Sharpening the Edges

[Chopper0080]

The Mike Green slide begins

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Maybe. The willingness to talk about it always resonates with teams differently. Similar to the Parsons hazing at Penn St. Also depends what teams have learned in their own, independent investigations. If the stories match it is of course different than if what Green is saying is very different than what they are hearing.

 

[BirdGangThing]

seems like monti avoids sharp edges - more of a butter knife kinda guy

 

[Stout]

With Sawyer, I think he'll be a better pro than college player, but we'll see a solid steady guy. Zaven is probably a good comp. The thing with Sawyer is he bulked up to play DE. He could easily drop 10-15 pounds if a team wanted to play him as a pure edge and he'd be more athletic and quicker. But he's still not going to be a twitchy high sack guy.

If Zaven is a good comp, we should avoid him like the plague in the 1st round. Or second or third rounds, TBF.

 

[football karma]

If Zaven is a good comp,

good grief

in Zaven's senior season he had 59 tackles and 4 sacks, a career high. Playing for Tulsa. In the AAC conference.

Sawyer had 57 tackles and 9 sacks last year, playing in the Big10.

ill take "thickly build white guys who love football" as the comp, but after that........

 

[Chopper0080]

I could easily see the Cardinals approach the EDGE room like they did the CB room in last year's draft. Add two, one early and one mid.

 

[juza76]

Ot
Talking about edge players, recently i watched a video of micah person going
1vs1 with a sumo wrestler
Micah Parson didnt move him a inch
Could Sumo be part of a training program for offensive lineamen especially in their high school college?

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[Krangodnzr]

good grief

in Zaven's senior season he had 59 tackles and 4 sacks, a career high. Playing for Tulsa. In the AAC conference.

Sawyer had 57 tackles and 9 sacks last year, playing in the Big10.

ill take "thickly build white guys who love football" as the comp, but after that........

Zaven wasn't purely a pass rusher.

Zaven is a classic 4-3 backer and that's what he should play. Too bad the Cardinals try to use him as an edge.

 

[BritCard]

Zaven wasn't purely a pass rusher.

Zaven is a classic 4-3 backer and that's what he should play. Too bad the Cardinals try to use him as an edge.

I dunno man. Zaven has the perfect size to play Edge. He's 90th percentile in height, weight, wingspan and arm length for a stand up rusher, and 60th percentile in the 40, VJ and BJ. I think he's better physically built to play Edge as off ball backers trend smaller and more agile.

He just needs to work on his pass rush skills. He's already one of the better run defending Edges in the league.

 

[Stout]

Please. Zaven's not a good pass rusher. That isn't even in question. We need pass rushers. He's not going to "work on his pass rush skills" and suddenly become good at it. He's not going to become the edge we need and suddenly turn into a star pass rusher. He is what he is. A run stuffing pass rushing liability. Good for little more than JAG status because he can be good on running downs. If he would be better in a classic 4-3, why the hell did we just pay him too much money to keep being an edge?

 

[Chopper0080]

Please. Zaven's not a good pass rusher. That isn't even in question. We need pass rushers. He's not going to "work on his pass rush skills" and suddenly become good at it. He's not going to become the edge we need and suddenly turn into a star pass rusher. He is what he is. A run stuffing pass rushing liability. Good for little more than JAG status because he can be good on running downs. If he would be better in a classic 4-3, why the hell did we just pay him too much money to keep being an edge?

I don't have an issue with the Zaven contract but to think he is not a rush defense edge player at this point is overly optimistic. He is a decent rotational piece that is getting paid somewhere in the 30s or 40s for EDGE salaries. He is not a "solution" but he is a useful rotational player.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I don't have an issue with the Zaven contract but to think he is not a rush defense edge player at this point is overly optimistic. He is a decent rotational piece that is getting paid somewhere in the 30s or 40s for EDGE salaries. He is not a "solution" but he is a useful rotational player.

JAG, just like the vast majority of our roster.

 

[Stout]

JAG, just like the vast majority of our roster.

I'll revise my prior opinion to the level just above JAG, purely for his run stopping ability. Problem is, that is NOT the primary job. If he had a Myles G. opposite him, we could be a little more forgiving. For a first round edge draftee? Nah, not so forgiving.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

I'll revise my prior opinion to the level just above JAG, purely for his run stopping ability. Problem is, that is NOT the primary job. If he had a Myles G. opposite him, we could be a little more forgiving. For a first round edge draftee? Nah, not so forgiving.

Yeah, just being situationally good is kind of the definition of a role player, a la Gardeck. (Acceptable in limited situations, not an every down guy). Nearly all of our D-line fits in that rotational category...not great!

 

[kerouac9]

I'll revise my prior opinion to the level just above JAG, purely for his run stopping ability. Problem is, that is NOT the primary job. If he had a Myles G. opposite him, we could be a little more forgiving. For a first round edge draftee? Nah, not so forgiving.

He's stand-up Antonio Smith.

 

[Stout]

He's stand-up Antonio Smith.

Good description. Antonio Smith could get away with that at his position; Zaven can't, not as an effective starter.

 

[kerouac9]

Good description. Antonio Smith could get away with that at his position; Zaven can't, not as an effective starter.

I don't mind paying $6 million for a two-down OLB, honestly. Much rather have to have someone play better than a below-average starter than slot someone in without competition.