I don't want to rain on the parade but was exactly is so great about Bart Scott that constituents 48M? Barton has better stats than him last year and pretty much has for most of his career. I realize that stats don't tell the whole story and since I don't watch him play can anyone explain why he is such a great upgrade over Barton?
I don't know maybe three consecutive seasons of starting every game? Younger, faster, ruthless, ready to take command of a defense. He was the guy taking on blocks in Baltimore since RayRay was the focal point...Now Harris is going to be taking on blockers. Ask Rex what's so great about Bart and get back to me.
He gives us a linebacker that can do everything - cover, rush, and hit hard. He'll be the center piece of Ryan's defense. The Mad Backer gives this team an ILB that already knows the way Ryan wants to play - Scott will be able to come in and show everyone how it's done. I hope he becomes the face of this defense. It desperately needs an outspoken leader. Scott will make everyone on the defense better.
Scott is a beast. On any play he has the ability to rush the qb, cover a tight end or running back or stop the run. He's a three down linebacker that hits as hard as anyone in the game. He brings an intensity to a defense that is difficult to quantify. His leadership should help with the development of Harris, Revis, Rhodes and Lowery.
The obvious reply is that his Defensive Coordinator for the last few years thinks he's worth it. If Rex Ryan isn't the best guy in the NFL to judge Bart Scott's worth to a defense, I don't know who is.
Yes. During his press conference yesterday, Ryan talked about age as a big reason why Scott was signed INSTEAD OF Lewis. He feels great about our ILBs in Scott and Harris, as we all should. As far as what's so great about Scott, look no further than Ryan. Scott has achieved success in Ryan's defense, and he's the most confident in his ability. Plus, in that defense, Ray Lewis has been the clear centerpiece, limiting what Scott can do, while also forcing him to learn the entire defense. The nice part about this is that Ryan says there will be no clear mike in this defense. Scott has such flexibility that he'll again be asked to fill different roles, but he'll also largely play that mike role with David Harris freeing him up.
Bart Scott was a very underrated part of what made the Ravens D so damn good. He never got the credit that Suggs and RayRay got. Can't always go by stats when evaluating defensive players. Aaron Smith at DE is probably one of the Steelers most valuable cogs on D and he doesn't get a ton of stats.
you cant base how good a linebacker is actually doing just on stats. in harris' rookie year he had tons of tackles, too bad the rest of the defense was so bad they were all like 10 yards downfield. scott does something nobody on the defense could do last year. cover the te or rb. put scott on the defense last year and the second half of the second pats game never gets so interesting. the 10 yard out watson ran all half would have been covered by scott and the pats would have had to come up with something a little more creative. he also knows the system that is going to be implemented like the back of his hand. he can now act as a player coach for the entire offseason. while the defensive coaches are working the dbs, or lineman, scott can be helping the linebackers understand what they are supposed to be doing.
How about this angle. Instead of getting a big name just for sake of getting him, think Cowart, Robinson, etc and trying to get them into a different system, we got THE guy we need to run the defense our coach wants.
He was a product of his old defense. He's not too bad, but he sure as hell isnt a superstar. The Jets overpaid him. Im interested to see how good the defense for the jets is actually going to be(If you ever get a good pass rusher). We all know your offense is going to suck ass.
Eric Barton isn't a JAG.. Bowens is an example of a JAG. If we didn't sign Scott or Ray or spend a first round pick, Barton would probably have been the next best choice. The fact that he's a free agent and we brought in the Mad 'Backer made him expendable, but the guy knows how to ball and he's got a motor. Very underrated player IMO.
Defend this statement. He had one season where he had 9 sacks with Adalius Thomas next to him. Adalius Thomas left and the sacks went away. His one big year in passes defense was the same season when Adalius Thomas was rushing the QB while he was dropped back in coverage. Again when Thomas went away the PD's dropped. He has forced 4 fumbles in his career which is a low to average number for a LB with his experience. Basically Scott has been as good as his teammates have let him be and he has not been a difference maker ever. just one of the guys who supported the real difference makers. No. Ray Lewis brings an intensity to a defense that is difficult to quantify. Scott was just a backup dancer in that troupe. We're all going to be surprised at just how average a LB Scott is. Of course if the Jets build a great defense he'll contribute as other players shine and lead, just as he always has when they always have. This signing reminds me of the Neil O'Donnell signing. We signed the team's effort thinking that it was the player who caused it.
I guess the fact that Adalius Thomas's sacks, forced fumbles, INT's and tackled dropped dramatically and his last year as a pro bowl player was when Scott was playing with him doesn't mean squat? After all playing with NE was a huge drop off in the talent around him from playing in Baltimore. There are two sides to this argument. The fact that Newsome and Ryan love the guy says a lot.
