How about Kony Ealy!

[Mark S]

8-10 sacks for us this year would be huge

I agree. 8 sacks would be awesome for the future that D-line

[ctrcat]

People love crapping all over him and treating him like Everette Brown, but the kid stepped up last night. 

Against a pretty solid LT in Solder as well. 

He got after Brady and played the run well. Proud of the guy and look forward to his play this season.

Good point about Solder.  People forget Hardy sometimes disappeared against good LT's and racked up more than a few sacks uncontested or against below average LT's.

[Wundrbread33]

He had a great TFL when he and Cole blew up the backfield. Cole hit the back first and Ealy finished the play a split second after. I think it was a 3 or 4 yard loss.

I was very satisfied by our D-line last night against a solid Pats front.

[ctrcat]

we had a first round grade on him.  I know it takes time for DE's and OT's to adapt, but I'm still hoping for much more improvement, quickly.  

Never doubt GMan.  A few weeks ago I asked who we should have picked in hindsight.  Britt was about the only answer and he's sucked so bad he's been moved to guard in a hope to salvage something.

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

Never doubt GMan.  A few weeks ago I asked who we should have picked in hindsight.  Britt was about the only answer and he's sucked so bad he's been moved to guard in a hope to salvage something.

even then nobody here was even talking about taking britt that high before/during the draft.  most outlets had him with a 3-5 round grade.  he was another one of those picks where everybody looked back on the draft in like november and bullshitted about "see see that's the guy we should have taken just like i said".

but i had heard that he presently looks like crap and has been moved to guard recently as you mentioned.  interesting stuff.  it's still quite early but 2014 seems to be shaping up as kind of a lame draft for OL.

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

8-10 sacks for us this year would be huge

if he's doing that in year 2 it's not unreasonable to expect him to be a pro bowler in a few years time.  even if low double digits is his ceiling it wouldn't hurt to have another mike rucker in carolina.

[ctrcat]

even then nobody here was even talking about taking britt that high before/during the draft.  most outlets had him with a 3-5 round grade.  he was another one of those picks where everybody looked back on the draft in like november and bullshitted about "see see that's the guy we should have taken just like i said".

but i had heard that he presently looks like crap and has been moved to guard recently as you mentioned.  interesting stuff.  it's still quite early but 2014 seems to be shaping up as kind of a lame draft for OL.

on their board many feel they "reached for need" with Britt.  Ironic.

[PhillyB]

if he's doing that in year 2 it's not unreasonable to expect him to be a pro bowler in a few years time.  even if low double digits is his ceiling it wouldn't hurt to have another mike rucker in carolina.

eight sacks is one every two games. assuming he's starting every game, this means he has to register a half a sack one-on-one per game as a guy who will get a lot of one-on-one opportunities (CJ, KK, and star will get extra attention frequently) to get eight sacks.

considering our defense will probably be on the field 70% of the game i'd say he'll have plenty of opportunity to eclipse that.

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

on their board many feel they "reached for need" with Britt.  Ironic.

yeah imagine that

[The NFL Shield At Midfield]

eight sacks is one every two games. assuming he's starting every game, this means he has to register a half a sack one-on-one per game as a guy who will get a lot of one-on-one opportunities (CJ, KK, and star will get extra attention frequently) to get eight sacks.

considering our defense will probably be on the field 70% of the game i'd say he'll have plenty of opportunity to eclipse that.

he's generated a few pressures lined up as a 3-tech too.  he's not the freakish athlete hardy was but if he cleans up his gap discipline and becomes a better run defender he might be similarly versatile.  either way i think he's progressing on schedule given his draft position

[tiger7_88]

considering our defense will probably be on the field 70% of the game i'd say he'll have plenty of opportunity to eclipse that.

That's the ol' Rivera/Shula TOP offense for ya lol.

[PhillyB]

he's generated a few pressures lined up as a 3-tech too.  he's not the freakish athlete hardy was but if he cleans up his gap discipline and becomes a better run defender he might be similarly versatile.  either way i think he's progressing on schedule given his draft position

this is probably a simplistic comparison but he reminds me of hardy in his early days in that his biggest weakness is being able to seal off the contain on the edge of that line. i remember a lot of hardy's early promise was snuffed out by his tendency to let the tackle set the edge on him, back in the days when it seemed like opponents could run off tackle for fifteen-yard gains at will.

ealy seems to have this same problem. hopefully he finds a hardy-level solution

[CPantherKing]

Never doubt GMan.  A few weeks ago I asked who we should have picked in hindsight.  Britt was about the only answer and he's sucked so bad he's been moved to guard in a hope to salvage something.

Several wanted Jarvis Landry paired with Kelvin Benjamin. Better value given what the Panthers needed.

Ealy still gets too wide and over pursues. Teams do not even consider wasting a double team on him. Sacks from being unblocked are not impressive. He still has a lot of work. He will be the primary target for any opposing team's running game.

Also, comparing a DE who does not require double teams to a DE who required double and triple teams should be avoided.

[yasuhara2241]

this is probably a simplistic comparison but he reminds me of hardy in his early days in that his biggest weakness is being able to seal off the contain on the edge of that line. i remember a lot of hardy's early promise was snuffed out by his tendency to let the tackle set the edge on him, back in the days when it seemed like opponents could run off tackle for fifteen-yard gains at will.

ealy seems to have this same problem. hopefully he finds a hardy-level solution

I will be honest. He doesn't remind me of Hardy at all and that is not a knock on Ealy. But remember Hardy was an athletic freak. He was a 6'4 280+ GUNNER on special teams!! That is crazy. 

Now with that being said. I say the best comparison for him is on the side of the line with Charles Johnson. He did pretty good in spot duties his 2nd and 3rd year before blowing up with 11 sacks in his 4th year. The both seem to have the same body type and can do well on the run or in the pass. 

Ealy won't blow you away with amazing athleticism but I don't see him being what Johnson is which is a hell of a DE. And if we get that I'd be ecstatic.