Week 1 FA Arizona Cardinals

[Catfish]

Everyone keeps saying we need that speed edge rusher, but over the years our zone gap blitzes have served us very well. I could see us adding someone like Kendricks in the draft, and he'd be just as effective as an edge rusher and can do more things than just a one trick pony. Give me Kendricks Rd. 1 please.

ILB position solved and he has the talent to switch around anywhere they need him to line up, IF DWash can make it back.

BA has said they're going about business as if they're not counting on DW until he proves he's all in.

While I totally agree with you about most of our rush coming from the inside, it seems to me that it would be so much better if the offense could not count on where the rush would be coming from.

 

[Hypothesis]

Everyone keeps saying we need that speed edge rusher, but over the years our zone gap blitzes have served us very well. I could see us adding someone like Kendricks in the draft, and he'd be just as effective as an edge rusher and can do more things than just a one trick pony. Give me Kendricks Rd. 1 please.

ILB position solved and he has the talent to switch around anywhere they need him to line up, IF DWash can make it back.

BA has said they're going about business as if they're not counting on DW until he proves he's all in.

The pressure came from the inside to manufacture a rush. The idea of having a legitimate edge rusher is to gain pressure without the need to blitz, therefore allowing others to drop into coverage. We manufactured pressure by bring 6 rushers quite often, often times allowing opposing quarterbacks to exploit coverage holes/mismatches. The main purpose of the 3-4 is to disguise blitzes to confuse blockers so they won't know where the pressure is coming from. Having that edge guy that can generate pressure on his own will go a long way in massively improving the defense.

 

[Catfish]

The pressure came from the inside to manufacture a rush. The idea of having a legitimate edge rusher is to gain pressure without the need to blitz, therefore allowing others to drop into coverage. We manufactured pressure by bring 6 rushers quite often, often times allowing opposing quarterbacks to exploit coverage holes/mismatches. The main purpose of the 3-4 is to disguise blitzes to confuse blockers so they won't know where the pressure is coming from. Having that edge guy that can generate pressure on his own will go a long way in massively improving the defense.

Great point Hypo.

 

[WildBB]

The pressure came from the inside to manufacture a rush. The idea of having a legitimate edge rusher is to gain pressure without the need to blitz, therefore allowing others to drop into coverage. We manufactured pressure by bring 6 rushers quite often, often times allowing opposing quarterbacks to exploit coverage holes/mismatches. The main purpose of the 3-4 is to disguise blitzes to confuse blockers so they won't know where the pressure is coming from. Having that edge guy that can generate pressure on his own will go a long way in massively improving the defense.

Problem with that, in the draft your looking at about the 5th-7th best pass rushers on the board, best case scenario's. While you'd get a decemt one possibly down the road a bit they'd have some real issues if youj asked them to do more than just rush the passer, mtl. For a 1st Rd. pick I want the complete package. Kendricks offers that. Just a solid all around player, who's constantly around the ball. I'll take that all day every day drafting 24th.

While I totally agree with you about most of our rush coming from the inside, it seems to me that it would be so much better if the offense could not count on where the rush would be coming from.

It couldn't exactly count on that the rush would ONLY come from the inside. DWash was just exceptional at it. Very few teams have that skill from an ILB. We tried to work that with Foote and Bucannan but it wasn't as effective. One a bit over the hill and the other just a rook. But Bucannan also came from the outside last yr. as well. You could line up Kendricks anywhere along the line he has a nose for the ball.

 

[TRW]

I may be mistaken but I don't think Orakpo even made it here for Keim to make any offer "hard line" or no. The Titans didn't let him leave I believe. At any rate, a great player when on the field but "can't help the club in the tub" as the saying goes. Probably a blessing in disguise.

Got Weatherspoon with the same issues for less dollars so that will have to suffice. If he stays healthy, if DWash comes back (God I can't believe I am saying that), if they get play from those signed to replace Big Dan, if they can replace Cro, then those the defense will stay be pretty darn good.

Still too many "ifs" and "hopes" on the defensive core for my taste but that's what you get relying on FA and not drafting a bit more wisely IMO. I love what Keim does on paper but I am cringing that these old veterans and one and done signings will bite him in the arse eventually (and maybe this upcoming season).

Fine line between genius and dunce in the NFL. And, before anyone flames, I am NOT considering Keim a dunce at all. He is a bit of a riverboat gambler and it has worked well so far. Just sayin' it may be a house of "cards" when it is all said and done if he's not careful.