Team expects second-year veteran Lawrence Sidbury to push for the LE position in camp

[atljbo]

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• One of the competitions to watch in Falcons' training camp will be the battle to become the pass-rush specialist opposite DE John Abraham. Kroy Biermann, who finished third on the team in sacks (five) in 2009, handled those duties for much of last season, but word is the team expects second-year veteran Lawrence Sidbury to push him in camp.

I guess Sid has looked good... I really think that MMA training has helped Kroy's and Sid's core (stronger) , balance, and have violent hands.

Good to hear... We can be a top 10 Defense if Sid and Kroy step up.

This is TC and preseason will be very interesting.

Happy 4th everybody.... Be safe

[JayOzOne]

Man, it would be great to bring the heat on every down. If the Beer Man continues to improve, Sid makes a jump, and Babs/Peters/Jerry can push from the middle, Abe and the DBs will feast.

[Big Zee]

Competition is a great thing but I think Sid's going to have to be great in TC to unseat Kroy. Kroy's worked his butt off and improved each of the last two seasons and will be determined to be even better this year.

[sporkdevil]

Great stuff. I wonder if Sid can be that guy this year. If a few things fall into place on this defense this year we could be top 5 or top 10. I wonder if we can get into a solid rotation at DE.

[Izo#2883]

I just dont see it. If anything the LDE spot is belong to Biermann atm, and I think its more a question of keeping Sidbury warm for him to take over the RDE spot come 2011 season.

I really do believe Sidbury is gonna push Abraham more next season, than Biermann this season.

Im not gonna use the phrase "trust me", as I hear its been copyrighted by another AFMB user, instead Im gonna say bank on it.

[ATL Fan in the DMV]

Yeah, I thought Sid was more of a RDE that would be playing behind Abe and then taking over for him as early as 2011.

At least the coaches think Sid has improved enough to give Biermann a run for his money.

[BirdFan33]

Sid is fast and aggresive and shows alot of promise but I see him being Abe's replacement in a couple years. With that said I think the starters this year will be Abe and Kroy and if they both show up with our DT rotation then we are in great shape. I think we will live and die by the d line this year but I'm expecting big things

[MR Falcon]

Sid will be the rotation player for both Abe and Biermann, this is beneficial to all but especially Abe in keeping him fresh throughout the season and beyond.

[LADBABY]

I am hoping to see Sidbury emerge this year. In order

to do that he needs to get himself on the field. I don't

think Biermann is going to back up an inch. So training

camp and pre-season will be very competitive.

[Stryka]

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I guess Sid has looked good... I really think that MMA training has helped Kroy's and Sid's core (stronger) , balance, and have violent hands.

Good to hear... We can be a top 10 Defense if Sid and Kroy step up.

This is TC and preseason will be very interesting.

Happy 4th everybody.... Be safe

I dont think we need to be top 10 but because of the youth and talent the ceiling is very high.

I agree that the training will improve durability, along with hand speed and body control.

I would like to keep a good rotation and I think if Sidbury can platoon with Anderson and Biermann that we shall have a much improved pass rush.

I love Emmitt Thomas but maybe we needed some change in the guidance of the secondary. DeCoud is a rising star and with Dunta and the young guys improving, we shall be a force not to take lightly.

[atljbo]

It didnt say who will start at LDE.... It was saying "pass-rush specialist" ... I agree that Sid is more of a RDE... If you go back and look at Abe in 09.... Allot of his sacks where at LDE in pass rushing situations (depending on the matchup) .

If you are passrushing.. The side is not a big deal...

[Stryka]

It didnt say who will start at LDE.... It was saying "pass-rush specialist" ... I agree that Sid is more of a RDE... If you go back and look at Abe in 09.... Allot of his sacks where at LDE in pass rushing situations (depending on the matchup) .

If you are passrushing.. The side is not a big deal...

I would have to disagree. LTs are usually more athletic and better pass protectors because they have to defend the blindside and are use to the more speedy pass rushers that RDEs usually are.

I think both Biermann and Sidbury are prototypical RDEs with smaller frames, around 260lbs and both are speed hellions.

I do agree that matchups matter and also that a DE no matter what side should be able to consistently pressure the QB.

[mcsupersport]

I dont think we need to be top 10 but because of the youth and talent the ceiling is very high.

I agree that the training will improve durability, along with hand speed and body control.

I would like to keep a good rotation and I think if Sidbury can platoon with Anderson and Biermann that we shall have a much improved pass rush.

I love Emmitt Thomas but maybe we needed some change in the guidance of the secondary. DeCoud is a rising star and with Dunta and the young guys improving, we shall be a force not to take lightly.

I may be mistaken, but Emmitt has already moved along. I checked and didn't see him listed in the coaches section of AF.com, and unless he is unofficial help, he is no longer employed by the Falcons as a coach. I thought this happened just after last season...but again I could be wrong.

[Clark Kent™]

Good to hear. After looking at the games again Sid played much better than I thought he did. I don't think he will beat out Beerman as "pass rushing specialist opposite of Abe" , but he can definitley get him self a nice role.

[Pa_Falcon_Fan]

Sid will be the rotation player for both Abe and Biermann, this is beneficial to all but especially Abe in keeping him fresh throughout the season and beyond.

If they both step up, we will have a great pass rushing rotation this year and will have two legitimate young pass rushers to start next year if Abe is gone.

[Stryka]

I may be mistaken, but Emmitt has already moved along. I checked and didn't see him listed in the coaches section of AF.com, and unless he is unofficial help, he is no longer employed by the Falcons as a coach. I thought this happened just after last season...but again I could be wrong.

He isnt, thats why I said we needed(past tense) some change.

No worries.

[falken]

I just can't wait to see Drew Brees 'Tap Out'.

[sporkdevil]

I wanna say that Emmitt went to KC. I think we may also be putting too much into one DE position against the other. I think the same way with our DT's, we don't necessarily have a NT or UT, we don't have a lot of difference between LDE and RDE. We want speed rushers at most. We haven't drafted any bigger guys who we would expect to play LDE, and we have been limiting JA98's time there.

I could be wrong, but that's how I see em. Remember when we drafted Biermann he was like 235 lbs.

[ki46dinah]

I dont care who starts, or who pushes whom....they both will get plenty of PT and opportunities to spell Abe/each other/the waste of space known as Jamaal.

Sid was obviously very raw coming from Richmond, but now he has a full NFL season under his belt, and has been shaping his body into what the team wants.

It should be fun to see his jump in his 2nd season...and lord knows what Biermann is capable of in his 3rd NFL season. Man, I remember so many people calling that a wasted pick in 2008.

[iQue]

Yeah the term "starter" doesn't mean a whole lot in Mike Smith's philosophy. They will both get reps, I'm actually interested in seeing them on the field together.

[RyanFalconMan]

The guy has the same numbers as Ware as far as height, weight, speed but oddly enough, Sidbury has longer arms than Ware. We can make Sid be our Demarcus Ware with enough work done on him.