What will end up being our biggest need at the end of this season??

Originally posted by WRATHman44:

Originally posted by thl408:

Rushing defense. Just a gut feeling that AA and DeFo could struggle to hold the point against the rush. They've been used to manhandling their opposition using sheer power in college. That won't be enough in the NFL so it'll take time refining their technique. Whichever ILB playing next to Bow will struggle playing the run. If it's Wilhoite, it's because he isn't very good at it. If it's Hodges, it's because he is still learning 3-4 ILB. Add in Ian's leg surgery which will take time to recover from, then the time to build strength back up in that leg. JoN's defense has never done well against the run, even when his pass defense was doing well (2014).

We'll see how this plays out. With Cohn the younger spilling the beans that AA has lined up at OLB in base downs, I think we'd look plenty stout on obvious rushing downs with a front 5 of Brooks/DeFo/Purcell/Dial/AA

Good point. With O'Neil running between 3 and 4-man DL sets, it has a chance to be more stout up front especially with Brooks and Carradine/Harold bigger and stronger and more experienced. But to thl's point, AA and DeFo are still young and need to be very stout and aware and filter RB's properly and they are expected to make mistakes there for sure.

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by WRATHman44:

Originally posted by thl408:

Rushing defense. Just a gut feeling that AA and DeFo could struggle to hold the point against the rush. They've been used to manhandling their opposition using sheer power in college. That won't be enough in the NFL so it'll take time refining their technique. Whichever ILB playing next to Bow will struggle playing the run. If it's Wilhoite, it's because he isn't very good at it. If it's Hodges, it's because he is still learning 3-4 ILB. Add in Ian's leg surgery which will take time to recover from, then the time to build strength back up in that leg. JoN's defense has never done well against the run, even when his pass defense was doing well (2014).

We'll see how this plays out. With Cohn the younger spilling the beans that AA has lined up at OLB in base downs, I think we'd look plenty stout on obvious rushing downs with a front 5 of Brooks/DeFo/Purcell/Dial/AA

Good point. With O'Neil running between 3 and 4-man DL sets, it has a chance to be more stout up front especially with Brooks and Carradine/Harold bigger and stronger and more experienced. But to thl's point, AA and DeFo are still young and need to be very stout and aware and filter RB's properly and they are expected to make mistakes there for sure.

True about AA and DeFo ... But AA isn't a rookie now and that learning curve will go up quick I think. The thing about DeFo, is he just strikes me as humble... and smart. Smart enough he may be a surprisingly quick study. Maybe too much homer in me today, but I just have a sense he may be better than I thought, and I thought pretty highly of him.

Originally posted by mojave45:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by WRATHman44:

Originally posted by thl408:

Rushing defense. Just a gut feeling that AA and DeFo could struggle to hold the point against the rush. They've been used to manhandling their opposition using sheer power in college. That won't be enough in the NFL so it'll take time refining their technique. Whichever ILB playing next to Bow will struggle playing the run. If it's Wilhoite, it's because he isn't very good at it. If it's Hodges, it's because he is still learning 3-4 ILB. Add in Ian's leg surgery which will take time to recover from, then the time to build strength back up in that leg. JoN's defense has never done well against the run, even when his pass defense was doing well (2014).

We'll see how this plays out. With Cohn the younger spilling the beans that AA has lined up at OLB in base downs, I think we'd look plenty stout on obvious rushing downs with a front 5 of Brooks/DeFo/Purcell/Dial/AA

Good point. With O'Neil running between 3 and 4-man DL sets, it has a chance to be more stout up front especially with Brooks and Carradine/Harold bigger and stronger and more experienced. But to thl's point, AA and DeFo are still young and need to be very stout and aware and filter RB's properly and they are expected to make mistakes there for sure.

True about AA and DeFo ... But AA isn't a rookie now and that learning curve will go up quick I think. The thing about DeFo, is he just strikes me as humble... and smart. Smart enough he may be a surprisingly quick study. Maybe too much homer in me today, but I just have a sense he may be better than I thought, and I thought pretty highly of him.

Yeah, it'll be very interesting to see how O'Neil uses all of these guys...Cohn's dumbass already gave us some insight into using AA wider as an edge rusher. I'd like to see both line up wider a lot and crash and have them filter everything inside through Purcell/Dial and Bowman/Hodges.

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by mojave45:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by WRATHman44:

Originally posted by thl408:

Rushing defense. Just a gut feeling that AA and DeFo could struggle to hold the point against the rush. They've been used to manhandling their opposition using sheer power in college. That won't be enough in the NFL so it'll take time refining their technique. Whichever ILB playing next to Bow will struggle playing the run. If it's Wilhoite, it's because he isn't very good at it. If it's Hodges, it's because he is still learning 3-4 ILB. Add in Ian's leg surgery which will take time to recover from, then the time to build strength back up in that leg. JoN's defense has never done well against the run, even when his pass defense was doing well (2014).

We'll see how this plays out. With Cohn the younger spilling the beans that AA has lined up at OLB in base downs, I think we'd look plenty stout on obvious rushing downs with a front 5 of Brooks/DeFo/Purcell/Dial/AA

Good point. With O'Neil running between 3 and 4-man DL sets, it has a chance to be more stout up front especially with Brooks and Carradine/Harold bigger and stronger and more experienced. But to thl's point, AA and DeFo are still young and need to be very stout and aware and filter RB's properly and they are expected to make mistakes there for sure.

True about AA and DeFo ... But AA isn't a rookie now and that learning curve will go up quick I think. The thing about DeFo, is he just strikes me as humble... and smart. Smart enough he may be a surprisingly quick study. Maybe too much homer in me today, but I just have a sense he may be better than I thought, and I thought pretty highly of him.

Yeah, it'll be very interesting to see how O'Neil uses all of these guys...Cohn's dumbass already gave us some insight into using AA wider as an edge rusher. I'd like to see both line up wider a lot and crash and have them filter everything inside through Purcell/Dial and Bowman/Hodges.

That would just break my heart to see that start working on a regular basis lol!

Olb or wr

A lot of (ifs) at this point... I'm hoping the staff gets guys going on the oline because if that improves immensely, then that just shows that guys weren't quite ready last year and weren't being coached up properly. The oline issues could be solved before next season. I really feel like the defense / pass rush is going to be a force more towards the 2nd half or at the end of the season, eventually coming into their own.

At this moment, however, I have to agree with the mentioning of WRs. But that position can very well turn the corner this year as well. A definite tho, is RBs. They take the most beating on their bodies and we just don't know how long Hyde can last with his style of running. I'm rooting for Taylor. Draughn is servicable. Do we really have much after that? Not enough in my opinion...

Copious amounts of alcohol.

Originally posted by mojave45:
A new group of negative spin artists. Ours suck.

LOL

We'll need some skill position specialists. A game breaker at the WR and returner position, or a change of pace back like a Sproles.

More winning!

Originally posted by Pinion:
Copious amounts of alcohol.

Win or lose, this is on point

Pass rush and WR are the most glaring needs now. I don't expect that to change. If both the QB's completely flop, that could jump to the top of the list, but I think both Kaepernick and Gabbert can be serviceable in Kelly's offense.

Originally posted by NCommand:

Yeah, it'll be very interesting to see how O'Neil uses all of these guys...Cohn's dumbass already gave us some insight into using AA wider as an edge rusher. I'd like to see both line up wider a lot and crash and have them filter everything inside through Purcell/Dial and Bowman/Hodges.

Yes it will. And I really like the idea. Now with Ian out, Purcell, Dorsey, Dial all need to step it up. One down, next 3 men up. And you know all 3 will get snaps this yr.

Originally posted by Lifer:
Pass rush and WR are the most glaring needs now. I don't expect that to change. If both the QB's completely flop, that could jump to the top of the list, but I think both Kaepernick and Gabbert can be serviceable in Kelly's offense.

Agree. Pass Rush, WR, QB. Not necessarily in that order, but those are clearly the 3 big needs.

When I said that in summary our biggest needs in 2017 would be OLB, ILB, and NT....I wasn't counting on being without Ian. Cripes!