SB Nation - Phillip Dillard

Coach Rivera to Eye Combine Linebackers

bylinebrown — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 22:00:09 -0000

It's no secret Carolina Panthers Head Coach Ron Rivera proved his grit in the game as a linebacker who lined up beside Mike Singletary in the Super Bowl.

Quite the opposite. Rivera's mental toughness and calm, steady demeanor on the sideline might lead one to believe the franchise has identified its second "Strongside" linebacker to bear the Panther standard and steady the troops - in the tradition of former player and coach, the late-Sam Mills.

Upon arriving at the Combine, Rivera discussed his team with the media, and promised to take a little more ownership over the Panthers 2012 defense than he was able to during his coaching debut in 2011.

"Now that I've gone through the first season and understand what's expected of me, I think I can help a little bit more on the defensive side," he was quoted during a press conference at Lucas Oil Stadium. "One thing you learn and adjust to is really what's needed or what's called upon for a head coach to do in terms of his duties. That was a little bit different for me, obviously, and I can be involved more with that side of the ball."

Read more here: http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/02/24/1879463/rivera-to-work-more-with-his-defense.html#storylink=cpy

If I was asked for a word to describe Ron Rivera - I'd probably answer "linebacker."

As coach sets about rebuilding the "defensive side" more in his image, I wouldn't anticipate this unit will go neglected. Don't be surprised if the LB prospects at this year's Scouting Combine get a good, long look from Panthers coaches and scouts.

While the debut Carolina defense of the former Bears 'backer projected with its strength rooted in its linebacking corps - its heart was ripped out in the first two weeks of the regular season when it surrendered Co-captains Jon Beason and Thomas Davis to Injured Reserve.

An increased leadership role for Sam LB James Anderson, Mike LB Dan Connor's shot - at long last - to man the middle of the starting defense and the emergence of scrappy, unproven contributors such as Will LB Jordan Senn wouldn't be enough to compensate for the loss of the two former first round picks, however. It became painfully obvious as the season wore on that linebacker depth would be a major area for the team to focus this offseason, if not the targeting of a permanent replacement for the team's hobbled, but beloved, "TD." (More after the jump...)

Head Coach Ron Rivera questions OLB Jason Williams following a defensive play last year.

via cdn2.sbnation.com

Recent reports Connor plans to test the waters elsewhere do nothing to alleviate this concern, though the team has moved to bring back practice squad-alum Phillip Dillard for Training Camp.

With an intent eye from our head coach most certainly turned toward personnel additions to shore up the unit in the coming weeks, let's take a glance at this position group at the Combine.

As with many positions in this year's draft, this group of linebacker prospects promises to provide depth and intriguing prospects for multiple schemes late into the draft. It's reasonable to believe we could be on the board in the sixth round and have have two or three linebackers we would like to bring to camp next year still available.

It's even possible to perhaps hit on a player that goes undrafted to work his way up through the practice squad to contribute on special teams. Here is a link to the NFL's List of Combine Participants: http://www.nfl.com/combine/participants.

There are about 30 linebackers in Indy, including some names who will be familiar to college football fans from the Carolinas as about a third of them are from the ACC and SEC. The linebackers will begin their positional drills Monday afternoon.

Several candidates could earn themselves a look in the first round with outstanding performances at the combine. These include highly-regarded prospects such as North Carolina speedster OLB Zach Brown, the physically-gifted MLB from Arizona State Vontaze Burfict, Alabama specimen MLB Dont'a Hightower and the instinctual tackling machine from Boston College Luke Kuechly.

During the Pre-Combine discussion, only one player has been regarded as having a legitimate shot to come off the board in the top-10, however; Alabama OLB Courtney Upshaw. (Note: South Carolina's Melvin Ingram is working out as a defensive lineman at the event.)

via cdn.bleacherreport.net

He played in a pair of national championships during his four-year career under Nick Saban in Tuscaloosa, and clearly separated himself as a Blue Chip NFL prospect last year, amassing 17 tackles for loss (-85 yards) and a team-high 8.5 sacks for the National Champs. He had 16.5 sacks on his collegiate career.

Personally, I love him and think he personifies the word, "Winner." I also feel he was formed by God to fit the role played last year by Panthers DE Antwon Applewhite - and to a lesser-degree DE's Charles Johnson and Thomas Keiser - as a "hybrid" between a 4-3 defensive end and 3-4 outside "rush" linebacker, depending on the game situation. This role seems tailor-fit to the team's exotic blitz package philosophy in the front seven and provides schematic versatility during pre-snap reads.

Ingram projects to be a similar type of NFL player, and both have "elite" grades from many scouts, though he reported to the Combine as a Defensive Lineman.

Upshaw should have an easy transition to play this role in the pro's, seeing as Saban essentially called on him to pin his ears back and get in the backfield last year. If there is a question about his game, it's probably whether he can cover the Jimmy Graham's and Tony Gonzalez's the Panthers weakside linebacker is asked to line up against. He may be able to do much to help his case with a strong Combine showing.

Anybody see those two "Games of the Century" against LSU?

Behind Upshaw, there are several intriguing prospects that have been linked to the Panthers by reports and fans. NFL Analyst Mike Mayock projected Miami OLB Sean Spence as "a good fit" for the Panthers defense.

The team could also take a look at other options for weakside and middle linebacker talent at the event, and many on this site have "mocked" N.C. State MLB Audie Cole or OLB Terrell Manning, West Virginia OLB Bruce Irvin and Kentucky OLB Danny Trevathan to the Panthers, among others. I have also seen California's Mychal Kendricks and Texas LB's Keenan Robinson and Emmanuel Acho speculated upon for this team.

Nebraska LB Lavonte David and Oklahoma LB's Travis Lewis and Ronnell Lewis could also move their stock up from second-to-third rounders to as high as first as the Draft approaches. Some other names to keep in mind are Nevada's James-Michael Johnson and Florida State's Nigel Bradham, as the field is wide-open for prospects to make an impression.

One thing's for certain: If anybody there can ball Rivera and the team will likely make their acquaintance.

Poll

Is Alabama Linebacker Courtney Upshaw worthy of consideration as the Panthers pick at ninth in the first round?

Yes.

72 votes

No.

81 votes

Only if Claiborne, Coples and Brockers are gone.

93 votes

I'll take Melvin Ingram as my combo rusher, thank you.

43 votes

289 votes | Poll has closed

Panthers re-tool practice squad, make one curious decision

James Dator — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 22:20:36 -0000

This morning the Indianapolis Colts continued their floundering changes claiming Jermale Hines off the Carolina Panthers practice squad and adding him to their 53 man roster. This represents no loss for the Panthers as Hines only saw the field in one game this year on special teams and was utterly terrible. He never ended up being a gunner they hoped he would become so he was relegated to the practice squad.

To fill Hines' place the Panthers signed LB Phillip Dillard, formerly of the NY Giants. The 24 year old linebacker had 4 tackles in 7 games for the 2010 Giants and given they already have an extremely beleaguered set of linebackers in NY the fact the G-men waived him earlier this season gives you an idea of his ceiling. He'll get a shot, but expect no impact.

Ron Rivera and company weren't done though as they made another rather curious decision, and we'll look at that...

After the jump

Veteran tackle Reggie Wells was brought to Carolina in the wake of the Jeff Otah injury as the coaching staff looked to piece together an offensive line. The emergence of Byron Bell made this need obsolete so there's little curiosity on why they cut him today. In his place they elected to sign a running back, and if the writing wasn't already on the wall for Mike Goodson, then consider it very much in place now.

Kory Sheets out of Purdue went undrafted in 2009 and after playing for both the San Francisco 49ers and Miami Dolphins he's found his way onto the Panthers' practice squad. I find this most strange because if you're a coaching staff with two stud RBs, another you seem to like in Josh Vaughan and you have Mike Goodson returning from IR in 2012 then why bring in yet another RB?

The answer is simple- you don't. There seems to be clear motivation on the part of the coaching staff to at least get long looks at other running backs so they can evaluate in the off-season and decide who to keep. With Goodson seemingly losing his KR job to Kealoha Pilares permanently there are big questions about what his role for the Panthers would be, and only time will tell us that.

Sheets only has one carry in the NFL, so here are his career stats from Purdue

RUSHING STATS
YEAR	TEAM	ATT	YDS	AVG	LNG	TD
2005	PUR	104	571	5.5	88	10
2006	PUR	158	780	4.9	30	11
2007	PUR	168	859	5.1	59	11
2008	PUR	234	1131	4.8	80	16

Why Kawika Mitchell?

Ed Valentine — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 01:39:11 -0000

With Jonathan Goff down for the season with an ACL tear I know you guys are gnashing your teeth trying to figure out what the New York Giants should do at middle linebacker. It seems likely that the Giants will sign veteran Kawika Mitchell if he looks healthy when he visits the Timex Performance Center for a workout. I thought I would burn a little midnight oil and give you what I think are the reasons why the choice will be Mitchell instead of any of the other names mentioned.

We will get to Mitchell eventually, but first let's go through some of the other names I have heard bandied about.

Lofa Tatupu: 'GiantsReignSupreme' asked 'Why have we not signed Lofa Tatupu?' in a Fanpost Tuesday evening. Fact is, it's the same reason none of the other 31 NFL teams have signed him yet, either. The consensus around the league seems to be that the three-time Pro Bowler's knees are shot. He was a great player from 2005-2007, but hasn't been the same the past three seasons.

Keith Bulluck: After spending last season with the Giants, the 34-year-old has still not found a job. I thought Bulluck might be the Giants' first call, but remember that the Giants only played him part time last season and seemed to decide the middle was not the place for him. Defensive coordinator Perry Fewell has also coached Mitchell, and this move simply makes it seem like Fewell prefers a healthy Mitchell to a healthy Bulluck.

Phillip Dillard: The Giants cut the 2010 fourth-round pick over the weekend, and bringing him back once Goff went down might have been an easy thing to do. Reaching out to Mitchell, though, tells you a lot about what the Giants think of Dillard's ability to play in the league. General manager Jerry Reese can be as stubborn as an old mule when it comes to parting with draft choices, and the fact that the Giants did not reach out Dillard tells you they don't believe he is an NFL-caliber middle linebacker.

Chase Blackburn: First of all, let's be honest here. If the Giants thought Blackburn was a quality middle linebacker at the NFL level they would have given him the job a couple of years ago when Antonio Pierce went down instead of giving it to Goff. He was a popular guy and a good special teams player, but he is not a starting middle linebacker. Blackburn has not been able to find a job this season, and good friend Pat Traina of Inside Football wondered via Twitter if Blackburn is actually healthy enough to play right now.

As for Mitchell, he was a popular player and an under-appreciated part of the Giants' Super Bowl-winning team in 2007. He has played both in the middle and on the outside in his career, and has one full season and part of a second under his belt playing for Fewell. The fact that the Giants reached out to the 31-year-old tells you Fewell appreciates him.

The question will be how healthy he is, and how long he can hold up. Mitchell has played just six games the past two seasons and has suffered foot and knee injuries.

The Giants will have to turn to sixth-round pick Greg Jones to begin the season. I think everyone can see that Jones has ability, and that getting him so late in the draft was a coup for the Giants. Question is, without any summer mini-camps or exposure to the Giants' defensive playbook, can Jones quarterback a defense that cannot afford missteps if the Giants are going to get back to the playoffs for the first time in three years?

We will find out the answer soon enough.

NFL Roster Cuts: Giants Put Sage Rosenfels On IR, Reach 53-Man Limit

Ed Valentine — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 23:03:24 -0000

One of the more interesting late moves made by the New York Giants as they pared their roster down to the regular-season limit of 53 players was the placement of backup quarterback Sage Rosenfels on injured reserve due to illness and the subsequent back injury he suffered.

Here are the rest of the transactions:

Safety Brian Jackson (hip) was waived/injured.

The team terminated the contracts of six veterans: wide receiver Michael Clayton, tight end Daniel Coats, guard Ikechuku Ndukwe, center Chris White, defensive tackle Gabe Watson and kicker Rhys Lloyd.

Nineteen players were waived: Phillip Dillard, Adrian Tracy, Dodge, quarterback Ryan Perrilloux, running backs Andre Brown and Charles Scott, tight end Christian Hopkins, wide receiver Darius Reynaud, tackles Jamon Meredith and Jarriel King, center Jim Cordle, defensive ends Ayanaga Okpokowuruk, Craig Marshall, Alex Hall and Justin Trattou and Dwayne Hendricks and defensive backs Joe Burnett, David Sims and Jerrard Tarrant.

Here is the roster, as it stands right now

Offense (25)

Quarterbacks (2): Eli Manning, David Carr

Running Backs (4): Ahmad Bradshaw, Brandon Jacobs, D.J. Ware, Da'Rel Scott

Fullbacks (2): Bear Pascoe, Henry Hynoski (Pascoe also plays tight end)

Wide Receivers (6): Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, Domenik Hixon, Devin Thomas, Victor Cruz, Jerrel Jernigan

Tight Ends (2): Travis Beckum, Jake Ballard

Offensive Linemen (9): David Diehl, Chris Snee, Kareem McKenzie, Will Beatty, David Bass, Stacy Andrews, Mitch Petrus, James Brewer, Kevin Boothe

Defense (25)

Defensive Linemen: (8): Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Chris Canty, Linval Joseph, Jason Pierre-Paul, Rocky Bernard, Dave Tollefson, Jimmy Kennedy

Linebackers (7): Mathias Kiwanuka, Jonathan Goff, Michael Boley, Jacquian Williams, Mark Herzlich, Greg Jones, Spencer Paysinger.

Cornerbacks (5): Corey Webster, Aaron Ross, Michael Coe, Brian Williams, Prince Amukamara

Safeties (5): Antrel Rolle, Deon Grant, Kenny Phillips, Tyler Sash, Derrick Martin

Specialists (3)

Kicker (1): Lawrence Tynes

Punter (1): Steve Weatherford

Long Snapper (1): Zak DeOssie

Giants At Patriots: Five Things To Watch Thursday Night

Ed Valentine — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 17:00:49 -0000

The New York Giants finish their preseason tonight against the New England Patriots. Starters won't play much, if at all, and the end result of the game really does not mean much. There are, however, a number of roster spots on the line -- which means a number of intriguing things to watch for tonight.

Here are my top five, not necessarily in order:

The Backup Linebackers: The Giants currently have seven of them, and two or three are likely to be let go Friday and Saturday as the Giants get down to the 53-man roster limit. Spencer Paysinger, Clint Sintim and Greg Jones seem like locks -- in my opinion. You can make really solid arguments for keeping both Mark Herzlich and Jacquian Williams. Adrian Tracy and Phillip Dillard seem like they might be in the most trouble. Let's see if anything happens against the Pats that changes that.

The Third Running Back: Can somebody unseat Danny Ware for that spot? Ware has talent, but it has never really manifested and, at least to me, he seems impatient with the ball in his hands. Seems like too often he runs right past his blocking and gets himself tackled. Andre Brown, the fourth-round pick two seasons ago, keeps impressing in practice but not getting much done in games (12 carries 38 yards and two catches for four yards). Da'Rel Scott has that speed and Charles Scott has size and power none of the other guys can match. It's probably Ware's job unless somebody steps up and takes it away from him.

The Punting Competition: Will Pat Traina of Inside Football be right that Matt Dodge will win the job? Or, will I be right that the Giants cut the cord on Dodge and stick with the safer choice, veteran Steve Weatherford?

The Backup Corners: Veteran free-agent pickup Brian Williams might get some action tonight. Joe Burnett, Michael Coe and undrafted rookie free agent Darnell Burks are all looking to make a final impression and earn a roster spot. Right now, Coe is probably in the lead.

The Tight Ends: I wonder if the Giants will play Travis Beckum more than some other regulars tonight, just to try to get him going. Other than unproven Jake Ballard, none of the tight ends on the roster has been remotely impressive. It won't be a surprise at all if at least one of the tight ends who makes the 53-man roster is currently on someone else's team.

2011 Giants' Position Battles: Let's Talk Linebackers

Ed Valentine — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:35:26 -0000

New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin is beginning to get an idea what his final 53-man roster might look like. "I'm starting to see some guys that look to me like they can really help the team," Coughlin said Wednesday.

That, however, does not mean any decisions have been made. There are still plenty of roster spots to be decided, and several intriguing position battles to watch during the final three preseason games.

None of those is more intriguing, or more hotly-contested, than the donnybrook that has developed for the backup linebacker positions. The move of Mathias Kiwanuka to strong-side linebacker, and the arrival via the draft and signings of undrafted free agents of several exciting youngsters, has created a training camp log-jam at this long-ignored position.

The Giants currently have 11 linebackers on their 90-man training camp roster. A season ago they kept six on the active roster. Working under the assumption that they will keep a similar number, six or maybe seven, this season let's break down the fight for roster spots.

The Starters

We know that Kiwanuka will start on the strong side, Michael Boley on the weak side and Jonathan Goff in the middle. Watching Kiwanuka handle linebacker responsibilities will be interesting, but at least in the preseason not nearly as interesting as watching the Giants' horde of talented, young linebackers fight for spots on the 53-man roster.

The Backup Candidates

Let's go through the eight players trying to earn reserve linebacker jobs one-by-one.

Clint Sintim -- Until learning that Kiwanuka was being moved back to linebacker, the logical thought was that the 2009 second-round pick was finally going to get a shot at full-time duty. Now, to be honest, I am wondering if Sintim will even make the season-opener roster. He has just one sack and 23 tackles in two seasons. He has been slowed in camp at times by his surgically-repaired knee. He still looks like a misfit in a 4-3 without the instincts to make impact plays. GM Jerry Reese hates to give up on his early draft picks, but Sintim needs to get on the field the next three games and make some plays. There are a lot of youngsters behind him banging on his door and trying to shove him out the window, or at least off the roster.

Phillip Dillard -- Here is another player who might be getting pushed for his roster spot. The 2010 fourth-round pick is a middle linebacker, and that job belongs firmly to Goff at this point. Dillard has reportedly had a decent camp, but he doesn't look like an impact linebacker and in 2010 he did not look like a player who could really get down the field and make plays on special teams.

Greg Jones -- The sixth-round pick out of Michigan State has had an impressive camp thus far. In the preseason opener he made two tackles, including one ion special teams. "He's done a great job. You can tell he played at a high level in college," said linebackers coach Jim Herrmann. "He has great instincts to the ball. He picks things up fast. He's going to be fine. He's a good, young player."

Spencer Paysinger -- All you need to know about what the Giants think of the 6-foot-2, 236-pound undrafted free agent from Oregon is that he played with the first team Tuesday and Wednesday while Boley sat out to nurse a sore back. "He's been very impressive," said Coughlin. "He's been all around. He's been very good with special teams. He's been good with coverage opportunities. He's been athletic in all the drills." Paysinger had two tackles against Carolina.

Adrian Tracy -- The 2010 sixth-round pick was impressive last preseason before suffereing a season-ending knee injury. A defensive end in college, Tracy has shown flashes again during this training camp. Tracy, playing the strong side, actually seems to find his way into the backfield more often than Sintim. Let's see if he can make a real push for a spot on the roster over the next three games.

Jacquian Williams -- Selected in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft by the Giants, which was a surprise to some draft analysts. Williams, a 6-3, 224-pounder, would seem to be fighting with Paysinger and Kenny Ingram -- who we will get to in a minute -- for a spot as a backup on the weak side behind Boley. "He's one of those guys that can go from sideline to sideline. He can catch quick, he can cover and he's learning the game," said Herrmann. "If I just say okay go cover that guy, the guy will be covered now."

Kenny Ingram -- Ingram is actually a converted safety who is 6-4 and now weighs 238 pounds. He has spent time on the Giants' practice squad each of the past two seasons, and the Giants are clearly intrigued by his athleticism. Herrmann said Ingram "provides you the type of guy that can cover like a safety." He showed that against Carolina with a pass defensed.

Mark Herzlich -- Clearly everyone's sentimental favorite. The NFL, though, is not a sentimental place. The former Boston College linebacker and cancer survivor will have to earn a spot with the Giants. He has been impressive thus far, working at all the linebacker spots. "He can play strong, he can play the middle, he can play the weak side, he can reach the passer," GM Jerry Reese said when camp opened. "If he is at his form which was 2008 when he was a monster at that time, and we are hoping that we can catch lightening in a bottle and he can be that kind of player for us." The Giants are going to give Herzlich every chance to prove he can play.

Prediction

I honestly have no idea how the final linebacker spots will shake out. What I will say is that it won't surprise me if all of the linebackers the Giants eventually have to release wind up on the rosters of other NFL teams this fall. If I had to choose today I would guess the Giants would keep Sintim, Jones and Paysinger. My other guess is that they try to stash at least a couple of these guys on the practice squad. Don't hold me to that, though. All eight of these guys, maybe with the exception of Ingram, probably has a legitimate shot at a roster spot.

Mark Herzlich Signs With Giants As UDFA

Ed Valentine — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:50:41 -0000

Mark Herzlich, the former Boston College linebacker who battled back from bone cancer, just tweeted news that many New York Giants fans wanted to hear.

Many of you have been clamoring for Herzlich to be a Giant, and I have been rooting for this myself. Monday night Herzlich was reportedly set to head to Baltimore to join the Ravens, but this morning Twitter was alive with news that the Giants were still a possibility.

Herzlich, of course, was one of the best linebackers in the country before fighting a battle with bone cancer. He returned to the BC lineup, but was not as effective. He went undrafted despite being one of the players invited to Radio City Music Hall for the draft.

He joins what is now a young, competitive group of linebackers for the Giants. A year ago the Giants drafted Phillip Dillard and Adrian Tracy. This year they drafted Greg Jones and Jacquian Williams. A young veteran free agent to compete with third-year player Clint Sintim is still a possibility.

This, though, is news I know Giants fans were hoping to hear.

Giants' GM Jerry Reese Talks Linebackers

Ed Valentine — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 18:30:34 -0000

Linebacker is, of course, an often-discussed position when it comes to the New York Giants and the 2011 NFL Draft. There is widespread expectation that the Giants will address what seems to be a perennial weakness in their defense at some point during next week's draft.

And they might. Then again, they might not. General Manager Jerry Reese said Thursday. "If it's a good player we like in our window we'll take a stab at him."

Reese said there are several young players on the roster the Giants still want to evaluate.

"We have a couple guys we really don't know a lot about," Reese said. "Phillip Dillard didn't play a lot and Adrian Tracy dislocated his elbow. We wan to see what those guys can do.

"Clint Sintim is a guy that we want to see what he can do. He hasn't played a lot, and he got injured so that hampered our evaluation of him. But we picked him in the second round, we expect this guy to be an impact player for us. He hasn't been able to do that yet.

"He flashed a little bit as a rookie, but last year he didn't get to play a lot because he was injured. So, we're hoping he can come back from his injury and look like a second-round pick."

Reese said Sintim "needs to grow up."

"It's about growing up for him. He needs to grow up and play like the second-round player that we think he is."

The Giants' general manager, of course, is not going to give away his team's draft board or any players they may be targeting. Most likely the Giants will do what they always do -- take the players they believe offer the greatest value whenever their turn comes up.

Positional Reviews: Linebacker ... Where, Oh Where Have The Great Ones Gone?

Ed Valentine — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 19:00:46 -0000

In our series of 2010 New York Giants positional reviews, we come now to linebacker. This is definitely not a happy place. A position of great prominence in Giants lore it has been virtually ignored for many a year now, and it's sort of like a run-down old buidling. Inhabitable, but not desirable. Or a beat-up old car. It runs, barely, but you know that you desperately need an upgrade.

Let's hope general manager Jerry Reese recognizes this. For years, the Giants -- Reese in particular -- under-valued the safety position. Until, that is, in 2009 putrid play from the safety position basically made it impossible for the Giants to play anything remotely resembling quality defense. We know that Reese responded by aggressively moving to upgrade the position via both free agency and the draft.

It seems that in recent years the Giants have done the same thing at linebacker. Under-valued and de-emphasized the position, largely trying to fill it with mid- to late-round draft picks and veteran cast-offs. In 2010 the Giants pretty much tried to play with as few linebackers on the field as possible. That's a far cry from the days of Lawrence Taylor, Harry Carson, Carl Banks, Brad Van Pelt and even Jesse Armstead.

You might, at best, call the current crop of Giants linebackers serviceable. For the defense to be truly and consistently dominant, though, I believe the Giants need something they don't currently have -- real impact players at that level. I would hope Reese and the Giants look at linebacker somewhat the way they did safety a year ago and aggressively try to upgrade it.

All of that said, let's move on to a look at the individual players.

Jonathan Goff: The third-year player from Vanderbilt did OK in his first season as a starter, which is a lot better than many of us thought he could do. Many of us cringed at the thought of Goff being the starter at middle linebacker, but he held his own. He will never be Ray Lewis in his prime, the question really is 'how much better can he get?' Using the Pro Football Focus numbers, Goff scored a +10.2 overall, 22nd in the league among middle linebackers who played at least 25 percent of their teams defensive snaps. Against the run, Goff was +14.5, ninth in the league. So, his reputation as a two-down thumper proved true. Problem is, Goff played just 700 snaps, 34th in the league amongst middle linebackers. Problem is, he started every game. That tells you there are too many situations, passing ones, where the Giants just don't want him on the field. That's not a good thing for a middle linebacker. Overall, I think Goff did an acceptable job at middle linebacker. Would I like an upgrade? Sure. Do I think it's a priority? No. I think the Giants need better players on both sides of him, to be honest. Overall Grade: Kwillie

Michael Boley: Let me be honest here. I am not a Michael Boley fan, so read my review with that in mind. Boley had 108 tackles for the Giants this season, the second-highest total of his six-year career. He graded out at a +7.8, according to Pro Football Focus (13th among 4-3 outside linebackers) and was one of just nine outside linebackers to play at least 75 percent of his team's defensive stats. All of those nice numbers aside, I just don't like Boley's game. At 223 pounds, he is a finesse linebacker who does not stand up well at the point of attack against the run, where he graded -2.8 in 2010, according to PFF. He has never shown the pass-rushing skills the Giants hoped to see when they brought him from Atlanta. He is OK, but not spectacular in coverage, and he is athletic enough to make plays in space. Ask yourself, though. In two seasons, has he made any memorable impact plays? I can't think of one. I would love to see an upgrade here, but again I think the Giants have other fish to fry. I can live with the guy, I just wish he wasn't lined up behind Osi Umenyiora so often. I think that gives opposing offenses an obvious place to run the ball. Overall Grade: Kwillie

Keith Bulluck: The guy has had a terrific NFL career, but if he wants to continue it next season he needs to do it in another uniform. Bulluck made just 41 tackles, lowest since his rookie season of 2000, in very limited duty with the Giants. He graded at +8.7 per PFF (+5.6 against the run), but how the Giants felt about Bulluck showed in how many snaps he played -- or didn't play. Even in some running situations Bulluck was off the field and safety Deon Grant was in the game. Bulluck played just 315 snaps, 40th in the league among 4-3 outside linebackers. Here's a question, by the way, for Perry Fewell. If Bulluck is good against the run and Boley isn't why was Bulluck off the field instead of Boley so often on early downs? Anyway, Bulluck is a great guy and all but the Giants need an impact player there they trust to leave on the field. Overall Grade: Wet Willie

Clint Sintim: You guys know where I'm going with this one. The Giants expected Sintim to be the play-making outside linebacker they desperately need, and it just isn't happening. Two seasons and Sintim still doesn't seem able to grasp the conversion from a 3-4 outside guy to a 4-3 linebacker. Made just 19 tackles this season, which is fewer than the 26 he made as a rookie. Memo to Reese: When you draft a linebacker this year -- and you will draft one in the early rounds or there will be a mutiny here at BBV -- enough with this drafting guys who played 3-4 in college and need to be converted. Find a guy who has played in a 4-3 and you don't have to 'project' into that scheme. So far, that approach is not working. Grade: Wet Willie

I really can't grade guys like Phillip Dillard, Gerris Wilkinson or Chase Blackburn since we really never saw them. Though I should give Wilkinson a 'Wet Willie' simply on the grounds that he has been useless to the defense for years now.