I believe the inexperience on the interior DL will be a non factor. Those kids were much more talented and another year in the system will give the team a push on that side. Kid from Colorado State will be an upgrade too.
DE is going to be very different but I'm not concerned right now. Lonnie Phelps was skilled but he was gobbled up quite often. I think there was a lack of creativity with him and he was just straight up beaten by the very good tackles that were in the league too often. My concern with Borland was a lack of scheme to use Young and Phelps better together at getting to the QB. Phelps wasn't making a ton happen after the non con anyways. Jereme Robinson was stuck behind the old guy but I think he has more burst than Lee did and holds up better on the run.
Safety is what it is. Hopefully we see a young kid or two step up so we have less Grant. His tackling was scary but it can't get worse.
Corner is going to be good and depth to handle injury at times.
The LBs are the concern. You don't see the burst or change of direction you need. There are not big bruising straight ahead RBs typically so that's an issue for them in run defense and there are a lot of backs that can change direction well and in passing downs we have massive struggles keeping up with a RB out of the backfield.
I'm curious if we see a base nickel that is more corner heavy vs safety heavy and let Craig Young roam a lot to create pressure, etc. Asking Brantley to be contributing vs the complex offenses in the league will be a talk task.
DE is going to be very different but I'm not concerned right now. Lonnie Phelps was skilled but he was gobbled up quite often. I think there was a lack of creativity with him and he was just straight up beaten by the very good tackles that were in the league too often. My concern with Borland was a lack of scheme to use Young and Phelps better together at getting to the QB. Phelps wasn't making a ton happen after the non con anyways. Jereme Robinson was stuck behind the old guy but I think he has more burst than Lee did and holds up better on the run.
Safety is what it is. Hopefully we see a young kid or two step up so we have less Grant. His tackling was scary but it can't get worse.
Corner is going to be good and depth to handle injury at times.
The LBs are the concern. You don't see the burst or change of direction you need. There are not big bruising straight ahead RBs typically so that's an issue for them in run defense and there are a lot of backs that can change direction well and in passing downs we have massive struggles keeping up with a RB out of the backfield.
I'm curious if we see a base nickel that is more corner heavy vs safety heavy and let Craig Young roam a lot to create pressure, etc. Asking Brantley to be contributing vs the complex offenses in the league will be a talk task.
