I’m watching OL/DL. (Maybe getting Ziggy at bargain rate ror proving he still has it.)
WR and LB wil be interesting,too. The whole Tahlavi thing and Jones.
Seeing how Ty Johnson, Zenner and Riddick play out compared to how I think it will. I think one of the vets go.
Definitely the D side. That has the biggest potential of being something special, yet also could be a sieve for the pass defense. I feel more confident on the O side of the ball. Big improvements at RB & TE. Ball control SHOULD be vastly improved.
It’s a tie between RBs and LBs for me
I think there are a lot of really interesting questions hanging out there:
- Who do we keep at WR behind Jones, Golladay, and Amendola? How many?
- Who is our FB? (Do we carry a FB)
- Who is the 3rd TE?
- What does the RB depth chart look like? (where do Zenner/Anderson/Riddick fall?)
- Who is the LG?
- Who are the starting CBs?
- Who are the starting LBs? And where? Is Davis still in the middle, or on the edge?
- Who are the safeties behind Diggs? Walker first, then Wilson? Someone else?
We’ve got a lot of roster churn, and our starting lineups in 2019 are going to look substantially different than in 2018.
I watching for Hock to blossom.
The rest is a very good paper team. The field team should at least be interesting.
I guess, I’m a little concerned about Stafford. I know the trama he and family just went through all to personally. Oh, trust me, I know it was Kelly, but mentally, Matt never got a break. The guy has got to be rung out!
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I’m gonna go with CB and LB.
Tired of settling for mediocre CB2’s. It’s about time somebody really steps up and makes a name for themselves. Not only in camp, but in the future as well.
LB is #1 for me. If Carney and Lamar make it, that position group takes on a whole new feel for 2019. (not to mention the 2nd round Tavai)
WR is next because there’s 4 or more guys that are options for only 1 or 2 spots.
That’s it from a make-up standpoint. Of interest, too, is which RB might be cut to have only 4? Or, who’s really going to be our starting LG, 'cause it darn well shouldn’t be Wiggins?
At LB, you have Davis, Tavai, Christian Jones and Devon Kennaard and probably one of JRM, and several more(Carney, Dooley, Lamar, Longa, Pittman and JRM. That would not include the Austin Bryant guy who was listed at DE but probably will be used as a Jack LB, or Killebrew.
And, the logjam at safety with Diggs, Walker, Harris, Adams, Wilson, Washington, CJ Moore and Killebrew.
Just kind of using last year as an example…
I’d call Flowers, Okwara and Bryant our Right DEs. Hand-in-the-dirt on-the-line DEs. I’d even say those 3 are obvious locks for the position. We had 3 last year and I expect these 3 this year.
On the opposite side is Kennard playing a stand-up OLB spot. Some are calling him a Jack, which technically isn’t true, but whatev. For this conversation we’ll just call him a 34 OLB. We backed him up with Eric Lee last year. I think Lee’s spot is going to be challenged and taken by Carney. Anyhow, 2 of these guys. Kennard plus 1.
Now we move to the inside LB guys. I’m just going to call them, basically, 34 Inside linebackers. Sometimes MIKE, sometimes WILL and, yes, sometimes OLB… (or, at least that’s the versatility that they appear to be working toward) Davis, Jones, Tavai and who? Well, Special Teams will play a part in the decision-making process. Because of that I’m saying Longa is the favorite. However, I think that if Lamar shows any ST ability to couple with his defensive ability, he’s going to unseat Longa.
I do not see room for Killebrew or JRM on this team. There is too much talent and flexibility in the guys that I have in front of them on the depth chart.
Of course, I could be wrong. But that’s what makes the position group the most interesting to me this year.
So, four DE’s, you’re saying in Flowers, Okwara, Bryant and Kennard?
Kennard is a LB.
And, Kennard and C. Jones will join Tavai and Davis in the LB’er rotation. Bryant they may use as a chess piece, playing the Jack and DE situationally and in relief.
You have maybe 25 defensive players.
DL 9 Flowers, Harrison, Okwara, Robinson, Hand, Bryant, (Kilgo, Atkins, Carter, Lee) 3/4
LB 5 Kennard, Davis, Jones, Tavai and (Longa, Lamar, JRM or Carney)1/4
Safeties 5 Diggs, Walker, Wilson, Adams, Harris
CB 6 Slay, Coleman, Cooper, Melvin, Oruwariye, Agnew
You can move the numbers around but only 22 will be active.
That’s not exactly what I said. I said 3 DE’s… Flowers, Okwara and Bryant. Call them DE 1st, Flex 2nd.
It’s hard to have these conversations because the personnel are multiple. As soon as I’m inclined to call them a 4-3 type RDE, it opens a can of worms. But, that’s what they are.
But anyway, 3 "DE"s.
I have them at 25 defenders again.
Flowers, Okwara, Bryant
Harrison, Hand, Robinson, Johnson
Kennard, Carney
Jones, Lamar
Davis, Tavai
Slay, Melvin, Coleman, Tabor, Oruwarlye, Walker, Agnew
Diggs, Wilson, Washington, Harris, Adams
I just don’t see much of a battle on the D outside of LB. Killebrew and JRM are names that some might be shocked to see cut. They’re LBs. (Killebrew converted last year). DL? It might be cool if a Strong or Kilgo show something, but chances are they’re future practice squadders. LB is where the action is this year.