The Edge issue

[BritCard]

There's been a lot of concern about our Edge rush. It's an obvious weakness, and after Sunday I've seen a number of fans and people like Johnny Venerable criticise Monti for not doing more.

My question is, what "more" could that have been? Below is a list of FA Edge signed this offseason. Who on this list were you banging the table for or would have signed in hindsight at these prices? Which draft pick would you have done differently?

For me, the only guy here that stands out is Chase Young. He's still young, and has obvious upside. It's easy to say he should have done something, but with the collective brains of this board, what is it?

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[GatorAZ]

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[MadCardDisease]

I wanted Hunter but it didn't happen.

 

[kerouac9]

This is such a tired routine.

Monti and his staff are professionals who have spent years developing the skills to manage a roster better than message board dopes.

That said, I thought Clowney, Gross-Matos, and Michael Danna all would have been good options over doing nothing, which is what Monti and team opted for.

 

[BritCard]

Maybe Andrew van Ginkel also, who's a useful, if not spectacular edge and $10m per is ok for him.

Not sure how much he moves the needle for us though.

 

[BritCard]

This is such a tired routine.

Monti and his staff are professionals who have spent years developing the skills to manage a roster better than message board dopes.

That said, I thought Clowney, Gross-Matos, and Michael Danna all would have been good options over doing nothing, which is what Monti and team opted for.

Sure, they can't magic up players though.

The tired routine is "They should have done SOMETHING" without specifying what that is.

Those 3 players are just more of what we already have, they don't improve anything.

 

[Metcalf Rules]

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Would he want to come back? On the one hand there's Gannon and Rallis, who he knows, and no Kingsbury and Joseph. But on the other hand, Bidwill is still ultimately in charge and in control of the pursestrings.

 

[Stout]

There's been a lot of concern about our Edge rush. It's an obvious weakness, and after Sunday I've seen a number of fans and people like Johnny Venerable criticise Monti for not doing more.

My question is, what "more" could that have been? Below is a list of FA Edge signed this offseason. Who on this list were you banging the table for or would have signed in hindsight at these prices? Which draft pick would you have done differently?

For me, the only guy here that stands out is Chase Young. He's still young, and has obvious upside. It's easy to say he should have done something, but with the collective brains of this board, what is it?

2024 NFL Free Agents

Tracking the status and signings of all NFL free agents.

www.spotrac.com

This has been debated to death on this forum. Let sleeping dogs lie here.

 

[Stout]

Sure, they can't magic up players though.

The tired routine is "They should have done SOMETHING" without specifying what that is.

Those 3 players are just more of what we already have, they don't improve anything.

Yeah, no. Absolutely and unequivocally no. Fans do not need to have all of the answers a professional NFL GM should have to know when something is wrong or when the GM has overlooked a problem on the roster. The tired routine is the trend on this board of "Your point is not valid unless you are able to do what a competent GM can do." Trying to neg others' point of view by forcing them to name the solutions is just faulty logic.

 

[BritCard]

Yeah, no. Absolutely and unequivocally no. Fans do not need to have all of the answers a professional NFL GM should have to know when something is wrong or when the GM has overlooked a problem on the roster. The tired routine is the trend on this board of "Your point is not valid unless you are able to do what a competent GM can do." Trying to neg others' point of view by forcing them to name the solutions is just faulty logic.

I'm trying to do no such thing. I've named two. It's a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

Your unwillingness to do so suggests to me a tendency to want to criticise without considering if it's fair to do so.

It's perfectly reasonable to ask what you would have done that would move the needle.

 

[Stout]

I'm trying to do no such thing. I've named two. It's a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

Your unwillingness to do so suggests to me a tendency to want to criticise without considering if it's fair to do so.

It's perfectly reasonable to ask what you would have done that would move the needle.

I know you aren't, here, but the statement perpetuates a bad trend on the board. Some posters, who will not be named, don't just ask, they demand. They try to criticize and belittle and force you to their standard and try to mock your opinion if you refuse. It's idiotic, but they try. The whole "You have to do my research for me or your opinion is invalid" culture here is pathetic. I could waste my free time daily in scouring through NFL rosters and websites or I could, you know, BS about my team and have fun doing so. I don't need to have a list the length of my arm of potential FA edges to know our GM was criminally negligent at the edge position.

Again, not directed at you specifically, Brit.

 

[kerouac9]

Sure, they can't magic up players though.

The tired routine is "They should have done SOMETHING" without specifying what that is.

Those 3 players are just more of what we already have, they don't improve anything.

It absolutely does, because now you can put someone capable of sacking the quarterback into a rotation with Zaven Collins, who has done everything he can to show that his hands are actually greased ham hocks.

Instead of Xavier Thomas playing 18 invisible snaps, you have someone who has some experience pressuring the quarterback and closing the deal every once and again.

Without a superstar, all you can do is minimize the impact of your Xaviers Thomas and Victors Dimukeje and rotate in players who have experience and upside.

It's unhinged to say that Jadevon Clowney wouldn't add anything to our pass rush unit. Consider investing in a grip.

 

[football karma]

i thought trading for Reddick was a natural move -- especially with so many 3rd round picks at Monti's disposal.

 

[oaken1]

It absolutely does, because now you can put someone capable of sacking the quarterback into a rotation with Zaven Collins, who has done everything he can to show that his hands are actually greased ham hocks.

Instead of Xavier Thomas playing 18 invisible snaps, you have someone who has some experience pressuring the quarterback and closing the deal every once and again.

Without a superstar, all you can do is minimize the impact of your Xaviers Thomas and Victors Dimukeje and rotate in players who have experience and upside.

It's unhinged to say that Jadevon Clowney wouldn't add anything to our pass rush unit. Consider investing in a grip.

cant be certain. But I have heard that with recent social unrest in the UK shipping schedules have been affected. Grips may in fact be in short supply.

 

[oaken1]

i thought trading for Reddick was a natural move -- especially with so many 3rd round picks at Monti's disposal.

Jets put themselves in a crappy situation... they obviously need him badly... but they screwed him, as a new deal was known to be part of the trade agreement...not playing for the Jets may now be simply a matter of principle for Reddick... but the jets apparent lack of savvy suggests that even if they decide to deal him they will seek greater compensation than the third they spent on him.
I would offer tham a fourth and a sixth...see what they say

 

[GatorAZ]

i thought trading for Reddick was a natural move -- especially with so many 3rd round picks at Monti's disposal.

We took a bunch of backups in the third rd. Maybe Trey Benson ends up a primary starter eventually.

 

[schutd]

This is such a tired routine.

Monti and his staff are professionals who have spent years developing the skills to manage a roster better than message board dopes.

That said, I thought Clowney, Gross-Matos, and Michael Danna all would have been good options over doing nothing, which is what Monti and team opted for.

I wonder if the decision to not bring in short term help at the position came from on high. Monti's smart enough to know some help, while not strapping the cap is better than doing nothing. But given the option, I can see MB deciding that the savings is better than the raised entertainment value of having a pass rush, when the end result is not a deep playoff run (most likely).

 

[kerouac9]

I wonder if the decision to not bring in short term help at the position came from on high. Monti's smart enough to know some help, while not strapping the cap is better than doing nothing. But given the option, I can see MB deciding that the savings is better than the raised entertainment value of having a pass rush, when the end result is not a deep playoff run (most likely).

That's kind of what I believe. And that's why I was fine with not bringing in, like, Danielle Hunter, who will be 31 and on the downslope of his prime by the time the Cards are ready to compete for an NFC Championship game appearance or anything.

But Gross-Matos and Danna are 26 and probably have their best football ahead of them. Gross-Maton has a knee injury so he hasn't appeared with the 49ers yet. Danna got more snaps against Baltimore than 2023 First-round pick Felix Anudike-Uzomah.

 

[BritCard]

It absolutely does, because now you can put someone capable of sacking the quarterback into a rotation with Zaven Collins, who has done everything he can to show that his hands are actually greased ham hocks.

Instead of Xavier Thomas playing 18 invisible snaps, you have someone who has some experience pressuring the quarterback and closing the deal every once and again.

Without a superstar, all you can do is minimize the impact of your Xaviers Thomas and Victors Dimukeje and rotate in players who have experience and upside.

It's unhinged to say that Jadevon Clowney wouldn't add anything to our pass rush unit. Consider investing in a grip.

No way this org signs a merc like Clowney. Plus I believe he said he was attracted to going back home. The other guys are no better than Gardeck/Zaven.

 

[BritCard]

i thought trading for Reddick was a natural move -- especially with so many 3rd round picks at Monti's disposal.

It would make sense. Not sure I would want to pay a 3rd and a 5th for a guy that wants a big pay day though. That's essentially why he's holding out. He wants like $25m a year.

Also not sure if he will come back here? Gambo reckons he couldn't get out of town fast enough.

 

[kerouac9]

No way this org signs a merc like Clowney. Plus I believe he said he was attracted to going back home. The other guys are no better than Gardeck/Zaven.

Oh, well as long as you're asking questions in good faith and receptive to answers, I guess.

 

[BritCard]

BTW, Jonathan Greenard who got paid by the Vikings in a dominating victory had 0 sacks, 0 tackles and 3 pressures in 58 snaps.

 

[BritCard]

Oh, well as long as you're asking questions in good faith and receptive to answers, I guess.

I'm receptive to answers. Does Clowney seem like the kind of guy this team has talked about in regards to personal qualities?

 

[gmabel830]

The front 7 appears absolutely stacked for next year's draft. On CBS Sports ratings, 15 of the top 50 rated prospects are EDGE (9) and DT (6) - including 4 of the top 10 and 6 of the top 13. I don't look at a trade as just the pick compensation we are giving up, but more as "Is Hassan Reddick on a big contract better for the overall composition of the team than trying to land 2 or 3 front 7 guys early in next year's draft". Doesn't solve for this year obviously, but if you are giving up draft compensation and giving a veteran a big contract, it will absolutely impact how your allocate the rest of the resources on your team. I'm not saying that trading for/paying Reddick and drafting an EDGE in round 1 next year to really shore up the position would be a terrible move, but it's investing a lot in the position when there are a lot of other holes to be filled to build a championship caliber roster.

 

[Cheesebeef]

The front 7 appears absolutely stacked for next year's draft. On CBS Sports ratings, 15 of the top 50 rated prospects are EDGE (9) and DT (6) - including 4 of the top 10 and 6 of the top 13. I don't look at a trade as just the pick compensation we are giving up, but more as "Is Hassan Reddick on a big contract better for the overall composition of the team than trying to land 2 or 3 front 7 guys early in next year's draft". Doesn't solve for this year obviously, but if you are giving up draft compensation and giving a veteran a big contract, it will absolutely impact how your allocate the rest of the resources on your team. I'm not saying that trading for/paying Reddick and drafting an EDGE in round 1 next year to really shore up the position would be a terrible move, but it's investing a lot in the position when there are a lot of other holes to be filled to build a championship caliber roster.

Having two dominant or at least very good Edge rushers makes up for a lot of holes, especially in the secondary. But even there, if we’re actually confident in drafting, haven’t we already spent a lot of draft capital AND money on the secondary? If there’s ANY position to over invest on D in it’s Edge. They can be total game wreckers, not dependent on aby other position to make an impact. They also impact the D line because they draw double teams if they’re effective.

And one edge player like Reddick shouldn’t strap the cap and hurt us enough to make improvement on offense… unless we chose to just not spend money again.