@wpb-dawg-fan said:

1. He made a name for himself last year so was being keyed on...to be expected and he should have done well anyway...but it is the truth.

2. NO PRESSURE from the opposite side. Peek went down at the end of pre-season and we were left with old man McGinest, raw rookie Hall, and Orr on the other side. This meant teams didn't need to account for that side...and were able to put TE's and RB's on Wimbley to chip him...in addition to him going against the LT of every offense.

3. R.Smith went down...effectively forcing us to play a DT at the R DE position (S.Smith) and when not that...then either a 2nd year journeyman (Thomas). Niether of these guys required the LT to be blocked or have the mobility to hold the edge...so Wimbley was not only shedding the LT...but having to play more controlled or allow big gashing runs to the edges.

4. Our poor slot play forced Wimbley to fall back into coverage more often than he did last year.

All these things conspired to reduce Wimbley's pass rush. Personally, I have seen growth in Wimbley's coverage skills and contain skills...so when he gets the inside and opposite side help next year...he is probably set for a monster year.

Besides which...you don't trade a guy when you don't have depth behind it (see Bohden).

I agree with the general idea here, he surely wasn't done any favors by the things surrounding him other than 92.

Although, despite all of his disadvantages, the guy has absolutely no bull rush. No intensity, no strength, no bull rush. He wasn't getting chipped on all THAT much this season - he had a lot of oppurtunities in one-on-one situations. He's been scouted and offensive lineman know how to play him. He's a one trick pony, just like many of us think DA is. He's just about reached his max.

He's going to have to develop something that he doesn't currently have, leg drive/intensity/bull rush. As 3-4 outside linebackers go, he needs to learn a TON from James Harrison about intensity/strength/bullrushing. He doesn't need to develop "more moves," he needs to develop power.

@hammertime said:

like WPB said, who do we have that's better? if we trade him and get even a 4th, that's not really gonna be a guy who can step in immediately. i don't see how this benefits us at all. i know you're frustrated with him, but trading him when we've got no one to step in is not the answer.

1. He made a name for himself last year so was being keyed on...to be expected and he should have done well anyway...but it is the truth.

2. NO PRESSURE from the opposite side. Peek went down at the end of pre-season and we were left with old man McGinest, raw rookie Hall, and Orr on the other side. This meant teams didn't need to account for that side...and were able to put TE's and RB's on Wimbley to chip him...in addition to him going against the LT of every offense.

3. R.Smith went down...effectively forcing us to play a DT at the R DE position (S.Smith) and when not that...then either a 2nd year journeyman (Thomas). Niether of these guys required the LT to be blocked or have the mobility to hold the edge...so Wimbley was not only shedding the LT...but having to play more controlled or allow big gashing runs to the edges.

4. Our poor slot play forced Wimbley to fall back into coverage more often than he did last year.

All these things conspired to reduce Wimbley's pass rush. Personally, I have seen growth in Wimbley's coverage skills and contain skills...so when he gets the inside and opposite side help next year...he is probably set for a monster year.

Besides which...you don't trade a guy when you don't have depth behind it (see Bohden).

@jewdago said:

I don't know, seems like a poor reason to play him. Can his contract be redone?

@hammertime said:

it's not that he's untouchable, it's that we're unlikely to receive just compensation if we trade him. therefore, it's unlikely we unload him.

@jewdago said:

he's not as bad as we think he is. he has some talent, just needs to be put in the right place to succeed.

Is Wimbley untouchable? You think he skates through this mess unscathed.

he's not as bad as we think he is. he has some talent, just needs to be put in the right place to succeed.

@hammertime said:

if we're looking to stockpile picks, how about trading Wimbley to the Dolphins for Ricky Williams... and forwarding Ricky to the Saints for all their draft picks in this year's draft AND their #1 next year...

ooooops... Ditka completed rehab.