What's our most important need on defense?

[Ralphy Boy]

Not to remind everyone how bad our defense sucks, but think about these stats and then post your opinion on the poll:
We ranked 30th in Total Defense, 22nd in Passing Defense, 31st in Rush Defense, 29th in Scoring Defense. We ranked #16 in Total Tackles, #31 in Total Sacks, #8 in Passes Defensed, #16 in Interceptions and tied for last place with # of Forced Fumbles.

So basically we were weak as hell against the run, middle of the pack against the pass without a pass rush and near the worst in the league in scoring.

We gave up 6,211 yards of offense to other teams for 424 points. 3,707 of that was thru the air while 2,504 of it was on the ground. Averages were 388.2 total yards a game with 231.7 coming thru the air and 156.5 on the ground with 26.5 points per game. Comparatively speaking the #16 ranked teams averages were 326.9 total yards, 215.4 passing, 112.4 ground and 20.4 points per game.

Obviously teams had no problem passing on us but you could hardly say that the secondary is the weak link of our defense.

Given that, what position do you think is most important to upgrade?

[Ralphy Boy]

Originally Posted by spanky 52

I voted for SS. I know Edwards and Smith aren't the answer at NT, and our ILB's leave much to be desired, but at the moment we don't have a SS unless it's Langford and we don't have a body of work by him to judge. So many holes. I could see us easily going NT in the first, SS and ILB in the second. Piss poor timing on changing to the 3-4 coupled with the trade for Cassel.

Kam Chancellor, SS stud from Virginia Tech. Likely a 3rd rounder. CBS has him as 4th, but I think he's worth a 3rd. He's listed as FS on their site because that was what he played last year, but his best position was SS/Rover. He also spent time at VT at CB and was a QB in high school. He's best suited at SS because he's a 4.60 guy. 6'3" 230 lbs oh and he benches 380. He is a BIG hitter and great against the run. He's got the size to hold up well at SS, unlike Polamalu & Sanders who are fighting injury thanks to weighing under 210.

He was pretty impressive in the shrine game on the squad that Romeo coached. That last DB we got from VT has worked out pretty well so far. I'd go back to that well.

I'm a huge fan but then I'm also a big fan of VT.

[Rain Man]

In descending order, our needs are:

1. NT
2. LILB
3. FS
4. ROLB/pass rusher
5. SS
6. RILB
7. LOLB
8. LCB
9. LDE
10. RDE
11. RCB

[melbar]

Originally Posted by Laz

sorry ... so many i can't even begin to pick just one

NT > ILB > Safety

our defense is soft as hell up the middle

Same thing....how do you pick just one?

[spanky 52]

Originally Posted by Ralphy Boy

Kam Chancellor, SS stud from Virginia Tech. Likely a 3rd rounder. CBS has him as 4th, but I think he's worth a 3rd. He's listed as FS on their site because that was what he played last year, but his best position was SS/Rover. He also spent time at VT at CB and was a QB in high school. He's best suited at SS because he's a 4.60 guy. 6'3" 230 lbs oh and he benches 380. He is a BIG hitter and great against the run. He's got the size to hold up well at SS, unlike Polamalu & Sanders who are fighting injury thanks to weighing under 210.

He was pretty impressive in the shrine game on the squad that Romeo coached. That last DB we got from VT has worked out pretty well so far. I'd go back to that well.

I'm a huge fan but then I'm also a big fan of VT.

Had read about him, remember the coach from the Steeler's saying he liked him better than Mays. Course you can't believe any coach this time of year. I hope someone falls in love with Claussen below us and we could trade down but still be in front of Denver and Miami. Pick up a 3rd round pick and take NT Williams in the first. Take an OL and ILB in the second, then a SS and OLB in the third.

I've tried to read the tea leaves as to who we'll take but with little information coming out of Arrowhead it's hard. I like Berry but as someone else said elsewhere, he's a luxury pick. Wouldn't hurt having a talent like that but we have greater needs at NT, SS and ILB. And the C and ROG positions are still a big question mark to me.

[milkman]

Originally Posted by spanky 52

Had read about him, remember the coach from the Steeler's saying he liked him better than Mays. Course you can't believe any coach this time of year. I hope someone falls in love with Claussen below us and we could trade down but still be in front of Denver and Miami. Pick up a 3rd round pick and take NT Williams in the first. Take an OL and ILB in the second, then a SS and OLB in the third.

I've tried to read the tea leaves as to who we'll take but with little information coming out of Arrowhead it's hard. I like Berry but as someone else said elsewhere, he's a luxury pick. Wouldn't hurt having a talent like that but we have greater needs at NT, SS and ILB. And the C and ROG positions are still a big question mark to me.

That is really one of the stupidest things I'll ever read.

Luxury pick?

Picking a guy that has the potential to be a difference making playmaker is a luxury pick?

JFC.

You take player with potential greatness early and find role players and hole pluggers later in the draft.

[chiefzilla1501]

I know a lot of people say ILB, but I'm not convinced that Mays and Demorrio couldn't be serviceable if the 3 guys up front consistently did their jobs. The defensive line's job in a Patriots 3-4 is to eat up blockers. Edwards is supposed to take on 2-3 blockers. He can't even eat up 1. Jackson has done it inconsistently. Dorsey a little more consistently. Take hats off of the ILBs, and they'll do okay. DJ's a wildcard who may get it this year, but I just think he's out of position way too often to be relied upon. I think between Mays/Demorrio/DJ/Belcher, while it's not the optimal mix of ILBs, it's not the worst of mixes.

Nose Tackle is easily top priority, but of course, you still have to draft based on positional value (and that's probably the 2nd-4th round). At Safety, it's a huge need for the Chiefs, but frankly, unless you have a playmaker like Berry, that's also a positional value spot. I will again say, though, that a playmaking safety trumps a playmaking ILB in a 3-4 by a mile.

The #2 spot has to OLB. I still think the biggest reason New England's defense has started to slip was losing McGinest. They just haven't been quite the same on the outside ever since. I like Tamba Hali, but I'm not sure he's a difference maker that you need. However, if you line Hali up opposite a guy who can put decent pressure, that's a mix I could be comfortable with.

NT > OLB > Safety > Nickle Back > ILB