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All In On DLine


Lucky Colts Fan

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I know I'm getting ahead of myself here looking at the offseason when we're only six weeks into this season, but I wanted to talk about improving the DLine.  I know a lot of people have been talking about QB and WR as big needs, and I get it, but I want a team that can go into Foxborough and win in January.  AKA a team that can run the damn ball and play some damn defense.

 

Have you guys been paying attention to that 49ers DLine?  DeForest Buckner, Arik Armstead, Dee Ford, Nick Bosa, Solomon Thomas... that unit is big, physical, and deep.  That's what I want.  Fearsome Foursome.  Purple People Eaters.  Steel Curtain.

 

A great front-four will really make this defense work, and we can improve all across that front four.  You listening Ballard?  You said you were gonna build the trenches.  Build the Wall!  And make Irsay pay for it!  :rawr:

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Good ones in the draft. 

 

1T's:  Darrick Brown, Rashard Lawrence, Neville Gallimore, Darrion Daniels, Marvin Wilson.  

 

3T's:  Raekwon Davis, Javon Kinlaw, Justin Madabuike.   Brown and Lawrence can play 3T as well

 

Edge: Around 14 of them 

 

Assuming we will be picking in the 20's plus the Redskins pick, I wouldn't mind these 5 in the 1st 4 rounds if we want to go all out on DL.  Never happen, but it would be cool.  Keep Turay, Houston, and Autry for sure and add these 5.

 

1st:                                 Javon Kinlaw    -     3T

2nd (from Redkins)    Curtis Weaver  -      Edge

2nd                                Rashard Lawrence (1T and 3T)

3rd                                 Justin Madubuike - 3T      

4th                                  Neville Gallimore or Marvin Wilson (1T)

 

Edge Rushers - Houston, Turay, Weaver

3T's                      Autry, Kinlaw, Lawrence, Madubuike

1T                        Gallimore or Wilson and Lawrence could play 1T as well.                                        

 

 

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1 hour ago, Lucky Colts Fan said:

I know I'm getting ahead of myself here looking at the offseason when we're only six weeks into this season, but I wanted to talk about improving the DLine.  I know a lot of people have been talking about QB and WR as big needs, and I get it, but I want a team that can go into Foxborough and win in January.  AKA a team that can run the damn ball and play some damn defense.

 

Have you guys been paying attention to that 49ers DLine?  DeForest Buckner, Arik Armstead, Dee Ford, Nick Bosa, Solomon Thomas... that unit is big, physical, and deep.  That's what I want.  Fearsome Foursome.  Purple People Eaters.  Steel Curtain.

 

A great front-four will really make this defense work, and we can improve all across that front four.  You listening Ballard?  You said you were gonna build the trenches.  Build the Wall!  And make Irsay pay for it!  :rawr:

 

31 minutes ago, bigt said:

Good ones in the draft. 

 

1T's:  Darrick Brown, Rashard Lawrence, Neville Gallimore, Darrion Daniels, Marvin Wilson.  

 

3T's:  Raekwon Davis, Javon Kinlaw, Justin Madabuike.   Brown and Lawrence can play 3T as well

 

Edge: Around 14 of them 

 

Assuming we will be picking in the 20's plus the Redskins pick, I wouldn't mind these 5 in the 1st 4 rounds if we want to go all out on DL.  Never happen, but it would be cool.  Keep Turay, Houston, and Autry for sure and add these 5.

 

1st:                                 Javon Kinlaw    -     3T

2nd (from Redkins)    Curtis Weaver  -      Edge

2nd                                Rashard Lawrence (1T and 3T)

3rd                                 Justin Madubuike - 3T      

4th                                  Neville Gallimore or Marvin Wilson (1T)

 

Edge Rushers - Houston, Turay, Weaver

3T's                      Autry, Kinlaw, Lawrence, Madubuike

1T                        Gallimore or Wilson and Lawrence could play 1T as well.                                        

 

 

 

Yeah, several solid guys that should be available for the Colts in the 1st, if that's the route they end up going. Personally, I'd be thrilled with Derrick Brown or Javon Kinlaw. 

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27 minutes ago, colt18 said:

I know he was only a bandaid fix to this defense but how does Margus Hunt get neutralized so easily? He’s a giant of a man

 

He spent four years as a JAG with Cincy, and while he had a few good games for us, he was never expected to be a difference maker. Moving him to NT last year was a good change, but we can do a lot better than him in the middle. 

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20 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

He spent four years as a JAG with Cincy, and while he had a few good games for us, he was never expected to be a difference maker. Moving him to NT last year was a good change, but we can do a lot better than him in the middle. 

 

 

Good thought. Flash in the pan describes Hunt pretty well.  Probably isn't on roster next year and there is no cap hit if he's not. Typical Ballard contract for marginal player.

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24 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

He spent four years as a JAG with Cincy, and while he had a few good games for us, he was never expected to be a difference maker. Moving him to NT last year was a good change, but we can do a lot better than him in the middle. 

Is it his technique? Is he just not strong enough to take on NFL lineman? 

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I think the 49ers got that dline by spending a lot of capital over the years to achieve it.  They may have gotten some cast offs at relatively cheap prices at the time, but all of those names seem like they were expensive in terms of draft picks or FA cap space at some point.

 

We need at least one  DT.   

 

I think Sheard makes a difference, but he's not getting any younger and will have to also be replaced just for us to tread water.  Lewis may be the current younger player best suited to replacing him when the time comes, but we may have to reload again to get a DE/DT hybrid/edge setter if Lewis doesn't get more PT.

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59 minutes ago, DougDew said:

I think the 49ers got that dline by spending a lot of capital over the years to achieve it.  They may have gotten some cast offs at relatively cheap prices at the time, but all of those names seem like they were expensive in terms of draft picks or FA cap space at some point.

 

Thats the key right there. 4 of their D linemen are 1st round picks (3 from the 49ers and 1 from the Chiefs). 

 

In my mind the 49ers D Line = the Colts O Line. You get what you pay for.

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1 minute ago, Mitch Connors said:

 

Thats the key right there. 4 of their D linemen are 1st round picks (3 from the 49ers and 1 from the Chiefs). 

 

In my mind the 49ers D Line = the Colts O Line. You get what you pay for.

 

Actually 5... Buckner, Armstead, Bosa, Thomas, and now Ford

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Just now, colt18 said:

Is it his technique? Is he just not strong enough to take on NFL lineman? 

 

He was a huge man and standout athlete who started playing football in his 20s. He was 26 when he got drafted, so having a low ceiling is part of it, I think. 

 

But he's also 6'8", and was originally projected as a DE. He's not good enough on the edge to rush the passer, but he's not a super powerful DL either, so moving him inside only worked because he had some ability to 1-gap and be disruptive. But with his height, it's hard to maintain leverage, and still penetrate, so his effectiveness inside is also limited.

 

Long story short, he's a tweener who's probably at his best in sub packages, but he's not gonna be anything more than that. And if he's one of your four best DL, you probably need to get better.

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2 hours ago, bigt said:

Forgot about Lewis.  Curtis Weaver is 6'3" weighing in at 266 lbs.  Good edge setter and has some pass rushing moves.  I was hoping we would get him to replace Sheard.

 

 

I really like Curtis Weaver from Boise State. If he could be had late round 2 or so I'd be all for getting him to take the place of Sheard long term. 

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40 minutes ago, Superman said:

 

He was a huge man and standout athlete who started playing football in his 20s. He was 26 when he got drafted, so having a low ceiling is part of it, I think. 

 

But he's also 6'8", and was originally projected as a DE. He's not good enough on the edge to rush the passer, but he's not a super powerful DL either, so moving him inside only worked because he had some ability to 1-gap and be disruptive. But with his height, it's hard to maintain leverage, and still penetrate, so his effectiveness inside is also limited.

 

Long story short, he's a tweener who's probably at his best in sub packages, but he's not gonna be anything more than that. And if he's one of your four best DL, you probably need to get better.

Ah, gotcha.

 

I liked Jihad Ward a lot, but it seems as if his ceiling was limited too. I have faith that Ballard will improve the DL, I felt as if we had some potential with the players we have. They just aren’t panning out. Would you care to summarize your thoughts about our current DTs?

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4 minutes ago, colt18 said:

Ah, gotcha.

 

I liked Jihad Ward a lot, but it seems as if his ceiling was limited too. I have faith that Ballard will improve the DL, I felt as if we had some potential with the players we have. They just aren’t panning out. Would you care to summarize your thoughts about our current DTs?

 

They've just added some size over the last couple weeks, with Coley and now Davis, to go along with Grover Stewart. Other than that, there are a few undersized guys who can shoot gaps, but also will get blown off the ball in the run game if they don't win at the snap. I don't mind the approach, but I'm not sure our guys are good enough yet to make it work every week. And it seems like the staff wanted some extra size, also. 

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Yeah, like others have noted, the 49ers DL is filled with mostly 1st rounders and a couple top 10 picks sprinkled in. I kinda doubt we'll be able to obtain that level of talent/depth along the DL, but yeah, we definitely need to keep adding to it. Especially considering whatever happens with guys like Sheard, Hunt, and Houston over the next couple years.

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4 hours ago, colt18 said:

I know he was only a bandaid fix to this defense but how does Margus Hunt get neutralized so easily? He’s a giant of a man

 

It seems like he had a much better year last year.  I don't know if he's lost weight, if other teams just have more film on him, or what exactly is going on -- it may be that he had a slightly better supporting cast last year (maybe a healthy Sheard and some more time with Houston will help Hunt improve over the year -- but I don't really know what exactly is going on with him... maybe it's just he wasn't that good to begin w/ and our D was so bad that he looked like an improvement last year and hasn't really progressed much this year?).  

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