Andy Reid on Metro Sports...

[milkman]

Originally Posted by Coogs

Not following you MM.

Hali and Houston are our pass rushers... which are LB's. DJ is pretty good too.

My guess is Reid is still more programed to be thinking 4-3 when he says D-line play... even though D-line is a big piece of our LB's being able to make plays.

Even in a 34, there's always that one guy in the middle that blows things up.

Ray Lewis for the Ravens through most of the last decade.

Patrick Willis (not to mention Navarro Bowman) for the 9ers.

The Steelers have always had superior ILB play.

I don't think you should spend a top 10 pick on the ILB position, but I do believe, strongly, that ILB play is still highly critical to fielding a top 5 defense.

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by milkman

Even in a 34, there's always that one guy in the middle that blows things up.

Ray Lewis for the Ravens through most of the last decade.

Patrick Willis (not to mention Navarro Bowman) for the 9ers.

The Steelers have always had superior ILB play.

I don't think you should spend a top 10 pick on the ILB position, but I do believe, strongly, that ILB play is still highly critical to fielding a top 5 defense.

Don't know if you caught it, but I gave you an edit in the other post. Reid did say the rest of the positions are very important too.

[Chiefshrink]

Originally Posted by milkman

Even in a 34, there's always that one guy in the middle that blows things up.

Ray Lewis for the Ravens through most of the last decade.

Patrick Willis (not to mention Navarro Bowman) for the 9ers.

The Steelers have always had superior ILB play.

I don't think you should spend a top 10 pick on the ILB position, but I do believe, strongly, that ILB play is still highly critical to fielding a top 5 defense.

Even moreso now that the Pistol/Veer opt will be in play to some degree going forward. Stellar LB play will be a must !

[Coogs]

Originally Posted by Chiefshrink

Even moreso now that the Pistol/Veer opt will be in play to some degree going forward. Stellar LB play will be a must !

I guess I must be in the minority again, but I am not all that concerned with our front seven. A good QB that can keep them on the sideline... and put points up at the end of a drive while said defense is resting... would be far greater than trying to upgrade personnel along the front seven early in the draft.

[Chiefshrink]

Originally Posted by Coogs

I guess I must be in the minority again, but I am not all that concerned with our front seven. A good QB that can keep them on the sideline... and put points up at the end of a drive while said defense is resting... would be far greater than trying to upgrade personnel along the front seven early in the draft.

You make good points and I don't think you are in the minority here. Like you I don't see our D-line as that inferior at all compared to most BUT it has to be above average so that our LBs can make plays against those Pistol type QBs when need be.