Quote:
Originally Posted by ChiefAshhole1056
I'm not sure how I can get on board with the "cut Houston" mindset. He may not be living up to his very hefty salary but overall he is still a plus player at a premier position and is very much so a leader within the locker room. Even if he is cut, I don't see the moves that can be made with the savings that will end up improving the team more than what we are already at with Houston there.
I get CP being cranky about overpaying a guy, but at the end of the day I'd consider Houston a top 10 performer for us last year and I don't see how letting him go would make this team better and let's also realize Spags will likely not be sending him into coverage nearly as much as Bob did, so that in its own should improve his rush/pressure numbers and therefore ease the butthurt that many may have with him.
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Well-look at like this-
In a 4-3, many are advocating that Houston is part of the LB corps and should play SAM. Now, he's capable; but if he's your SAM, he's going to be in pass coverage 90% of the time. He'll get the odd blitz here and there to rush. So all of you guys that were screaming "what is Houston doing in coverage!?" had better get used to it.
I like Houston, and if we can get him down to...say..$15m and put him in at RDE, lining up next to Jones on the weakside, taking away his coverage responsbilities (other than the odd zone blitz) and just let him set the edge and get after QB's, then I think that's a do-able situation and he'll do well.
Ford is a very good edge SPEED rusher. He's pretty bad at everything else. Like Zombo bad. Below average. Not starting quality.
Everyone gets enamored with some particular stats-but they don't always tell the whole story. Want to know why Ford had such a big sack year? Because A) he was healthy and B) Houston plays across from him and C) Because Mahomes and company were dropping 30+ every week, a lot of teams were forced to throw all the time to try to catch up. That = more opportunities = inflated sack totals.
Not saying the guy can't get after the QB, he can; but at what cost? How much of a problem would you say our run defense was this year? How many games would you say we LOST due to our inability to stop the run, especially in key situations?
It's a little like Peters. "But he's an INT machine! He has more INT's than anyone in the last three years!" Yeah, BUT how many times did his freelancing and/or not tackling screw us in the long run? TEAM defense is reliant on everyone doing their jobs. Being elite in ONE AREA while being BELOW AVERAGE in every other area is actually counter-productive.
As defensive end, I would argue that Houston would be a better all-around player than Ford. I'm confident in that because Houston has ALWAYS been a better all-around player than Ford. If you can get Houston's number down to around Ford's cap hit, then you tag and trade Ford. You'll get something like a #2 or late #1. Someone in a 3-4 will be enamored with that speed rush. Draft Houston's replacement with a #1 or #2 and your DE situation is set for now and for the future.