I understand the concern with CB's but how good will the pass rush be?

[Highlandfire]

That is the main question. We have seen the pats win a SB with the best CB on the field being their 3rd or 4th CB at the start of the year being #1 due to injuries.

If you have a great pass rush you can do great things with a decent secondary. Would we like better CB's sure. Would it help even more? Most certainly, but even if the Jets had Namdi(sp) and Revis if they can't get to the passer WR's are going to get open.

I grant you a damn good secondary can assist the pass rush some, but there is no doubt, a great pass rush greatly helps a secondary and I think looking at our moves that getting a better pass rush is the priority.

[jtm]

With guys like Beason, Anderson, Davis, Johnson, and Greg Hardy; it better be good.

[rayzor]

i think we'll have the most aggressive defense the NFCS has ever seen....well, greg williams defense is pretty aggressive, but in a douchey, cheap shot and cheating sort of way.

the blitz is going to be ferocious. pressure from the interior of the Dline will be improved, esp. if mcclain keeps up like he apparently did his first day of TC. CJ and the other DEs are going to be stout, but it's the pressure brought on by the defense as a whole, the offense never knowing where the blitz is coming from, just that it is coming, that will help make the pass rush so effective.

[CarolinaPanthers8789]

It should be average to above average. I say average because this is everybody's first year playing in this new system, but some things never go away, like sheer athleticism and talent. Charles Johnson, Ron Edwards, Terrell McClain, and Greg Hardy should be able to hold the front line pretty well, with guys like Everette Brown and Eric Norwood (let's face it, he will never see time at linebacker, so they are going to have to use him at defensive end) giving Johnson and Hardy spells of rest, and guys like Sione Fua and Nick Hayden (unfortunately) giving Edwards and McClain spells of rest.

However, with that said, it would not hurt to add another veteran defensive end and defensive tackle to the roster. Charles Johnson, Greg Hardy, and Everette Brown are the only guys on the roster that have played the defensive end position at the NFL level so far (Norwood came in at linebacker a few times last year due to all of the injury's), but if Rivera thinks that one of the undrafted free agent defensive end's can contribute, then more power to him. Regarding the defensive tackle position, the only guys to have seen action in an NFL game at the defensive tackle position are Ron Edwards, Nick Hayden, Andre Neblett, and Corvey Irvin. I mean hey, if Rivera feels fine bringing back Irvin and Neblett, and can see them producing along with the likes of Edwards, McClain, Fua, and Hayden, well then I'm not going to argue with that either. I just would feel better if there were a couple more veteran presences on the line at both positions.

Regarding linebacker, well...I think we are about eight deep haha. Jon Beason, Thomas Davis, James Anderson, Dan Connor, Omar Gaither, Jordan Senn, Jason Williams, and Lawrence Wilson can all be contributors; it just doesn't look like there is enough room to keep all of them. But sometimes, having too much talent is a good thing. The linebacker blitz is the least of my concerns as these guys can just flat out get to the quarterback.

That's my take on it, but we will see.

[Highlandfire]

i think we'll have the most aggressive defense the NFCS has ever seen....well, greg williams defense is pretty aggressive, but in a douchey, cheap shot and cheating sort of way.

the blitz is going to be ferocious. pressure from the interior of the Dline will be improved, esp. if mcclain keeps up like he apparently did his first day of TC. CJ and the other DEs are going to be stout, but it's the pressure brought on by the defense as a whole, the offense never knowing where the blitz is coming from, just that it is coming, that will help make the pass rush so effective.

I hope so. I would rather die by the blitz then die a slow death with some pussified crap like the Tampon 2.

[Highlandfire]

CP87, I agree that this year is a learning year. We will have success on sheer athletic abilities and they won't have us on film. The problem is learning a new system on both sides of the ball.

But I see nothing but positives from here on out. By next year with a full year under most of the teams belt, another good draft, maybe a FA or two then I can see us competing for our division title again.

[panthers55]

CP87, I agree that this year is a learning year. We will have success on sheer athletic abilities and they won't have us on film. The problem is learning a new system on both sides of the ball.

But I see nothing but positives from here on out. By next year with a full year under most of the teams belt, another good draft, maybe a FA or two then I can see us competing for our division title again.

Defense will be good out of the chute. Offense takes precision and time to work out. Defense is more instinctive and easier mastered particularly with Philly's blitz and fire zone coverage given we have played a zone cover for years.

I agree with the athleticism we have in our back seven, we should be fine. Philly struggled last year because the back seven and particularly the linebackers didn't hold up last year. So McDermott backed off the blitz and got eaten alive in the redzone and on first and second down. That is our strength and should set us up pretty well.

[Munch4455]

Favorite tweet of the day:

Valid. Perhaps Otah vs Everette was unfair comparison. RT @FizFashizzle: @billvoth Everette Brown could enveloped by a Snuggie.

[Kevin Greene]

i think we'll have the most aggressive defense the NFCS has ever seen....well, greg williams defense is pretty aggressive, but in a douchey, cheap shot and cheating sort of way.

the blitz is going to be ferocious. pressure from the interior of the Dline will be improved, esp. if mcclain keeps up like he apparently did his first day of TC. CJ and the other DEs are going to be stout, but it's the pressure brought on by the defense as a whole, the offense never knowing where the blitz is coming from, just that it is coming, that will help make the pass rush so effective.

:smilielol5:

[armistice]

The Lions had a superb D-line last year, and no one in the secondary. Why hadn't their defense stacked better numbers? Probably because they had no good players in the secondary, so no, reasoning that having a good D-line doesn't excuse the fact we need a CB.

Munnerlyn simply isn't tall enough to be a starter CB, let's be honest he'll miss some vital plays because of his height. I like what I've heard about Kendric Burney, however he is the same height, and a rookie. We need to bring in someone like Rogers, and then draft a young, talented CB and having him grow into the starter position.

[PanthersGuy28]

Highlandfire is a hater, we got CJ which means right there it's above average. One of the three best DEs in the league.

[panthers55]

The Lions had a superb D-line last year, and no one in the secondary. Why hadn't their defense stacked better numbers? Probably because they had no good players in the secondary, so no, reasoning that having a good D-line doesn't excuse the fact we need a CB.

Munnerlyn simply isn't tall enough to be a starter CB, let's be honest he'll miss some vital plays because of his height. I like what I've heard about Kendric Burney, however he is the same height, and a rookie. We need to bring in someone like Rogers, and then draft a young, talented CB and having him grow into the starter position.

Free agency is a long way from being done. With teams having to pare down from 90 players to the 56 they will carry during the year that gives us 1000 players that will be cut, in addition to the free agents still out there. I have to believe we can find a decent CB between now and the start of the season.

[Snake]

Think Game 1 of the 09 season. You can expect our D to be that kind of aggressive. Poor Kolb is not going to know what hit him.

[armistice]

Free agency is a long way from being done. With teams having to pare down from 90 players to the 56 they will carry during the year that gives us 1000 players that will be cut, in addition to the free agents still out there. I have to believe we can find a decent CB between now and the start of the season.

Of course, I know. But as of now, our secondary is lacking, I was making the point of that and saying that it is silly-willy to rely on the D-line using the Lions as an example. Getting a decent CB to play opposite of Gamble will be achieved, most likely, even if it isn't a CB up to par with Gamble if he can hold his own I'm happy.