Strongest/Weakest unit

[Joe Joe]

I think WR is the stongest unit. AJ is elite. Walter and Jones should be a decent competition for the number 2 spot for the first time. Walter will probably win. Anderson is good for a fourth wideout with very solid hands and was second behind AJ in third down receptions. I also like what I see from Dorin Dickerson.

Weakest unit is probably the secondary. An injury at CB or FS could be very dangerous in nickel and dime packages.

A lot has been said about offensive line, but they did a great job at pass blocking last season.

[Arky]

I'm going to call it "strong" and "could use improvement"..

Strong: Receivers, TE's, QB, LB's

Could use improvement: OL (interior), DL (interior), CB's, S, RB's

Still, there is potential in the "weaker" units..... Also, one or two injuries can make a strong unit weak real fast...

Barring key injuries, I fully expect this team to be in every game this year...

[Joe Joe]

Originally Posted by Arky

I'm going to call it "strong" and "could use improvement"..

Strong: Receivers, TE's, QB, LB's

Could use improvement: OL (interior), DL (interior), CB's, S, RB's

Still, there is potential in the "weaker" units..... Also, one or two injuries can make a strong unit weak real fast...

Barring key injuries, I fully expect this team to be in every game this year...

Agree. Cushing, Ryans, and Schaub getting hurt would turn those units from strengths instantly.

[NBT]

I'm going to say strength: WR's, QB, TE's

Getting better: OL, LB, RB

Weakest (right now) CB, FS, with a caveat that this unit might be able to show remarkable improvement.

[kravix]

I prefer to break this down by position. On a scale of 1-5, 1 the weakest and 5 the stongest.

QB- 4 -Our #1 is an elite QB, most teams dont know what their #2 can really do, but I think we have a potential WCO star sitting back there.

RB- 4 - Our lack of run game was because of an injury SS shouldnt have been playing on and bad OL play. This group is very talented and can be very productive.

WR- 5 - AJ and Walter have shown they are the best tandem in the leauge. KW is the most looked over 600-700 yard reciever ever. I wish Davis saw more action though, he steped up big when AJ was out and I think he could start for some teams.

TE- 4 - This is mostly potential. OD is a pro bowl TE, Dressen is serviceable, and all the others are still Q's.

LT - 4 - Brown is good and getting better an Butler could start on some teams now that his medical issues are taken care of.

LG - 2 - Studdard just doesnt do it for me.

C - 3 - Meyers may be lighter in the pants than most people like, but he rocks at calling the coverages and only gets pushed around by the DT's every C in the leauge gets rocked by. White and Caldwell are great backups here but I like our starter better.

RG - 3 - I like Brisel, he will never be more than average though. Caldwell and the rookie have more potential though.

RT - 5 - Winston is a pro bowler playing RT, and they never make the pro bowl. Add in Butler and this is a very solid position.

DE - 4 - MW is one of the best DE's in the league, our pass rushing woes arent on him. Antonio Smith is a better passing 3 than a DE but he can run block. Barwin is just to fast on passing downs. You can either pass rush or run block, getting both is a like winning every state lottery at the same time.

DT - 3 - Im torn here. As soon as Cody started our run def was one of the best in the league. Amobi does ok in run support, which is odd because he was supposed to be a pass rusher, and horrible in the rush. It is hard to tell with Okam but this is his make or break year. The rotation guys arent bad, but it would be nice to have a potential starter rotating in.

CB - 3 - I like Reeves, despite his lack of ball skills. He can cover like no ones business. Unlike DRob who would fall down everytime he was juked Reeves makes it up. Add in Quin, who Kubiak loves and me to, and Jackson and the potential is there. Now it is a matter of proving it.

LB - 5 - Ryans, Cush, Diles, Adibi.... They may not blitz very well, but they can stuff some runs. Their coverage skills are ok at best. With the talent and depth this is easily the bes poisition on the team.

S - 3 - Pollard is the man, and is easily the best safety we have ever had. The bad thing is he is a SS. Wilson is good in coverage but old and I just dont know if Nolan or Barber are the guys here. I would like to see us move one of these 3-5 round physical corners we have drafted back there. I also think that some of the stigma here is scheme. The days of "interchangeable" safety went out the door with Smith, I think he was just trying to be clever.

Average it out and the team gets a 3.7... Not middle of the road but not top of the line either. Every team has holes, the good teams cover it up with schemes. The players are here, the onus is on the coaches.

[Bigtinylittle]

Concerning RB-4, I'm thinking you may be right, but I don't think Slaton will have much to do with it. I am doubting that Slaton ever comes back and has a season as good as his first one. He may not come back at all.

Even before Slaton was injured last year he was playing poorly IMO. He was very hesitant, very slow to the hole. I think he lost confidence that the line would give him a hole and he started to dance around way too much like Reggie You Know Who.

I am bothered a lot by Slaton's decision to put on so much weight. To my mind, he gained very little in power and lost a lot in speed. I think he needs to get back to his rookie weight but I doubt he will because I think he believes he needs the weight in order to have a long term career.

I do like our other backs though. If the line can give them some decent blocking I think our running game will be at least as good as it was two years ago.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by Joe Joe

Agree. Cushing, Ryans, and Schaub getting hurt would turn those units from strengths instantly.

Or suspended for steroids.....

[NBT]

Originally Posted by kravix

I prefer to break this down by position. On a scale of 1-5, 1 the weakest and 5 the stongest.

LG - 2 - Studdard just doesnt do it for me.

C - 3 - Meyers may be lighter in the pants than most people like, but he rocks at calling the coverages and only gets pushed around by the DT's every C in the leauge gets rocked by. White and Caldwell are great backups here but I like our starter better.

RG - 3 - I like Brisel, he will never be more than average though. Caldwell and the rookie have more potential though.

I think the interior OL positions are just flat weak. LG Studdard needs to be replaced, OC Meyers is not strong enough for his position, and RG Brisiel is not athletic enough. They may be OK in pass rush, but they are all sorry at run blocking IMHO.

[kravix]

Originally Posted by NBT

I think the interior OL positions are just flat weak. LG Studdard needs to be replaced, OC Meyers is not strong enough for his position, and RG Brisiel is not athletic enough. They may be OK in pass rush, but they are all sorry at run blocking IMHO.

Actually I think Meyers does pretty good at run blocking and is not a total waste at pass blocking. He gets pushed around some, but usually by the same DL that push around every other C in the league.

It is all well and fine to sit in a lazy boy shouting for a bigger stronger faster C, but in reality finding one that fits the scheme and can call all of the protections and things that Meyers does is not as easy as drafting the next #1 rated C.

There is not a single OL on this team that could be a great player in a "power scheme". The facts are we are a zone team, and those guys are gonna get pushed around some.

[popanot]

I'm voting for Special Teams and especially K for the weakest position.

[NBT]

I'm just not in to the zone blocking scheme. I'm from the big 'Ol ugly OL type of team.

I am hoping special teams, with Trindon Holiday doing the returning, is going to go up a bunch. Just hope the little guy doesn't get squashed.