Quote Originally Posted by Doctor View Post
I would have no issue with them taking a true 5-technique DE / DT, because I really feel as though both Arthur Jones and Pernell McPhee are best suited to situational roles...but I think Ozzie needs to get a true NT in addition to that. Leave Ngata where he is, and get another player that DEMANDS a double team. Ngata's skill set is not being maximized having his main responsibility being nothing but eating up blockers.
I don't necessarily disagree with you about preferring Ngata at DE/DT rather than NT, but I'm already kind of afraid that a lot of the burst and athleticism Ngata once had is gone. He's had serious lower body injuries pretty much continuously over the last 2 years, but he can still anchor against double teams and rag-doll guys on the interior. We know he can play the position at a very high level, he had an All-Pro caliber year in 2008 filling in for Kelly Gregg at NT. Putting him at NT and rotating him more often could keep him fresher and possibly extend his career.

I like the idea of bringing in a true NT prospect, and I think that's going to happen somewhere in the draft no matter what, but if you don't get somebody who's an immediate upgrade on Cody you have to have other plans in place. If we landed Datone Jones our talent at DE/DT would be really nice even without Ngata--Art Jones and DeAngelo Tyson are your run-stoppers, McPhee and Jones are your pass-rushers, and you have a really nice rotation there. Ngata would be able to really make an impact playing between those guys in both the run and pass, without needing to be the every-down guy he's been expected to be way too much.