Double Dip At Lber

[Falcanuck]

I strongly believe the Falcons should double dip at LBer in the first two rounds in the upcoming draft similar to them double dipping at CB in the Trufant/Alford year. I think a strong LB corps is the final key to the Falcons D. If the Falcons could land an extremely fast sideline-to-sideline guy who can cover like Darron Lee in the 1st, then grab an enforcer for the MLB spot like Kentrell Brothers, the Falcons could be a top-10 D.

What do you guys think?

[FalconFanForLife]

I think I remember the year that TD picked 4 LBs in a draft (maybe it was 3), and none of them panned out.

Again, my biggest mystery here in Atlanta is WHO is picking the talent.

If TD has any say whatsoever in picking LBs we are in BIG trouble as history has proven that guy is totally incompetent regarding LBs. Obviously our LB corps is horrible, so we need to do something. All I want for the first pick is another pass rusher no matter what position that entails.

[DoYouSeeWhatHappensLarry]

Investment of some Free Agency money and a high value draft pick would be enough for now, IMO.

[JAyOnEz]

Jaylon Smith ... Kentrell Brothers

[Falcanuck]

I think I remember the year that TD picked 4 LBs in a draft (maybe it was 3), and none of them panned out.

Again, my biggest mystery here in Atlanta is WHO is picking the talent.

If TD has any say whatsoever in picking LBs we are in BIG trouble as history has proven that guy is totally incompetent regarding LBs. Obviously our LB corps is horrible, so we need to do something. All I want for the first pick is another pass rusher no matter what position that entails.

So your solution to the crappy LB situation is to not pick LBers in the draft. Seems legit.

[natod12]

if we dont get trevathan im all for it, in the 2nd i want highest rated guard or center

[CraigSmackDaddy]

Depends on what we do in FA. We need a guard and center something bad IMO

[Falcanuck]

Jaylon Smith ... Kentrell Brothers

Also works very well. Once Smith becomes healthy the Falcons could have a Willis/Bowman combo there.

[Theyhateme : )]

We need to get real strong up the middle on defense. If a rookie LB can play the middle from day one...good! The FA Center, Guard Safety and NT.

[dcfalcons]

I strongly believe the Falcons should double dip at LBer in the first two rounds in the upcoming draft similar to them double dipping at CB in the Trufant/Alford year. I think a strong LB corps is the final key to the Falcons D. If the Falcons could land an extremely fast sideline-to-sideline guy who can cover like Darron Lee in the 1st, then grab an enforcer for the MLB spot like Kentrell Brothers, the Falcons could be a top-10 D.

What do you guys think?

I might be fine with it assuming we had significantly addressed OL via FA as well snagged a pass rusher. We cannot go into another season with the deficiencies on the OL and the pathetic pass rush.

[Falcanuck]

Depends on what we do in FA. We need a guard and center something bad IMO

This is a decent draft for centers. There are some good ones to be had in the middle rounds. There's also Alex Mack, the best center in the NFL, in FA. Personally, I'd like Mack.

[M@ck]

Dimi picked 4 lbs all after round 4 if I remember correctly. Which is wild to me because a play making linebacker is the difference between a playoff contender and playoff pretender. Look at the Lbs in the super bowl, this year , or in previous years .. Lbs aren't guards or centers . You get out what you put in . If we spent our first 3 picks on linebackers I wouldn't bat an eye! We've needed upgrades in the worst way

Edited January 26, 2016 by M@ck

[Halsey.]

I know the Draft is fun and interesting, but it seems entirely possible the Falcons will add a LB or two before the Draft, so it's hard to be for or against double dipping without know what will happen between now and then.

[DonDaLuvMaker]

If the Falcons use FA to fix the O-line and find a decent pass rusher than I would be alright with it.

Get young, fast, and physical at both MLB and WLB.

It would be nice to have a reliable LB tandem like a Wagner/ Wright, or even back in the day with Urlacher/ Briggs for the Bears. The Panthers even have a nice one with Kuechly/ Davis. Trevathan/ Marshall are underrated for the Broncos.

LBs are the heart of a strong defense

[dcfalcons]

I would really like to grab Trevathan in FA and grab another LB in the draft. With the smaller amount of picks, I can only assume we will be more active in FA and address the weak areas on both lines as well the LB position. It'll be interesting to see what is done about the safety position, specifically SS. I know some people were impressed with Allen at FS this year, but I wasn't so much.

[PokerSteve]

I think I remember the year that TD picked 4 LBs in a draft (maybe it was 3), and none of them panned out.

Again, my biggest mystery here in Atlanta is WHO is picking the talent.

If TD has any say whatsoever in picking LBs we are in BIG trouble as history has proven that guy is totally incompetent regarding LBs. Obviously our LB corps is horrible, so we need to do something. All I want for the first pick is another pass rusher no matter what position that entails.

I share your concerns and I think they are indeed valid. While there has been some shuffling around in the FO, the reality is that Quinn and Dimitroff are still The Big Two when it comes to our personnel selections, be it draft or FA. If Quinn and TD decide they want a certain player, who exactly is going to confront them and tell them that ain't going to happen? Nobody.

In the first off-season, the Quinn-TD duo picked the exact same low-budget, oft-injured, under-achievers TD favored before Quinn arrived. Most of the higher-priced of the FA players didn't really provide the impact we all had hoped for. Not all were absolute busts, but let's face it, most disappointed ~ Durant, Reed provided little to nothing, Clayborn was just okay. Tamme was the only player who really shone, and that was because of Shanahan's scheme and play-calling.

The 2015 draft was better, but there was still some stupid showing in the Falcon FO choices ~ like Collins in Round 2 as Exhibit #1, Tevin "Fumble Fingers" Coleman as Exhibit #2. Can these players redeem themselves and become valuable contributors? Yes, but I wouldn't call either one a lock to do so. Jake Rodgers, a DT who I guess was supposed to be a piece for our pass rush is gone. Grady Jarrett and Beasley are the two pieces of this draft I think will give the most value in the years ahead, otherwise this draft was no better than the C+ it was recently downgraded to from "B" by one of the draft gurus.

So looking ahead with Quinn and TD presumably still doing the picking this off-season, I have some serious reservations about the LB players they'll be looking to add in both the draft and FA. In fact, with TD still an integral part of the picture, I think the chances of the Falcons making significant improvements in their pathetic LB or the DL is no better than 50-50, a coin flip either way. While the sample size is extremely small, at first glance it appears the Quinn-TD talent evaluation team isn't a heck of a lot better than TD by himself. Hopefully time will prove that to be just a temporary anomaly.

[DonDaLuvMaker]

I share your concerns and I think they are indeed valid. While there has been some shuffling around in the FO, the reality is that Quinn and Dimitroff are still The Big Two when it comes to our personnel selections, be it draft or FA. If Quinn and TD decide they want a certain player, who exactly is going to confront them and tell them that ain't going to happen? Nobody.

In the first off-season, the Quinn-TD duo picked the exact same low-budget, oft-injured, under-achievers TD favored before Quinn arrived. Most of the higher-priced of the FA players didn't really provide the impact we all had hoped for. Not all were absolute busts, but let's face it, most disappointed ~ Durant, Reed provided little to nothing, Clayborn was just okay. Tamme was the only player who really shone, and that was because of Shanahan's scheme and play-calling.

The 2015 draft was better, but there was still some stupid showing in the Falcon FO choices ~ like Collins in Round 2 as Exhibit #1, Tevin "Fumble Fingers" Coleman as Exhibit #2. Can these players redeem themselves and become valuable contributors? Yes, but I wouldn't call either one a lock to do so. Jake Rodgers, a DT who I guess was supposed to be a piece for our pass rush is gone. Grady Jarrett and Beasley are the two pieces of this draft I think will give the most value in the years ahead, otherwise this draft was no better than the C+ it was recently downgraded to from "B" by one of the draft gurus.

So looking ahead with Quinn and TD presumably still doing the picking this off-season, I have some serious reservations about the LB players they'll be looking to add in both the draft and FA. In fact, with TD still an integral part of the picture, I think the chances of the Falcons making significant improvements in their pathetic LB or the DL is no better than 50-50, a coin flip either way. While the sample size is extremely small, at first glance it appears the Quinn-TD talent evaluation team isn't a heck of a lot better than TD by himself. Hopefully time will prove that to be just a temporary anomaly.

I thought that Jake Rodgers was a 7th round OT?

[PokerSteve]

I thought that Jake Rodgers was a 7th round OT?

My bad, thought he was DT.

[1989Fan]

Reed will likely man SLB still. Get a LB in FA and one in draft IMO. Trevathan in UFA and Jack/Smith/Lee/etc. in draft makes sense. I honestly think our biggest weakness by far this season on D was not having the athletes needed for this scheme. It resulted in low sack numbers (66 QB hits, only 19 sacks) due to easy outlets for QB. With 2 stud LBs this D could be top 10 possibly. I wouldn't mind seeing us go after a high ceiling budget sign to complete with Reed as well. I like Nigel Bradham from BUF for SLB competition.

[Dirtybird3]

I think I remember the year that TD picked 4 LBs in a draft (maybe it was 3), and none of them panned out.

Again, my biggest mystery here in Atlanta is WHO is picking the talent.

If TD has any say whatsoever in picking LBs we are in BIG trouble as history has proven that guy is totally incompetent regarding LBs. Obviously our LB corps is horrible, so we need to do something. All I want for the first pick is another pass rusher no matter what position that entails.

I would hope second year DQ has more say so this year and less influence from td.. .. I would hope, if so I trust his ability 5o get a couple lbs woth takent. Playing in tb e nfc east he saw lb play 6 games a year

[Falcanuck]

Reed will likely man SLB still. Get a LB in FA and one in draft IMO. Trevathan in UFA and Jack/Smith/Lee/etc. in draft makes sense. I honestly think our biggest weakness by far this season on D was not having the athletes needed for this scheme. It resulted in low sack numbers (66 QB hits, only 19 sacks) due to easy outlets for QB. With 2 stud LBs this D could be top 10 possibly. I wouldn't mind seeing us go after a high ceiling budget sign to complete with Reed as well. I like Nigel Bradham from BUF for SLB competition.

Absolutely. I think you are 100% correct. Whether the Falcons get 2 in FA, 2 in the draft or 1 in both, the Falcons need some studs

[birdz4i]

I think I remember the year that TD picked 4 LBs in a draft (maybe it was 3), and none of them panned out.

Again, my biggest mystery here in Atlanta is WHO is picking the talent.

If TD has any say whatsoever in picking LBs we are in BIG trouble as history has proven that guy is totally incompetent regarding LBs. Obviously our LB corps is horrible, so we need to do something. All I want for the first pick is another pass rusher no matter what position that entails.

yeah i mean a scheme change and needing different characteristics from your lbers wouldn t have anything to do with that.

[FalconFanForLife]

So your solution to the crappy LB situation is to not pick LBers in the draft. Seems legit.

I apologize for my rambling response. Let me be more succinct. Yes I am in favor of adding LBs this offseason, but I am not sure about the first 2 rounds. I think the first priority in the first round should be a bonafide pass rusher no matter what position that pass rusher occupies. If we can find a LB in the first round who is also a pass rushing threat then I am all for it.

In this offseason I want both lines improved and the LB corps improved as well.

[FalconFanForLife]

yeah i mean a scheme change and needing different characteristics from your lbers wouldn t have anything to do with that.

No it does not. NONE of the LBs that TD ever drafted panned out here in Atlanta under the previous scheme. The only LB starting, besides FA is an undrafted FA LB off the street named Worrilow. Now how horrible an indictment is that of TD's gross mismanagement of the roster? To me it speaks volumes of total incompetence. Somehow others come to another conclusion. This year we finally heard the media come out full force talking about how poorly this roster has been managed. Somehow Mr. Blank thinks TD still deserves employment here even though he keeps removing him farther and farther from being in charge of player selection.

[Sponge]

I'm wanting a DE (Shaq Lawson) in the 1st and a LB (BPA) in the 2nd.