re: A little info on Tolan..

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Penn and Weeks should be backups not starters.

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In a great LB group? Yes. But they are adequate players for us to have a great defense if we have good DBs and a great DL.

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Yep. Wit chu.
And HP40 makes this a slightly above average group whoever plays with him plus another year of experience for Penn and Weeks should benefit both. We rip on Penn/Weeks some but I think sometimes we forget that you can't stuff every play at the line. Offenses do run plays with blockers assigned to the LB's. Just saying.
To your point though, when one of the 3 levels is elite all it takes for the entire Unit to be above average is for the other 2 levels to be Average as groups.
To me, we are gonna need some things to come together up front. First and foremost, Maason has to be the same guy as when he went down when Conference play starts.
If Jefferson and Lee - let's call them the Patriot Package! - are what the staff thinks they are then that's an elite inside bunch.
I think the addition of Shand means he Savion and Wiggins out perform Gaye/Savion of this season. Then Savion/Swinton/Womack/Howard opposite them. I'm jazzed about the depth on paper. Holy shite! What if Womack and Howard come as advertised?
But look, we all know the real key to the entire defense is Mehki. With Maason and the other 2 big baws eating blocks I say Wingo will be a First Team All American.
Oh well, so much for talking about the LB's. Sorry, Rods!