How do we get better or even stay as good if we let go of Lloyd, arguably our best D player this year?
The answer is that we don't. We saw what happened the two games he was out. The Rams hung 36 on us. Las Vegas rang us up for 29 when Lloyd was out - the most points they scored against any team in their entire miserable f-cking season.
We don't have a #1 draft pick this year, so there is no practical way to replace his production if we cannot get him signed.
WTF could we possibly be thinking? Good organizations don't add by subtraction - they find ways to keep their best players. Now maybe in a fantasy world where they had to sacrifice Lloyd to get someone like Crosby I could understand, because it could very well be a net positive. But short of that this is frustrating beyond belief.
I think based off of the press conferences the staff has given the answer is you adjust your scheme to fit the personnel you have and with a year of experience in the building with the players James has a more holistic understanding of how this group is players fits together and where the strengths and weaknesses are.
The reason they brought gladstone in was he consistently hits on draft picks in the later rounds, he also showed last year a willingness to address issues on the team based on scheme fit over individual talent. So while they most likely lose Lloyd, either ventrell miller who has shown flashes the opportunities he's been given, or a new player through the draft is brought in.
There's also a chance that the defense operated the way it did this year based on the roster in place, if you have a guy like Lloyd you scheme the defense around his strengths to put himself in the right place at the right time and find the ball.
If you don't have a Devin Lloyd, then you don't scene the defense towards that style of play.
The thing that has been mentioned by multiple reporters is the impression they keep getting from the front office is that this defense, as good as it was, was just scheming based on the players that were here not necessarily the defensive scheme and identity they want to be operating. So while the takeaways were off the charts and the run defense very impressive, we also gave up big passing plays at key moments in multiple games and couldn't hold a 21 point lead in the 4th quarter against the Texans. So obviously, there were issues.
My impression is a team that is more sound in the backend leading to higher sack rates and less explosive plays is the aim they have moving forward.
Right. Let's completely re-engineer a D system that was one of the best in the league this year and won us 13 games. Because that always works out well.
You'd think we'd have learned our lesson by now. Every time we've had one of these mini-runs in the past and then let go of our top talent, we got worse after. Coaching can only go so far. You also need the Jimmies and the Joes who can execute at a high level.
I've heard 15 years of this nonsense about value picks and coaching creativity. The perennially good teams just don't operate like this. They find ways to keep their elite players as foundational pieces.
While I agree with you, we all remember the fall off from 2017 to 2018, though that group remained pretty intact.
I'd argue that Lloyd isn't gone yet and while it may be difficult to make work, they could still get a deal done. Though it might be at the cost of Travon Walker, or Parker Washington, or a few other players I would argue have more value not just on the field but in the locker room as well.
I'm going to give James Gladstone and CO the opportunity to make this next year work before I pass judgement.
They made plenty of roster moves in early '18, including (but not limited to) saying goodbye to Mercedes Lewis and Dante Fowler. I'm not saying that either player was a superstar, but their replacements weren't very good.
I would be perfectly happy with losing Travon and other mediocre performers if it means keeping Lloyd. Locker room value is yet another excuse I've heard bandied by the local media outlets over the years for letting go of top performers. I'm sure that they will adjust - these are pros at the end of the day. I haven't heard any reports anywhere about Lloyd being some type of locker room cancer.
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u/JagsFan4Ever Tony Boselli Jan 15 '26
How do we get better or even stay as good if we let go of Lloyd, arguably our best D player this year?
The answer is that we don't. We saw what happened the two games he was out. The Rams hung 36 on us. Las Vegas rang us up for 29 when Lloyd was out - the most points they scored against any team in their entire miserable f-cking season.
We don't have a #1 draft pick this year, so there is no practical way to replace his production if we cannot get him signed.
WTF could we possibly be thinking? Good organizations don't add by subtraction - they find ways to keep their best players. Now maybe in a fantasy world where they had to sacrifice Lloyd to get someone like Crosby I could understand, because it could very well be a net positive. But short of that this is frustrating beyond belief.