Quote: @pumpf said:
I think we already have Griffen's replacement already on the roster. Depth is good... but I think we've proven that we don't need to use a first rounder on a DL. Patterson can make later round guys INTO "first rounders".
DEs, yes. DTs, not so much. JJ and Shamar did their jobs against the run but only All Vowels got any pressure as a situational rusher up the middle.
Frankly, I like the combo of Hunter, Weatherly and All Vowels. Get someone like Aruna to develop and the DE rotation after Griff is gone is fine.
Jalyn Holmes has shown nothing. JJ is clearly an NT. Shamar is not a pass rusher. Watts is green as hell.
I'm not saying he's going to turtle up and go with tons of Zone again against good teams but if Zimmer does it's up to the Front Four to get pressure. And they've been getting precious little from the interior.
Let's say it's Hughes, Mac and Hill next year. Zimmer isn't going to want to leave that green of a CB Corps exposed by playing Man constantly. And they do have good experience playing both zone and man, so he might mix up coverages a lot next year.
Bottom line is that Mike needs better pass rushing production from the 3T and this team hasn't proven they can get that from anything other than a high pick or Tier 1 FA.
If Kinlaw makes it to Minnesota in the 1st I'd expect Zimmer to be pounding the table for him.