Quote:
Originally Posted by McBeard
Rookie D-linemen rarely do anything. Dorsey, Jackson, and Poe were all pretty quiet. I don't think you can count on a rookie d-linemen to generate pressure. It is pretty rare and there is a big learning curve on the line. I guess it all depends on what you think our chances are next year? If you consider KC's window to be open, I'm not sure you look for a starting d-linemen early in the draft. Maybe you take one and sign a guy like Keisel to groom him? I just hope we don't count on a draft pick to start at DE week one. I don't think it will help us.
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Ideally, we sign Byrd to play safety. However, I don't think it will be very healthy for the team, cap-wise, to do that. That means you either bet on improvements inhouse from Cummings or Abdullah taking over from Kendricks, or you look to the draft which doesn't seem to have any impact players at the S position this year. Everything I watched on all of the top safety prospects left me unimpressed, they all looked like second round or later picks. Outside of signing a proven vet like Byrd, it's hard to see anyone else being a sure bet to step in and, at the very least, provide solid play at that position.
As far as drafting a DL player goes, it is a move towards the future as I doubt that Jackson is going to be coming back on a reasonable deal and Devito generates some push but is not athletic enough to actually get to the QB. IMO, Poe was often nullified by multiple blockers on passing plays and the player lining up next to him, whether it be Jackson, Devito, or one of the rotational players, was rarely ever good enough to win their 1 on 1 match up. As the year went on, Hali's age began to show and his effort plays weren't working anymore. He doesn't have the speed to really threaten on the outside but wins with technique and effort instead. Taking a 3-4 DE who can pass rush or a conversion 3-4 Pass Rushing OLB would be the smarter thing to do if we were to go with a defensive player as the first pick in the draft.
That being said, a top WR to stretch the field/make plays after the catch, or the top receiving TE in the draft is where I would go. The answer may be inhouse for the TE position as Kelce has yet to see the field, but it certainly wouldn't hurt to bring in a guy like Ebron or Seferian-Jenkins into the mix.