takeitdown

Might have to pull in a pass rusher if he's expected to be out for much longer than that. Put him on the short term IR and get who you need to.

Yeah, this isn't really a story. That is his weakness, he's always been susceptible to the bullrush. Het gets overpowered. All he can do, as he said, is keeping working on it, and focus on that part of his game.

He's mostly been a DPR-designated pass rusher. They've been around for a long time. We play him at LB sometimes, but rarely. He's mostly a guy who comes in in pass situations (60% of the time nowadays) and is tasked with rushing the QB. I think it's just that simple unless we change it up this year. Because we haven't exactly played him like a LEO (sides wise) though that's his closest position, and haven't played him like an OLB. He's a fast, athletic DPR who needs to get some power moves and handfighting to be a consistent menace.

The Super Bowl makes the difference. There was an analysis around the Super Bowl that showed if the Falcons won, he was 99% likely to be in the Hall of Fame (or some similar high number) and if the Falcons lost, he was only about 10% likely. His stats are good enough if he gets a ring, but if he doesn't get a ring, he'd have to have like two more MVP seasons to get in without one.

It's also about always taking a late round RB when you have a zone blocking offense. More random guys can succeed in that scheme, so it's worth always trying to find a diamond in the rough. In general, vision and quicks are more important than size...but if the line is creating a small hole, a guy who can run through arm tackles without slowing down makes a difference. If you can be brought down by arm tackles, it makes the OL's job a lot harder.

Yeah, since Hageman and Tuitt were basically the same player, I always bristle when I see these lists and how much better Tuitt has been when he was a viable option for our pick. If Hageman can be at that level, this draft would be top notch.

Where do you think you would place them in the league? 12th-15th best pass blocking and 5th-10th best run blocking? I don't think we've had a top 10 pass blocking line in the last decade. I'm always confused why we don't start with good pass blockers and teach them to run block.

Likely. Just like NE, Pittsburgh, Ravens, Seattle, Packers. If you're a good team for awhile, you have to lose some mid guys and be constantly replacing them with good drafting and development.

I'm not saying it's not a huge difference. I'm saying the difference between making 40k and 50k is material to your everyday life. It affects if you can eat out for dinner, if you can afford to be in the neighborhood you want, etc. The difference between 500M and 600M is a difference that is big, but it doesn't affect anything about your daily life...at 500M you already can live wherever you want, eat what you want, send your kids to whatever school you want, etc. The difference doesn't change how you live. It's just an abstract concept at that point.

Agreed. I, like you, have had that type of decision. And I'd argue the difference between 200 million and 250 million is far less than the sacrifice you made. It's more money, sure...but you probably "felt" the 45k. You don't really feel the difference between 200 and 250 mil in the same way (it doesn't affect your daily life or whether you can go to the movies this week or not).

Depends on your motivations. On my first contract, no way. But on later ones, yes, I'd take a discount. It's a bit like would you rather make 110k a year and hate your job or make 90k a year and love it. Sometimes you choose less money to have a better environment. In his position, I'd take less money to field a better team, to end up with a Super Bowl Ring. He's already made cash, now it's about legacy. I'm not saying he will or should take a discount, I'm just saying it could make sense as long as it kept the team competitive (though I might stipulate that it has to go to interior OL).

If Alford had snagged the ball he had his hands on, that became the Edelman ridiculous catch...gotta be Alf. That would have been 2 INTs, one a pick 6.

Want them all to be playing on fire. If Rico and Kazee are playing like swarming starters, and Upshaw, Crawford, Hageman start playing like beasts...it all just goes to make a killer rotation and depth. I'd love the problem of having to try to find guys snaps because they're just that good.

I'd say you're right with a caveat: And that is Shelby, Clayborn, and Takk are all injured right now. We can sign Freeney, and let whichever one of them is recovering most slowly be on the PUP list for the beginning of the season. Then, when it's midseason and one's ready to come off the PUP list, we've seen how the D is shaking out, and someone may have already taken themselves out of the picture.

Probably. Especially since they are rookies. But a good TE is sort of like a 2 receiver. I would tend to just count the TE as a receiver. The Falcons have a very very good 1 receiver, and then pretty good players at the rest. Some of these teams probably have 3 receivers better than our 2nd best (if you include TE) so they have a good overall corps.