Defensive transition next season?

[Mr. Scot]

Here's a question born from discussion in another thread.

Knowing how DC Ron Meeks has operated in the past - with defenses made up predominantly of undersized, speedy guys - I have to wonder a bit what the offseason will look like on the defensive side of the ball.

Will we see the Panthers move to pick up more players that fit Meeks' previous MO, or will they continue with the kind of personnel that Fox has tended to prefer and ask Meeks to tailor his attack to the strengths of those players?

Which option is the best approach?

[Mesmer]

Which option is the best approach? Or which option is most likely?

Honestly when you have a system in place that works, I'd like to see Meeks get more of "his" players. Unfortunately, I think it's always going to be the kinds of players Fox wants. So, I'm going to have to say that's probably a negative.

[Jangler]

Meeks seem to do alright with the type of players that were here. His defenses were never this good in Indy, so maybe there is something to the way Fox and Hurney have built it. Input from Meeks sure, but why change what seems to be working already.

[Mr. Scot]

Which option is the best approach? Or which option is most likely?

Honestly when you have a system in place that works, I'd like to see Meeks get more of "his" players. Unfortunately, I think it's always going to be the kinds of players Fox wants. So, I'm going to have to say that's probably a negative.

Is that really a negative though?

Meeks' Indy defenses were built on the principle that teams would always be playing catch up against Peyton. Therefore they could tailor more to the pass than the run. That condition doesn't apply here. And unfortunately, teams found they could run on the Colts defense and thus keep Peyton off the field.

It could actually be that Meeks can run a better, more balanced defense with Fox's players.

[thunderraiden]

Meeks seem to do alright with the type of players that were here. His defenses were never this good in Indy, so maybe there is something to the way Fox and Hurney have built it. Input from Meeks sure, but why change what seems to be working already.

I have to go with Jangler on this one. Meeks put too much emphasis on Safetys and Defensive Ends in Indy. Also he sacrificed TOOO many other attributes in a player for speed. I think he would now have to realize we had a better formula here with out players. Can't wait to see healthy T. Davis and Beason behind healthy Defensive Line.

[Kakarot]

Yep, Im sticking and agreeing with team Jangler.

Meeks defenses were never this good. Towards the end of the year, we were even a bit better against the run. Somethings thats been a knock on Meeks in previous years at Indy.

Fox + Meeks= top 10 defense :thumbsup:

[Jangler]

Rep all around!1! I am never right!!!!!!11!1111!

[Mr. Scot]

It's possible one of the reasons Fox looked to Meeks was that he believed with the offensive firepower or Williams, Stewart and Smith, we might be able to put up Menningesque scores and force other teams to play from behind the way the Colts did. Seeing how the offense looked in 2008, it wasn't so farfetched.

(still, admittedly, a bit of a stretch)

Obviously, with Delhomme's meltdown, it didn't play out that way this season. But as odd as it might sound, the overall effect on the defensive side might have been a positive (i.e. the building of a more balanced unit).

[kdrh5]

Please no 270lb DTs.

[panthers55]

I suspect that we have most of the guys we will use next year already on the team. The DT spot seems loaded already. We have Kemo, Louis Leonard and Corvey Irvin all coming off IR this year. All three could project in our plans. With Tank Tyler and Damione Lewis, Nick Hayden and Derek Landri on the squad as well there hardly seems room for anyone else. We might even bring Thomas back to camp for one more encore giving us 8 altogether. The DE spots seems set if Peppers returns with Brown, Brayton, and Johnson filling the other spots. Taylor might be the odd man out and got little playing time last year. So we might bring in one or two more DEs if Pepper's leaves but otherwise I don't see the liklihood that much will change. We seem to have a good mix of speed and size so I doubt we make wholesale changes or bring in many guys in the offseason or through the draft.

Edit: So I guess that means I agree with Jangler.

[Mr. Scot]

I suspect that we have most of the guys we will use next year already on the team. The DT spot seems loaded already. We have Kemo, Louis Leonard and Corvey Irvin all coming off IR this year. All three could project in our plans. With Tank Tyler and Damione Lewis, Nick Hayden and Derek Landri on the squad as well there hardly seems room for anyone else. We might even bring Thomas back to camp for one more encore giving us 8 altogether. The DE spots seems set if Peppers returns with Brown, Brayton, and Johnson filling the other spots. Taylor might be the odd man out and got little playing time last year. So we might bring in one or two more DEs if Pepper's leaves but otherwise I don't see the liklihood that much will change. We seem to have a good mix of speed and size so I doubt we make wholesale changes or bring in many guys in the offseason or through the draft.

Edit: So I guess that means I agree with Jangler.

Valid point.

So I'm seeing the general consensus is that Meeks will be the one adjusting.

[unicar15]

We had a top 5 pass defense last year. If we can get a powerful NT in there I'd like to keep the players we already have and just go from there. No reason to fix something that isn't broken.

[carpanfan96]

Team Jangler for me, The biggest thing on Defense will be health and does the team sign Marshall, Peppers and Davis back

[csx]

Knowing how DC Ron Meeks has operated in the past - with defenses made up predominantly of undersized, speedy guys - I have to wonder a bit what the offseason will look like on the defensive side of the ball.

I don't believe that's necessarily the case here since we acquired several DT after he's been here and they have all been average to heavy. (Leonard, Thomas, Tyler). I originally expected him to go after the undersized guys but he didn't. That approach was best for playing in the dome with a dynamic offense. Not here.