by: Michael Steffes
The Hawks have officially announced the trade. After thanking JP for his contributions to both team and community, something I think we all can agree on, he gave some insight into the team's feelings on Cory Redding:
"Cory Redding is a guy we've had our eye on for some time," said Ruskell. "We liked him coming out of Texas because of his versatility to play inside and out and also because of the type of person he is. This gives us another big, physical presence along the defensive line and someone we can play at multiple positions."The Hawks have seemingly put together a bunch of interchangeable parts on the defensive line. Jackson, Atkins and now Redding have the ability to move inside and out. Mebane and Bryant both have the ability to play either DT position, although more will have to be seen from Big Red before that provides comfort. Essentially, this defensive will be stout and versatile. They are defintely going to be looking to get after the passer.
In my mind the Hawks have managed to upgrade their interior defense without using the resources and costs associated with a top 10 pick. Cole had a modest signing bonus, and swapping Peterson for Redding saved money. This is important because the team already had a lot invested in that side of the ball. A safety in the draft is likely the final piece. It is time to invest heavily in adding some young stars to the offensive side of the ball. That is what draft day will be for, or at least I expect it to be. END
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