That rating is atrocious. It doesnt at all account for the fact that our DL was asked to play gaps not pass rush the past two years. Theyre basing it off of stats like sack totals. This is a top 10 unit both in terms of depth and quality.

Langford/McDaniel-Starks/Soliai/eventually Ferguson-Odrick/Merling...its at least 2 deep at every position. Theyre powerful, loaded with upside and going to be stout vs the run at a minimum.

Yahoo needs to stick to hosting fantasy sports...

 

they seem to be putting Merling higher on the playmaking list than Langford. Says it all right there.

 

I agree with you on that. We have more playmakers on this line that they realize. They will see it for themselves on game day!!

 

That came off as a very uninformed piece of writing. Our best two DEs were Starks and Langford. PFF rated Starks as the second best 3-4 DE in the league last year and they weren't the only ones who noticed as I heard Starks getting some kudos as the pro bowl votes were being cast. Langford was rated as the 7th best 3-4 DE and at a minimum will not be a reserve to Merling as the article implied. Those two were very solid starters and arguably a top 5 duo. In fact, there were only 4 other teams with at least two DEs rated among the top 15 on PFF (Merling was rated 15th).

Our NT play was a bit weak. IMO Fergy was among the bottom half of the starters in the league.

I thought Starks was just as effective last year when he moved inside as he was outside (maybe even more so). Soliai should continue to develop and at worst be a capable back-up until Fergy returns. And I think Langford, Merling and Odrick be the primary rotation at DE. IMO I would rate our D-line no lower than top 15 and I don't think it would be out of the question to rank them as high as 10th.

 

Based on statistics they have hit the nail on the head. We have a horrible line until proven otherwise.

 

Our line has proven otherwise. It's a young, athletic, deep and talented defensive line that features two of the best 3-4 defensive ends in the league.

 

No love for Langford?

 

Please explain...

I honestly was not impressed at all last year by our line.

 

I didn't consider that proof. I consider a huge lack in stopping the run on a consistant basis and the lack of pressure from the line proof.

 

lets just say the whole defense has a lot to prove..., I thought they were a bad unit last year, disgraceful at times....we got new blood so only seeing them play are we gonna know, projection is futile at this point..langford needs to make more plays, and Merling needs to go to hell and back...

our hope is that Misi and Odrick are the first ever teammates that become co def.rookies of the year.

 

Rafeals post proved you wrong. Merling, Starks, and Langford were in the top 15. Starks was number 2 and Langford was number 7. And now we have a first round pick invested into our unit.

As far as the run game, it was a top 5 unit. Then, our starting NT suffered an injury which sidelined him for the season.

 

The defensive line has nothing to prove, though. Like Dupree said, our linebackers were the problem, not our line. It's a top 10 unit.

 

I think the hiring of Nolan will have a dramatic effect on where our D-Line ends up being ranked after this season, so all this is quite meaningless to me.

Enjoyed the intel and read though, thanks for the link.

 

Starks as a fulltime Nose, i think he has to prove he can hold the middle of the defense without wearing down during the game from double teams..

Merling...an inconsistent player who does not take care of his body like a pro athlete should..

Langford..not sure if his steady play last year was a good sign that he battled thru his 2nd season without having a sophmore slump, or it was indicative of his lack of playmaking ability..

Odrick...making a position change to play in space...

now don't get me wrong, I think they will be a better unit then last year, just because of the huge jump we took in improving the athleticism in the front 7....

I just can't convince myself to call them a top 10 unit at this point...

 

top 20?...ok.

 

how is langford a reserve?

 

Why does Yahoo even do these ratings? I use yahoo for one reason...email.

That is why I can't take Yahoosports seriously.

 

I don't see how you can put Chicago that high, even with Julius Peppers. Peppers is lazy and always has been. Atlanta too? Tampa? I don't know about SF that high. KC? Jacksonville? Oakland? St. Louis?

 

I do, email and fantasy football, there information is off the wall though.

I doubt anyone has considered that Randy Starks got into trouble during the offseason of 09, and played at a pro bowl level, perhaps Merling got himself in hot water and could/maybe/will respond in the same manner?

 

blood in the water will change their thinking, 2010 will be an orca feeding frenzy on both sides of the ball

 

You are back on you game in living color Bro.

I suspect, but do not 'know' that we will see far more 4 man Dline Fronts than anyone can say right now..imho.

 

Starter from day one
Langford does his job

 

I'm thinking of trying Yahoo fantasy football, when do people usually start drafting?

 

InFlames has a league starting up in August.

 

Starks and Langford combined for:
70 tackles
66 stops
30 qb pressures
14 qb hits
7 sacks
These are the best combined stats among 3/4 DE tandems in the league, and we get 26? Seriously?

Obviously another fanboy article with no clue about teams outside of his team's division.

 

Well when they have the Redskins #9 and all they do is talk about Haynesworth (he of 37 tackles and 4 sacks last year), you know the list is ****.

 

Hey Jason Cole can rank the Dolphins DL wherever he wants to rank them, he's not ever been a guy whose football opinion matters to me unless it's based on access that I don't have. But when he says...

...and you know he hasn't just up and forgotten about Randy Starks' existence, then that is proof positive that Cole is speaking out of ignorance and not just a misguided opinion.

 

I think I can Deej, in both the base 3-4 and the nickel 4-3, Wake/Starks/Odrick/Merling will be a top flight nickel rush line.

In base, we are moving away from Read+React and towards a stunting, slanting, penetrating Dline which plays to the Dline's strengths.

Cole is trippin', Starks, Merling, Langford all finished in the Top 20 per PFF.