keasley45
Well-known member
Well then you could argue that their preferred strategy is to build their line the same way now- Not via the draft, but FA.And that was a decade ago with guys they inherited, traded for, or signed as Free Agents. They didn't draft those guys.
We're talkin' draft.
Mike B - UFA
Clemons - Trade
Tony McDaniel - UFA
Clint McDonald - Trade
Red Bryant - Inherited (Ruskell Pick)
Cliff Avril - UFA
Mebane - Inherited (Ruskell Pick)
None of these guys were Pete and John draft picks.
It is a legit concern that they have never drafted a D-Lineman that has made a pro-bowl on their own roster. (Frank Clark made several on the Chiefs.)
Money is on them bringing Woods and Ford back. They inked Mone and Adams, brought Reed back, signed Jones. Harris was solid when available and may also return.
You can legitimately ho-hum the potential Woods and Ford returns since they were part of the worst unit on the team last year. But you also can't discount chemistry and what the addition of new pieces can do to revamp a unit.
Woods (could return)
Harris (could return)
Jones
Ford (could return)
Mone
Adams
Reed
On any other team but ours last year, that unit is anything but a liability.
It's obvious that they are banking on maybe less a monumental iimprovementvia draft on the front end in exchange for an elite , varied and versatile back end. No doubt great line play aids a d line and great D Line play, aids DBs. So it looks like they're looking for that to occur and likely are still optimistic that they can plug some holes up front with high upside, lesser known, or yet to 'pop' talent in the draft.
I say all that but I think I'd have been good with them going all Dline, Oline and LB for their higher picks and looking for another ADB or T Woolen in the later rounds.
But I can only speculate as to what the real problems were last year. Scheme fit? Comms between levels? Experienced leadership on the field to keep guys lined up and on assignment up front? Too many cooks in the kitchen, staff-wise?
Probably all of that. But Pete's comment post 9ers loss in the wildcard round about our roster just not having the talent that the 9ers do on D... gotta think they're looking to dip heavy on D in RD2 and later. Also wouldn't be surprised if they were to trade a TE (Fant for cap reasons) for an established big man on the d line or a top tier LB.