Hawk is the type of LB who is losing relevance in the NFL right now. He's not a guy who's gonna cover a TE or RB down the seam or out into the flat. He's a guy who's gonna come up and stuff the run. He will also occasionally blitz and not get home.

The fact that he never hits anyone BEHIND the LoS and also usually gets dragged for about 3-5 yards aside, he's just not the type of ILB that is needed in today's NFL. The fact is, the rules (and referee calls) in today's NFL FAVOR THE PASSING GAME. In Lombardi's day, Hawk would probably be an important part of your team. Not so today.

As for Jones, the dude can turn and run. He's never gonna hit somebody like Dez Bishop lit up Apete a few years ago, but I'd put him on a TE in coverage. Dude came on and exceeded expectations.

Who was our 1st rd pick last year? We had 2 2nd rd picks. How'd they do? The top 5 picks were all on D and all made an impact. They weren't all Pro Bowl caliber players but they were rookies. They need a little patience.

But don't say that he is looking to late round picks for miracles.

I think the positions Hawk has played, and how the team has used him has hurt his marketability. When he was drafted at #5, he was said to be the safest pick in the draft, blue collar. He hasn't been asked to be the playmaker. He has been asked to be guy the is there in case the playmaker, misses. Hawk is asked to be the lead blitzer who frees up others. When there are stretch plays to the opposite side, you see Bishop or Barnett before him, trying to slip past the lead blockers to make the tackle for loss. Which sometimes workes and sometimes doesn't. When it works it is great, when it doesn't, it usually results in a bigger gain because the blockers are still there. When plays come Hawks way, he will take out the blockers so others can make the tackle. It doesn't produce the big loss, but it usually doesn't result in big gains either.

In coverage, I am not sure what people expect. Most of the time, when his guy gets the ball, Hawk is on him immediately for the tackle. In most cases, they are not plays where he could do anything to prevent the pass. They are TE dragging across the field in front of him. He could PI or hold and stop the catch but that doesn't help. No he isn't going to be able to run downfield with Vernon Davis, neither are any of the other LBers we have including Clay. Our other LBers are faster and better in coverage than AJ, ok so he only plays when there is a running threat. He may be the worst in coverage of our MLBers. He is also the best run defender of them. Neither Bishop or Smith could replace Hawk, Neither could Barnett. they are different types of players. Jones, might be able to, he has the size, not sure about the discipline.

That being said. I think our best option is to restructure AJ, and Sign Jones. I like them playing together. Jones is bigger and faster than both Bishop and Smith. Let Jones be the full time ILB with Hawk on the backside to protect.

Ted also signed a free agent named Don Barclay who worked out pretty decently.

This is true, and he also might look better with some bigger butts in front of him.

Still...

Goldson- Good player. Sign him and turn your back on the safeties drafted the last 2 years.
Osi Umenyiora- Perfect example of a used up, old player that has minimal value but is available in FA. Jeff Saturday, anyone? Let's not forget he is a 4-3 DE and doesn't fit in GB's defensive scheme.
Alan Branch, NT- He has had a couple good years in Seattle after a poor 4 years in AZ. But if we sign him, it ignores the DE issue and gives us another body at NT, which is a strength compared to DE. So more salary at a position that is not the biggest weakness. So we are signing a backup to Raji and expecting impact from that?
Cliff Avril- Another DE from a 4-3. Not strong against the run. So other than that he is perfect for us. We need more DL that aren't strong against the run...

Play2 Win,
I am not trying to pointedly criticize you. I am just trying to get the point across to everyone that FA is not the promised land. Players available typically have major flaws and/ or don't fit what your team is doing.

All I know is that we are paying fillet mignon prices for Hawk's marinaded sirloin. If that sits all right with some of you cause you don't know any better, or you root for whoever the Packers put on the field; so be it. Hawk has us over a barrell this year. He should probably volunteer to restructure, but that would be a humility move most people don't have the character for.

We need a major upgrade at linebacker. You can't play the 3-4 with mediocre linebackers.

I love the way you interpret my posts - you're the only one to interpret them that way which makes you special I guess. I didn't say anything about AJ's character. I said it would take special character to volunteer to take a pay cut, and it would be shrewd move by Hawk.

It's funny you didn't learn anything from the beatdown you took from other posters on this topic the other day. It was thoroughly enjoyable on my end, and I didn't have to utter a post.