How important is the WLB position?

[BarronWade]

We dont have a starter WLB yet no one really cares about it. A good WLB would help us when we blitz. That would make Spags job alot easier comming up with blitzing schemes.

Im seeing alot of people make mocks with drafting Edds in the 4th or 5th round and just making him starter.

Theres a reason he is a mid rounder and not a highly scouted player.

Today Chris Gocong went to the Browns along with Sheldon Brown. Why didn't we deal for Gocong? He is better than Edds.

Also do you think we should try to do a better job a WLB than a mid round rookie?

[MrOrange]

Re: How important is the WLB position?

Gocong played SLB in Philly and he is a 260 lb converted DE. I'm guessing thats why we didn't make a deal for him to be our new WLB.

[Goldenfleece]

Re: How important is the WLB position?

(a) Didn't we sign Na'il Diggs? Or are they still just in talks?

(b) A weakside linebacker will often be covering a short zone, spying the quarterback, or picking up any runningbacks coming out of the backfield. Sure, it's important to have somebody doing those things, but it means that there are probably going to be some times where he just seems to disappear during games. Go through the big names at linebacker in the league, and you'll be hard-pressed to find any big name impact players who start on the weakside. That is to say that compared to our needs at quarterback, wide receiver, defensive tackle, and defensive end, I do consider weakside linebacker a relatively low priority.

[Nick_Weasel]

Re: How important is the WLB position?

Every position is important in some sense, but the two OLB positions in a 4-3 are, in my opinion, two of the least important positions on the field.

[thickandthin]

Re: How important is the WLB position?

(a) Didn't we sign Na'il Diggs? Or are they still just in talks?

(b) A weakside linebacker will often be covering a short zone, spying the quarterback, or picking up any runningbacks coming out of the backfield. Sure, it's important to have somebody doing those things, but it means that there are probably going to be some times where he just seems to disappear during games. Go through the big names at linebacker in the league, and you'll be hard-pressed to find any big name impact players who start on the weakside. That is to say that compared to our needs at quarterback, wide receiver, defensive tackle, and defensive end, I do consider weakside linebacker a relatively low priority.

they're still in talks

[dave626]

Re: How important is the WLB position?

I like Vobora and JL, if we get Diggs then we have our starters imo.

[sosa39rams]

Re: How important is the WLB position?

I think Diggs will be a big part of our defense.

[thickandthin]

Re: How important is the WLB position?

I like Vobora and JL, if we get Diggs then we have our starters imo.

Vobora is a solid back-up, if the right guy comes to us at the draft in say the 4th round, snatch him up. Vobora can't be a starter next year.

[Azul e Oro]

Re: How important is the WLB position?

We dont have a starter WLB yet no one really cares about it. A good WLB would help us when we blitz. That would make Spags job alot easier comming up with blitzing schemes.

Im seeing alot of people make mocks with drafting Edds in the 4th or 5th round and just making him starter.

Theres a reason he is a mid rounder and not a highly scouted player.

Today Chris Gocong went to the Browns along with Sheldon Brown. Why didn't we deal for Gocong? He is better than Edds.

Also do you think we should try to do a better job a WLB than a mid round rookie?

Refreshingly different topic & a great point, BW.

Both OLBs are points of weakness,imo. In the FLAGS system(Spags + Flajole = FLAGS) I think those positions are very difficult. Those guys are asked to do a lot of different things & none of last year's bunch were consistently good at any of them, especially the WLB playing in space.And not just coverage in the flat/seams or blitzing; how often did a Rams LB pull down a runner from the backside? More often than not, if Lau or Long didn't get it done, it had to wait for a DB 5-10 yds later.

I guess that's why Diggs, being familiar with his former LB coach Flajole's way of doing things, is being courted by the Rams but a draft upgrade in physical talent/ improvement in play reads would really help.

Not enough of a draftnik to name names but I wouldn't be at all surprised or unhappy to see a LB taken in the second or third round. And if The Rams were going to do a trade with The Skins, both London and Rocky McIntosh would be at or near the top of my wish list of players to be included. I doubt that even Haslett would be crazy enough to give them up but a Ram fan can dream...

In short, I don't think you'll see the Urlacher-type impact of Lau until he has his Lance Briggs.I also think it makes the DTs look weaker than they are; the MLB and safety are always getting sucked out of position.

[bruce4life]

Re: How important is the WLB position?

I think Diggs will be a big part of our defense.

Just like how Chris Draft, Sam Fields, and Paris Lenon were solid players too right?

[thickandthin]

Re: How important is the WLB position?

Just like how Chris Draft, Sam Fields, and Paris Lenon were solid players too right?

Who said they were solid players?

[BarronWade]

Re: How important is the WLB position?

I dont think i explained it correctly.

Back with the Giants Spags used plenty of blitzing schemes where the OLBs blitz and he droped a DL in a zone. And sometimes he made it look like both OLBs were blitzing then they got back into a zone. Spags needs guys that know what they are doing and thay can effectively blitz and get pressure.

Diggs is a solid back-up but i dont think he is worthy to be a starter.

Also David Vabora is a solid starter he can make tackles be he needs to learn how to shed blocks more effectively another year with spags and fajole (flags as Azul calls it lol) and maybe he can turn into a quality starter.

I think we would see more sacks from Long if we get that WLB to play behind him when he plays LE (The WLB does line up behind the LE right?)


What i mean to say is how important is a WLB to Spags defensive scheme?

[Bralidore(RAMMODE)]

Re: How important is the WLB position?

It seems we have that dreamer mentality where we think we'll be able to acquire pro bowlers at every position.. Diggs was a solid starter for CArolina, why can't he be that for us? He's a guy that will have to come in an earn his spot like everyone else. The position should be addressed in the draft but don't be pressed into getting a guy unless you like him for his potential and his value at the pick.

[TheRammer]

Re: How important is the WLB position?

It seems we have that dreamer mentality where we think we'll be able to acquire pro bowlers at every position.. Diggs was a solid starter for CArolina, why can't he be that for us? He's a guy that will have to come in an earn his spot like everyone else. The position should be addressed in the draft but don't be pressed into getting a guy unless you like him for his potential and his value at the pick.

exactly, Diggs would be perfect for at the least depth If not starting at WLB and will be a light year ahead of Paris Lenon at performance at the position.. at Carolina he played well...
Think of our superbowl teams of ten years ago... not everyone was a pro bowler but played their position so the others could do their job. Diggs might not be a pro bowler but he does his job...

p.s. the deal should be done the beginning of this coming week

[BarronWade]

Re: How important is the WLB position?

It seems we have that dreamer mentality where we think we'll be able to acquire pro bowlers at every position.. Diggs was a solid starter for CArolina, why can't he be that for us? He's a guy that will have to come in an earn his spot like everyone else. The position should be addressed in the draft but don't be pressed into getting a guy unless you like him for his potential and his value at the pick.

exactly, Diggs would be perfect for at the least depth If not starting at WLB and will be a light year ahead of Paris Lenon at performance at the position.. at Carolina he played well...
Think of our superbowl teams of ten years ago... not everyone was a pro bowler but played their position so the others could do their job. Diggs might not be a pro bowler but he does his job...

p.s. the deal should be done the beginning of this coming week

You guys are talking like Diggs is the solution. He is merely a 1 year starter until we can find someone more capable of having an impact.

We dont need a pro bowler we need a quality starter. And i hope you guys dont think Diggs is a quality starter.

He will get some tackles but he will miss some. He cant be trusted on to be healthy. I don't see him as a huge improvement over Chris Chamberlain at this point.