Welcome Drue Tranquill, ILB, Notre Dame

[Steve]

It will be interesting when we see the new LB in preseason.

We could have used some thumpers vs NE last year, but the fact is thumper LB are a dying breed in the NFL and college football a rare breed in football today. And not all that useful. Most of the time next season, we will be facing 3 WR and TE who can't block. Loading up with inline thumpers might make fans feel good, but it won't win the division, and even NE is missing many of the pieces they used to beat us last season.

[wu-dai clan]

It will be interesting when we see the new LB in preseason.

We could have used some thumpers vs NE last year, but the fact is thumper LB are a dying breed in the NFL and college football a rare breed in football today. And not all that useful. Most of the time next season, we will be facing 3 WR and TE who can't block. Loading up with inline thumpers might make fans feel good, but it won't win the division, and even NE is missing many of the pieces they used to beat us last season.

The idea of Tranquill as our MIKE of the future ought to be gaining traction.

[Budsman]

It will be interesting when we see the new LB in preseason.

We could have used some thumpers vs NE last year, but the fact is thumper LB are a dying breed in the NFL and college football a rare breed in football today. And not all that useful. Most of the time next season, we will be facing 3 WR and TE who can't block. Loading up with inline thumpers might make fans feel good, but it won't win the division, and even NE is missing many of the pieces they used to beat us last season.

[wu-dai clan]

Respectfully disagree my friend.
We just differ in how to play defense in 2019.
That's cool.
I hear you too beach et al.
The only area I still have any concern on D is CB.

[jamrock]

It will be interesting when we see the new LB in preseason.

We could have used some thumpers vs NE last year, but the fact is thumper LB are a dying breed in the NFL and college football a rare breed in football today. And not all that useful. Most of the time next season, we will be facing 3 WR and TE who can't block. Loading up with inline thumpers might make fans feel good, but it won't win the division, and even NE is missing many of the pieces they used to beat us last season.

I don't know what a thumper is anymore but NE was Van Noy, Hightower and now Collins and they're all bigger than the guy who was our thumper -- Perryman -- who is 20 pounds lighter than last season (less thump).

[sonorajim]

I feel like I'lb in a 4-3 needs to be at minimum a balanced linebacker. It feels like teams that can will shove the ball right at the coverage ilb and take the 4-5 yards all day, unless you have two big hogs clogging those lanes, which most teams don't. Sure some teams aren't built for that but get to the the teams that can and we're going to be in for a long day.

Agree that defending the run is a must. If we cannot, it'll be a long day every game. Don't agree that we have to have 250+ LBs. We were 9th best v run in reg season. Pats were 11th. NE exposed our 195-210 DBs as inadequate as primary run defenders in the playoffs. Our DT & LB rotation is far stronger today than we were last Jan.

[Budsman]

Agree that defending the run is a must. If we cannot, it'll be a long day every game. Don't agree that we have to have 250+ LBs. We were 9th best v run in reg season. Pats were 11th. NE exposed our 195-210 DBs as inadequate as primary run defenders in the playoffs. Our DT & LB rotation is far stronger today than we were last Jan.

Dont get me started on our 9th ranked rush defense. Here is a link to a thread where I broke down why giving up the 9th least yards doesn't mean we had a great run defense.

http://www.thepowderblues.com/forum/...n-square/page3

[Budsman]

Respectfully disagree my friend.
We just differ in how to play defense in 2019.
That's cool.
I hear you too beach et al.
The only area I still have any concern on D is CB.

Cool, we don't have to agree. Or do we...

1502200884-celebrity-deathmatch.jpg?resize=980:*.jpg

[wu-dai clan]

Cool, we don't have to agree. Or do we...

1502200884-celebrity-deathmatch.jpg?resize=980:*.jpg

To be determined Hommie.

[charger1993]

He performed very well at the ubderwear olympics predraft after a very good year. Not sure where the current anxiety stems from.

2 injuries that will always make me worry. Knee injuries and back injuries. If a player has those i automatically get nervous. Look how it ruined marcus latimore. 2 torn acl and all the stuff he was never the same. I rather be cautious with a player whose had aerious injuries than to not think anything of them.

[blueman]

Except that for many recently, coming back from an ACL means coming back stronger.

[SYB]

2 injuries that will always make me worry. Knee injuries and back injuries. If a player has those i automatically get nervous. Look how it ruined marcus latimore. 2 torn acl and all the stuff he was never the same. I rather be cautious with a player whose had aerious injuries than to not think anything of them.

Lattimore tore every ligament in his knee in addition to dislocating his knee cap. His injury was no where close to a normal ACL tear.