Offense! Offense! Disregard the defense another year in 2013! Here's why!

[Warhead36]

I like the idea, but the D needs SOME fixing. We're on pace to be the worst pass defense in NFL HISTORY. You can't bring back players from a unit that's historically bad.

[Diss]

Both units will be better next year if we can keep the damn injuries at bay. They've destroyed us this year, especially on defense. But we MUST improve there, at least in the secondary. As my new sig suggests, The Tarantula is sickened by this turn of events.

[Louie 14]

All you can say, but we need help at OL. The rest will be fine with me.

[MartinC]

All you can say, but we need help at OL. The rest will be fine with me.

The O'Line has been a pleasant surprise this year IMO. Part of that is the game planning and use of play action plus RGIII's mobility but still they are grading out as a pretty good line this year. We could certainly upgrade RT and maybe RG as well (although Chester has played much better the last couple of games) but overall its not an area in anywhere near as much need of upgrade as our secondary and pass rush IMO.

[EnFoRcEr_uPu]

Am I the only one wondering why OP chose "top 7" versus "top 5" or "top 10"? Pretty random number.

[PortisBetts]

Safety Safety Safety. Get me a safety that can cover over the top. Safety! Then add some cornerbacks. Safety first though.

[EnFoRcEr_uPu]

Am I the only one wondering why the OP chose "top 7" versus "top 5" or "top 10"? Pretty random number.

[PlayAction]

Am I the only one wondering why the OP chose "top 7" versus "top 5" or "top 10"?

Yes, you are the only one......


Safety is a need after two top 5 picks and letting Ryan Clark go. Jeez. Merriweather and Tanard Jackson were supposed to be our starters but we got neither. We can't blame that on Haslett. Oldfan is right...we aren't trying to equalize offense and defense but get the talent mix that gives the team the best chance to win. I still think that means Defense over Offense assuming relatively equal player ranking. Whatever the Skins do I'm going to be a bit pissed if they can't field a competitive team in year 5.

[thesubmittedone]

I agree with this OP, but not because of the same reason. Only because we don't really need anything on defense except a game changing, roaming-center-field type of Safety (Sean Taylor's loss still hurts us). We have to whatever it takes next offseason to get that guy, be it through the draft or free agency. We all knew from the start what every good, aggressive, 3-4 is mainly composed of and that's a NT that can clog up the middle, OLBs who can pass rush and a Safety that can roam the field and make plays. The coaches all have said this from the start. Right now, we've got the NT (though we could improve a tad bit there, but it's not necessary we can win with Cofield), we have the OLBs (though our best one is hurt right now and we're suffering for it), but we have absolutely no one at Safety. We saw how good our defense looked at times early in 2010 when Laron Landry was playing at a high level and that was without a good NT and only one good OLB.

WE NEED NEED NEED A DOMINATING SAFETY. If we can get that guy, our defense will improve in a big way, even if the rest of the remaining pieces stay the same. We might not be elite on D, but we'll be ok. That's all our offense needs our D to be.

We can then spend most of our other resources upgrading the Offense by way of Oline and skill positions. Heck, I'd love to get a game changer at RB as well... Morris is awesome, but he'd be even better if he were the Michael Turner to someone's Ladanian Tomlinson if you know what I mean. Teams are already having headaches dealing with the duo of RG3 and Morris, and that's knowing Morris isn't a speed guy and will get big chucks of yards but not many home runs... imagine if they also had to worry about a guy like Adrian Peterson back there, my God.

[SWFLSkins]

I don't regard Garcon as a #1. I have him as a decent #2.

The goal is to make the greatest improvement in the team, not to equalize offense and defense.

Agreed, but QB production will affect WR production. Yeah we need a number one WR, but wouldn't you admit we need a number one corner more?

A top corner IMO would make a bigger improvement right now vs. a number one WR.

[KDawg]

3-4 is mainly composed of and that's a NT that can clog up the middle, OLBs who can pass rush and a Safety that can roam the field and make plays. The coaches all have said this from the start. Right now, we've got the NT (though we could improve a tad bit there, but it's not necessary we can win with Cofield), we have the OLBs (though our best one is hurt right now and we're suffering for it), but we have absolutely no one at Safety.

I totally disagree with you, brother. We need a free safety, for sure. But I'd actually say that we need a nose tackle more. Cofield has performed admirably, but he's very undersized to play that role in a 2-gap 3-4 system. He'd be a phenomenal fit at end, and he'd be allowed to play more of "his" game from that position. In fact, I think he'd be much more effective in that role. I think we need a proper nose more than anything if we stick with the 3-4.

[DogofWar1]

I'd go NT with our 2nd round pick and then BPA with the other picks, concentrating on defense, but mixing in a couple of offensive guys. In reality, I can see Allen maybe trading up with some of the picks, because I'm not so sure all 8 picks would make the team. 10 picks made the team the year before and then all the picks made the team this year. So I'm not sure if there's room on the roster for that many picks. You may see us leverage our way back into the 1st round if there is a player we really like.

---------- Post added November-2nd-2012 at 11:06 AM ----------

And some of you keep including Moss next year. I think this is his last year with the team and it wouldn't surprise me to see Robinson take over the slot next year.

I'd love to get a legit NT, but unless Meriweather pans out AND we make big moves in FA, safety has to be a priority. Our defense is going to see the biggest boosts from, in (my personal) order; better safeties, Orakpo and Kerrigan back, better CBs, and a better NT.

The Dline racked up a solid number of sacks last year for a group that isn't supposed to generate pressure (CCandB got 14.5 combined), so that grouping I could see being fine for a year. IMO, I'd like to see Jenkins bulk up and slide inside and see what we have there before we spend a 2nd (unless it's a 1st round talent NT that falls).

And yeah, Moss is due 4.15M base and 1.66M signing bonus. Way too high for his value. I love the guy, but something is going to change for next year.

[LetThePointsSoar]

To be fair...

There are only a handful of #1's in the NFL: Andre Johnson, Larry Fitzgerald, AJ Green, Calvin Johnson, Reggie Wayne and MAYBE Brandon Marshall.

Getting a #1 receiver would be a major luxury unless come draft time the BPA is a guy we think could be a #1 receiver, and it's not likely to happen in round 2.

What's always interesting to me as well, is when people seem to talk all the time about #1 receivers...how many on that list have a Super Bowl ring? Or have even come close for that matter? One. Reggie Wayne & that's it.

We don't NEED the #1 receiver to go deep into the playoffs, and frankly, it's a luxury we can't afford at this time.

[CGSKINS]

Eh...I think the biggest offensive hole is RT, and that's pretty much it.

What are the offensive positions and are they set for us?
QB: Set
RB: Morris as power/workhorse back, Helu as speed back (when healthy)
OL: Williams is set; Lich has earned another year; Monty has quietly been solid; Chester is iffy, but his heir apparent is probably on the roster already (LeRib, or Hurt); the only spot in desperate need of a shift is RT.
WR: Assuming we let Moss and Banks go, we'd have Garcon, Morgan, Hankerson, Briscoe, and Robinson. We'll add someone, but it'll probably be developmental depth, unless we decide to go all in for Bowe or something.
TE: Fred Davis is a solid #1, Paulson has been surprisingly competent as a #2, Paul is still developing.
FB: Young is solid.

The only major weak spot right now is RT, with the second weak spot probably being RG, but we've got developing options there.

We could see an upgrade from a big solid WR, but I think, in terms of W/L, the gains from focusing heavily on defense will far outweigh the gains from focusing on offense, so long as we still address RT.



At this point in their careers, I would probably rank Marshall ahead of Wayne, but that's an opinion thing.

Reggie Wayne is not a #1 WR anymore.

[Oldfan]

What's always interesting to me as well, is when people seem to talk all the time about #1 receivers...how many on that list have a Super Bowl ring? Or have even come close for that matter? One. Reggie Wayne & that's it.

We don't NEED the #1 receiver to go deep into the playoffs, and frankly, it's a luxury we can't afford at this time.

A legit #1 WR is never a luxury. That's like saying we don't need a #1 CB or a #1 LT or a #1 edge rusher.