Who is the best OLB in the draft?

[Titty Meat]

That would fit the Chiefs 3-4. I don't beieve Hali is an effective everydown player and Vrabel should not be resigned. If the 3-4 is ever going to be successfull in Kansas City it will need a good NT and OLB. Who in this draft do you think is the best OLB prospect? Kindle, Hughes,Miller? Discuss.

[beach tribe]

Tamba didn't play horribly, but should he be a teams primary pass rusher? Hell No.

I still think he should be rushing the passer from the left side, with a legit guy rushing from the blind side.

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by Chiefaholic

Jerry Hughes, TCU
Height: 6-2. Weight: 258.
Projected 40 Time: 4.64.
Projected Round (2010): 1-2.
11/14/09: Jerry Hughes is once again having a huge year (10.5 TFL, 9 sacks). He has a great shot of being the first rush linebacker taken in the 2010 NFL Draft.

5/18/09: Jerry Hughes had a monstrous 2008 campaign for TCU, notching 19.5 TFL and 15 sacks.

This guy.

[Dayze]

Originally Posted by TheGuardian

Maybe our best option is really just to trade down, take a guy like this and get more picks. I wonder if it would even be possible to trade down and/or use one of our 2nds to get back into the first round? I wouldn't mind a scenario where we could get a good rush backer along with Mays if he fell.

...asssuming we can trade down.
Who would want to get to our spot?
Washington?

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by Dayze

...asssuming we can trade down.
Who would want to get to our spot?
Washington?

Washington picks ahead of us.

[keg in kc]

There should be some names on the board for both of our 2nds. Personally I'd go with Graham if he's there, but I watch Michigan a little more than I watch anybody else (sucks to be me).

Hali isn't losing his job, either way, whether he's a liability or not. We're not deep enough to sit him at this point, and most likely won't be in 2010.

[RedThat]

Too be honest, Tamba gets way too much credit around here. Not that he is a bad football player or anything, he is very average. He made a nice transition over to the outside yes, but he isn't anyone to ooohh and ahhh over. He is a little inconsistent in the passrush, at times he is there, and at times he is invisible. And his run defense stinks.

If the Chiefs upgraded both OLB spots I would be for it. If they upgraded one of them, I'd be ok with that provided they get a good passrusher and Tamba rushes on the other side, fine. They must upgrade at least one spot with a good passrusher if they want to make some strides on defense.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by RedThat

Too be honest, Tamba gets way too much credit around here. Not that he is a bad football player or anything, he is very average. He made a nice transition over to the outside yes, but he isn't anyone to ooohh and ahhh over. He is a little inconsistent in the passrush, at times he is there, and at times he is invisible. And his run defense stinks.

If the Chiefs upgraded both OLB spots I would be for it. If they upgraded one of them, I'd be ok with that provided they get a good passrusher and Tamba rushes on the other side, fine. They must upgrade at least one spot with a good passrusher if they want to make some strides on defense.

Problem is, if they do that, you're probably still looking at Mays and Williams starting at MLB. Which is I think an even bigger problem than Tamba against run defense. That's what I was alluding to in my previous post.

And they still need a NT and at least one safety.

And they still need 3 or 4 (starting) offensive linemen, a starting wide receiver and I'd guess at least one running back.

Which is a lot of stuff...

[EyePod]

Originally Posted by billay

That would fit the Chiefs 3-4. I don't beieve Hali is an effective everydown player and Vrabel should not be resigned. If the 3-4 is ever going to be successfull in Kansas City it will need a good NT and OLB. Who in this draft do you think is the best OLB prospect? Kindle, Hughes,Miller? Discuss.

I think both of these are incorrect. Hali put up OK numbers for being the ONLY threat of a sack. I know we've always talked about his numbers increasing, but really, everyone all season talked about Hali disrupting the backfield every game!

Vrabel needs to be re-signed just so we have that type of experience. I'd argue that he's the non-every-down player because of his age, but his experience and coach-like-ability (think of Bruschi in NE) are invaluable to a young coach and team.

[EyePod]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

There should be some names on the board for both of our 2nds. Personally I'd go with Graham if he's there, but I watch Michigan a little more than I watch anybody else (sucks to be me).

Hali isn't losing his job, either way, whether he's a liability or not. We're not deep enough to sit him at this point, and most likely won't be in 2010.

I agree about Hali. He is another one of those "we'll worry about it next year because we have bigger glaring issues." If we get a good NT through FA (anyone know if there's someone who'll be available?) then we should see Hali's numbers increase, and if they don't, then we can cut him. I'd rather a FA NT because we wouldn't have the lag time that's associated with defensive lineman (crossing my fingers on TJackson still).

[RedThat]

Originally Posted by keg in kc

Problem is, if they do that, you're probably still looking at Mays and Williams starting at MLB. Which is I think an even bigger problem than Tamba against run defense. That's what I was alluding to in my previous post.

And they still need a NT and at least one safety.

And they still need 3 or 4 (starting) offensive linemen, a starting wide receiver and I'd guess at least one running back.

Which is a lot of stuff...

It is a lot of stuff, and you know, this a team that were just gonna have to be patient because of the amount of holes to filled its gonna take a while. But, I think the key for them is to address the key positions right now.

If they get a really good NT, it'll help the run defense quite a bit. Even though, Mays and Williams are a problem, their job would be a lot easier with a good NT in there. Get a passrusher, and the CB's and safeties jobs are a lot easier. Yup even if that means living with McGraw and Brown for another year. As painful as that is to say, its possibly the best we can hope for.

[TheGuardian]

Originally Posted by milkman

DT wasn't as ineffective against the run as Tamba, and made up for his weakness as a heads up run defender to some extent with his speed in backside pursuit.

He was also, for the most part, a far more consistent pass rusher.

Every pass rusher gets held.
It's not unique to Tamba.

But the fact is, he had two good games and was invisible much of the rest of the season.

Did he surpass my expectations?
Sure.

But let's not get carried away and act like he's played above the line of mediocrity.

He wasn't the crap I was expecting.
But he also ain't the second coming.

The two game thing is bullshit. Every guy tends to have a couple of games that are above the rest. I knew you would end up coming back to this. But actually Tamba actually only had the one game where he had 3 sacks. Other than that he was pretty consistent in causing pressure, getting a holding call, etc. and did so without any push up the middle or anyone else to rush the passer which IS significant.

It's funny how this board uses that one football stats site to show how shitty Cassel is then ignores it when talking about Tamba as a pass rusher. He was far better than "mediocre".

The rest of your stuff is just horseshit. Some here just hate on Tamba for whatever reason. You're one them.

[Saccopoo]

Originally Posted by billay

You saying theres a big difference between McClain and ILB you can draft in the 2nd round? Because I don't see it.

I'd take Daryll Washington over McClain regardless of where the pick was in the draft.

[Direckshun]

All Von Miller does is get to the quarterback.

[Titty Meat]

Originally Posted by EyePod

I think both of these are incorrect. Hali put up OK numbers for being the ONLY threat of a sack. I know we've always talked about his numbers increasing, but really, everyone all season talked about Hali disrupting the backfield every game!

Vrabel needs to be re-signed just so we have that type of experience. I'd argue that he's the non-every-down player because of his age, but his experience and coach-like-ability (think of Bruschi in NE) are invaluable to a young coach and team.

Teams ran to Hali's side all the time why do you think the Chiefs defense has been bad aginst the run the last few years?

Yea if he's like a coach then hire him on the staff. Theres no reason he should take away playing time from a guy whos better at this point of his career.

[keg in kc]

Originally Posted by RedThat

It is a lot of stuff, and you know, this a team that were just gonna have to be patient because of the amount of holes to filled its gonna take a while. But, I think the key for them is to address the key positions right now.

If they get a really good NT, it'll help the run defense quite a bit. Even though, Mays and Williams are a problem, their job would be a lot easier with a good NT in there. Get a passrusher, and the CB's and safeties jobs are a lot easier. Yup even if that means living with McGraw and Brown for another year. As painful as that is to say, its possibly the best we can hope for.

Thing is, you didn't say get a passrusher, you said get two...

I worry more about Vrabel than Hali, and I worry more about Mays and Williams than either of them. This defense got destroyed up the middle, and I don't think adding two outside pass rushers solves that.

I do agree that NT would be a huge help, although I don't think it has to be a high draft pick solution. I'd look in free agency first, find somebody to knock Edwards from the starting lineup down to a rotation player.

I think Brown has to be replaced. They just can't afford to have that kind of target in the pass defense. I don't think that means that Berry must absolutely be the pick, however, although he's an obvious answer.

And I've said this before, but I think adding a player like Rolando McClain could have an enormous impact on the defense. He's a heady linebacker with great size and speed, the kind of field general that this team hasn't had in the decade I've watched, and he comes from the 3-4 in college to boot. I think he could have the kind of impact on this d that Urlacher did for Chicago. But, that said, 5 is damned high for taking a MLB.

Anyway, my perfect scenario would be Berry or McClain early, a WR and a rush linebacker in the second, a center and a guard somewhere in the 3rd-5th range, then NT and whichever position we didn't draft early (S or LB) from free agency, along with whatever else they need.