Brodrick Bunkley

[BigA3723]

I never looked up Bunkleys PFF grades yet, but wow, that is a really good score. He looks pretty scary in that pic! Looks like someone you don't want to mess around with, can't wait to see him attacking offenses, especially Division opponents that have gotten used to playing against weak DT and DE.

[Nevimeister]

Pro Football Focus Top 101 players of 2011:

69. Brodrick Bunkley, DT, Denver Broncos

There wasn’t a player in the league like Bunkley last year. He may as well have had his position renamed ‘destroyer’ because it seemed he was sent out on the field simply to dismantle the center across from him; so good was he the Patriots essentially schemed to get him off the field. The reason Bunkley is relatively low down on this list is because he was purely an early down player that only got on the field for 485 snaps in the regular season. That, however, didn’t stop him from picking up a +28.4 run defense grade. Top of the tree among defensive tackles.

Best Performance: Week 11 versus New York Jets (+6.5)

Key Stat: 11.3% of all run plays he was on the field for ended up with him making a defensive stop. Highest of all defensive tackles.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blo...2011-70-to-61/

[B_doggman47]

I believe Bunkley is going to be the key to how good our front 4 will be this season. I wish we could ahve also resigned Rogers too. I know the Saints offered him a contract, but he decided to sign elsewhere. That would be one hell of a rotation with Bunkley, Rogers and Hicks. Lets not forget you throw in Swanson Miller. On the other side you have Ellis, Tom Johnson

[Boondock]

Players like Bunkley can dominate a game! If a team can control the line of scrimmage that team dictates the game. A "proper" NT is probably the second most needed defensive position that we lack after an elite pass-rusher. We're making some promising strides!

[bornnraisedwhodat]

It is funny how he is rarely talkwd about.

[Marlboro Man]

Actually, I've been very impressed with what we've done this offseason. To be able to get Bunkley, the #1 rated NT, Curtis Lofton, a young dominate MLB, who has given us problems twice a year for the last 4 years, not to mention weakening a division rival in the process, then picking up Hawthorn and another young promising LB, along with re-signing Colston was a major accomplishment. The new additions to our D along with Spags has me excited about our D this coming season. I can't wait to see this D in action.

[ShoelessTroy]

Well it looks like teams will be forced to "Out Pass" us....Good luck with that

[Le_Moyne]

I'm pretty optimistic about Bunkley but I'll wait and see before I get too excited. I remember last year how everyone thought that Rogers was going to dominate and solve our pass rushing problems just because PFF gave a him a good pass rushing rating (and we saw this article posted over and over during the offseason).

[guidomerkinsrules]

Originally Posted by DEDE504

We were one of the best inside run stopping teams with him.

this is what i was thinking reading the OP
i enjoyed reading the bunkley stuff, but the run game up the gut wasn't our problem last year (or the year before)
from what i remember the biggest run problem was the rb drifting wide then cutting back and burning the LBs who were over pursuing

last year people were faulting both franklin and rogers for not getting enough sacks/collapsing the pocket, even though it seemed that that's not what they were brought in to do - the were brought in to clog the middle and that's what they did

the question now will be the point brought up in the **** FF talk
if bunkley draws double teams it frees up our (much quicker than last year) DEs & LBs - this could be a very good thing

[Klenzade]

Our defense is going to improve. I know the overall feeling is somber right now, but when Brees signs and things start moving, this locomotive is going to win the Super Bowl next February.

[J.A.]

Aubrayo Franklin was the best run stopping dt when we signed him last year as well

[Klenzade]

Originally Posted by J.A.

Aubrayo Franklin was the best run stopping dt when we signed him last year as well

And he was good at what he did. If you look at the stats, running up the middle was more difficult last year than the previous. Our scheme left us vulnerable in other areas because of blitzing, confusion, et al.

[J.A.]

Originally Posted by Klenzade

And he was good at what he did. If you look at the stats, running up the middle was more difficult last year than the previous. Our scheme left us vulnerable in other areas because of blitzing, confusion, et al.

Well we would have reupped aubrayo for less than bunkley right

[kewinn89]

Originally Posted by SaintsJunkie

sounds good, also like Hicks learning from bunkley, but it usually takes a year to learn a new defense, look at the eagles, but we do have very smart players , so we might pick it up faster

Bunkley was in a new defense last year as well

[Professor]

Sounds like the best DT nobody's ever heard of. This will make the defense MUCH better, especially against the run, where the Saints have struggled at times the past couple of years.