Got into an argument with Kurt Warner tonight...

[Dr. Jones]

I preface this with this statement: I love Ddub. He is awesome to watch and will only get better.

BUT

Washington was drafted to replace Dansby..... I don't think that can be debated. And they fill the EXACT same role in the defense. cardsfanmd makes the right case as to why they would not be good fits on the same defense in the 3-4.

Wouldn't it have been nice to keep Dansby? A defensive captain, clutch performer, and team leader, while also being able to fill a need at another position with the Washington Pick? Oh.... And we traded up to get him, thus removing another draft pick from our vault in the process.

So IMO..... Not resigning Dansby pro-actively, then giving him 2 years of the franchise tag, cost us Dansby, a ton of money for 2 years, and 2 draft picks.

I cannot for the life of me see how the Bidwells, Whiz, Graves, or anyone can make the argument that this is a good way to run a business.

 

[Duckjake]

Common sense? Neither is close to being stout enough against the run or good enough at shedding blockers to reach anything close to their full potential as a SILB nor are they anywhere close to being able to set the edge on the outside. If we ran a 4-3 it would be a possibility (and for the record I think they would play well together in that setting) but we dont go in to it nearly enough to validate having those two on the same team.

Nothing Horton does is common. He had Acho playing in the middle of the field on some plays. He moved Acho to the left and put Schofield on the right. etc.. Dansby and DWash could play together just fine in the 2-4-5 nickel formation the Cards like so much.

Dansby, while as you say isn't the prototypical size for the SILB spot, too tall, although he is about the same size as Brian Urlacher, he is extremely versatile. The Cards wanted him to rush the passer one season, he had 8 sacks. They wanted him to play cover LB one season, 8pdf's and 3 interceptions. Move to WILB in the 3-4, 119 tackles.

Common sense would tell you a team isn't going to the Super Bowl with a 37 year old QB, a 30 year old RB, the NFL's 32nd ranked run game, and the 28th ranked scoring defense but that is exactly what the Cardinals did.

The odds are against Dansby and DWash working together but you just don't know for sure.

 

[Chopper0080]

Common sense? Neither is close to being stout enough against the run or good enough at shedding blockers to reach anything close to their full potential as a SILB nor are they anywhere close to being able to set the edge on the outside. If we ran a 4-3 it would be a possibility (and for the record I think they would play well together in that setting) but we dont go in to it nearly enough to validate having those two on the same team.

I think that it could have worked better than you think. We might not have been supremely physical up the middle, but it would have made the NT just a bit more important. The landscape of the NFL really has transformed the priority of the LB from a physical position to an athletic one. LB's can overcome being less physical easier than being less athletic. Dansby and Washington would have been able to overcome those limitations in my mind.