Defense in 2010

[artp]

Do you think the Cardinals Defense has improved this offseason?
We lost Dansby, B Berry, A Rolle on Defense. We gained K Rhodes and J Porter. I think the Defense will be improved.

 

[O]

BIRDGANG = Trained Assassins.

I think we will see a swagger we have never seen before!

 

[Shogun]

I think it will be a wash.

 

[PJ1]

As it stands I don't believe it has improved. A good draft and Cody Brown showing he can contribute changes things. McFadden needs to play better also.

 

[Zeno]

Depends on the draft, as of right now I'd say no...Dansby is a big loss.

 

[Buckybird]

No Dansby & a possibly still hurt Hayes...much of the same, inconsistant.

 

[Catfish]

Thanks for the thread Buckybird: Good for discussion here.

Right now, I believe that we are stronger at safety than we were last year when we had Rolle instead of Rhodes. I believe we are stronger at OLB with Porter than we were with Berry/Okeafor.

That said, I believe we are much weaker at ILB than where we started last season, with the departure of KD, and Hayes having back problems that he did not have when last season started. We could use a couple of solid ILB's from this draft. I hope that Paris Lenon holds up at WILB to start the season at least, and the same for Hayes at SILB.

We should start the season stronger at CB than last year, because Toler has progressed enough to make a difference that he could not make at the beginning of last year. It remains to be seen if our new DB's coach can get McFadden to look for the ball, so we may look for help at CB in the draft too.

I would say that we are stronger along the D-line, simply because CC and Branch will have had another year to learn their trade. We have a chance to get stronger at NT, if we can draft someone who can command the double team better than Robinson.

Overall, I believe we are already stronger than last year on Defense, and have a real chance of getting stronger thru the draft. Don't forget, our Defense will have a swagger, or a nastiness that we lacked last year. You can take that to the bank.

 

[binkar]

Can't really give an educated answer at this point. As the team stands now, we are worse due to the HUGE hole at ILB. If we address ILB and get a decent true nose tackle (i.e. not Robinson), I think we could be improved. I am just glad we have some sort of attitude at linebacker now.

 

[Buckybird]

If we address ILB and get a decent true nose tackle (i.e. not Robinson), I think we could be improved.

hard to be improved at ILB if your starting Lenon or a rook & the same goes for starting what we have at NT or a draftee, just my 2 cents

 

[BullheadCardFan]

It would make a huge difference if they learned how to tackle. That alone will upgrade us quite a bit.

 

[binkar]

hard to be improved at ILB if your starting Lenon or a rook & the same goes for starting what we have at NT or a draftee, just my 2 cents

Not saying we would be improved at ILB, but as a whole (which was the original question). I think we have improved at other areas already, but due to the gaping hole at ILB we are worse thus far. It is possible to be improved overall even with being worse at a certain position.

Also, at NT we nowhere to go but up if Watson can stay healthy and we can get someone else in the rotation with him. I don't see that it would be to terribly hard to improve in that area. Just like the addition of Beanie (a rookie) improved our running game last year. Rookies often make a big impact.

 

[Oly]

I don't know if they will play better but I have no doubt they will lead the league in trash talking. It should be a lot of fun I cant wait to see.

 

[Buckybird]

It would make a huge difference if they learned how to tackle. That alone will upgrade us quite a bit.

amen

 

[Garthshort]

We also lost Okeafor on defense. But if Porter can deliver, the improvement at OLB is more important than our loss at ILB. If Ware doesn't come back, we need help at Safety, and Cook who is reported to be a CB/S might become a draft target. Robinson at NT is another year older but Gabe should be better, and if we get a NT in the Draft that position should improve. So our improvement on defense will be there, and if we get an ILB with one of our high picks, the improvement could be significant. JMO.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

DE: Campbell (2010) > Campbell (2009)

NT: ?????? < Bryan Robinson (2009)

DE: Dockett = Dockett

OLB: Clark Haggans/Cody Brown > Clark Haggans/Will Davis

ILB: Gerald Hayes (2010) < Gerald Hayes (2009)

ILB: ???? << Karlos Dansby

OLB: Joey Porter > Chike Okeafor

CB: DRC (2010) > DRC (2009)

CB: McFadden/Toler = McFadden

FS: Kerry Rhodes = Antrel Rolle (I think Rhodes is a bit of an upgrade but not much)

SS: A-Dub = A-Dub


I think it will be a wash, but better setup up to deal with future.

 

[nashman]

I think Rhodes is much better than some of you apparently, while he has some ego issues in the past he is still MUCH better safety than Antron. While Rolle made the occasional play on the ball he completely got burned repeatedly I am not sure why so many people don't see this as a huge upgrade. We have all longed for our defensive backfield to be able to cover someone well we have it now, well almost another solid corner would help alot opposite of DRC but Toler may be that guy. I am excited for Rhodes to be here much better safety than Rolle IMO and at a much better price, the Giants got screwed haha!

 

[CardLogic]

We also lost Okeafor on defense.

It's possible, perhaps even likely, but it hasn't happened yet.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

It's possible, perhaps even likely, but it hasn't happened yet.

Urban says there is no interest in bringing him or Gandy back.

 

[az jam]

The time to answer the question is really after the draft. At the present time, I would say its weaker due to the major loss of Dansby. Everything else appears to be a wash.

 

[CardLogic]

Urban says there is no interest in bringing him or Gandy back.

Thanks, I hadn't seen that.

 

[Doc Cardinal]

The draft may be the ingrediant that puts us over the top.

We could compete with the current roster.....but imagine how more effective we'd be on D with an impact LBer....a decent NT...and maybe even a cornerback.

 

[nashman]

Its not a wash! Seriously what players were some of you watching? Rolle who got burned time and time again ....THANK GOD he did not stay here at that price we are much better off with a real safety in Rhodes! Dansby admittedly is a loss but we all knew he was gone. Porter is an upgrade no matter how you look at it he may have had more sacks than berry, okeafer, dansby combined. Just don't get how people can't see this defense is going to be BETTER its just not a wash and we are not even through yet.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

The draft may be the ingrediant that puts us over the top.

We could compete with the current roster.....but imagine how more effective we'd be on D with an impact LBer....a decent NT...and maybe even a cornerback.

No CB will jump ahead of McFadden or Greg Toler if drafted right away. It would also be surprising that we draft a NT that starts over Watson/Branch, but not outside of the realm of possibility. ILB is a different story.

 

[joeshmo]

Now that we re-signed Hamza Abdullah today I think it is safe to say that the 2010 defense is an upgrade.

He was the last missing piece to the birdgang.

 

[Stout]

No CB will jump ahead of McFadden or Greg Toler if drafted right away. It would also be surprising that we draft a NT that starts over Watson/Branch, but not outside of the realm of possibility. ILB is a different story.

Branch isn't a NT. He may get snaps there on 3rd and long plays, but he cannot be counted on as a real NT on the depth chart. We have one lone NT on the depth chart, and he is a huge question mark. I can definitely see a young NT coming in and making a major contribution. ILBer is a bigger need, but NT is a huge need too, IMO.