[TekeRam]

Exactly Denmark, what I was thinking down to the word. Tx, I'm absolutely certain that we didn't just scout Dorsey "as a smokescreen". And yes, he has the potential to be a perennial probowler. And just like everyone else, he has the potential of being a complete bust. As you say Tx, the draft is a crapshoot.

If we took Dorsey, he fills a spot on the line, but he takes the spot of Ryan in the lineup, assuming that we stand by our coaches' statements about Carriker playing DT beside Dorsey and that Carriker is a perfect three tech in the NFL. Problem is, we don't solve any of the pass rush issues we had last year. I would imagine we'd have a defense much like Minnesota, top against the run, last against the pass. And what did Minnesota do this year? They traded a bounty for an elite pass rusher who could just as easily become an elite couch warmer if he gets another DUI.

Furthermore, Dorsey and Long are very similar in that they both took on double teams constantly through their careers. They also have the strong character and desire needed to succeed in the NFL. They both opened up holes for their teammates to make plays and made their defenses better. The difference lies in that despite the double teams, Chris Long had better production(his defense wasn't as good and didn't have as many playmakers, so this stands to reason, he needed to make plays, Dorsey had other guys to make plays), and Long does not have an injury history, or possibly future. If Dorsey's going to be a bust, it'll be because of injuries.

Lastly, I'll point out again that it's not like Chris Long is some mid round talent that just filled a need. He was every bit as an elite candidate as Dorsey, with the added bonus of filling a need. I expect that Dorsey will be a great NFL player, and he certainly could be the best tackle to come out this decade, Tx, but what we needed was a pass rush from the outside, without having to rely on blitzes. Long gives us that, Dorsey would not.