Defensive End?

I am quite bemused by all the reaches we are making in this draft, especially collecting so much defensive backs without addressing one of our major issues last year
In 2017, we were 26th in sacks (30 sacks for the year), then lost Elvis Dumerville (6.5 sacks), Aaron Lynch and Tank Carradine

We gained Attoachu who can be good but like AA has had difficult staying healthy, get a full year from Marsh (did ok in 6 games), and hopefully more sacks from the interior (thomas, Buckner, AA). However, we severely lack rotational bodies for DE and have noone with speed to scare opposing QBs. I still see us staying near bottom in sacks and our defensive backfield will be constantly tested...

I would like to see Lynch try to trade for Shane Ray from Broncos for Armstead or Jimmy Ward

Lynch is burying his head in the sand and sticking with Solomon at the LEO spot dude. Didn't you get the memo?

Originally posted by Ensatsu:
Lynch is burying his head in the sand and sticking with Solomon at the LEO spot dude. Didn't you get the memo?

He'll be the early down Leo a role he excelled at last year, moving him around in passing situations with the hope that he sees more opportunities inside where he was a dominate pass rusher in college.

It's definitely surprising. Especially after the talk of wanting to close the deal on 3rd down. I don't think they should have taken a pass rusher just for the sake of taking one, but for the few that were available, we had our opportunities. Especially when those players fell past the 3rd round. Much like missing out on Carl Lawson last year, I see a bit of a repeat this year so far. I am curious to see what Jeremiah Attaochu can do, but I was hoping we'd bring in two more players. One that can play the SAM and the other the LEO.

Originally posted by Ensatsu:
Lynch is burying his head in the sand and sticking with Solomon at the LEO spot dude. Didn't you get the memo?

I think Thomas is going to be playing from the left side going forward. I don't see Armstead beating him out. I hope this gamble works out.

Originally posted by jcs:
He'll be the early down Leo a role he excelled at last year, moving him around in passing situations with the hope that he sees more opportunities inside where he was a dominate pass rusher in college.

ok fine.. so in passing downs who is rushing the passer from outside?? i dont see anyone who can get more than 6 sacks on this team!! just pathetic!!!

Originally posted by eman:

Originally posted by jcs:
He'll be the early down Leo a role he excelled at last year, moving him around in passing situations with the hope that he sees more opportunities inside where he was a dominate pass rusher in college.

ok fine.. so in passing downs who is rushing the passer from outside?? i dont see anyone who can get more than 6 sacks on this team!! just pathetic!!!

I think that's why they handed Marsh a contract extension....

Originally posted by jcs:

He'll be the early down Leo a role he excelled at last year, moving him around in passing situations with the hope that he sees more opportunities inside where he was a dominate pass rusher in college.

No, he didn't. Good vs the run but he couldn't get near the qb. He sucks at Leo and the team is making a huge mistake keeping him there another year whether it's in base or nickel. Not that he's a bad pick just playing big in a passing league is problematic.

The defensive line problems are overblown. The defense got more pressure last year than any time since aldon left.

If those guys (buckner, thomas, armstead, marsh etc..) just take a small step forward from last year than we will be fine on pressure.

Imo being able to stop the run like we used to is a lot more important. There were times teams could just run it down our throats which was more concerning.

We need the linebackers to come through more than anything the stop the run. The defense was markedly different when foster was shining then when he wasnt.

Originally posted by LifelongNiner:
It's definitely surprising. Especially after the talk of wanting to close the deal on 3rd down. I don't think they should have taken a pass rusher just for the sake of taking one, but for the few that were available, we had our opportunities. Especially when those players fell past the 3rd round. Much like missing out on Carl Lawson last year, I see a bit of a repeat this year so far. I am curious to see what Jeremiah Attaochu can do, but I was hoping we'd bring in two more players. One that can play the SAM and the other the LEO.

I think Thomas is going to be playing from the left side going forward. I don't see Armstead beating him out. I hope this gamble works out.

good point LifeLongNiner... I agree, we dont need to draft any end just for the sake of it, but thought it might not be bad idea to bring some competition. Its even good for our offensive line (esp Mcglinchey) to see good competition in practice if not for making impact on sundays. we have like 8-9 defensive backs but i dont even see any bodies at DE that we can rotate out there.. what if solomon goes down or Attoachu.. who's the next man up???

Originally posted by tjd808185:

Originally posted by jcs:
He'll be the early down Leo a role he excelled at last year, moving him around in passing situations with the hope that he sees more opportunities inside where he was a dominate pass rusher in college.

No, he didn't. Good vs the run but he couldn't get near the qb. He sucks at Leo and the team is making a huge mistake keeping him there another year whether it's in base or nickel.

Yes he was actually pretty good against the run on base downs. Solomon also barley had any inside opportunities against the pass last year. Saleh has already said publicly that Thomas will get more opportunities as a pass rusher there in 18'. We'll just go through a rotation outside on passing downs again. Sucks but you don't build Rome in one day.

Originally posted by jcs:

Yes he was actually pretty good against the run on base downs. Solomon also barley had any inside opportunities against the pass last year. Saleh has already said publicly that Thomas will get more opportunities as a pass rusher there in 18'. We'll just go through a rotation outside on passing downs again. Sucks but you don't build Rome in one day.

Yeah he's good vs the run but that doesn't you much good when teams have a hour and half to throw the ball. Teams can pass the ball on 1st and 2nd down.

It's a formula that had us 30th in sacks last year. And I don't mean to pile on Solly with this we're just not playing him right. Rookie year fine but what's the reasoning now? We didn't even try to get an edge rusher.

Originally posted by BoldRedandGold:
The defensive line problems are overblown. The defense got more pressure last year than any time since aldon left.

If those guys (buckner, thomas, armstead, marsh etc..) just take a small step forward from last year than we will be fine on pressure.

Imo being able to stop the run like we used to is a lot more important. There were times teams could just run it down our throats which was more concerning.

We need the linebackers to come through more than anything the stop the run. The defense was markedly different when foster was shining then when he wasnt.

so you are saying we are ok in creating pressures although we were 26th last year? who cares if we are better than during aldon days?? it matters what we are doing now relative to the league... the league is becoming more passing league by the day, and i think you need more impactful defensive end these days

so what did teams who were worse than us in sacks last year do this year... hmmm ..... tampa bay traded for JPP, dolphins traded for Robert Quinn, Colts drafted 2 edges in 2nd round this year.. you have to be blind not to see glaring hole and homer not to be worried. Marsh??? he played 50+ games in his career and only had 6 sacks.. played for seahawks and patriots, teams that maximize talents that others can't.. and i am to sit here and think he will be a stud all of a sudden?? or attoachu for first time in his career have over 7 sacks or play a full season??? cmon man!

Originally posted by tjd808185:

Originally posted by jcs:
Yes he was actually pretty good against the run on base downs. Solomon also barley had any inside opportunities against the pass last year. Saleh has already said publicly that Thomas will get more opportunities as a pass rusher there in 18'. We'll just go through a rotation outside on passing downs again. Sucks but you don't build Rome in one day.

Yeah he's good vs the run but that doesn't you much good when teams have a hour and half to throw the ball. Teams can pass the ball on 1st and 2nd down.

It's a formula that had us 30th in sacks last year. And I don't mean to pile on Solly with this we're just not playing him right. Rookie year fine but what's the reasoning now? We didn't even try to get an edge rusher.

You do realize that part of our issues in pass rush last year were because our secondary was awful right? I can't count the number of times D.Johnson was abused by WR's and QB's who were able to just dump the ball off on whomever he was covering before our pass rush could have any kind of impact. I expect things to change with Sherman back there teaching Spoon and our DB's and a healthy Tartt with a potential star in Colbert cleaning things up.

I'm with you OP. I just don't understand what the hell Lynch was thinking this draft. He reached on every pick and most were redundant picks or guys coming off of major injuries that will most likely miss the start/most of the season. This was like an even worse version of a Baalke draft. We should've addressed the prominent lack of an edge rusher on this team instead we got a bunch of reaching picks. Hopefully it won't matter because the rest of the team grows enough to get us into a wild card spot with Jimmy G leading the way.

Originally posted by eman:

Originally posted by BoldRedandGold:

The defensive line problems are overblown. The defense got more pressure last year than any time since aldon left.

If those guys (buckner, thomas, armstead, marsh etc..) just take a small step forward from last year than we will be fine on pressure.

Imo being able to stop the run like we used to is a lot more important. There were times teams could just run it down our throats which was more concerning.

We need the linebackers to come through more than anything the stop the run. The defense was markedly different when foster was shining then when he wasnt.

so you are saying we are ok in creating pressures although we were 26th last year? who cares if we are better than during aldon days?? it matters what we are doing now relative to the league... the league is becoming more passing league by the day, and i think you need more impactful defensive end these days

so what did teams who were worse than us in sacks last year do this year... hmmm ..... tampa bay traded for JPP, dolphins traded for Robert Quinn, Colts drafted 2 edges in 2nd round this year.. you have to be blind not to see glaring hole and homer not to be worried. Marsh??? he played 50+ games in his career and only had 6 sacks.. played for seahawks and patriots, teams that maximize talents that others can't.. and i am to sit here and think he will be a stud all of a sudden?? or attoachu for first time in his career have over 7 sacks or play a full season??? cmon man!

I'm saying the foster situation is significantly more worrying along with the oline play. Pass rush is probably third or 4th on the list.

If the Sherman thing doesn't work out we basically walked into the draft with only 1 serviceable cornerback in witherspoon, no way to stop the run, a bunch of turnstiles and whiners for olinemen, and a 3rd down back as our feature back but people are clamoring for a olb or de as the first pick.

Would I have liked a pass rusher without a torn acl for a pick... yes... I would have also liked a runningback for any pick.

Tldr: We have a bunch of needs and pass rush is down the list a ways...