Do you feel comfortable with Pace & Okeafor at OLB/DE next season?

sundevil04

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Do you feel comfortable with Pace & Okeafor at OLB/DE next season?

Okay here's my reasoning behind asking this question...the general concensus on this board seems to be cut Berry & re-sign Pace; so I'll go with that. Okeafor will be back healthy next year and seems to be a very good fit for the 3-4 we're trying to convert too as does Pace. That being said would you feel comfortable with these two as the starting OLB/DE's in the 3-4 next season; if so I'd say go after the best CB available when we pick in the middle of rd1; if not I'd say go after a OLB/DE in rd 1 like Gholston/Harvey/Groves and a CB in rd2 since this is a VERY deep draft at CB...Thoughts?
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slanidrac16

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Do you feel comfortable with Pace & Okeafor at OLB/DE next season?

Okay here's my reasoning behind asking this question...the general concensus on this board seems to be cut Berry & re-sign Pace; so I'll go with that. Okeafor will be back healthy next year and seems to be a very good fit for the 3-4 we're trying to convert too as does Pace. That being said would you feel comfortable with these two as the starting OLB/DE's in the 3-4 next season; if so I'd say go after the best CB available when we pick in the middle of rd1; if not I'd say go after a OLB/DE in rd 1 like Gholston/Harvey/Groves and a CB in rd2 since this is a VERY deep draft at CB...Thoughts?

I could live with that IF Dansby is resigned. My stand on the draft is to take the best player available. Any other glaring needs this team has should be addressed for the most part, during free agency.
 

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Do you feel comfortable with Pace & Okeafor at OLB/DE next season?

Okay here's my reasoning behind asking this question...the general concensus on this board seems to be cut Berry & re-sign Pace; so I'll go with that. Okeafor will be back healthy next year and seems to be a very good fit for the 3-4 we're trying to convert too as does Pace. That being said would you feel comfortable with these two as the starting OLB/DE's in the 3-4 next season; if so I'd say go after the best CB available when we pick in the middle of rd1; if not I'd say go after a OLB/DE in rd 1 like Gholston/Harvey/Groves and a CB in rd2 since this is a VERY deep draft at CB...Thoughts?

I am comfortable with them both, yes.I actually am for keeping Berry another year and trying to draft a young DE to play behind him for a year. With all the needs on this team, I feel that's the most cost effective move. I know Berry is a serious injury risk, but I would rather see the bulk of our money spent on the Offensive Line and Defensive Secondary.
 

CardinalChris

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Okeafor is fine as a OLB. However, Berry has lost a step and not completed a season the past 3 years??? No way do I feel comfortable with him as a starting, every down DE. He wore down too late in games this year.
 

Cheesebeef

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as long as Dansby's in the middle between them, I'd be pretty stoked with Pace/Hayes/Dansby/Okeafor. However, I do think that Berry's history of injury is just too great to warrant that contract of his. He should either be cut or take a pay cut and whatever money we save from that move should go into getting quality depth to replace him.
 

Skkorpion

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My opinions:

Bert Berry will be missed but his career here is over. He'll be cut. Too many severe injuries and too many games missed. Frankly, he cut himself and this one is an easy call.

Calvin Pace will be here if he doesn't price himself out of here. I'm not as high on him as many of you and I think his level of play has really fallen off the last few games.

Plusses outweigh his negatives and he would be good to have in the front seven rotation.

Okeafor? Yes. A starter. Should be more effective than before if given more in-game rest.

We will still be without a tryly dominant edge pass rusher.
 

82CardsGrad

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My opinions:

Bert Berry will be missed but his career here is over. He'll be cut. Too many severe injuries and too many games missed. Frankly, he cut himself and this one is an easy call.

Calvin Pace will be here if he doesn't price himself out of here. I'm not as high on him as many of you and I think his level of play has really fallen off the last few games.

Plusses outweigh his negatives and he would be good to have in the front seven rotation.

Okeafor? Yes. A starter. Should be more effective than before if given more in-game rest.

We will still be without a tryly dominant edge pass rusher.


Totally agree... Without a serious push from the edge, our tackles will continue to be ineffective in creating any pressure up the middle... Dockett disappeared after Berry went down. Strangely, Pace did too?? A sign of things to come from him I'm afraid...
 

CaptTurbo

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I think a DT is a priority. I saw Dockett tripled teamed quite a bit. To have another solid DT would be great. But I agree with best player available regardless of position.
 

CardinalChris

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I think a DT is a priority. I saw Dockett tripled teamed quite a bit. To have another solid DT would be great. But I agree with best player available regardless of position.

I think Dockett got that because Joe Tafoya demanded NO respect where at Least Berry had to be accounted for. In fact I think Dockett's last sack was about the time Berry went down for the year.
 

Jetstream Green

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do you know why our defense

of late has reallly started to go down the tube? well this is my opinion and there are many reasons as with all this team's shortcomings this season, but we have had injuries and certainly that has effected the talent level but more importantly it seems Berry and Wilson where the only two real leaders on this defense...I don't buy that quiet man Hayes leading stuff and Dansby and Dockett show tons of passion on the field but so far are not leaders. Berry's play has really dropped off and the injuries almost make his use hardly as great as before for next season...BUT IF HE IS NOT THERE, THEN THIS TEAM BETTER FIND A LEADER ON THE LINE.
 

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I'd be fine with those two, but as has been mentioned, depth is key and I'd love to see more potential in the back lines, seeing as no position goes unmarred in the course of a season.
 

JeffGollin

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I'd be more than happy with it, because you can't fill every need perfectly (there have to be trade-offs) and, although I'd like to have a couple of guys on the outside who were more comfortable in coverage, both Pace and Chike (and Berry) can do a more than adequate job of holding down the fort.

I don't accept the automatic premise that we should dump Berry (who, when healthy, is still the best natural pass rusher on the roster). I must admit, however, that I'd feel even more comfortable if we were to bring in one or more really athletic young playmaking types who are already familiar with (and good at) the OLB/DE role.
 
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football karma

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Am i comfortable?

No.

I am okay with Pace/Hayes/Dansby/Okeafor as starters -- but Okeafor is 31 and would be the sole pass rusher on the team.

I really think its important to get a young guy who can contribute as a pass rusher, and spell Okeafor.
 

Skkorpion

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Jetstream, you may have a point on that leadership stuff.
 

Chopper0080

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I believe that in today's NFL with the limitations that the rules put on CB's that our need for an edge rusher is greater than that of a cornerback. Putting pressure and hitting QB's is the new cover corner to stopping the passing game. I always like the focus of the draft to get the best players/athletes rather than filling specific spots but this is an area we really need to address. You can't have enough players on your roster that can get to the QB and I hate the fact that one injury to Okeafer and we would be in the same boat that we are now.
 

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we need another DE for depth. IF Pace or Okeakfor goes down, we have nobody. We do need another CB. We should have a good selection of CB, DE\LB or OT (these 3 positions are the biggest needs) in the middle of the first round.
 

joeshmo

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I like the 5 guys we have at LB right now. Okeafer, Berry, Dansby, Hayes, Pace. I would however like to add a young stud to that group considering Okeafer and Berry are on the wrong side of 30, Berry hasnt played more then half a season in 3 straight years with major muscle injuries, and Pace has only been a solid above average once since being in the league.

I think I am a little more concerned with the LDE spot opposite of Dockett. We have the below average Smith, Dockett, and ????? at our DE spots. Tafoya, Cooper and who ever has rotated in with them has left a lot to be desired.
 

football karma

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I think I am a little more concerned with the LDE spot opposite of Dockett. We have the below average Smith, Dockett, and ????? at our DE spots. Tafoya, Cooper and who ever has rotated in with them has left a lot to be desired.

I think if Branch improves -- the staff will look to put him in at the RDE spot

While people focus on his weight and assume he is a nose -- he is taller and leaner than Gabe, and has much more athleticism and quicks
 

joeshmo

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I think if Branch improves -- the staff will look to put him in at the RDE spot

While people focus on his weight and assume he is a nose -- he is taller and leaner than Gabe, and has much more athleticism and quicks

Could be, but then that to causes another depth issue. Who rotates with Watson with Branch playing DE. Either way you slice it you still another DE or NT to rotate in to the group of Dockett, Watson, Smith and Branch.
 

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I'm not comfortable at all with the LB group. I would definitely use the 1st Pick on a DE/OLB, such as Gholston, Groves, Harvey. As another choice in the first round, I would look at Kenny Philips, since FS is a sore spot on this team. In the 2nd round I would then pick a cover corner like, Dominique Rogers, Dight Lowery, or Zack Bowmen. Chris Elis could an option in the second if they decide to take a coner in the first.

Pressure on th QB is the utmost importance to the 2008 Cardinals and a cover corner is about the same importance. I would like the Cards to sign Drayton Florence as a free agent and take another corner in the 2nd round of the draft.
 

Stout

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No, I am not comfortable with it. I like both players and do want Pace back, but not in a starting capacity. Let's face it: while we have a good start on defense, we have some major holes left to fill. We still need a FS that can actually cover. We need major CB help. We need a solid starting DE and some depth. We need a solid starting OLB and some depth. Yikes. That's a lot. What do we have? Some good interior players, Dansby, and Wilson. Not a bad core for a defense at all.

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention...WE STILL NEED A NEW FRICKIN' DC!!!
 

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