the 2006 Giants linebackers

[BigPete]

This is something like what I think the Giants should do for our linebackers

 

Lack of qualty depth was one of the key issues for our defense

 

 

Key Issues

 

Nick Greisen wants a starting role and money, it will be elsewhere.

 

Carlos Emmons will be released, due to injury history, age and cap number (either Emmons or Green is gone, Green is younger)

 

 

Barrett Green should be healthy, but his injury history will be a concern, as is his increased salary cap number. I think the Giants will be looking to draft his eventual replacement.

 

Reggie Torbor has progressed well, and should be a decent starter. But he has had some consistency issues, minor injury problems. He is also a restricted free agenct after 2006, while a decent chance of being back in 2007, like Greisen, there is no gurantee after that.

 

Depth behind Antonio Pierce was a problem, Chase Blackburn was adequate at best.

 

 

With reasonable starters at SLB and WLB, I don't think our solution is going to come through free agency (due to costs), luckily for us, the draft is absolutely loaded at LB. We can use free agency to address other key needs.

 

 

Draft Needs

 

1. we need a quality WLB to develop behind and compete with Barrett Green.

 

2. we need a decent SLB/MLB to develop behind and add competition with Reggie Torbor, and provide quality depth at MLB behind Pierce.

 

 

This is how I would approach the draft.

 

1st round: draft best WLB available

 

D'Qwell Jackson (Maryland) 6-0, 230

 

D'Qwell can play all three LB positions, but is best suited to WLB for us. He has a great tackler with very good athleticism, quickness and change of direction. He can sheds blocks well and is also has good pass rushing and coverage skills. D'Qwell has great instincts and top intangibles.

 

 

2nd round: if Donte Whitner, Babatunde Oshinowo and the LTs go early (there is a good chance they all do), draft the best player available at a need position, I think this is likely to be a LB. I know people will argue that a LB in the 1st and 2nd is not needed, but it sets up our linebackers as a strong unit for many years, also other needs such as CB, DT and S can be filled in later rounds.

 

 

Kai Parham (Virginia) 6-3, 250

 

Kai Parham is a strong, powerful LB, with excellent size, good athleticism and speed. Kai is an excellent tackler and big hitter, and is an excellent pass rusher and blitzer. Kai does have to improve his covergae skills, but he has the ability to do so. Kai has excellent intangibles and has leadership ability.

 

if not draft a quality LB in the 3rd round, such as

 

 

Gerris Wilkerson (Georgia Tech) 6-3, 235

 

Gerris can play all three LB positions. He has been moved around alot, he has played OLB, MLB and DE. Gerris is a great tackler and big hitter. He is a great blitzer and pass rusher. Gerris needs to improve his coverage skills, but has the tools to do so. Gerris has great instincts and good intangibles.

 

 

 

This gives us a very good LB corp with excellent depth and talent.

 

SLB: Reggie Torbor, Kai Parham/Gerris Wilkerson

 

MLB: Antonio Pierce, Chase Blackburn

 

WLB: Barrett Green, D'Qwell Jackson

 

 

 

what do you think?

 

How do you think we should address linebacker this offseason?

[lemmiwinks]

I Like torbor...he is only in his 3rd year and has no ware to go but up, I like the Idea of stocking the LB's... They seem to be the most Inj.

[relyoneli]

I also like Torbor, but he needs to improve in coverage. He has more long-term potential than Griesen. The Giants should let Griesen go.

[lemmiwinks]

I also like Torbor, but he needs to improve in coverage. He has more long-term potential than Griesen. The Giants should let Griesen go.

 

I think Griesen makes for a good back up, I would not want him as a starter

[relyoneli]

I think Griesen makes for a good back up, I would not want him as a starter

That's the problem. Greisen thinks he should start and wants starter's money. The Giants don't see it that way.

[lemmiwinks]

That's the problem. Greisen thinks he should start and wants starter's money. The Giants don't see it that way.

Most teams wont see him that way, by the time there done picking him apart he would be luck to get a 3rd string job...He is not a numbers guy (speed strength) hes a hard worker.....But I would like to keep him just as a back up

[HOUND]

I tend to agree that I'll be shocked if Greisen gets a rich deal elsewhere but to be honest we can get a guy with as much talent and better upside than Greisen for similar money in free agency. When Nick's healthy I like his effort as a reserve but the guy simply cannot stay healthy. Even if he were to accept backups money I still think we should at least explore other options. I said in Money's thread that a guy like Rocky Calmus on Indy, would be a better addition than keeping Greisen, and he'd likely cost about the same. He's had some injury issues of his own but I think he's a better player than Nick and he has yet to play his best ball. I think we've seen the best Greisen can put forward.

[relyoneli]

I tend to agree that I'll be shocked if Greisen gets a rich deal elsewhere but to be honest we can get a guy with as much talent and better upside than Greisen for similar money in free agency. When Nick's healthy I like his effort as a reserve but the guy simply cannot stay healthy. Even if he were to accept backups money I still think we should at least explore other options. I said in Money's thread that a guy like Rocky Calmus on Indy, would be a better addition than keeping Greisen, and he'd likely cost about the same. He's had some injury issues of his own but I think he's a better player than Nick and he has yet to play his best ball. I think we've seen the best Greisen can put forward.

I agree with you totally. We've seen the best of Griesen. He's a good backup, but not good enough to be an effective starter. The only thing he really has going for him here is the fact that he knows the Giants defensive system.

[Will Peterson]

Giants can get a LB and make him versatile just like Nick Greisen. Remember, he lost the MLB job to Kevin lewis and later on instead of playing Wesly Mallard after Barrett Green got hurt, they just had Greisen learn the WLB position and he did well. Then in this past Training Camp they had him learn ANOTHER LB position, SLB. And during the pre-season the Giants had Carlos Emmons learn the WLB position. Not to take anything away from Greisen who is a very hard worker and a steal (5th Round Pick in 02), but I feel the Giants can have several players able to play more than one LB position. Just My Opinion.

[xxi-xxv]

Griesen and either Green and Or Emmons will not be back. My money is on Emmons as his age and salary cap savings will dictate his release. In that event as of now its Torbor, Pierce, Green. My guess is the Giants sign a guy like Ben Leber(credit to Money) or some other middle of the road LB, who can be versatile at the Will and Mike spot. They then draft a LB and bring back Blackburn as well. In that scenario you would have Green, Pierce, Leber, Torbor, rookie, Blackburn.

 

I do not think Julian Peterson is a possibility unless he structures a deal that is cap friendly for 06, and with NO CBA in place thats a hard thing to ask a guy to do. I am not sure I want Peterson anyway coming off the injury he had and the lesser of a year he had in 05 due to that fact. With a draft as deep at LB as this one is we can get some needed LB help for the future and plug in some spots through FA as needed.

[Money]

I would stay away from Peterson if for no ther reason that he didn't look to be same player last year after returning from a torn achilles.

 

I think the Giants can easily replace Greisen with other versatile free agent LBs: Ben Taylor, Bart Scott, Ben Leber, and Rocky Boiman. Thus, I'm glad they won't overpay Greisen when cheaper alternatives of comparable value will be within reach.

[uconngiants]

I would love to land D'Qwell Jackson (sp??) he is very versitle and def add depth...

 

also i would like to resign griesen

 

Pierce

Green

Torbor

Jackson

Griensen

 

(Emmons will prob be gone)

 

not a bad 5 compared to this years

[Pizan]

As deep as this draft is in LB, I dont think we need to go with two on the first day. I certainly dont mind one in the first, especially if its Jackson. I like Parham but with other needs to address we shouldnt go this route.

 

I dont want Greisen back. (just going on record)

[gateb]

I think we should sign a decent LB in FA that can come cheaply and has an upside (Ben Leber maybe?) and then spend a second-fourth round pick on a LB in the draft depending on how FA goes

[BigPete]

Greisen is all but gone.

 

Peronally, I think the core of Torbor, Pierce and Greisen is ok

 

I don't think we need a free agent. I like Ben Leber, but he is going to want to start.

 

I think quality LBs in the draft is the best way to stock up our LB corps. We may not need two day 1 LBs, but I think the 2nd LB at some point will be the best player available

 

It also ensures that our LBs will be a quality unit for several years.

Edited February 25, 2006 by BigPete