Falcons Ink DE Lawrence Sidbury, One Of The Steals Of The Draft

I could see him putting up Mario Williams type numbers....

by his second or third year in the league. Give him this year to get acclamated to the league and he could really become the steal of this years draft. I will however predict he does have a better rookie season then our own first rd. DE extordanire Mr. Anderson.

In Dimitroff we trust

by Bonhoffer on Jul 16, 2009 2:06 PM EDT reply actions

Lol

Predicting he’ll do better than JA98 is like saying “I predict he’ll breathe oxygen”

Maybe there is no Heaven. Or maybe this is all pure gibberish — a product of the demented imagination of a lazy drunken hillbilly with a heart full of hate who has found a way to live out where the real winds blow — to sleep late, have fun, get wild, drink whisky, and drive fast on empty streets with nothing in mind except falling in love and not getting arrested...Res ipsa loquitur. Let the good times roll.

by iRonin on Jul 16, 2009 2:47 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

For the record

I also predict Sidbury will breathe oxygen.

Maybe there is no Heaven. Or maybe this is all pure gibberish — a product of the demented imagination of a lazy drunken hillbilly with a heart full of hate who has found a way to live out where the real winds blow — to sleep late, have fun, get wild, drink whisky, and drive fast on empty streets with nothing in mind except falling in love and not getting arrested...Res ipsa loquitur. Let the good times roll.

by iRonin on Jul 16, 2009 2:48 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Haha

I predict the oxygen will be good to Mr. Sidbury.

by Jesse28 on Jul 16, 2009 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions

I roflcoptered

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by Dave Choate on Jul 16, 2009 4:43 PM EDT up reply actions

SOI SOI SOI SOI SOI SOI SOI SOI SOI

Maybe there is no Heaven. Or maybe this is all pure gibberish — a product of the demented imagination of a lazy drunken hillbilly with a heart full of hate who has found a way to live out where the real winds blow — to sleep late, have fun, get wild, drink whisky, and drive fast on empty streets with nothing in mind except falling in love and not getting arrested...Res ipsa loquitur. Let the good times roll.

by iRonin on Jul 17, 2009 8:04 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

Possibly

He certainly has the tools to be great. I still haven’t given up on Mr. Anderson yet. Hopefully with Sidbury there pushing for a starting job, that’ll motivate him

by dunndada77 on Jul 16, 2009 2:58 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

Like the Postal Service album

Give Up. No need to torture yourself any further.

by Jesse28 on Jul 16, 2009 3:12 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed...

I haven’t given up on Anderson yet either. His numbers against the pass are what is lacking, and hopefully he’ll improve those or his detractors will continue. If not, he better be very good against the run, and continue to have the support of the coaching staff.

by TomQ on Jul 16, 2009 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree

Jamaal Anderson is way too young to give up on. He looks like a bust because of his draft position, and intelligent teams do not waste a high first round pick on a high-potential, boom-or-bust type of defensive end. Little we can do about that now.

I don’t think with JA it’s so much motivation as it is learning how to leverage his physical skills into results. We know he’s solid against the run, but he seems largely clueless in the pass rush and that has to change sooner than later. I’m willing to give him a large piece of this year to figure things out, but after that it’s time to cut ties.

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by Dave Choate on Jul 16, 2009 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions

He's also just 23 years old

Jamaal is going to surprise some people this year and we’re going to see a heck of lot more depth at DE than we anticipated.

by LetsGoFalcons on Jul 16, 2009 4:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Jamaal Anderson

He’s not just “still young” at 23 – he is the exact same age as Sidbury (both born 02/06/1986)!! You can’t bury him, and in the next breath proclaim Sidbury the savior.

I still believe…

by orang3b on Jul 16, 2009 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions

I had to look that up... for some reason it seemed unreal to me

but low and behold… they are the exact same age.

know what you believe in and why you believe in it

by MentallyMIA on Jul 16, 2009 6:19 PM EDT up reply actions

I can

and I don’t. I have no faith in JA and he’s done nothing to show me that he will do anything in the future. I also don’t claim Sidbury to be a savior. I just think it’s time we try something new, maybe say a lot of rotation. I’m also not going to complain if JA breaks off 10 or so sacks this year either because that means our team is better.

So, while I don’t realistically think it’s going to happen, I still hope it does for the greater good.

by Jesse28 on Jul 17, 2009 7:08 AM EDT up reply actions

I am shocked.

I’ve been reading posts from afar for a while now. It took me aback to see your statement to “cut ties” with J Anderson. If the Falcon’s had someone they felt was better than him, he would be playing. As for him"learning to leverage his physical skills" you are dead on point. His position is all about leverage and technic. I look for Sugar Bear Hamilton & Co. to coach him up this year, but if not, cutting ties is not the answer.

by Unca' Bob on Jul 17, 2009 8:35 AM EDT up reply actions

Cut ties

JA signed a 5 year $30.9M contract… I don’t really understand how the fuzzy math works for his cap number (check here – last year he had a base salary of $370K, Signing Bonus of $2.22M [over 5 years for $440K per year], and “Other Bonus” of $3.5M+, but his cap charge was only $2,603,826.00), but since a good chunk of the money has already been paid out (and probably another good chunk this year), it probably wouldn’t hurt to keep him around to play out the 5 years of the contract, even if he’s deemed a bust by coaches and staff, and is not starting anymore… His $2.6 Million cap charge was only the 50th highest number for a DE last year. Of course, if the cap # goes up, and he no longer starts, then maybe…

by orang3b on Jul 17, 2009 10:14 AM EDT up reply actions

When I say cut ties

I didn’t mean cut him outright. I do think that the team has been stockpiling ends (Chauncey Davis, Kroy Biermann, El-Sid) to be ready for the eventuality that JA just doesn’t work out here. If that’s the case, I’d like to see if there’s any interest out there, so we could get some kind of a draft pick or player back and give him an opportunity to ply his trade elsewhere.

I bear the guy no ill will, but if it’s still not working out after this season, it might be best for everybody if he gets a fresh start.

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by Dave Choate on Jul 17, 2009 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions

Don't forget

Some of that stockpiling is so the cupboard is not totally bare when the “other” JA declines…

by orang3b on Jul 17, 2009 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions

And by the way, welcome to the site!

I’ve read many of your comments over on the AJC blogs. Glad to have you aboard.

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by Dave Choate on Jul 17, 2009 12:48 PM EDT up reply actions

just my thoughts

I’m pulling for JA just because he was a first round pick. I wanted to choke jamie dukes when he was projecting him as out pick. (Nothing against jamal or jamie just don’t like drafting “one year wonders” with the 8th pick.) Still hoping he figures it out, but not expecting it. So any production he has this year will be like winning the lottery for me. As a Nole and a Falcon I’m kinda hoping Chauncey Davis takes the starting LE job this year. I think JA would make a fantastic backup to jonathan babineaux at DT. And finally getting to the point…I share the same sentiment as most of you guys that Sidbury will a great pass rusher in a few years. But I see him as Abes replacement not Andersons.

by FLA_Falcon on Jul 16, 2009 6:27 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

orang3b

If he no longer starts, that would say to me, Atlanta has found a replacement. Unless he finds another position, i.e. TE, which he played at Arkanas his freshman season… TD & Co. have no sentimental favorites, ask KB56.

by Unca' Bob on Jul 17, 2009 10:45 AM EDT reply actions

JA is the prototypical 3-4 DE...

Smith has said a few times that we might line up in the 3-4 a handful of times per game. Showing a 4-3 look presnap with Anderson as a DT, then sliding him to the WDE spot, standing Abraham up, and moving Jerry over to the SDE is a nice change up. Anderson might be a bust for how high he was drafted, but he gives us options…

I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I only lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three.

Elayne Boosler

by NaGaNole on Jul 17, 2009 11:05 AM EDT reply actions

Sidbury Might be Better...

I could see that happening, except start with lineup as Abraham, Perry or Lewis, Anderson, and Sidbury.

Then Switching to the 3-4 with Sidbury moving back, since he ran a 4.64 40 at the combine, making him the fastest lineman and the 4th fastest of all the lineman and Linebackers.

I really think he could maybe something more like a Damarcus Ware, though that may be a bit excessive.

I think they’ll give Anderson one more chance, with Chauncy Davis coming. Abraham will be still a situational pass rusher, and Sidbury might spend most of this year developing.

by ChickenLay on Jul 17, 2009 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Welcome to the site!

I think you’re pretty dead on here. Anderson will get another year, and if he proves himself, I’ll be as happy as anybody. I’d never wish the guy ill will.

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by Dave Choate on Jul 17, 2009 12:50 PM EDT up reply actions

Thanks

Yeah, I’ve been loving this site forever now, but I hadn’t made an account.

by ChickenLay on Jul 17, 2009 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

He does give us options, especially if we have more DT injuries. However I feel about JA, the pick, or his production, I don’t think (nor do I think anyone else is really suggestiong this) flat out cutting him is a smart move. I think that might have been taken too literal above. I’ve mentioned in the past that I think we should explore our options as far as trying to work him into some kind of a trade to get more value from the position, but those are extremely limited because his production ruins his value, regardless of where he got picked, and if he keeps it up it will only continue to worsen as the years go by. So I really don’t see that playing out.

However, his size and lack of producting makes me think he would be better suited to the DT position. With our new additions combined with his ability to play the run at the DE position allows us to move people around and make liberal use of rotations on the line that we haven’t typically had in recent seasons. So, it’s my opinion that we really should stop expecting him to become some kind of monster at the DE position and start expectig the team to use his strengths accordingly.

Providing depth at multiple positions is a value a lot of teams would like to have. And like I’ve stated before, if he throws down an amazing year, then yay for the Falcons. I’m just not holding my breath.

by Jesse28 on Jul 17, 2009 11:43 AM EDT reply actions

Dave the Falconer

My bad! The medium we are working with is two dimensional and some times I have a hard time percieving the depth. I knew that comment did not sound like you and that’s where the shock came from. Like I said, my bad.

PS- Thank you.

by Unca' Bob on Jul 17, 2009 1:38 PM EDT reply actions