I think we should go younger on our O-line. I'd like a good young offensive tackle (either in the FA or draft). Not someone who will retire after a few years.

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Sounds like a perfect situation dhazer. Let's bring him in. Screw the future of the franchise. I want an aging prima donna murderer NOW!

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Since we don't have enough pages in this thread, and I possess an evil streak, I would just like to point to a small tidbit that has been missed by most.

SI. Com Peter KING MMQ 

It's on page 4 of the article, published (imagine that) Monday:

"j. Weirdest thing I heard over the weekend: Pack gave their coaches the weekend off. They'll be in today, and this week, to work on the free agents. I'm told that has meaning -- that the Packers want to send the message that free agency spending these days is profligate, and they'll get in when the Dan Snyders get out."

No driveways for our guys.

(little bit of free agency humor)

Leave it to the marines to start a war.. :lol:

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Don't get me wrong I want us to draft and OT as well, I am just tired of our QBs and RBs having lousy coverage and holes to run through. As we saw last year, we have nobody backing up Rodgers who can get the job done should he get injured. If Runyon plays only a few years we can let our rookies develop and learn without rushing them.

Yes, I agree. And he could bring some of that veteran leadership.

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So when does the future become the present Mass? We have been building for the future for 4 years now. As far as your comment about the stabbing he did his time and has done nothing since. How long ago was it? He would be a player i would take on my team any day. But heck Mass if you were the gm we would never win because you want to keep planning for the future. You do realize that most decent rookies sign a 4-5 year deal so what happens when they are up do you release them and go for younger again?

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Wow, for once, I agree.

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No...we have been rebuilding the carnage left by MS. It is fiscally unsound to go out and blow our wad on over-priced FAs who, as the record shows, typically never live up to their contracts, and cause the loss of several young players who will earn an upgrade in the next few years.

Which young players are you wishing to scuttle for some big name who will not live up to the hype, or contract.

Jennings, Collins, Williams, Spitz, Bishop (who I think will be a star in this new defense)...who are you willing to lose for an overpaid FA?

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Absolute classic post... dead on money for the most part.

The only area we really need a direct influx of talent that might be inflated in price would be dline.. and not at 17.25 guaranteed for a guy that is solid in the run game but very average in pass rush. But I give him versatile in alignment.

We are short on bodies along the Dline and even a bias draft might not give us enough to work with and maintain value in the picks.

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The fact that you associate not wanting Ray Lewis with not wanting anything now and purely to build for the future suggests to me that you don't care about the actual quality of a pickup and only care about the token effort of overspending for free agents. You have the mentality that sports agents LOVE. I wanted Canty. I want Holliday. Not so sure about Taylor or Olshansky, but I would definitely get them in to meet. Ray Lewis would be overpayed and he would be an unnecessary signing. But it's a name you've heard in video game commercials so you're willing to throw 10 figures at it. The Jets haven't been gun shy in FA but they balked at what Lewis was demanding. But you're like, "YEE HAW throw buckets of cash at him and bring him in. Screw the cap status of our team!"

If I were the GM I would never win.... That's probably true. I don't know the first thing about GM'ing an NFL team. It's hilarious to me that you think you know better than Thompson.

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Ray Lewis would be overpayed and he would be an unnecessary signing. But it's a name you've heard in video game commercials so you're willing to throw 10 figures at it. The Jets haven't been gun shy in FA but they balked at what Lewis was demanding.



Mass in case you missed the facts the Jets signed Scott and if they didn't get Scott they would have gone after Lewis. Also i think it was Zero when he said Ted Thompson should atleast bring in some free agents to show the others that we are in the market. But like i said i'm now fine with whatever Ted Thompson does, this is his train and it will be interesting to see where it goes.



edit: Scott is on first take right now talking how the Jets gm, head coach and owner were all at Scott's house at Midnight for the opening of free agency. He also just said 70% reason he chose the Jets was because of Rex Ryan. He actually took less money to go there but wouldn't say the team that offered more.

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Do you have a source for this stuff or do you just make it up as you go? There's information out there (reported twice by PFT) that they initially went after Lewis but backed out due to "exorbitant contract demands" and THEN they went after Scott.

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Okay, I'm a little confused - as in I'm not trying to be a smartass, I'm actually a little confused.

My understanding is that the primary job of any 3-4 DE is to hold the point of attack and defend against the run. If you get a couple sacks from them that's great, but your OLBs are your true pass rushers.

If that's the case, why are we now devaluing guys like Canty and Olshansky because they don't get tons of sacks? Isn't their performance what we expect - even want - to see?

Again, I'm not trying to be a smartass or argumentative, but we seem to be turning our noses up at guys who would look to fit the mold of what's needed in a 3-4 DE, and I'm not understanding what it is we're looking for.

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How can they go after Lewis 1st when they were at Scotts house at midnight?




Jets | Age played role in signing Scott over Lewis
Sat, 28 Feb 2009 05:46:03 -0800

Tim Graham, of ESPN.com, reports New York Jets head coach Rex Ryan said during a conference call Friday, Feb. 27, the decision to sign LB Bart Scott over free-agent LB Ray Lewis (Ravens) was mostly due to age. "Ray is a Hall of Fame player and is still one of the premier 'backers in the league. I think with Bart, you get a guy who's young. He's got as good of coverage skills as any inside linebacker in the game. He's a violent player that plays with great passion as, of course, does Ray." Ryan added, "Ray is, obviously, the premier middle linebacker in the game, the mike 'backer. But I think the flexibility we have with David Harris and Bart Scott is just going to be difficult to identify who the mike is."

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Tampering. Happens all the time.

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Maybe they called him on a team issused cell phone lol. Sorry had to do it maybe Ted Thompson should file a tampering charge.

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I think it's more likely that they went after both simultaneously, with the intent of signing the first one they came to agreement with.

And I don't really care about which story broke first. The media (usually) only knows what teams, players and agents want them to know.

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Didn't take it as anything but a question.. and I will give my opinion on the subject..

You are dead on in your analogy about a 3-4 lineman in the running game and for a part of the pass rush.

Most 3-4 lineman are "two gap" type players that don't get a ton of push in the pass rush.. they fill the bill in the running game and anything you get out of them in terms of pass rush is a bonus. Think Johnny Jolly in 07... stood up and consumed doubles and got a little push.. classic 3-4 end play..

I am not really criticizing Canty, he is your typical 3-4 end in terms of numbers.. I threw in the Cowboy game this season and watched Canty a bit.. he really didn't get a ton of push off his spot.. granted one game but I don't normally watch Cowpoke games.. but I wasn't impressed with his pass rush push.. and his numbers back that play up. Good in the hole player with a limited ability to push the pocket. One dimensional player.. most 3-4 lineman are. Now granted, some of that might be scheme to allow Ware to run free, but he still should flash that ability to push at times during the game.

Now, queue up some tape of Aaron Smith of the Steelers.. Aaron is a unique player that really has helped the Steelers remain so effective year after year with revolving players behind him an linebacker. He is able to hunker down and hold the point, but also is able to become more of a "one gap" type player and provide exceptional push from his down spot. Never in double digits sacks, but always providing a solid collapsing push from his end.. A complete undervalued player in recognition.. but a vital cog to the Steeler lasting success on defense.

http://www.nfl.com/players/aaronsmith/profile?id=SMI018560 

So, if I am going to pay premium money to a down lineman in a 3-4, I want that cat to be able to play both types of games.. I am looking for stout players that have a little burst and can play very effectively with their hands... IE.. Aaron Smith.

Coming full circle back to the draft.. that is why I really like the kid coming out of ole Miss this year.. Jerry.. can anchor, has that subtle burst and is probably the best defensive lineman coming out this year as far as playing effectively with his hands.. tad shorts than optimum and a little old coming out.. 25, but kid can play in just about any scheme you would like.. Not as explosive or stout as Raji, but uses his upper body better than Raji does.

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Uhh... release them? I think Ted Thompson has had no problem re-signing our current players, I mean, we had three UFAs this year. The problem many have is that he doesn't throw money at FAs, not that he doesn't give contracts to current players of the Packers.

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