How Courtney Upshaw compares to Lamar Woodley

[Boulderraven]

I dont see Upshaw as a 15+ sack guy. However, I do think he can contribute 6-8 sacks a year and 60+ tackles and maybe 10-20 tackles for loss.

If Kruger starts opposite of Suggs, I could see Kruger contributing more sacks, but less tackles for loss.

Nobody saw Dumerville or Jared Allen as big sack guys either, you never know.

[wickedsolo]

Well, my point was that Upshaw doesn't need to be a double-digit sack guy to help this defense. The goal between Kruger, Upshaw, & Kindle (if he makes the team) should be to provide enough pass rush to give Suggs & Ngata favorable match ups.

[kronusthebonus]

How do you feel about LeRon McClain

You're saying Lay'Ron wasn't above average?

[leachisabeast]

JJ was an elite run defender in the league for years, but I honestly think Upshaw is going to beat out Kruger and be an upgrade over JJ, yes even in his rookie season. This may seem a little hopefull, but Ngata and Suggs are the two guys that offensive linemen spend the whole week figuring out how to block, now they are going to have to find a way to block Upshaw too.

[TheJoeFlaccoShow]

To start out I would guess Upshaw would be in there on early/running downs and Kruger will come in for obvious passing down and distances where he excelled last year.

It will be Upshaw's job to try to keep Kruger on the bench and turn into that 3 down player eventually, but not right away. Between Kruger and Upshaw I don't think 15 sacks is out of the question. Even if they only got 12 it would represent a 50% increase from that position last year.

Even in their best year a Woodley/Harrison combo racked up 23.5 combined in 2009, I think between Suggs and Upshaw they could hit that number easily when Upshaw gets up to speed.

As Wicked stated we don't need Upshaw to be a 15 sack guy, that just isn't realistic. If he could give us 10 a year that would be about the top of his range, with Suggs on the other side getting 12 or so we would have all the production in that area we need.

I will say that the more I think about it we have a LOT of pass rushers now and are very deep at that position. If Kindle can get his act together and McAdoo can somehow eat everything in sight to fill out we could have waves of pass rushers coming in and fresh all the time. The last two are long shots but even without them we have 4 guys who could get 35 sacks between them in Suggs, Upshaw, Kruger and McPhee.

[wickedsolo]

To start out I would guess Upshaw would be in there on early/running downs and Kruger will come in for obvious passing down and distances where he excelled last year.

It will be Upshaw's job to try to keep Kruger on the bench and turn into that 3 down player eventually, but not right away. Between Kruger and Upshaw I don't think 15 sacks is out of the question. Even if they only got 12 it would represent a 50% increase from that position last year.

Even in their best year a Woodley/Harrison combo racked up 23.5 combined in 2009, I think between Suggs and Upshaw they could hit that number easily when Upshaw gets up to speed.

As Wicked stated we don't need Upshaw to be a 15 sack guy, that just isn't realistic. If he could give us 10 a year that would be about the top of his range, with Suggs on the other side getting 12 or so we would have all the production in that area we need.

I will say that the more I think about it we have a LOT of pass rushers now and are very deep at that position. If Kindle can get his act together and McAdoo can somehow eat everything in sight to fill out we could have waves of pass rushers coming in and fresh all the time. The last two are long shots but even without them we have 4 guys who could get 35 sacks between them in Suggs, Upshaw, Kruger and McPhee.

I agree and that's not even including what Ngata, Art Jones, and probably a few sacks here and there for Webb, Jimmy, Pollard, Reed, etc. Hell, maybe Mt. Cody gets a sack or two this season.

[TheJoeFlaccoShow]

I agree and that's not even including what Ngata, Art Jones, and probably a few sacks here and there for Webb, Jimmy, Pollard, Reed, etc. Hell, maybe Mt. Cody gets a sack or two this season.

Lots of pass rushers + 3 good corners who can match up with pretty much anyone = nightmares for opposing offenses.

Not to mention Dline and safeties, two units I would put up against anyone in the league.

Locked and loaded.

[JAB1985]

JJ was an elite run defender in the league for years, but I honestly think Upshaw is going to beat out Kruger and be an upgrade over JJ, yes even in his rookie season. This may seem a little hopefull, but Ngata and Suggs are the two guys that offensive linemen spend the whole week figuring out how to block, now they are going to have to find a way to block Upshaw too.

Its fine to feel that way, i just dont agree. JJ was probably one of the best against the run in football and now a rookie comes in and is better than him from day 1? Maybe Im over valuing JJ as I feel you are upshaw, but i think thats a big pair of shoes to fill in that particular area. The only reason I wasnt in love with the pick is because it seemed a little high to draft a two down player, typically you want your top pick to be more than that (pass rusher being the one exception in todays nfl), which you seem to agree he'll more than likely at best start out as a two down player. Im just going to keep my expectations low until he proves what he can do on the field. I didnt have high expectations for McPhee and was pleasantly surprised, I did have high expectations for Smith and was left about par for the course. hopefully Upshaw does turn into a pass rushing beast and gets double digit sacks, i just dont necessarily see him doing it, especially not his first year.

[NJRaven]

thought this was a great quote on pass rushers w/ short arms:

Charger GM AJ Smith on newly drafted Melvin Ingram: "I think Melvin will have the same problem Tyrannosaurus Rex had millions of years ago."

[GOTA]

You're saying Lay'Ron wasn't above average?

He didn't make it to a second contract here and had to take league minimum elsewhere. Above average players get paid in this league