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In a 3-4 both OLB dont rush together unless it's a blitz. This is why having a sometimes pass rusher in the middle like Clay Matthews makes more sense than two pass rushing OLB. Now if you can get a good pass rushing 3-4DE, like Hicks, that's something you can use on every down for pressure. But if you want another LB to rush the passer in a 3-4 there is no need for it to be from the OLB rather than ILB position.

I dont think Smith is better in coverage. Edmunds excels in coverage, and I have seen some very impressive film with extremely fluid hips running with WRs.

Edmunds has more upside than Smith, and since this si the first year of a new staff, and we have a new QB developing, the win now / sign peaking free agents model doesnt fit. We are building a team for a window that probably opens next year. We will be competitive this year, and maybe even go 9-7. But we've lived through too many decades of the quick fix 9-7 team that ages before it gets 10 wins to do this again. Pace has the discipline and the time to draft for ceilings, and Edmunds looks like he could be a transformative player.

not to mention that he will eat up the middle of the field on 3rd down. It'd be like having the best Lovie cover 2 when we went to that look, but we wouldnt be predictably in it all the time. I think Edmunds is a real chess piece.

Thanks so much for this. I love this board, and your efforts are greatly appreciated!

I dont see where Edmunds will be switching to OLB. I see him as a dominant, once in a lifetime ILB that will redefine the position in a similar way to the way Urlacher did in terms of eating up space, coverage etc It took Urlacher a couple years too. Truth is it takes pretty much every player a year or two to adjust to the NFL.

Id much rather have Edmunds than Smith

some good names on that list, I bet youll see some as Bears

I dont think the Bears are superbowl bound this year, so I think you take the player who will be most dominant in 2019 or 2020

is it the same one who knows everything, but somehow doesnt value ILB at all?

Im on the pace bandwagon for sure.

I agree. Unless he really has his eye on a pass rusher that we don't see, Edmunds would be a great chess piece. WHo knows, maybe he secretly like Roquon Smith better. Im loving the options and the not knowing. I have NO idea what Pace will do, but I bet I will be happy with the pick and he will improve the team. It's almost like... a real team with a real GM... WHAT?!?

totally. this is FUN!

Im looking forward to the team that Nagy builds. I hope we are ready to play football in week one, it seems a bit early.

Oh for sure, Im not saying he has accomplished everything that Anderson did, obviously NA has more yards. I'm saying that he is a better player in his first 2 seasons than Anderson was, and I think he is a better back. Whether he will have as long a career, who can say.

that was 2017...

Howard has a ton of heart and finishes every run. He's always falling forward. He also have great vision and power. He's the ideal compliment to Cohen. I think Howard is better than Neil Anderson was.

well by that definition sure, I just have been thinking of Edmunds as an ILB primarily. He's got Urlacher ability to run with receivers and shut down the middle of the field.

round 6, sure. I wouldnt have an issue with that.

Edmunds will be ILB

well said.

Yes for sure we need another OLB on this team, but Ashkum said doubling up on OLB, and I dont see two picks going there unless one guy is a long term developmental late round kind of guy who can contribute on special teams or something.

why doubling up on OLB? Floyd is certainly a long term solution, don't they just really need one? I see our needs as (in no particular order) EDGE, DE, OLB, ILB, WR, OG, OT We will get some good players at some of those positions, but we will still have holes filled by guys like Lynch, Jenkins, Kwitkowski, Kush, Fowler etc. Maybe one of them will step up, but more likely the team will be more complete in 2019. I believe there are enough pieces to grow this year, and possibly even sniff the playoffs.

I'm a no on Arden Key, Orlando Brown, Dex Bryant and Reuben Foster.

I'm certain that if you took the line we have now, and added Price, Jones and Brown, that Hiestand would be thrilled and the result, one way or another, OL would be a strength of the team. Even if one of them totally flamed out.