Expand Rosters NFL, add DE Saints
Did you know this year the NFL will place a certified person in the booth in every game-day stadium whose only job is to look for a player exhibiting signs of a possible head injury, whereupon that player will be removed from the game and evaluated?I overheard Pat Kirwin discussing this. It appears that if a player shows any symptoms of concussion, he will not be allowed to return to the game. This is a direct result of the concussion lawsuits levied against the NFL this off-season. Kirwin said the NFL should expand both the 53 man roster and the 46 man game-day roster. Most teams typically have 7 offensive linemen active on gameday -- the 5 starters, a swing tackle, and a swing inside guy. If by halftime, two linemen have their bell rung, you're coming out the lockerroom with zero depth. Many players have said that they have their bell rung about 5 times a game-- not a concussion, just a hard hit that dazes you for a second or three. I played DE, DT, and TE in high school. I can tell you that in that first step on the snap, when DE meets T, or DT meets G, that collision is violent enough at the high school level to make your head hurt if you're playing across from someone worth his salt. In the NFL, everyone is worth their salt, and the collisions are exponentially more violent-- and that's not even counting the full speed collisions away from the LOS. The point is that if the NFL is going to err on the safe side and pull players from the game for the duration of the game, the rosters need expansion. It's hard enough fielding depth with the limitations already in place. Speaking of depth, the Saints should really consider throwing their hat in the free agent tour for Andre Carter and or James Hall. Carter had 10 sacks after finally going back to a 4-3 team last year before suffering his first significant knee injury. He looks to be healthy, and like last year will probably sign a one year deal at veteran minimum. Hall played under Spags and already knows the defense. If, as Vitt alluded, Martez Wilson is temporarily going back to LB due to the depth issues there, adding a bonafide pass rusher at DE is a no-brainer with Will Smith potentially missing the first month. For a team that doesn't get 40 sacks a season, it should be a no brainer period.
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