The 2021 Offseason Thread

[UPennChem]

Brandon Stephens might be a player for real, he looked good.

patrick queen is a madman, he’s gonna be an absolute goddamn animal.

Hayes looks like a future stud, right off the bat he was one of the premiere standout defenders.

averett is a starter on probably 30 teams in the league.

Oweh looked good, he had a few standout moments, wasn’t spectacular but he looks competent and ready to go.

I feel really good about our defense, impossible to say anything about the offense other than holy fuck I hope the OL heals up.

tysonne Williams is a nice mover, if the OL shapes up a bit he might get to show something.

Huntley > mcsorley all day, the offense is tailored to him and he just gives us a better chance to move the ball.

This is EXACTLY how I felt about the game. Here's the thing though, I'm actually more worried about the OL now than I was before the game.

Just think about it. If you told me the line for starting the game was going to be Phillips, Powers, Bozeman, Mekari, AV, I would have said that while suboptimal, the line should be decent. I mean those were the college positions for the LT, LG, and C and AV has exclusively been at RT in TC. Not only were they not decent, they were atrocious. We did not have any positive running plays let alone a first down.

The reason I'm more nervous is because yeah Stanley will be better than Phillips, but there may be no upgrade over Powers at LG, there's definitely no upgrade over BB at C, KZ is an upgrade over Mekari, and there's no upgrade for AV. So realistically, how much better is this line going to get? If it was atrocious, will it move to maybe poor? Maybe decent? I don't see it moving to good or strong. It's the one glaring and I mean glaring hole on a stacked roster.

 

[ndub]

This is EXACTLY how I felt about the game. Here's the thing though, I'm actually more worried about the OL now than I was before the game.

Just think about it. If you told me the line for starting the game was going to be Phillips, Powers, Bozeman, Mekari, AV, I would have said that while suboptimal, the line should be decent. I mean those were the college positions for the LT, LG, and C and AV has exclusively been at RT in TC. Not only were they not decent, they were atrocious. We did not have any positive running plays let alone a first down.

The reason I'm more nervous is because yeah Stanley will be better than Phillips, but there may be no upgrade over Powers at LG, there's definitely no upgrade over BB at C, KZ is an upgrade over Mekari, and there's no upgrade for AV. So realistically, how much better is this line going to get? If it was atrocious, will it move to maybe poor? Maybe decent? I don't see it moving to good or strong. It's the one glaring and I mean glaring hole on a stacked roster.

Was AV even out there last night? Hearing from Adam Bonacorsi or however the hell you spell his last name that he was one of damn near 10 offensive players out last night

 

[JoeyFlex5]

This is EXACTLY how I felt about the game. Here's the thing though, I'm actually more worried about the OL now than I was before the game.

Just think about it. If you told me the line for starting the game was going to be Phillips, Powers, Bozeman, Mekari, AV, I would have said that while suboptimal, the line should be decent. I mean those were the college positions for the LT, LG, and C and AV has exclusively been at RT in TC. Not only were they not decent, they were atrocious. We did not have any positive running plays let alone a first down.

The reason I'm more nervous is because yeah Stanley will be better than Phillips, but there may be no upgrade over Powers at LG, there's definitely no upgrade over BB at C, KZ is an upgrade over Mekari, and there's no upgrade for AV. So realistically, how much better is this line going to get? If it was atrocious, will it move to maybe poor? Maybe decent? I don't see it moving to good or strong. It's the one glaring and I mean glaring hole on a stacked roster.

I wouldn’t have thought that OL would be anything less than atrocious tbh

 

[JoeyFlex5]

Can we please NOT hire Rob as our DC in any capacity? Rob has shown time and time and TIME AGAIN that he absolutely sucks at being a defensive coordinator

Abso fucking lutely this. He’s a LB coach but he is not a play caller and never has been, and frankly, when it comes to scheme, the nfl has passed up the Ryan family.

 

[ndub]

Abso fucking lutely this. He’s a LB coach but he is not a play caller and never has been, and frankly, when it comes to scheme, the nfl has passed up the Ryan family.

I don’t fully agree with the last part. I still think Rex would be a good DC

 

[JoeyFlex5]

I don’t fully agree with the last part. I still think Rex would be a good DC

His last attempt wasn’t great, and his defenses were struggling for years before he left coaching if memory serves

 

[ndub]

His last attempt wasn’t great, and his defenses were struggling for years before he left coaching if memory serves

Being a head coach and being a coordinator are two completely different things. See: Kubiak/even Kyle Shanahan/Zimmer/etc

 

[SepticeyePoe]

Was AV even out there last night? Hearing from Adam Bonacorsi or however the hell you spell his last name that he was one of damn near 10 offensive players out last night

He played in the 1st quarter but didn't look good if I remember right.

 

[JoeyFlex5]

Being a head coach and being a coordinator are two completely different things. See: Kubiak/even Kyle Shanahan/Zimmer/etc

It’s his defense though, the rams offense is Sean mcvay’s offense, the niners offense is shanahan’s, the chiefs are Reid’s, the pats defense is bill’s, etc.

His defenses were being routinely exposed for multiple years, it got harder to blitz in the nfl because of offensive designs, and the Ryan defense failed to adjust, they blitzed less and his defense became stale very quickly. It’s why he was fired. They scapegoated Greg Roman and then the defense got even worse after his firing.

 

[RavensMania]

=

It’s his defense though, the rams offense is Sean mcvay’s offense, the niners offense is shanahan’s, the chiefs are Reid’s, the pats defense is bill’s, etc.

His defenses were being routinely exposed for multiple years, it got harder to blitz in the nfl because of offensive designs, and the Ryan defense failed to adjust, they blitzed less and his defense became stale very quickly. It’s why he was fired. They scapegoated Greg Roman and then the defense got even worse after his firing.

Agree. The Bills fired Greg Roman after the offense produced 31 points, but lost the game because the defense gave up 37. Totally scapegoated Roman.

 

[UPennChem]

I wouldn’t have thought that OL would be anything less than atrocious tbh

If so, then you were totally right. But also, my point is even if you did think that line would be atrocious, the upgrades to when everyone is healthy is not tremendously better right? Shouldn't that be alarming? The one exception is if Stanley really does come back at 100%, then that would be a massive upgrade at that position.

 

[Dom McRaven]

It’s his defense though, the rams offense is Sean mcvay’s offense, the niners offense is shanahan’s, the chiefs are Reid’s, the pats defense is bill’s, etc.

His defenses were being routinely exposed for multiple years, it got harder to blitz in the nfl because of offensive designs, and the Ryan defense failed to adjust, they blitzed less and his defense became stale very quickly. It’s why he was fired. They scapegoated Greg Roman and then the defense got even worse after his firing.

Now IIRC from what Bills fans said, he "fixed" the defense that wasn't broken. I remember that too because the defense prior to that was a top-5 defense.

 

[ndub]

Now IIRC from what Bills fans said, he "fixed" the defense that wasn't broken. I remember that too because the defense prior to that was a top-5 defense.

Yet again, being HC is different than being a coordinator. Some just can’t do the switch. But for sakes of avoiding arguments, I’ll just agree to disagree.

 

[UPennChem]

As I recall, Geno stone was a draft prospect that a lot of people on here really liked. I could be wrong but I feel like someone said they had a second or third round grade on him and when we got him at the end of the draft it was a steal.

Then he went on to be really behind and actually got cut before returning later in the season.

In his first opportunity to do anything for the ravens, albeit a preseason game, he had a decent game. The 2 interceptions were either thrown right to him or a crazy tip, but beyond that he had a nice game.

Is there even a spot for him on the team? I don't think many of us thought he was going to make the squad before yesterday. And obviously yesterday doesn't mean he's going to, just that he played a good game.

 

[JoeyFlex5]

If so, then you were totally right. But also, my point is even if you did think that line would be atrocious, the upgrades to when everyone is healthy is not tremendously better right? Shouldn't that be alarming? The one exception is if Stanley really does come back at 100%, then that would be a massive upgrade at that position.

stanley at 75% is a massive upgrade. zeitler is a massive upgrade, bozeman seems to be knicked up right now and im surprised he even played, and i dont think AV played either.

that line wasnt only made up almost entirely of backups, but backups playing out of position as well.

if we have 5 healthy players then we have a strong 3/5 and 2 spots have multiple options with potential. its really about the injuries right now.

 

[JoeyFlex5]

As I recall, Geno stone was a draft prospect that a lot of people on here really liked. I could be wrong but I feel like someone said they had a second or third round grade on him and when we got him at the end of the draft it was a steal.

Then he went on to be really behind and actually got cut before returning later in the season.

In his first opportunity to do anything for the ravens, albeit a preseason game, he had a decent game. The 2 interceptions were either thrown right to him or a crazy tip, but beyond that he had a nice game.

Is there even a spot for him on the team? I don't think many of us thought he was going to make the squad before yesterday. And obviously yesterday doesn't mean he's going to, just that he played a good game.

hes apparently been SS2 for all of camp. and yes a lot of people here had early day 3 and some day 2 grades on him.

 

[JoeyFlex5]

Yet again, being HC is different than being a coordinator. Some just can’t do the switch. But for sakes of avoiding arguments, I’ll just agree to disagree.

but were not talking about the teams performance as a whole, just the defense, it was a sharp downward trend that began with the jets, and continued with the bills, the defense tanked the team, and the defense was good prior to ryans arrival.

like its alright, nobody here is shitting on rex lol, eras come and go in football and the league may have passed rex by, just like it did to ozzie.

 

[JoeyFlex5]

Now IIRC from what Bills fans said, he "fixed" the defense that wasn't broken. I remember that too because the defense prior to that was a top-5 defense.

and he had mario williams and jerry hughes dropping into coverage frequently, the players were disgruntled and iirc rex was being a dick about it, like if this player doesnt wanna adhere to the system then he'll be benched type shit.

 

[UPennChem]

stanley at 75% is a massive upgrade. zeitler is a massive upgrade, bozeman seems to be knicked up right now and im surprised he even played, and i dont think AV played either.

that line wasnt only made up almost entirely of backups, but backups playing out of position as well.

if we have 5 healthy players then we have a strong 3/5 and 2 spots have multiple options with potential. its really about the injuries right now.

AV played only the first quarter. I don't even really disagree with you at all. My greater fear is we're likely not to have that 5 throughiut the year and God forbid come playoff time if we had a line that looked even remotely like the one from last night we'd be in trouble. I'm not the only one clamoring that the tackle depth is putrid. Wondering if there's anything that can be done at all

 

[UPennChem]

hes apparently been SS2 for all of camp. and yes a lot of people here had early day 3 and some day 2 grades on him.

That's interesting. Maybe he's really coming along. We could use Safety depth. Stephens also looked decent. The roster is strong outside Tackle.