Abdul Hodge..... (1 Viewer)

[jgb95]

Packers Considering Starting LB Hodge?

Tom Silverstein, Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, via The Sporting News -

The Green Bay Packers have been very impressed with rookie linebacker Abdul Hodge to this point, and are reportedly considering starting him while moving linebacker Nick Barnett to an outside linebacker position, if he continues to impress and is able to outperform linebackers Roy Manning and Ben Taylor in Training Camp.

I have Abdul on my Practice Squad and starting next week someone can pluck him off my PS if they choose too.

Is he worth activating now?

The issue I have is that is my contract salary cap dynasty league I'm up against the cap in $$$ and years.

Here are my other LB's as of now:

Kailee Wong OVERPAID in FA last year

Donnie Edwards how much left in the tank

Mike Peterson solid #1

Lance Briggs contract ???

AJ Hawk just hoping the hype is worth it all

Derrick Johnson hoping for more in year 2

Leroy Hill JP kills his value

I really think if Hodge gets the nod at MLB he could be special.

Just looking for some thoughts from you guys.

Thanks in advance!!!!

 

[Rovers]

Take a look at my "2 down LB" thread. With Barnett and Hawk, even if Hodge wins the MLB spot....... he's a two down LB. Two down LB's just don't carry FF value.

 

[cr8f]

Take a look at my "2 down LB" thread. With Barnett and Hawk, even if Hodge wins the MLB spot....... he's a two down LB. Two down LB's just don't carry FF value.

Yeah he's a run stuffer and a rookie. He is a good tackler but missing 3rd downs may not get many tackles. In a deep league he may be worth a roster spot though.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Hodge is a player. And he's playing in a scheme that'll allow him to make as many plays as he wants. The question is, can he overcome the possibility that AJ Hawk steals some plays from him (I think he can) and the fact that he's unlikely to play on passing downs (I'm not so sure).

If you can cheaply dump Kailee Wong, I'd do it and bring up Hodge if you think there's a chance that somebody will grab him off your PS. I think Hodge can be a top 30-35 talent (a little worse than Trotter) with another few slots of upside down the road. You've got five other solid backers there to play this season - even if Hodge busts, losing Wong doesn't hurt anything. And, IMO, Demeco Ryans will be the only LB worth having in Houston soon enough.

 

[jgb95]

That's my problem.

It won't be cheap or easy to dump Wong!!!

Thanks fo rthe advice guys.

 

[pretender]

Hodge is a player. And he's playing in a scheme that'll allow him to make as many plays as he wants. The question is, can he overcome the possibility that AJ Hawk steals some plays from him (I think he can) and the fact that he's unlikely to play on passing downs (I'm not so sure).

If you can cheaply dump Kailee Wong, I'd do it and bring up Hodge if you think there's a chance that somebody will grab him off your PS. I think Hodge can be a top 30-35 talent (a little worse than Trotter) with another few slots of upside down the road. You've got five other solid backers there to play this season - even if Hodge busts, losing Wong doesn't hurt anything. And, IMO, Demeco Ryans will be the only LB worth having in Houston soon enough.

I agree/ In my thinking why is it assumed that Barnett will stay on the field with Hawk and Hodge will get bumped? If Hodge is the better player and he is in at MLB maybe he'll stay on the field in the nickle and dime and Barnett won't. Until we see what happens in training camp and preseason and even then until the season starts - its speculation as to which GB linebackers will be on the field all the time, all though it has been written in the trade Hawk thread that Hawk will be on the field all the time. So we have one pretty sure choice.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Hodge is a player.  And he's playing in a scheme that'll allow him to make as many plays as he wants.  The question is, can he overcome the possibility that AJ Hawk steals some plays from him (I think he can) and the fact that he's unlikely to play on passing downs (I'm not so sure).

If you can cheaply dump Kailee Wong, I'd do it and bring up Hodge if you think there's a chance that somebody will grab him off your PS.  I think Hodge can be a top 30-35 talent (a little worse than Trotter) with another few slots of upside down the road.  You've got five other solid backers there to play this season - even if Hodge busts, losing Wong doesn't hurt anything.  And, IMO, Demeco Ryans will be the only LB worth having in Houston soon enough.

I agree/ In my thinking why is it assumed that Barnett will stay on the field with Hawk and Hodge will get bumped? If Hodge is the better player and he is in at MLB maybe he'll stay on the field in the nickle and dime and Barnett won't. Until we see what happens in training camp and preseason and even then until the season starts - its speculation as to which GB linebackers will be on the field all the time, all though it has been written in the trade Hawk thread that Hawk will be on the field all the time. So we have one pretty sure choice.

Actually, I think Hodge will have trouble staying on the field in passing situations. Where "I'm not so sure" is whether that'll significantly hamper his year end value in a scheme where he may be extra-valuable on running downs.

 

[pretender]

So Hodge will not be in the nickle or dime but you feel his talent will allow him to have decent fantasy value anyway?

 

[Jene Bramel]

So Hodge will not be in the nickle or dime but you feel his talent will allow him to have decent fantasy value anyway?

He could have decent value anyway. I think the Packer scheme is so favorable to the MLB that he could put up pretty solid numbers for a "two-down" backer.

 

[pretender]

So Hodge will not be in the nickle or dime but you feel his talent will allow him to have decent fantasy value anyway?

He could have decent value anyway. I think the Packer scheme is so favorable to the MLB that he could put up pretty solid numbers for a "two-down" backer.

I've heard that alot - that the Packer scheme is favorable to the MLB. Is that really the case or is that Barnett was playing the middle and was staying on the field all the time? Also how will the improvement in the play of the Dline effect the play of the linebackers. I think that Ryan Pickett is a definate upgrade and hopefully Cullen Jenkins level of playing will have improved and Kampman is really coming into his own and KGB? Still an every down DE the jury is out on that. So, what is it about the Packer scheme that is so favorable to the MLB. That it is a 4-3? Doesn't the MLB stay on the field in that scheme and makes all the defensive calls. That is what is confusing to me.

 

[Jene Bramel]

So Hodge will not be in the nickle or dime but you feel his talent will allow him to have decent fantasy value anyway?

He could have decent value anyway. I think the Packer scheme is so favorable to the MLB that he could put up pretty solid numbers for a "two-down" backer.

I've heard that alot - that the Packer scheme is favorable to the MLB. Is that really the case or is that Barnett was playing the middle and was staying on the field all the time? Also how will the improvement in the play of the Dline effect the play of the linebackers. I think that Ryan Pickett is a definate upgrade and hopefully Cullen Jenkins level of playing will have improved and Kampman is really coming into his own and KGB? Still an every down DE the jury is out on that. So, what is it about the Packer scheme that is so favorable to the MLB. That it is a 4-3? Doesn't the MLB stay on the field in that scheme and makes all the defensive calls. That is what is confusing to me.

Lot of variations to how the defensive line and linebackers align in any given front so not all 4-3 schemes are alike. The Packers run a version of the 4-3 that descends from the Jimmy Johnson/Dave Wannstedt 4-3 (Jim Bates and now Bob Sanders came from the same line of coaches). It aligns the backers in such a way that the MLB is highlighted - think Michael Barrow, Ray Lewis, Jon Vilma at Miami and Ken Norton and Zach Thomas (and Barnett) in the pros. Barnett playing every snap certainly helped, but much of his value was scheme related - nobody would argue that he's a top ten NFL MLB.The Packer DTs may or may not be slightly improved this year - Grady Jackson was an awful nice fatman.