Welcome Ben Herbert, Executive Director Player Performance

[Bolt4Knob]

OTAs start 4/ 1.

Not sure about how ready S&C is to work with players but the players might ask. Good list.

Am I missing anybody?

Maybe Stone Smartt
some other PS players

but yes, they can start with a new staff like you said 4/1 - but maybe some of these guys can start getting ready to get ready for that first day of "Camp Ben Herbert!!"

My top two are Matlock and Rumph for sure. Matlock is a big guy but I am sure his physique can be tweaked while still getting stronger but maybe a little more mobile. Rumph - just needs to build up some muscle

[sonorajim]

Am I missing anybody?

Maybe Stone Smartt
some other PS players

but yes, they can start with a new staff like you said 4/1 - but maybe some of these guys can start getting ready to get ready for that first day of "Camp Ben Herbert!!"

My top two are Matlock and Rumph for sure. Matlock is a big guy but I am sure his physique can be tweaked while still getting stronger but maybe a little more mobile. Rumph - just needs to build up some muscle

I like Matlock. Big. Natural athlete. Blocked kicks, caught TDs in Boise. This is a good staff to develop him.

[dmac_bolt]

cant believe he got a HC gig after ONE FREAKIN year as a DC with Aaron Donald and Ramsey. He hasnt even been in the NFL that long.

as for BH I really hope he comes in and gets these guys into shape they never thought of and prevents injuries. Maybe they train doing different things instead of primarily weight lifting.

Use Joey as Patient Zero. Pretty much every injury he’s had has been soft tissue tears and pulls. Help him fix that and let him be the player he was always supposed to be.

[dmac_bolt]

I like Matlock. Big. Natural athlete. Blocked kicks, caught TDs in Boise. This is a good staff to develop him.

Boise ain’t Broadway. I saw nothing last year … he didn’t look natural against pros, just big. I’m hoping for a big jump in growth to be serviceable rotation help. He’s not ever turning into a Chris Jones, which is what we need.

Right now I’m looking at the IDL as perhaps the weakest group on the entire team, either side of the ball. Weak IDL castrates the entire defense as now you’ve got to keep more guys in the box, blitz more LBs and DBs. Weak IDL lets OL easily get to 2nd level LB blocks behind them, etc etc. Think of IDL as the core muscles of the defense, you can’t play strong defense with weak core muscles.

TT underinvested and poorly picked there for years. Staley tried to get him to patch the lack of draft talent with overpriced FAs the last 2 years that underperformed. Now our hope is Matlock? Naw - not gonna make that bet. Draft a real disrupting IDL player no later than Rd3. There will likely be a couple very good ones at our pick in Rd2, even better.

Current Roster: IDL <<< OL, our trenchers should see this???

[Geezbolt]

Giff Smith was interviewed by Money Smith before one of the last games of the season. When asked about Matlock, he said "Big Red" is learning the tricks this season one needs to play the position at this level. It will be interesting to see if his ceiling is a low or high one. We have to remember, he was a 6th Rounder, not a #1. I'm in total agreement though that a real IDL disruptor needs to be taken early. The Bolts haven't had one since Jamal Williams.

[dmac_bolt]

Giff Smith was interviewed by Money Smith before one of the last games of the season. When asked about Matlock, he said "Big Red" is learning the tricks this season one needs to play the position at this level. It will be interesting to see if his ceiling is a low or high one. We have to remember, he was a 6th Rounder, not a #1. I'm in total agreement though that a real IDL disruptor needs to be taken early. The Bolts haven't had one since Jamal Williams.

Exactly - I’m hoping he learns enough tricks to overcome his average ability (average in NFL speak, not normal humans - of course). I know this forum got giddy excited that he scored a trick TD pass at Boise but the overhype on him exceeded believable bounds. He’s a R6 pick and when they tried to play him, he played like a R6 pick. Unfortunately, he was not the magic sleeper we hoped and thats ok - R6 sleepers are very rare.

now he’s gonna have to grind it out the long hard way and really improve if he’s going to become a relevant NFL football player. He’s not the big bet we make on next season.

[jaguarmanftype]

Boise ain’t Broadway. I saw nothing last year … he didn’t look natural against pros, just big. I’m hoping for a big jump in growth to be serviceable rotation help. He’s not ever turning into a Chris Jones, which is what we need.

Right now I’m looking at the IDL as perhaps the weakest group on the entire team, either side of the ball. Weak IDL castrates the entire defense as now you’ve got to keep more guys in the box, blitz more LBs and DBs. Weak IDL lets OL easily get to 2nd level LB blocks behind them, etc etc. Think of IDL as the core muscles of the defense, you can’t play strong defense with weak core muscles.

TT underinvested and poorly picked there for years. Staley tried to get him to patch the lack of draft talent with overpriced FAs the last 2 years that underperformed. Now our hope is Matlock? Naw - not gonna make that bet. Draft a real disrupting IDL player no later than Rd3. There will likely be a couple very good ones at our pick in Rd2, even better.

Current Roster: IDL <<< OL, our trenchers should see this???

I'm with you on the IDL. I place high importance on having great DTs or a generational NT as a centerpiece of a defense. To me, DTs and NTs are just behind QBs in terms of importance. Just analyzing historical trends, most high-performing teams that go deep in the playoffs have those pieces set. For a time here, when our defenses were good, we had Jamaal Williams and for a brief period, Antonio Garay. With Ogemdi Nwagbuo and Cam Thomas, we stunk.

Going by the numbers, a great NT or DT compensates for edge play, and raises the profile of that group. Without Aaron Donald, Morgan Fox and SJD wouldn't have quite the careers. Just as with Jamaal Williams, we were able to get away with starting Igor Olshansky and allowing the Jacques Cesaires and Jyles Tuckers of the world be serviceable and at times, be above average contributors.

Anecdotally, you need 2-3 above average edge players to compensate for an average DT/NT, while one great NT/DT can elevate the performance of multiple average edge players.

[powderblueboy]

I just don't see a way Bosa is on the roster unless he takes a $15m pay cut - and he is probably not going to do that. If he is going to play for less than $10m - it will be with his brother or with the Dolphins

he's gone. outta here. buh bye. see ya!

He'll definitely not do that, nor would you or I.

As for Bosa being gone, you can mentally waive him - but he'd still be here.

[powderblueboy]

Boise ain’t Broadway. I saw nothing last year … he didn’t look natural against pros, just big. I’m hoping for a big jump in growth to be serviceable rotation help. He’s not ever turning into a Chris Jones, which is what we need.

Right now I’m looking at the IDL as perhaps the weakest group on the entire team, either side of the ball. Weak IDL castrates the entire defense as now you’ve got to keep more guys in the box, blitz more LBs and DBs. Weak IDL lets OL easily get to 2nd level LB blocks behind them, etc etc. Think of IDL as the core muscles of the defense, you can’t play strong defense with weak core muscles.

TT underinvested and poorly picked there for years. Staley tried to get him to patch the lack of draft talent with overpriced FAs the last 2 years that underperformed. Now our hope is Matlock? Naw - not gonna make that bet. Draft a real disrupting IDL player no later than Rd3. There will likely be a couple very good ones at our pick in Rd2, even better.

Current Roster: IDL <<< OL, our trenchers should see this???

Defensive tackles need longer than any other position to develop.
Draft someone this draft and don't expect stud results until year 3.
Derek Brown finally lived up to his draft slot this year;
the same with Justin Madubuike.

Matlock and Tito might have it, or they might only be depth.
We just don't know. Its not like they had a quality DC and coaching staff to aid them in their development.

At least Matlock played a lot of snaps and made some plays out there.

[powderblueboy]

LOL.
JT puts that umbrella over offenses with his range.
Still trying to wrap my brain around Staley to SF.

If its Staley, Shanarat still taking an awful lot of time in making the decision.

Everything screams no.

[powderblueboy]

Agreed.
And JT is a big mystery.
What is his medical issue ,?

He doesn't have an IQ of 180+

[sonorajim]

Boise ain’t Broadway. I saw nothing last year … he didn’t look natural against pros, just big. I’m hoping for a big jump in growth to be serviceable rotation help. He’s not ever turning into a Chris Jones, which is what we need.

Right now I’m looking at the IDL as perhaps the weakest group on the entire team, either side of the ball. Weak IDL castrates the entire defense as now you’ve got to keep more guys in the box, blitz more LBs and DBs. Weak IDL lets OL easily get to 2nd level LB blocks behind them, etc etc. Think of IDL as the core muscles of the defense, you can’t play strong defense with weak core muscles.

TT underinvested and poorly picked there for years. Staley tried to get him to patch the lack of draft talent with overpriced FAs the last 2 years that underperformed. Now our hope is Matlock? Naw - not gonna make that bet. Draft a real disrupting IDL player no later than Rd3. There will likely be a couple very good ones at our pick in Rd2, even better.

Current Roster: IDL <<< OL, our trenchers should see this???

Tito, Clark and Okoye are good raw materiel. There are no apparent Chris Jones in the draft but I would invite Hortiz to find a decent DT, draft or FA.
What we saw from Staley's D doesn't concern me. They got better when he left. They will continue to improve under the new S&C and D staffs.