pehawk wrote:I know this is way premature, but as my bitches like to point out, I do all things premature (especially when shooting from the hip).
I find myself salivating at the thought of a Peppers or Mathews type on the Seahawks roster. Not only do they change field position, it's as if their playing offense from a defensive position. Their rush, changes everything. And, yeah, would help an offense with a rookie QB and questionable receivers.
This is year 3, and if this year doesn't work, it COULD be hotseat time for Carroll. He has to know that, so I'm not sure this staff can necessarily afford Irvin to be a project. Even if he lives up to the draft day haters prognostication, 10 sacks, that'd change so many things.
You cant have a losing season, and a draft day pick that drew tons of head-tilts, can you?
Man, they need to manufacture ways to get him going. He's got speed, tenacity and at least in college a knack for finding QB's. There's GOT TO a way to utilize that, outside of a hand down, dont ya think?
This should have just been the first line and I'd facebook like it.
But to the rest of it, they made it clear there was a 4 year plan for this organization. Whether they meant we would be a winning team by then, or it'll take 4 years to become that is unknown. We are on year 3 with a promising young, fiery, and mostly unexperienced defense. It took Carroll a few years to get USC where he wanted it, even if college is a different monster than the NFL, but in respect to recruiting and getting 'what you want' takes time.' IMO there is no way Carroll is on the hot seat this season unless we go 0-16. Paul Allen knew there was a 4 year plan and I imagine he will trust the braintrust til that point. Purely going off talent this team should be a 9-10 win team without any outside factors like lucky breaks. As much as I think we should have steamrolled the Cards, they are 8-2 in their last 10 games, which is tied with only the Pats.
Bruce Irvin on paper is exactly what this defense needed. PURE speed from a hybrid LE/DE type player. His main knock was he didn't have the 'NFL pass rush repertoire' and relied on just being more athletic. So far that seems what he still has, but he is young and very moldable. Every interview points out he is willing to work and improve, and I guess as fans that's all we can hope. We just need to trust we have the coaching to make him elevate his play to what he can be. DE is a tough position for young players since they are going against for the most part, the best linemen in the league, and it is hard to get a JPP or Aldon Smith to immediately make an impact. I personally wanted Chandler Jones because he seemed to be incredibly NFL ready and to this point seems to be just that for the Pats. But they draft very well for value every year, so it is expected.
All in all, a 7-9 team shouldn't just take a shot on a player in the first round for hopes on what he could be. We are unorthodox in a sense where we plug players in to a spot that they can succeed more than any other standard position, and I'm sure the hope for this season is Bruce can learn, improve, and still see a lot of playing time while making some impact. If he can consistently make pressure this year even if it doesn't result in sacks, I think that is enough to warrent a first round draft pick for him.