http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/...ns-charles-grant-0809-20100808,0,744825.story Some do not like this signing, I happen to like bringing C Grant into the mix simply because to me, thephins needed a proven passrusher who can take advantage of the attention that Starks and Wake will draw. And I happen to think Starks and Grant would be a nice tandem on Nolan's oddball fronts, as well as nickel DE across from Wake, if Grant has anything in the tank, and Starks is the NT, if he needs a blow on passrushing downs I like the idea of Grant playing DT next to Wake as his size/speed combination should be able to take advantage of all of the attention Wake will draw as "the man" now that Taylor and Porter are gone.
I could possibly buy that Grant matched up on an Offensive Guard (emphasis on 'offensive') could be an effective pass rusher, but I'd have to see it for myself and that's what preseason is for. Any play he's matched on a Tackle at this level is pretty much a wasted play IMO. Tony Sparano commented about him because he was specifically asked, if you listen to the press conference. And his tone wasn't exactly excited, not like Nolan Carroll. Something tells me that when thinking of Charles Grant's work in that scrimmage, he was more thinking of the foul-ups of the guys that let him through the gates. This interior offensive line pressure is reaching a critical mass. We've been hearing about it all camp. I notice that Nate Garner took some snaps with the first string at Left Guard during the scrimmage. I don't think this is a coincidence. He was, as I recall, the best pass protector from among the guards we tried out last year, and I believe that probably still holds this year with Richie Incognito and John Jerry here. The downside is he just wasn't very dominant in his run blocks. But at this point you may need that trade off because you need to be able to trust someone in there.
I like the Grant move for a few simple reasons. He's experienced and he's had some success in the league before. I think by the end of the year he could be a guy with 3-5 sacks and a few important tackles.
Fair enough, I do agree that Grant looked slow around the edge last yr, and had little power to his game. Move him up the food chain and see what he can do against the #1's and #2's, I suspect Grant is fully healthy this season, and focused, let's face it he was involved in a situation where a pregnant woman and her child were killed. It's not like one can just shake that off in a couple of days, it wasn't his actions that led to those deaths, and he was stabbed in the neck for his trouble, along with the Starcaps deal, Grant had to much off the field major stuff going on to really focus on his job imho. Agreed, I know Sparano likes mixing up the Olines' #1's #2's and #3's, but he really should stop with the tinkering and let the unit gel. That and how Sparano supposes he can get a read on who on the defense is flashing in such a situation is beyond me, Grant is a good example he beat Jerry and Incognito (who is regularly beaten from what I've noticed) but what does that really mean for the defense? Grant should be beating the #2's and #3's, but those change every couple of days..how does he know that his "best" are being beaten when he hasn't decided who his "best" 3 interior Olinemen are?
I always saw Charles Grant as purely a run-stopping DE. He's always been a big guy who's not very fast. We'll see I suppose.
C'mon Pads. Sparano and Gug's haven't earned the benefit of the doubt these last couple years? It's only been one week of camp, way too early too start worrying. Now if we're into the 2nd or 3rd preseason game and they haven't settled on a 5 man unit, then we can start wondering what's up. I still think they're just putting Jerry thru the paces and trying different options at LG just in case they decide to go with the rook. My guess is Incognito and Thomas will start, with Jerry being brought along and perhaps taking a spot later in the year. Either way, its too early to start second guessing. If these guys know anything, its how to build an OL.
Well, Gugs has been here one yr, and this is yr #3 and the Guard situation is not even close to be resolved. I'm going to be real honest and say, imho Incognito is a back up at best. Love the mean streak, just think he maybe his movement is too glacial for what they need out of that G spot. We have two great run blocking Guards, two great pass blocking guards, but no complete package at Guard. It is also my view that Sparano tinkering with the Oline is a part of the reason for the slow starts the past two seasons.
To be fair, we've had injury problems at guard, and Jake Grove's annual two week vacation happened to coincide with said injuries. The jury is definitely out on DeGuglielmo, though. Still in his favor is the fact that he isn't Mike Maser.
Agree on all of the above. Especially the bold. Just re-watched the Texans game from last season too, and even late in the season his over-tinkering with switching personnel often caused confusion and problems. Sparano overdoes the personnel thing. Heck, even he said it helped cost us the Saints game. Regarding Grant, is having him in the mix going to help us potentially rest Starks a bit on 3rd down? ... maybe rotating McDaniels and Grant in as the DT's on some nickel/dime? I love Starks but worry he will wear out trying to play NT, nickel DT and dime DT. Yesterday's Omar Kelly scrimmage observation: Starks is great at pass rushing, but he is our ONLY decent NT imo. Rewatched last season's games this mnth and Soliai only plays well about 20% of the time. The rest of the time he is sluggish, buries his head into linemen, has no arm extension and therefore never sees the ballcarriers. They run through his holes too often. He ain't good. If Soliai is on the field a lot, we suffer, imo. If Starks gets a high NT workload, he'll wear out and suck at nickel/dime pass rush and in 4th quarters (or worse, get injured). I'm hoping Grant and McDaniels can take a lot of the passing downs snaps, as a result. Can't lose your NT or have him play fatigued.
Don't read too much into that. What he didn't bother connecting to his comment about Starks getting winded is that the entire scrimmage was canceled about three-fourths of the way through due to the heat wearing everyone down. The scrimmage was supposed to be about 110 snaps but wound up being about 70-75, IIRC. Starks may very well wear down, but I wouldn't make that claim based on a canceled scrimmage. Speaking of wear and tear, the entire team had a day off, I'd imagine in part due to the need to rest up.
Eventually, he has to stop that and settle on a starting lineup. That is what my thought is, especially for Nolan's 2-4-5, you need DT's who can penetrate. And he can play nickel DE, 5 technique DE, Grant can play either DE slot, along with 3 different techniques. Brutal heat Bpk, everyone wore down. We'll see, Soliai knows resigning Ferg put him on the bubble, he came into camp 15 pds under weight. McD is a bit too tall for NT, Grant could...maybe...Nolan wants a penetrating NT more so than the traditional tree stump NT, Ryan Baker is also an option if Soliai flames out. Keep in mind Bpk, Soliai is having his best camp in his career, and he fits the planetary theory, may as well see what he can do in the preseason.
I can't see anything wrong with bringing Grant in here, he has a veteran presence and we didn't have to cut someone to bring him in. Whether he stays will depend on the progression of the rest of the DL and injury's heaven forbid. Grant is a solid run stopper and may put up a decent pass rush if placed in the right position for his skill set. He's also a decent mentor at his age & NFL experience I would think.
So far the vote of confidence they've given him has been to sign him to a heavily incentive-based contract based on what he did some years ago, and promptly stick him on the 3rd string where he wasn't impressing onlookers at training camp until this one scrimmage where his 3rd string matchups provided him 3 scrimmage sacks. Then Tony Sparano had to be specifically asked about him to provide some praise and that praise, if you listen to it, didn't sound overly enthusiastic. He hasn't been bumped up to 2nd or 1st team on nickel or base yet that we know of, so we'll see if that happens. I'm just laying that out there because I see some "don't they deserve the benefit of the doubt?" type sentiment, and while yes they do deserve the benefit of the doubt to some degree, the benefit of the doubt we award them should only match the commitment level they've shown that particular player (e.g. Chris Clemons). In Grant's case, they've not shown a whole lot yet. We'll see. I could perhaps buy that he's showing some kind of pass rush that was not at all evident in 2009, now that he's going against 3rd string guards. And I could maybe even buy that he's more in shape and healthier than he was in 2009 and he might show that pass rush against 1st string guards in 2010...but I'm going to have to see a lot in preseason first.
gave up trying to second guess the guard situation plenty of talent & depth & elite coaching to accompany an elite front line the Orca is a formidable force to contend with in 2010 however it will finally be configured @ guard
