Inside the trenches: How Sheldon Rankins is adding value to the Saints defensive line [Film Study]

RevDeuceWindham said

That would be taking some of your best players off the field though (Okafor/Davenport/Onyemata) and putting more of a burden on your LBs. I don't think that's a good idea. It's good for dime situations though. (they actually use Rankins as the 0 there)

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Completely agree there. Adding LBs to the field is NOT a winning strategy.

I’d like to get your opinion on Davison. I think the biggest concern about Rankins is that he has an even more bland player next to him, in Davison. Rankins is NOT a game-changing talent that can beat double teams, so the Saints really could use more help next to him to divert attention away from him. It just feels that the Saints RARELY get any push from the inside. Cam Jordan frequently applies pressure from the outside and there is absolutely nobody to clean it up. With as good as Jordan is...you’d assume that the other guys would at least occasionally luck into sacks, but it rarely happens. I think that reinforces just how mediocre the rest of the DL is. I do think that Davenport has potential...but boy the rest of the line just looks like a bunch of solid fringe starter types. I watch a defense like the Rams, Eagles, and Jags and I see a significant difference between the Saints front line and those types of teams.