re: I'm amazed at the seeming apathy towards Marshon Lattimore

quote:

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Pretty much everybody wanted a pass rusher early until we didn't get a pass rusher early.

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I may have been one of the few people who did NOT think rush end was the top need. Imo, and why I was one of the biggest proponents of getting Butler, is because we literally have one guy who could be a #1 CB and he has been dinged up.

We need that surefire #1 or it won't matter who is rushing the passer. If you have two weaker corners, as we did in 2014 and last year, they get picked apart by quick passes all game and the pass rush has no time to get home. In 2014 we gave up by far the most yards to backs also, and I believe we were at or near the top again last year.

Yes the quick passes to backs are more of a LB/scheme issue, but the main point is that our Dline consistently had no time to get home.

Hell I probably had cover LB as close to the same level of need as rush end, despite who we added in FA.

But I also realized we had Kikaha coming back and Oakafor can make some plays too.

We'll have to wait to see how this year plays out, but I believe rush end and cover LB will be our biggest defensive needs again, but not because we lack good players there. It's because we lack top end players there. Having one real impact player at each position (CB, S, LB, DE) will have a huge ripple effect.