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Around SBN: Odds On Peyton Manning's Next Home Includes Three Teams

Rocky Bernard Signs With Giants

As reported by John Clayton, Damnit. Bernard was, at one point, an elite or near-elite pass-rushing tackle. Part of his hidden value is that he always had a nice stop rate, though 2008 was the exception. The deal with the Jints is five years, $25 million, guaranteed money unknown.

Having signed Bernard and former Atlanta linebacker Michael Boley, New York is adding two players with abilities that fit their defense. Boley was a square peg in Atlanta's less aggressive defense in 2008, to the point that he was benched on first and second downs late in the season. Bernard goes from a defensive line with a great many questions to a line with a lot of very loud answers.

Update by John Morgan: The feeling among Seahawks fans is that Bernard had a down season. He certainly wasn't as disruptive as season's past. But defensive tackle is as likely as any position to suffer from a complete team failure. Bernard faced fewer favorable positions and fewer favorable matchups than seasons past.

The basic scouting report on Bernard is intact. He's quick off the ball and a strong single gap tackle. He never quits. A signature Bernard pass play involves a blur of activity off the snap; the opposing quarterback lazily making his progressions before Big Rock explodes from the scrum and hammers him mid-release. He's lost a bit of his closing speed, but he's still agile enough to follow a quarterback on a roll out.

Bernard has developed into more of a gap control tackle. He can hold the line very well, even against double teams, and though he doesn't crash the line like Mebane, he can shed and stop against most guards and centers. He's a good run defender, both in his ability to tackle running backs and to keep blockers off his linebackers.

Defensive tackles who can rush the passer, hold the point and tackle opposing backs are rare and valuable. Red Bryant has a lot to live up to.

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This seems like a really solid move for a team with it's window wide open

I think the Giants got a lot better today by adding him and Boley.

by Nate Dogg on Feb 28, 2009 7:31 PM PST reply actions  

My only worry about the Giants is

what if Eli crashes back to Earth? He seems to me like a quarterback who will have bad stretches throughout his career.

by John Morgan on Feb 28, 2009 7:40 PM PST up reply actions  

And he's not the same player without Plax pulling down his jump balls

but if Grossman can ride a D to the Super Bowl anyone should be able to, right?

by Nate Dogg on Feb 28, 2009 7:56 PM PST up reply actions  

Even with Rocky and Boley,

that D is still a long ways away from the Bears D. But as long as the O-line stays healthy, they should still have a Top 3 running game, which should keep the stress off Eli. With Plax, he’s a great QB. Without him, I still think he’s above average.

by SeaTownBlueDevil on Feb 28, 2009 8:32 PM PST up reply actions  

I'll be missing the "Sugar Bear Shake"

Good luck and thanks Rocky.

"It's just one big guy against another big guy, both teams know what's at stake. The one of them comes out on top and it feels good."
-Chris Collinsworth, Madden 09

by Wayward Llama on Feb 28, 2009 8:39 PM PST reply actions  

me too

tanks for the memories.

by djafrot on Mar 1, 2009 12:51 PM PST up reply actions  

I loved Rocky.

But in reality, he wasn’t that good this season, putting it mildly. I also think it’s unlikely he would have bounced back with us, as he isn’t getting any younger. The Giants might do him a favor by rotating him regularly.

"Part, fools!
Put up your swords. You know not what you do."

by Fearless Frog on Feb 28, 2009 9:41 PM PST reply actions  

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