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2011 Every Down Linebacker Thread (1 Viewer)

Jene Bramel

Jene Bramel

Footballguy
This thread will (eventually) be linked in the pinned IDP Warehouse thread and will be bumped with every update to this initial post (usually on Wednesdays) during the regular season.

We've proven in recent seasons that dismissing the importance of knowing which linebackers come off the field on passing downs is a recipe for statistical disaster. Backers who don't play in their team's subpackages often miss at least 40% of their team's defensive snaps over a full season and may miss 70-80% of their team's snaps in any given week. This will be the third season that we'll closely track each team's every-down backers in this thread.

I'll use a combination of film study and internet resources to confirm these names during the season, but during the preseason months, this list will be our best guess at which backers would play every-down if the season started today. Many situations are far from certain and obviously much will change here after the draft, but I’ll work the pre-draft post from each team’s current depth chart. For the purposes of discussion, we’ll list any linebacker expected to take at least 80% of his team’s snaps each week regardless of subpackage usage.

Recent week's changes (inseason) in BOLD.

Baltimore: Jameel McClain (Ray Lewis-inj)

Buffalo: Nick Barnett, Chris Kelsay

Cincinnati: Thomas Howard

Cleveland: D'Qwell Jackson, Chris Gocong

Denver: DJ Williams, Von Miller

Houston: Brian Cushing, Connor Barwin, Brooks Reed

Indianapolis: AJ Edds (Pat Angerer-inj)

Jacksonville: Paul Posluszny, Daryl Smith

Kansas City: Tamba Hali, Derrick Johnson, Justin Houston

Miami:: Karlos Dansby, Kevin Burnett, Cameron Wake

New England: Jerod Mayo, (Brandon Spikes-inj)

New York Jets: David Harris, Calvin Pace

Oakland: Rolando McClain, Aaron Curry*, Kamerion Wimbley

Pittsburgh: James Harrison, (Lamarr Woodley-inj), Lawrence Timmons, James Farrior

San Diego: Takeo Spikes, Shaun Phillips

Tennessee: Colin McCarthy (Barrett Ruud-inj), Akeem Ayers

Arizona: Daryl Washington, Paris Lenon

Atlanta: Curtis Lofton, Sean Weatherspoon

Carolina: James Anderson, (Omar Gaither-inj)

Chicago: Lance Briggs, Brian Urlacher

Dallas: Sean Lee, Demarcus Ware, Anthony Spencer

Detroit: Stephen Tulloch, DeAndre Levy*

Green Bay: Clay Matthews, DJ Smith (Desmond Bishop-inj), Robert Francois* (AJ Hawk-inj), Erik Walden*

Minnesota: Erin Henderson/EJ Henderson (inj dependent), Chad Greenway

New Orleans: Jonathan Vilma, Scott Shanle*

New York Giants: (Michael Boley-inj), Mathias Kiwanuka

Philadelphia:

St. Louis: James Laurinaitis

San Francisco: Larry Grant (Patrick Willis-inj), Navorro Bowman, Ahmad Brooks

Seattle: David Hawthorne, Leroy Hill

Tampa Bay: Mason Foster, Quincy Black*

Washington: London Fletcher, Brian Orakpo, Ryan Kerrigan, Perry Riley*

*May rotate out in a small number of nickel and dime packages

 
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This is more of a placeholder and companion to the redraft tier post right now. Hoping it'll stir some discussion of situations and possibilities between now and the start of free agency.

 
Jene don't you think O'brien Schofield is more likely to see more snaps then Joey Porter (34) on the downhill slide of career?

 
'jacobo_moses said:
Jene don't you think O'brien Schofield is more likely to see more snaps then Joey Porter (34) on the downhill slide of career?
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I really like Sam Acho to win out here instead but being a rookie will hurt but by year 2, it will be all him
 
'jacobo_moses said:
Jene don't you think O'brien Schofield is more likely to see more snaps then Joey Porter (34) on the downhill slide of career?
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Definitely. I used last season's final post as a starting point for formatting purposes, and missed the Arizona note somehow. I'm not sure there's an every-down OLB on the roster this year. Schofield will have to prove he's healthy and able to play the run consistently on early downs, Haggans has pass rush issues and Porter shouldn't be playing 900+ snaps. Thanks for pointing it out.
 
I was pimping Schofield last year and when he finally got some snaps he got a sack in each of the last 2 games. I think Zona got a steal with this guy, he had 2nd round+ talent but the ACL tear bumped him back to the 4th (I think it was), he is a hard worker and a hustle guy, I think he will be a beast now a full year and a half removed from the ACL tear. I am also pimping Arthur Moats again, I mentioned him in the other thread, but most can probably get these guys late and if they have bonus points for sacks both of them could be steals. (Schofield may even be listed as a DL in Yahoo type leagues)

 
Thomas Davis tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee twice in seven months, the first time on the beat-up artificial turf in the Louisiana Superdome and the second time, June 9, 2010, on the grass at a Panthers offseason workout. The injuries were similar in that there was no contact with another player.

Speed is the quality that distinguishes Davis. He was always an athlete, and before the injury his instincts caught up to his athleticism. He was having a Pro Bowl season.

Could he still move the way he had? Davis tested the knee at the camp the Panthers players organized in June.

Nervous?

"Everything that those guys did, I did," says Davis. "At that point I was a year removed from the second surgery. I had my brace on."

He did not wear a brace at the 2010 workout at which he sustained his second injury. Dr. James Andrews, the famed Alabama orthopedic surgeon, told me last summer he wouldn't have expected Davis to wear a brace.

Athletes are accustomed to freedom. They don't want to impede it. (Andrews was not his doctor, but was familiar with his treatment.)

"I'm doing it the right way this time," Davis says, referring to the brace. "Just going out and trying to take that mental aspect of the injury out of it."

 
Williams couldn't do straight coverage and not be exploited by offenses. Houston won't ask him to cover though, other than a spare zone blitz drop now and then.

 
'sihaokills said:
I like Anderson much more than Davis
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Me too. I know we'll have much more info in a week or two (hopefully), but is there a good chance that Anderson could blow up again this year? Obviously if Thomas Davis isn't a Panther, those odds go up significantly.
 
Can we talk a little bit about Rey Maualuga? We all know he has sucked the first 2 years and has not been able to take over the MLB position. Norton and Rudnicki's projections for him at OLB are rather lofty, are you two assuming that he's the 3 down MLB with those numbers? I've seen things in the media stating that he is ready to take over the middle and is organizing team gatherings during the lockout.

Are you guys buying into this? If nobody is on to him as of today, he could be a great bye low for this year and a good dynasty LB.

Jene, assuming he takes the 3 down MLB role, what do you see his upside looking like? I'd have to say it would be better than what Jones was able to produce last year, but I'm assuming that he'd be good enough to play in 3rd down packages.

Anyway guys, what's up with Rey Maualuga this year????

 
Jene due to the lock-out what are the chances Joe Mays in Denver is a 3 down MLB most of the season? Call me crazy but he seems to do very well every time he gets a chance, am I missing something is he horrible in coverage?

 
'KellysHeroes said:
'therokie0070 said:
'cr8f said:
Any word on the Jax MLB? Will it be Morrison?
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Is Justin Durant off the radar totally or does anyone think he will go somewhere and live up too his potential!!
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when/if hes cut, I don't see a team bringing him in for a 3 down backer... however I do think hes good enough to be brought to a new team and enough a full-time / 3 dwn backer baring another injury.
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If Durant stays healthy, he'd be a 3 down LB on the weak-side in Detroit.
 
'Bdub said:
Can we talk a little bit about Rey Maualuga? We all know he has sucked the first 2 years and has not been able to take over the MLB position. Norton and Rudnicki's projections for him at OLB are rather lofty, are you two assuming that he's the 3 down MLB with those numbers? I've seen things in the media stating that he is ready to take over the middle and is organizing team gatherings during the lockout. Are you guys buying into this? If nobody is on to him as of today, he could be a great bye low for this year and a good dynasty LB. Jene, assuming he takes the 3 down MLB role, what do you see his upside looking like? I'd have to say it would be better than what Jones was able to produce last year, but I'm assuming that he'd be good enough to play in 3rd down packages. Anyway guys, what's up with Rey Maualuga this year????
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Maualuga is really hard to project.Despite the fact that he's taken very few reps at MLB in his career and got no on-field instruction to transition there over the past months, all the rumblings from Cincinnati suggest that Dhani Jones is out and Maualuga is in at MLB.There's certainly 90-95+ solo potential there. But Maualuga bugs me. He plays downhill but he's not disciplined. He may not play in subpackages, and if he does, may have little impact. I'd put him in the mid-20s as an every-down MLB, but I'm not confident projecting him higher until I see how he approaches the position in the preseason (tentative like McClain, way overaggressive or just right) and whether the Bengals see him as a nickel defender.Today, I'd not draft him unless he fell to me as a pretty cheap LB4 gamble.
 
'therokie0070 said:
Jene due to the lock-out what are the chances Joe Mays in Denver is a 3 down MLB most of the season? Call me crazy but he seems to do very well every time he gets a chance, am I missing something is he horrible in coverage?
Click to expand...
Mays has been good against the run at times, but he's not an every-down anchor. The Broncos are going to put Nate Irving there as soon as he's ready. Whether that's opening weekend (which is very much in doubt now) or sometime during the season is the question. We'll know more very soon, thankfully. Coaching comments, reports of repetitions and lineups, preseason tape. It's all coming -- finally. :excited:
 
It's about time. Lets's go Jene! ;)

'Jene Bramel said:
'therokie0070 said:
Jene due to the lock-out what are the chances Joe Mays in Denver is a 3 down MLB most of the season? Call me crazy but he seems to do very well every time he gets a chance, am I missing something is he horrible in coverage?
Click to expand...
Mays has been good against the run at times, but he's not an every-down anchor. The Broncos are going to put Nate Irving there as soon as he's ready. Whether that's opening weekend (which is very much in doubt now) or sometime during the season is the question. We'll know more very soon, thankfully. Coaching comments, reports of repetitions and lineups, preseason tape. It's all coming -- finally. :excited:
Click to expand...
 
'Jene Bramel said:
'Bdub said:
Can we talk a little bit about Rey Maualuga? We all know he has sucked the first 2 years and has not been able to take over the MLB position. Norton and Rudnicki's projections for him at OLB are rather lofty, are you two assuming that he's the 3 down MLB with those numbers? I've seen things in the media stating that he is ready to take over the middle and is organizing team gatherings during the lockout. Are you guys buying into this? If nobody is on to him as of today, he could be a great bye low for this year and a good dynasty LB. Jene, assuming he takes the 3 down MLB role, what do you see his upside looking like? I'd have to say it would be better than what Jones was able to produce last year, but I'm assuming that he'd be good enough to play in 3rd down packages. Anyway guys, what's up with Rey Maualuga this year????
Click to expand...
Maualuga is really hard to project.Despite the fact that he's taken very few reps at MLB in his career and got no on-field instruction to transition there over the past months, all the rumblings from Cincinnati suggest that Dhani Jones is out and Maualuga is in at MLB.There's certainly 90-95+ solo potential there. But Maualuga bugs me. He plays downhill but he's not disciplined. He may not play in subpackages, and if he does, may have little impact. I'd put him in the mid-20s as an every-down MLB, but I'm not confident projecting him higher until I see how he approaches the position in the preseason (tentative like McClain, way overaggressive or just right) and whether the Bengals see him as a nickel defender.Today, I'd not draft him unless he fell to me as a pretty cheap LB4 gamble.
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Thanks for the input Jene. I have to agree with everything you said, but I just can't make my mind up about him. In one one of my leagues I have a chance to get him pretty cheap as my LB7 (start 5). I can't figure him out either. He's either going to get the job (likely from all the media articles) and just suck, but they'll keep playing him for awhile and probably not in 3rd down packages, or the light will go on and he'll tear it up and he'll be a top 15 LB next year. I think that might be worth the risk. I was pissed when I missed out drafting him 2 years ago, and now his owner is getting close to cutting bait. I mean, can he cover anyone on third down? 2 down straight line thumpers are not what I'm after anymore (just like Morrison now). Super studs carry a big time premium in my league, and if he becomes one, I don't want to miss out on it.
 
Jene, when can we expect an updated version of the every down thread, maybe by monday once things slow down a little?

Thanks for all your hard work!!!!!

 
'griffeyboy said:
Jene, when can we expect an updated version of the every down thread, maybe by monday once things slow down a little?Thanks for all your hard work!!!!!
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Yep, planning to update here and the rankings this weekend after teams start showing their hand in practice and the final pieces (Tulloch, Ruud, Bradley, Barnett, etc) fall into place.
 
Does CAsey Matthews play in the nickel if he is the new MLB for PHI? I know you said they play mostly dime. Thanks Jene!

'Jene Bramel said:
'griffeyboy said:
Jene, when can we expect an updated version of the every down thread, maybe by monday once things slow down a little?Thanks for all your hard work!!!!!
Click to expand...
Yep, planning to update here and the rankings this weekend after teams start showing their hand in practice and the final pieces (Tulloch, Ruud, Bradley, Barnett, etc) fall into place.
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Cant wait for update Jene your killing me!!!LOL!! keep up the good work your stuff is all I get to look forward to since I am deployed to Pakistan and all they play on tv is Cricket!!!

 
Still lots to sort out during the first three weeks of preseason games, but the first post is now updated with my post free agency speculations on those under consideration.

 
Still some situation that warrant a second or third look, but updated or confirmed information on CIN, IND, SD, TEN, ARI, DET, SEA, TB, WAS today.

 
so the first post is updated? i thought for sure manny lawson and possibly not mauluga would've made the list for the bengals. rotoworld reported today that mcrath is backing up witherspoon and only playing in nickel situations 'for now'.

 
'ninerfanatic492000 said:
so the first post is updated? i thought for sure manny lawson and possibly not mauluga would've made the list for the bengals. rotoworld reported today that mcrath is backing up witherspoon and only playing in nickel situations 'for now'.
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My fault on McRath, very much appreciate the clarification. I got confirmation from two separate beat writers to my twitter feed today that Maualuga is taking nickel snaps with Brandon Johnson. Zimmer also praised Maualuga's growth in coverage in an interview today. Waiting to see Lawson's role for now. Likely to see lots of snaps, but there are lots of pass rushers the team wants to look at on nickel downs.
 
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Jene, a guy i have trouble judging potential on is stewart bradley. what may we expect from him? Paris was wildly productive and Stew is a upgrade physically but are his instincts up to task? i just always expected more from him as a eagle

edit to ask what you project for donald butler after reading your twitter feed. especially if he plays in sub packages and in the favorable WILB

 
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Jene,

How is the IND situation shaking out so that Brackett is the only 3 down linebacker. Conner replacing Angerer and Wheeler or Triplett replacing Sims? When they signed Sims I saw that as a lock for Angerer to play subpackages. Please clarify

 
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'ninerfanatic492000 said:
Jene, a guy i have trouble judging potential on is stewart bradley. what may we expect from him? Paris was wildly productive and Stew is a upgrade physically but are his instincts up to task? i just always expected more from him as a eagleedit to ask what you project for donald butler after reading your twitter feed. especially if he plays in sub packages and in the favorable WILB
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I think Bradley will be starting over Lenon soon and I expect that he'll have a James Farrior like role for Ray Horton. I expect him to see every-down snaps, especially with Adrian Wilson's struggles. I'd put him in the matchup LB3 range. Instincts and range are okay but, as you suggest, nothing special. 85 solos is probably his upside unless something changes with Washington's situation.
'Goyal the Goodfella said:
Jene,How is the IND situation shaking out so that Brackett is the only 3 down linebacker. Conner replacing Angerer and Wheeler or Triplett replacing Sims? When they signed Sims I saw that as a lock for Angerer to play subpackages. Please clarify
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Shortly after I posted those thoughts on Twitter yesterday, one of the Indy beat writers put a note in his blog about Sims playing in the nickel with Brackett (off the bench, he'd been behind Conner at WLB) I don't like Sims in that role and still think Angerer has a chance to slide into the role. Be interesting to see how Indy approaches it over the next two weeks with Sims out. Big chance for either Conner or Angerer to assert themselves as a coverage option.
 
Link

The Lions are continuing to use different combinations with their nickel defense. Depending on the package, you'll see either DeAndre Levy and Stephen Tulloch in the nickel at linebacker or Levy and Justin Durant. Depending on who is playing that scheme better, that situation could change throughout the season.
Click to expand...
 
'Anthony Borbely said:
Link

The Lions are continuing to use different combinations with their nickel defense. Depending on the package, you'll see either DeAndre Levy and Stephen Tulloch in the nickel at linebacker or Levy and Justin Durant. Depending on who is playing that scheme better, that situation could change throughout the season.
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Super.Now we've got Schwartzaninigans. Don't see any chance, barring injury, any of these guys make it into my top 25 by the end of August.

 
'Jene Bramel said:
'Anthony Borbely said:
Link

The Lions are continuing to use different combinations with their nickel defense. Depending on the package, you'll see either DeAndre Levy and Stephen Tulloch in the nickel at linebacker or Levy and Justin Durant. Depending on who is playing that scheme better, that situation could change throughout the season.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Super.Now we've got Schwartzaninigans. Don't see any chance, barring injury, any of these guys make it into my top 25 by the end of August.
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according to Norton...Tulloch & Durant were in the nickel tonight

http://twitter.com/#!/JohnPNorton/status/102174451369648128

 
Updated the first post. Still a fair amount of speculation in some spots, but here's what I saw this weekend:

**Shawne Merriman might have a chance to play 50-60 snaps a game.

**Rey Maualuga played every down and looked tremendous. Thomas Howard and Manny Lawson both saw time in some subpackages, but not all.

**Scott Fujita was in the nickel, though Chris Gocong missed the game with a stinger.

**Kavell Conner played in subpackages over Pat Angerer.

**Daryl Smith played in subpackages over Clint Session.

**Both Karlos Dansby and Kevin Burnett played in the nickel.

**Donald Butler and Takeo Spikes both played in the nickel.

**Paris Lenon and Daryl Washington both played in the nickel. Still think Lenon gives way to Stewart Bradley by opening weekend.

**Stephen Tulloch and Justin Durant were in the nickel. Don't count on anything here yet, however.

**Jonathan Goff and Michael Boley were in the nickel, with Mathias Kiwanuka a rush end. There were no dime looks, and if that continues, Goff is in line for many more snaps than last year.

**Quincy Black and Geno Hayes were in the nickel as expected.

Haven't yet reviewed the NO, TEN or SF.

 
I think the loss of OTAs is making the preseason games a lot more difficult to read. Teams normally would have had a bunch more practices to try different people in different situations, such as the nickel packages. Now they have to try things in preseason games this year that they already might have known in years past.

Without being specific, I think people need to be more patient this year regarding who plays where and who plays in the nickel packages. I think much more will be known after the 3rd preseason game. The best way to handle this is to just watch as many games as possible and see how a player performs in the nickel. But I for one am not going to etch anything in stone after one preseason game.

 
'Anthony Borbely said:
I think the loss of OTAs is making the preseason games a lot more difficult to read. Teams normally would have had a bunch more practices to try different people in different situations, such as the nickel packages. Now they have to try things in preseason games this year that they already might have known in years past. Without being specific, I think people need to be more patient this year regarding who plays where and who plays in the nickel packages. I think much more will be known after the 3rd preseason game. The best way to handle this is to just watch as many games as possible and see how a player performs in the nickel. But I for one am not going to etch anything in stone after one preseason game.
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Agree with all of the above. We'll do the best we can to read the tea leaves over the next ten days, as I know there'll be lots of drafts between now and then. Think we have a pretty good idea of most situations, but I fully expect there to be at least one significant and unexpected change between now and opening weekend.
 
Just a head's up on a player who is a major sleeper.

Cleveland MLB D'Qwell Jackson

Last year I was on top of SS TJ Ward long before others caught on.

Take heed, D'Qwell looks like he's fully recovered and will be a monster IDP sleeper.

Their are a couple of reasons to back this up.

1. He had a great camp and he is coming off his first football contact in a live game in over 20 months and he looks great.

2. New defensive scheme. He's not a square peg in a round hole any longer. He's manning the middle of a 4-3 defense and he's a natural fit there.

3. He has two HUGE DTs in front of him with Ahtyba Rubin and rookie first round DT Phil Tailor, both tip the scales over 330lbs. Rubin has proven himself as one of the better interior D-Linemen in the league and Tailor has looked great.

4. D'Qwell is uncovered and he's making plays and he's attacking gaps and even shooting gaps to apply pressure from the inside, something that he wasn't able to do before in the 3-4.

Take heed.

IDP sleeper.

D'Qwell Jackson

 
'ninerfanatic492000 said:
Jene,i think about every recent footballguys IDP podcast seems to mention in some capacity zac diles. whats a resonable expectation?
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Doubt he's more than a LB4. Also want to see what the nickel plan is; Ben Leber might be in the mix. Rams didn't play any of their staring linebackers last week.
 
'Jene Bramel said:
'ninerfanatic492000 said:
Jene,i think about every recent footballguys IDP podcast seems to mention in some capacity zac diles. whats a resonable expectation?
Click to expand...
Doubt he's more than a LB4. Also want to see what the nickel plan is; Ben Leber might be in the mix. Rams didn't play any of their staring linebackers last week.
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thanks Jene, i'm not a rams homer by any means but i do live somewhat near St Louis and local radio have been praising him ever since the signing. they may have filled more needs with Dahl and Mikell but locals are more excited to see what Diles and MSW can bring to the table.
 
'Anthony Borbely said:
I think the loss of OTAs is making the preseason games a lot more difficult to read. Teams normally would have had a bunch more practices to try different people in different situations, such as the nickel packages. Now they have to try things in preseason games this year that they already might have known in years past. Without being specific, I think people need to be more patient this year regarding who plays where and who plays in the nickel packages. I think much more will be known after the 3rd preseason game. The best way to handle this is to just watch as many games as possible and see how a player performs in the nickel. But I for one am not going to etch anything in stone after one preseason game.
Click to expand...
How do you see the Lions LB crew working out?
 
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