Quote: @FSUVike said:
Isn't that why he was working with the D-Line on pass rushing moves? I might have read too much into that.
But if I'm Zimmer and I don't trust Weatherly, Bowers, Azuna etc. but I still want to get Everson some rest rushing Barr makes sense. Have his LB spot taken by another DB on those downs.
I think he is working with the DL just to improve his finish when he rushes. Zim may have some new wrinkle, but I take this one at face value when Zim said it was just to help him with the tools to rush against the bigger guys. I don't see the "shot across the bow" in that either. Zim called Barr out 2 years ago and I haven't heard that since.
I think FSU is onto something here. Guru has mentioned it as well and I know I have brought it up. Barr is a key element in the D. His length, speed and intelligence allows Zim to move people around. There are 3 key people that allow Zimmer to disguise and be creative. Robison on the line, Barr at LB and Harrison at Safety.
But as we see so often with Brian, it isn't always about the splash plays. I went through some games a couple years back. I think it was Detroit where we had 7 or so sacks. Brian was instrumental in about 5 of them where he was either double teamed or drew 1 or 2 guys but didn't rush. Barr has rushed unselfishly as well, drawing the pickup to spring someone else free.
Barr takes away so many plays simply by doing his job well. Backs and other screens don't kill us very often. QBs don't escape the pocket and cause havoc (ask Rodgers) very often. But when it is time to close, few can do it like Barr (again, as Rodgers). Against the mobile QBs Barr is often taking away that threat as well as covering the middle.
Quote: @"BarrNone55" said:
@ FSUVike said:
Why would Seattle trade their second best Receiver for Richardson and them not try harder to retain him?
He's exactly the kind of piece you start to rebuild your Defense around on paper. Is Seattle's FO incompetent? Or was seeing him for one year enough to convince them they made a mistake trading for him?
See Percy Harvin swindle
See 2 SB appearances and a title. Very few teams are run by totally incompetent morons. Thank goodness the Skins are one of them!
They seem to get poor returns when trading for WRs...
At the end of the day, I hope if they want to retain both, they're able to do so without crippling other areas on the team.
I think we're at the point where they'll let this season play-out and see what (if any) benefit they get from hindsight.
Let the chips fall where they may this season and make informed decisions when the new league year starts.
Seahawks didn't just give up a starting receiver, they gave up a 2nd round pick as well, which the Jets used to move up for Sam Darnold.
But pretty much everything I've read indicates that the Seahawks would've loved to keep Richardson. They raved about him. They just couldn't afford him, or anyone else for that matter. They traded Michael Bennett and waived Richard Sherman to save $19 million in cap room in order to sign Richardson. But they couldn't get a deal done before the start of free agency. And tagging him would've cost $14M. In the end, they replaced Bennett and Richardson with Shemar Stephen and Tom Johnson. So very clearly, that's not a team trying to upgrade. That's a team dumping salary.
I think you'll see just how good Richardson is this year. But I hope we don't make a move on either one until we see what we get from them this season. Anything can happen. Richardson has off-field issues in his past. That could bite us in the ass. Or he could explode. So could Barr in his new role coming off the edge. Either way, I think we should wait and see. I think a dominant 3T is a lot more valuable than a 4-3 linebacker, but one could argue our depth is better at 3T with Jalyn Holmes and Jaleel Johnson. Who we choose to extend might be just as much about those guys as it is about Richardson and Barr.
Quote: @"BarrNone55" said:
They seem to get poor returns when trading for WRs...
Quite a blind spot they have there. Deon Branch from the Pats. Burleson, Rice, Harvin from us. Fun bringing those up here in Seahawk land.
Quote: @MaroonBells said:
Seahawks didn't just give up a starting receiver, they gave up a 2nd round pick as well, which the Jets used to move up for Sam Darnold.
But pretty much everything I've read indicates that the Seahawks would've loved to keep Richardson. They raved about him. They just couldn't afford him, or anyone else for that matter. They traded Michael Bennett and waived Richard Sherman to save $19 million in cap room in order to sign Richardson. But they couldn't get a deal done before the start of free agency. And tagging him would've cost $14M. In the end, they replaced Bennett and Richardson with Shemar Stephen and Tom Johnson. So very clearly, that's not a team trying to upgrade. That's a team dumping salary.
I think you'll see just how good Richardson is this year. But I hope we don't make a move on either one until we see what we get from them this season. Anything can happen. Richardson has off-field issues in his past. That could bite us in the ass. Or he could explode. So could Barr in his new role coming off the edge. Either way, I think we should wait and see. I think a dominant 3T is a lot more valuable than a 4-3 linebacker, but one could argue our depth is better at 3T with Jalyn Holmes and Jaleel Johnson. Who we choose to extend might be just as much about those guys as it is about Richardson and Barr.
Hard to say how Richardson fit there as well. They certainly don't have a strong lockerroom anymore. Bennett was their man of the year nominee. Their defensive front is also much different than ours, still a 4-3, but the interior assignments are much different. He also came in mid year, so he had to learn the scheme.
So point being, it is use the Seahawk experience as a base for what he will do in our D, with a strong lockerroom and the offseason to acclimate.
Good point, Maroon. The Vikings have a pair of young guys taken in the 4th to groom if Sheldon doesn't live up to his billing or decides he wants Aaron Donald type money after a breakout season.
But behind Barr is what, late round picks, Special Teamers and UDFAs? Yeesh.
Having 2 every down LBS that can flat out cover in a scoring League is crucial now, IMO. But so is a having a great 3T. Tough spot for the FO.
Do Jaleel and Jalyn have more upside than Barr's understudies? Can Minnesota find a 3 down LB picking 32nd in next year's Draft? Only time will tell.
Every time one of our 4 notable FAs has been re-signed during this offseason, fans and posters have declared that it is some sign of the team giving up on or being disappointed in whoever remains unsigned. When Kendricks signed, all 3 of the remaining were disparaged. Then Hunter signed and people speculated that Diggs and Barr might both be left unsigned. Now people are declaring that Diggs' signing was obvious and Barr is the odd man out.
IMO the Vikings have always planned to re-sign all 4 and have a plan to do so. But they can't work out 4 deals simultaneously, so it takes time between each. Barr is easy for 2018: he's already making $12.3M on his 5th year deal, so the kind of smart contract Brez sets up probably won't hurt this year's cap much or at all.
Sure, 2019 and beyond is tougher - but they will have cap relief options named Sendejo, Remmers, and Rudolph. If team management asks Zimmer if he would give up Sendejo and Remmers next year to keep Barr on his team, I think he will say yes without skipping a beat.
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