Did Holmes did his job when we know this is our year ?
Hutch being the same dude is the most important development heading into next season. 
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Yesterday, it was…
Today…
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I’m leaning into the defense and adding oline depth.
Also, something I seen in another thread but I thought it was a good point, most of this team has only played in the 4 playoff games the last 2 years.
I’d like to add a guy or two on each side of the ball as a role player who has a lot of playoff experience.
Even if he comes back as a she/her, I’m still going to root for him.
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Still allowed WELL over 10 yards per catch!
Only saving grace was the turn over.
Nothing changed in the passing game other than the turnovers went away
Yards per attempt were 6.7 through week 5. That is a perfectly fine number. Middle of the pack. Combine that with our sack numbers and performance in high leverage circumstances and we had an elite defense until Hutch went down. We were 4th in defensive DVOA. 5th in passing DVOA. Sure we give up passing yards. We care about points. Rightfully so IMO.
It was a legitimately good defense when healthy.
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Great post OP! I love the way you positioned it to spark conversation, far better than my approach🥃!
A) I don’t think doing what got us here will keep us here, let alone get us to the next level. We have had an incredible amount of draft capital and it was utilized flawlessly until the end of round 2 in 2023…
B) Brad was swinging for “good contact” in 21’, 22’ and rounds 1-2 of 23’… then suddenly we saw the “home run” swing start to appear… as any baseball fan knows, swing for good contact and home runs will happen, but so will singles and doubles instead of strikeouts.
C) Dan is a freight train… and we love that. He holds grudges, plays it to the bone, and never retreats…. I will say that gives a bit of an illusion between the regular season and the playoffs. If you can get your guys “up” for every game, it’s easier to win again lesser talented teams (Cardinals), train wrecks (Titans), and even just less focused and prepared teams (Packers)…. Once you get to the playoffs, everyone is talented and everyone is hyper focused. Grit means less and talent, game plan, and execution mean more in my opinion.
Depth on o-line… pass rusher and corner. Honestly it’s not much different than we’ve been saying the last few years.
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I’m not all for extending all of our guys to top of market type deals 1-2 years before it’s necessary, as some contracts will save a few bucks and some will age poorly, and it will merely balance out at best.
I would like to pay 1-2 more stars to play with Branch, Gibby and Laporta while they are still cheap in lieu of paying them as much as we can as soon as we can… that’s just me.
I think Glenn’s defense looked great too Hutch got hurt…. I think the adjustments made to losing talent were brutal.
Someone posted we didn’t have the horses to play zone…
I find it odd that the nfl seems to be running the ball and throwing to backs and TEs a lot more and yet more teams… including us… insist on running DBs…
Hutch- 1
Levi- 2
Reader- $$
Paschal- 2
Davenport- $
Campbell- 1
Barnes- 4
AA- $$
Arnold- 1
Branch- 2
Kerby- 3
Iffy- 3
Rake- 2
Robertson- $
It’s hard to say how the year would have played out with Hutch on D, but I’m all for finding a new scheme.
As long as Goff is your QB, you need to invest in o-line. DE opposite Hutch is probably the most obvious area for improvement. I have not been impressed with Smith.
Aside from this, you invest in the OL to keep Gibbs running like a GD machine. A solid OL helps your entire offense, not just our statuesque QB.
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My philosophy is “the skeletons of defensive players should not be made out of glass.”
Otherwise I wouldn’t change a thing.
Need to get younger and better at both gaurd spots. Mahaguney can be one. Draft a nasty gaurd in rd 2 or 3. A plug and play guy. Glasgow becomes backup inner 3.
Get a playmaker pass rusher in rd 1 if there is one. Someone who defenses need to game plan for.
Depth in all other rounds. BPA.
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Mahogany is proof that you don’t necessarily need to do it round 2 or 3. While I’m not opposed to it for a guy with elite skills, usually there is a gold mine to be had in day 3 for IOL.
Yes… but they need to actually execute on it. lol
4, 5, 4, 6 are the number of games missed in the last 4 years by Carlton Davis… Pass!
15, 13, 2, 6 are the number of game missed by Davenport the past 4 years… Pass!
15, 16, 12, 5 are the games missed my Moseley the last 4 years…. Pass!
1, 17, 17, 0 are the games missed by Patrick the last 4 years…. Pass!
One of the 4 was worth what we paid, and there when it mattered. We need a more prudent approach.
Sign and draft guys who we expect to start on a playoff caliber team for 2-3 years and who at least project as year one depth with enough immediate ability to fill in for injury to justify a roster spot.
AKA- no more injury plagued bargain deals, and no more long term draft projects please
This^
Agree sir
Trade for Maxx Crosby. Put money aside for Super Bowl tickets.
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My dream scenario…
Dan believes enough in Scottie collaborate with he and Goff as the new OC and Brunell, Tanner, Randel El and Hank get big raises….
Dan decides we need to pivot a bit on D… we had 5 really good performances to start the year on D, but then a stretch of Titans, Texans, Packers, Jaguars, Colts and Bears really helped the points against number stay quite respectable well into the season.
We all saw what Buffalo, Green Bay, SF and Washington were capable of doing to our D, and I think Philly, Rams, Ravens, Bucs, or Chiefs would have gone up and down the field too.
I think we need at least 4-5 new starters on D and at least 2 on offense to feel good about next year… and those 7 players need to be consistently healthy, preferably more than 1 year investments.
Hutch
Reader
xx
xx
Anzalone
Campbell
Arnold
xx
xx
Branch
Kerby
With Alim coming back, Z being involved, and Robertson, Rake, Paschal, and Rodrigo still being here it would be great if those guys were depth pieces.