What about our DEFENSE?

[laram0]

With all the recent activity focused on the Offensive side of the ball the Defense has been pretty much been ingnored.

Bringing in Al Saunders, Jacob Bell, Anthony Becht, having Trent Green in the works and losing Issac Bruce has had us all buzzing offense.

What about the DEFENSE?

What's Haslett up to? Is he campaigning for more DEFENSIVE draft picks?

Chillar may be gone, James Hall is gone. We are a little thin at the Linebacker and defensive line positions. If we can shore up our front seven and improve on pressuring the opposing QB I feel like our secondary will be fine. Last season Will Witherspoon lead our team in sacks via the Haslett gambling blitz schemes. We need our front four controlling the line of scrimmage thus making everyone else more effective including our linebackers.

I've let it be known that I want us drafting a DE with our first pick in more than one thread here at the CLAN. Forget Jake Long, yes he's a very impressive player but really is he a bigger need than the DE position?
Our needs on the O-line are very clouded because of all the injuries we had last season. I for one have erased that from my mind. I'm going into 2008 with the opinion that all of our O-line players are coming back ready to play in 2008. With the talent we presently have on the O-line we are going to be better than average. So again I say Defense, Defense, Defense.

I'm not saying completely ignore the offense during this years draft but we need some BEEF on our defensive line.

[txramsfan]

Either a DE or DT or both in the 1st and 3rd rounds of the draft is needed, and we really need to shore up the secondary by either Wade playing much better (some say he was thrown in the fire too early last year, I hope so), Bartell finally stepping up, or some pass rush is developed.

I'm high on Culberson at LB due to how he played mainly on ST last year. Hopefully that can transfer to the LB's. Draft is going to be 33 and I'm not sure how effective he'll be. Pisa seems to be one of those tweeners that just can't avoid getting hurt. This defense can't afford Spoon rushing the passer as much as he did at the end of the year, he has to shore up the middle.

[moloch41]

I thought our defense was below average at best last year and all we've done is lose players this offseason, so I don't see it getting much better. I also don't think you're going to fix all the problems it had with one draft. I also think Haslett needs to change his philosophy- especially in the second half of games.

[Striped_Kramer]

Ian Gold, huh? Not sure if he's that much of an upgrade over Chillar at this point in his career, but the dude can still play. Kinda scary next to Witherspoon.

[Fargo Ram Fan]

Takeo Spikes was just given his walking papers....does he have anything left??

[HUbison]

Originally Posted by moloch41

I thought our defense was below average at best last year and all we've done is lose players this offseason, so I don't see it getting much better. I also don't think you're going to fix all the problems it had with one draft. I also think Haslett needs to change his philosophy- especially in the second half of games.

I agree with the monkey. Too many holes to fill all at once. But hopefully, the draft will at least take us in the right direction to bolstering the pass rush. When the front four rush for 16 sacks (10.5 interior, 5.5 DEs), the secondary is going to get picked apart. Fix the pass rush up front, then we can get to everything else.

[eldfan]

Man this team has so many needs. I think this team could see some success sooner if we adress the DL first. Our pass rush stink. If we can up grade the DL the secondary want get expose as bad and the LB can run free to make plays. I think we have enough talent on the O to be competitive but if we can not stop anybody it want matter. But it is a matter of preferance ie the chicken or the egg.

[chipperjones]

Who knows, maybe Linehan is trying to sign a tight end to play on the D-line.

[ramsanddodgers]

Maybe Linehan is wanting to take a page from Martz' book in that having a great offense makes the defense look decent to good because the opponents are trying so hard to keep up they are forced into errors.

[btimsah]

Originally Posted by laram0

With all the recent activity focused on the Offensive side of the ball the Defense has been pretty much been ingnored.

Bringing in Al Saunders, Jacob Bell, Anthony Becht, having Trent Green in the works and losing Issac Bruce has had us all buzzing offense.

What about the DEFENSE?

What's Haslett up to? Is he campaigning for more DEFENSIVE draft picks?

Chillar may be gone, James Hall is gone. We are a little thin at the Linebacker and defensive line positions. If we can shore up our front seven and improve on pressuring the opposing QB I feel like our secondary will be fine. Last season Will Witherspoon lead our team in sacks via the Haslett gambling blitz schemes. We need our front four controlling the line of scrimmage thus making everyone else more effective including our linebackers.

I've let it be known that I want us drafting a DE with our first pick in more than one thread here at the CLAN. Forget Jake Long, yes he's a very impressive player but really is he a bigger need than the DE position?
Our needs on the O-line are very clouded because of all the injuries we had last season. I for one have erased that from my mind. I'm going into 2008 with the opinion that all of our O-line players are coming back ready to play in 2008. With the talent we presently have on the O-line we are going to be better than average. So again I say Defense, Defense, Defense.

I'm not saying completely ignore the offense during this years draft but we need some BEEF on our defensive line.

La_Ram, I'm afraid it has nothing to do with a "plan" as you seem to believe Linehan and our GM have. It has to do with nobody wanting to play for our coach/organization. So Linehan has just sorta grabbed a couple o' guys who are available. That's it. I really don't believe theres much of a plan now that some of the guys they wanted were gone. They did the same thing last year. They seem to just sign the leftovers, and usually they don't want to pay anybody anything either.

Were left with hoping this very young team pans out. But in reality the young guys who get good will leave to go elsewhere because we won't resign them and the other ones won't develop with us, but with other teams. Its a sad cycle...

[masonmo1]

I suspect that the Rams will attempt to trade down in order to pickup additional picks since they have so many wholes to fill. I suspect that they will have additional depth at DE, WR, and OT by the end of the first day of the draft.

[RamsFanSam]

Just a few questions:

1. How many more sacks to get our D to the middle of the pack?
2. How many more yards denied to get us to the middle of the pack?
3. How many more interceptions to get us to the middle of the pack?

If you look long and hard at last year's defense, you can see where the weaknesses were. Little not being in there really hurt us. Same with Tye Hill. James Hall really didn't do much other than wear a uniform. Wade is still a very young player who was thrown in too soon, but shows a lot of potential. Carriker had to step in from the very beginning, and I'm sure he found out that the NFL is a heck of a lot tougher than college. Adeyanju had to step it up from a back-up once in a while to a full-time player. Bartell had to change from a liability to an asset, which was a hit-or-miss proposition. Fakhir did something stupid, and our D paid the price. LaRoi Glover can't move like he used to, because Geritol is a banned substance. Clifton Ryan is still learning the ropes, but does look like he might just have what it takes. Pisa was out more than he was in, and it showed.

Now...if you put the defense back together the way it should be, we won't be that bad. Adeyanju could likely do better than James Hall, so we can upgrade on that side by plugging him in over there. Little will be back. Carriker and Ryan have had one year to learn that the big boys play tougher than he thought, and also to learn more about how things work in the NFL. Bartell, well Bartell might just find out that the better you play, the more money you can make. Fakhir is getting older, and hopefully has learned that stupidity and football do not mix. Atogwe should be back, and I expect an even more disciplined player wearing #21 this year. Glover will probably be in a purely back-up role, Spoon will still look good, and Pisa will want to put the hurt some people. Wade might make that next step and show he has what it takes to be on the field all the time. Tye Hill - well, I have a feeling he'll be itching to break up a lot of passes this year. Haslett knows this year is his final audition for a chance at returning to the NFL as a head coach, so he'll bust his rear trying to make our D something formidable.

For some reason, I am more worried about our O-line, especially on the left side, than I am about our defense. When we make our first draft pick, I strongly suspect that we end up taking Chris Long or another DL. In the 2nd round...an OT. 3rd round, either a CB, WR, or center.

In other words, calm down. Haslett has, I am sure, spoken his mind to the FO, and has some players on his radar.

[Beta Ram]

I think if we trade for Sheppard, we'll be set at CB. DT and DE are big needs, since James Hall was cut. TE is another need. I'm fine for now with the LBs, but I we do need a replacement for Chillar.

[Fat Pang]

I just don't see the opportunity to pick up reasonably-priced guys who could make an impact.

The Jets paid Calvin Pace crazy money, Suggs got tagged and then filed a grievance over another 800K, Rogers got traded and Haynesworth re-signed. I suppose Spikes is now available, and someone mentioned Gold but are they really going to make a substantial difference?

I just think that the draft has to be the way for us to go because there's no-one out there worth pursuing aggressively. That front seven of ours is going to need an infusion from somewhere and I think the draft will have to be it, along with some FA pick-ups for depth.