DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2017 NFL Season 2017 NFL Draft FRONT FOUR!!!

I think its too early to write Cooper off.
He was a player without a position in a base 34 defense.
In a 43 he's a natural 3-tech DT and with Paea leaving there's more reps to be had.

I know this is going to sound negative, but I will wait to see how our new draft picks play before saying they will help our D-line.

I've seen this movie too many times.

That's why I like the veteran presence of a guy like Bryant. If he can still play well a starting rotation of Garrett, Bryant, Shelton and Ogbah, on paper is the best front we could put out there.

I agree.

Cooper seems over matched at this level. Even at WSU he wasn't a dominant player
He got by on a decent quick 1st step in college but he is easily singled blocked at this level
He has a very little punch and less leverage to boot.

Orchard was a fish out of water @ OLB, but for now I think that he could be that 4th DE, but he will need to show that he belongs over the rest of the pack of hopefuls.

Bryant was good - how he plays, I think he can perform post injury at a similar level. I hope they keep him in the mix ( hopefully sashi bends to the Harvard connection and does right by a veteran player )

where did Paea go? Dallas? He had some nice plays for us IIRC

Yeah he left saying something like "cant wait to play REAL defensive football" haha.

j/c

Any thoughts as to D Bryant playing some at DE?

I think he can do it. I believe he played both DE and DT when he was with the Raiders and they ran a 43 Base. I don't think they'd put him there based on Garrett and Ogbah penciled in to start. Don't think it would make a lot of sense keeping him with Nassib, Orchard, Holmes and/or Cam Johnson as younger/cheaper/adequate backups. I think he need to make the roster as a 3T, then maybe is rotate if injuries arise.

Still think the odds are against him sticking around.

I don't think missing 1, 2, or even 4 games in a season is any kind of red flag. A nagging, minor injury doesn't alarm anyone that I know of.

But an entire season on the other hand certainly does.

Not saying I agree or disagree with the thought process, but I'd say the future of Bryant rests more with where they think the puzzle pieces fit a couple of years from now, not this coming year.

If Brantley ends up facing legal issues and getting released, I believe Bryant makes the team.

If Brantley is cleared, barring major injury to someone else, I think Bryant is likely gone. If Barnidge doesn't pass their decision lens, then Bryant likely doesn't either.

I don't think you can compare Bryant & Barnidge. I think Barnidge was Performance & cost basis release more so than age, although I think that did play into it. If Bryant shows high performance I think he might stick, however if he looks avg. then one of the rookies take his place.

What's the thought process? I think he'd be a liability and I'm probably the most pro-des poster on here.

My 2 cents...

I think many of you are being way to restrictive. You pigeon holed players in a simple base 4-3 defense. I think we will see situational football using key players Garrett, Collins, Shelton, and Kirksey.

As an example, lining Nassib next to Collins and Ogbah next to Garrett will make it difficult on offensive tackles. My favorite play Garrett, Bryant/Brantley, Shelton, and Ogbah on the line. Use Collins and Kirksey as MLBs with Kindred and Peppers at OLB. Play Powell single high safety with Taylor and Haden at the corners. Tell me where pressure is coming?

Individually I agree we look a little weak. Key here is match ups and rotation. I think we will see a lot more combinations than a simple 4-3. Hopefully we seen the end of hiring a new free agent to start every time someone gets hurt.

Just my two cents...

Bryant when on the field, always looks and plays like our best lineman...he pushes and flashes more than anyone consistently...However the guy is always injured or dinged up...I mean always

I saw nothing exciting of Cooper the year he was drafted...I know alot of people pimped him...I wanted nothing of him...He does play with solid quickness sometimes at the snap...but wastes that quickness to get taken out of the play often...Seemed to get a little puffy. If the light doesn't come on this year...he'll be gone.

Meder has a really nice motor and is always trying...I like him as a wave guy in our rotation...He just gets neutralized too often to be a starter

Brantley I can't go by much...He is one I would steer away from drafting in round 2 as that was his predicted round...Guy never played alot of snaps, and when in the game had horrible effort and his motor would just quit mid play...However legal trouble and bad tendencies led to him falling to us in round 6...may be only ever a rotation guy even if he steers clear of trouble...

THAT being said Desmond Bryant is our best shot...then again he's also likely to be injured or placed on IR at some point sadly.

You make a good point there. We will be in a 4-3 base but I'm guessing we will see a lot of different looks.

The guys who make the roster will have to have some flexibility or simply be the best at their projected position. ie. Shelton doesn't have to be flexible because he's our best NT as an example.

So...if Cooper is just a 3T and Des can be a 3T and play a little like a DE in certain sets, then Des has the upper hand. If Brantley can play 3T and backup the NT, he has an upper hand.

We have (4) guys who CAN play the 3T...if one of those guys can't help anywhere else on the line, he better be the best 3T we've got or he doesn't fit. (Peen basically said that same thing above.)

Going to have to agree with most of this post. Especially about Cooper. Definitely has a violent and explosive burst, but from there it hasn't seem to get him far. Cooper is on the bubble IMO.

j/c,
I don't get all the love for a player (Cooper), what has he done to warrent such optimism?

...show what some random person on the internet made up on their own.
There are no REAL depth charts as of yet.



As for Cooper, he's an under-the-radar hustle guy. When your team is as devoid of talent as we have been for so long, the hustle guys that keep their heads down and just work become popular.


"Hard Work will win when Talent doesn't want to Work"

Well, now we have Talent that does want to Work.... which means that some of the less talented guys, though they may hustle, will be looking for work.

I could state that Bryant was a better 3t with the Raiders, yet was still the best DL and 5t on the team before his injury and I would be speaking the truth.

If you are going to give Cooper the benefit of the doubt for being in the wrong defense, then I think that one must give credit in the same regard to Bryant who was productive under the same circumstance.