effective late in games (not wear down).
I'm expecting the front 7 and secondary to improve as the year goes on.

[Luvnit2]

I am an optimist and say much better. A healthy Hubbard and Ossai (I think he will make huge stride), Murphy will improve, and many fans dismiss Rankins over Reader as an inside pass rusher.

I think our 2024 defense will have the ability to put more pressure up the middle with Hill, Rankins and a rookie Jenkins.

[Sled21]

The main thing about the pass rush being better is if the offense clicks and we are playing with leads, the other team will have to pass and often force the ball downfield to keep up. This creates opportunities for not just the pass rushers, but the DB's as well.

[NotBigzo]

(08-01-2024, 10:27 PM)J24 Wrote: We added two new safeties, have arguably the best NB in the NFL,  and an improving Cam Taylor Britt at #1 CB.  The only weak spot right now is the number 2 CB spot.

An "improving" Cam Taylor Britt is the brightest spot in cornerback group. Other than that, we have a decent slot on the wrong side of 30, a former safety that was so bad that we're desperately trying him @ corner to salvage value, and a guy who looked lost by the end of a season.

We're ass until proven otherwise. I'm not saying that we can't be a good team despite being ass @ corner. 

[NotBigzo]

To get to the pass rush specifically, i'm not hearing a lot about the D line getting penetration. I'm used to seeing that happen a lot in TC.

2nd day in pads, but still. Mims should be getting washed; he's still just a raw prospect.

[Soonerpeace]

(08-02-2024, 02:46 PM)NotBigzo Wrote: An "improving" Cam Taylor Britt is the brightest spot in cornerback group. Other than that, we have a decent slot on the wrong side of 30, a former safety that was so bad that we're desperately trying him @ corner to salvage value, and a guy who looked lost by the end of a season.

We're ass until proven otherwise. I'm not saying that we can't be a good team despite being ass @ corner. 

After reading your posts about Taylor last season I feel like all the republicans responding to AOC grilling the Secret Service director positively. But CTB has done well but Bell struggled this past season and Stone hasn’t stacked seasons.You are right about Hill. That being said I don’t share a huge concern. But no way you can claim the secondary is a proven position group.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

(08-01-2024, 11:08 PM)Soonerpeace Wrote: They were pretty fair to D J Reader but we are very conservative when it comes to re-signing injured players

Looks like a smart move so far. We will see how much DJ plays this year if at all. I like McKinnley Jackson but cannot expect too 
much of him as a rookie. Going to need BJ Hill and Rankins to take up blocks to help stop the run this year.