DE Quinton Dial

I liked what I saw from TJE last year. Hopefully Ian Williams is just about ready to go but if not maybe we adjust the scheme some and play 4DL more than we have before.

Oh and somebody get Sopoaga on the line ASAP!

The news of Dorsey hurts, but luckily we run our D mostly out of the 4-2-5 scheme. If TJE, Dial, and perhaps resigning Sopoaga help lessen the blow, then I think we still have a talented D-line.

Originally posted by Squidp:
I liked what I saw from TJE last year. Hopefully Ian Williams is just about ready to go but if not maybe we adjust the scheme some and play 4DL more than we have before.

Oh and somebody get Sopoaga on the line ASAP!

We can do better than Sopoaga with what we have IMO.

Is Sopoaga a free agent?

Thought Dial was more of a 3-4 run stopping DE? I'm positive Baalke can find a decent replacement and don't we have some cap space, maybe even a few trade pieces?

Originally posted by Mertonschickendance:
Is Sopoaga a free agent?

Yes he bounced from the Eagles to the Pats last year.

Originally posted by Squidp:
I liked what I saw from TJE last year. Hopefully Ian Williams is just about ready to go but if not maybe we adjust the scheme some and play 4DL more than we have before.

Oh and somebody get Sopoaga on the line ASAP!

Basically use more nickel which is what Fangio is going to do anyway.

Well according to the official depth chart, we have our starting nose tackle in Dial. Hope that year off motivated this man!

How has he been doing in training camp?

I am not expecting Williams to be ready in time to start the season so I hope Dial can man the spot. The drop-off from Dorsey to TJE was tremendous in the middle and we were getting gashed up the gut on a number of occasions when TJE had to fill in the spot. Perhaps with more practice, he'd be okay, but I'm of the opinion TJE is much better suited for the edge and a developing Dial may be the better option for the nose.

I liked what I saw from Purcell in college and was very excited when we added him to the practice squad. I'm curious to see how he has developed. He played with fairly good leverage in his college years, but he was playing for Wyoming in a less-than-top notch conference. Still, I wouldn't count him out. Let's see what he can do in games. Wouldn't shock me to see him make the team if Ian Williams winds up on the PUP to start the year.

Thank god we start the year off against Cowboys and Bears. Whoever ends up playing nose should get there feet wet against these o-lines.

Originally posted by ModestoNiner33:
Thank god we start the year off against Cowboys and Bears. Whoever ends up playing nose should get there feet wet against these o-lines.

DAL has a decent if not good OL but I agree with you

Didn't we just redo Brooks salary and go up to about 5 mil in cap space?
I like Dial, but I want to bring somebody in. I think NT is a position we can't afford to be thin on.

We're not thin. I think TJE can step in right away; Dial probably has the chops to win the position over TC or maybe the first few weeks of the season. Get a solid rotation of them both, and then plug in Williams when he gets back.

Considering our NT is on the field for less than half the snaps, I think our depth at NT is still above-average.

Hope he is ready to step up & play during the season now. Great thing we have depth this year