Devaroe Lawrence.... (2 Viewers)

[Outbackjack]

I know many were upset on here when we traded DL.

Just a quick update for those interested....

Lawrence’s snap counts....

Game 1- 2 snaps
Game 2- 0 snaps

 

[Alan12]

Probably because they have a stout interior of their defensive line already (we saw that Sunday). Ours isn’t nearly as stout.

 

[SAINTSFAN]

I know many were upset on here when we traded DL.

Just a quick update for those interested....

Lawrence’s snap counts....

Game 1- 2 snaps
Game 2- 0 snaps

He was inactive week 2. Although, given our situation, he may have seen some snaps here (Davison injury), so not a relevant comparison.

 

[B_doggman47]

Traded away a very good player that we could have used on day one. But that's just my opinion. I don't know what the coaches know.

 

[St.Fury]

It’s not like we traded away Khalil Mack. We’re talking about a bottom of the roster guy, who was in fairly stiff competition with the guy we kept, and was traded for a pick

 

[RevDeuceWindham]

I liked Lawrence as much as many of you, but it was unlikely for him to see many, if any, snaps during the regular season. He was a 3 Tech DT. Saints have Onyemata/Rankins. He wasn't getting past them.

 

[jbourque]

I still believe it was a mistake to let Lawrence go. He was hungry and seemed to have an impact in games. Too many times Rankins is just serviceable, although he had a better game week 2.

 

[RevDeuceWindham]

I still believe it was a mistake to let Lawrence go. He was hungry and seemed to have an mawesome act in games. Too many times Rankins is just serviceable, although he had a better game week 2.

Rankins was the 2nd best DL on the team last year, and has been so far this year. Not sure why everyone has such a problem with Rankins?

 

[St.Fury]

Rankins was the 2nd best DL on the team last year, and has been so far this year. Not sure why everyone has such a problem with Rankins?

They can’t see it because he’s not flashy. If a DL doesn’t put up big sack numbers, many folks think they aren’t good.

 

[jbourque]

Rankins was the 2nd best DL on the team last year, and has been so far this year. Not sure why everyone has such a problem with Rankins?

I think that says more about our DL than Rankins.

 

[jbourque]

They can’t see it because he’s not flashy. If a DL doesn’t put up big sack numbers, many folks think they aren’t good.

I don’t look for sacks from a DT per say. I look for them to be disruptive, collapse the pocket and force a OL to double team them to free up a DE.

 

[St.Fury]

I think that says more about our DL than Rankins.

Maybe if we got more production from the RDE and other DT position, Rankins might look better to you? In my unprofessional opinion, Okafor doesn’t look to be back at 100% yet. Maybe Davenportshoukd get more snaps to see if he can hang?

 

[SaintJ]

I don’t look for sacks from a DT per say. I look for them to be disruptive, collapse the pocket and force a OL to double team them to free up a DE.

Agreed. But I'm still looking.

We drafted Rankins in the middle of the first round. I give him a pass for an injury in his rookie year, but he still came up with four sacks in 9 games (no starts). He now has 16 starts/25 games under his belt and he's largely invisible, on a defense that largely underperforms. I know we seemed good last year, but in reality we were average, it just looked so much better than what it used to be.

You expect a guy drafted that high to be a difference maker, and he is not. He does not collapse the pocket OR play the run particularly well. He'll chase a guy to the sideline, but that's more a testament to fitness than power and ability. Right now, he's not a bust, but he's sure a disappointment. If this were a good defense, with LBs and DE's making a ton of plays, you could explain his utter and complete lack of splash plays. But it's not, and he doesn't make them.

I'm not trying to be cruel, or "told ya so," I like the guy. But right now he's a JAG, and it's holding us back when high picks are JAGs.

 

[RevDeuceWindham]

I don’t look for sacks from a DT per say. I look for them to be disruptive, collapse the pocket and force a OL to double team them to free up a DE.

He literally did all of those things. He ate up several double teams, ran a top 3 T->E twist in the NFL with Cam Jordan and had more pressures/hurries than the previous season.

 

[jbourque]

He literally did all of those things. He ate up several double teams, ran a top 3 T->E twist in the NFL with Cam Jordan and had more pressures/hurries than the previous season.

It’s been reported Rankins dedicated himself in the offseason and I hope he improves from his sophomore slump. 2017 was a breakout year for many Saints defenders. Rankins wasn’t among them. That’s not to say he can’t play well at times-he does. He just needs to dial it up a notch or two and be consistent.