Baalke has a tall order and a ton of [BLEEP] to address this spring, summer. I just don't see it all happening. We're going to need a spark on defense and offense. Just looking at the numbers across the board. This team had minimal impact.
Bigsby was the leading rusher with 766 yards and 7 TD's with Etienne falling off a cliff with 558 yards and 2 TD's.
Thomas Jr. was basically the only threat we had in the passing game with 1,282 yards and 10 TD's. Behind him, it was Strange as the 2nd leading receiver with just 411 yards.
Only 6 interceptions on defense as a squad. Nobody exceeding more than 1 INT as an individual player. A pathetic 34 team sacks with Walker leading with 10.5 and Hines-Allen trailing him with his career average of 8. Everybody else behind them was pretty much adding a pair of sacks with the exception of Maason Smith slightly separating himself with 3.0 individual sacks.
It's honestly a miracle that this team lost the amount of games that it did by one score or less. Hate to say it, but, we probably fired the wrong guy this month. I would have kept Pederson and allowed him to hire the right person to work with General Manager wise. We'll never know the full extent of the power struggle of who had the ultimate final say in my opinion.
I still think you can only coach so much. You might get a lucky break and spark with new blood injected through the staff, but, after that? It could be Doug Pederson all over again with the team falling short or stalling out because teams catch onto your BS the second year and you can't get away with the same game plan, and you especially can't fall off the rails when an injury or two occurs. Your depth has to step up.
So, we'll see. Don't want to beat a dead horse because I have this same mantra being chanted in other threads, but:
They need to prioritize fixing at least two positions along the offensive line, adding another impactful playmaker at WR opposite of BTJ, a pair of EDGE rushers to compliment Hines-Allen and Walker and at least one safety to shore up the backend. As much as I would like to add another CB? I think you have to consider moving Jones up to Darby's spot opposite of Campbell and giving Prince the nickel CB role and then adding another CB later on.
Failing to bolster the interior of the offensive line and the edges on defense this off season will result in the same lame duck season. Especially with that schedule on paper.
"What do I know of cultured ways, the gilt, the craft and the lie? I, who was born in a naked land and bred in the open sky. The subtle tongue, the sophist guile, they fail when the broadswords sing; Rush in and die, dogs - I was a man before I was a king."