Jene Bramel
Footballguy
It’s hard core IDP time in the Forum. Since championships are won in the off-season and NFL free agency and the draft are just around the corner, I thought it’d be worthwhile to start taking a look at what we should be watching for from now until March. I’ll try to highlight at least one team for discussion each day.
Atlanta Falcons
The big off-season news thus far involves the turnover of the Falcon coaching staff. New defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer will probably bring the 4-3 front he used in Dallas before Bill Parcells was hired and installed his preferred 3-4. While there hasn’t been any public comment from Zimmer yet, head coach Bobby Petrino has said he favors the 4-3. Zimmer was known for valuing speed in pass rush and linebacker and will likely be just as aggressive as former defensive coordinator Ed Donatell.
Patrick Kerney is expected to void the final two years of his current contract and become an UFA. He was expected to be re-signed by the team before the coaching change; that’s likely still the case with the new staff. Zimmer will probably need to address the DT rotation sooner than later. Grady Jackson was helpful this year, but will turn 34 and can’t give a full game’s worth of snaps. If Zimmer wants to use quick and relatively undersized linebackers, he’ll have to have some horses in front to keep them clean.
The big winner this off-season could well be Demorrio Williams. Zimmer is the perfect DC to find a way to use Williams. Before the switch to the 3-4 in Dallas, Zimmer made viable NFL performers (and solid IDP talents) out of smallish guys like Dexter Coakley and Dat Nguyen. Williams is faster and better in coverage than both. It’s certainly not out of the question that Zimmer closes the book on a plugger like Ed Hartwell (who this staff has nothing invested in other than cap space) and gets Williams on the field full time with Keith Brooking and Michael Boley. Under that scenario, it’s most likely that Brooking moves to the middle and Williams goes back to the weak side. Although Brooking hasn’t been quite as productive in the middle as he’s been as a WLB, Zimmer’s scheme could change that if the defensive tackles are there. While it’s a long shot, it’s also conceivable that Boley could be moved to the middle if Zimmer doesn’t like Brooking in the middle or Williams on the weak side. IMO, looking into getting Williams or Brooking cheaply is the shark move.
Despite the turnover last off-season via free agency, trade, and draft, the secondary could still use some work. Milloy and Crocker should fit Zimmer’s scheme well enough, but neither are the caliber of player Roy Williams was earlier in his career. It’ll be interesting to see what Zimmer thinks of Jimmy Williams. There were rumblings that the prior coaching staff had started to see him as a future safety late in the season. In this scheme, he may have more IDP value as a corner than free safety.
Worth watching:
1. Will Kerney be re-signed or do the Falcons look to address DE in the draft/FA?
2. Will Demorrio Williams earn a bigger role given Zimmer’s history with smallish LBs?
3. Who plays corner opposite Hall? What happens to Jimmy Williams?
4. Who lands in the MLB spot – plugger Hartwell, Brooking, or a longshot like Boley or Jordan Beck?
Thoughts?
Atlanta Falcons
The big off-season news thus far involves the turnover of the Falcon coaching staff. New defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer will probably bring the 4-3 front he used in Dallas before Bill Parcells was hired and installed his preferred 3-4. While there hasn’t been any public comment from Zimmer yet, head coach Bobby Petrino has said he favors the 4-3. Zimmer was known for valuing speed in pass rush and linebacker and will likely be just as aggressive as former defensive coordinator Ed Donatell.
Patrick Kerney is expected to void the final two years of his current contract and become an UFA. He was expected to be re-signed by the team before the coaching change; that’s likely still the case with the new staff. Zimmer will probably need to address the DT rotation sooner than later. Grady Jackson was helpful this year, but will turn 34 and can’t give a full game’s worth of snaps. If Zimmer wants to use quick and relatively undersized linebackers, he’ll have to have some horses in front to keep them clean.
The big winner this off-season could well be Demorrio Williams. Zimmer is the perfect DC to find a way to use Williams. Before the switch to the 3-4 in Dallas, Zimmer made viable NFL performers (and solid IDP talents) out of smallish guys like Dexter Coakley and Dat Nguyen. Williams is faster and better in coverage than both. It’s certainly not out of the question that Zimmer closes the book on a plugger like Ed Hartwell (who this staff has nothing invested in other than cap space) and gets Williams on the field full time with Keith Brooking and Michael Boley. Under that scenario, it’s most likely that Brooking moves to the middle and Williams goes back to the weak side. Although Brooking hasn’t been quite as productive in the middle as he’s been as a WLB, Zimmer’s scheme could change that if the defensive tackles are there. While it’s a long shot, it’s also conceivable that Boley could be moved to the middle if Zimmer doesn’t like Brooking in the middle or Williams on the weak side. IMO, looking into getting Williams or Brooking cheaply is the shark move.
Despite the turnover last off-season via free agency, trade, and draft, the secondary could still use some work. Milloy and Crocker should fit Zimmer’s scheme well enough, but neither are the caliber of player Roy Williams was earlier in his career. It’ll be interesting to see what Zimmer thinks of Jimmy Williams. There were rumblings that the prior coaching staff had started to see him as a future safety late in the season. In this scheme, he may have more IDP value as a corner than free safety.
Worth watching:
1. Will Kerney be re-signed or do the Falcons look to address DE in the draft/FA?
2. Will Demorrio Williams earn a bigger role given Zimmer’s history with smallish LBs?
3. Who plays corner opposite Hall? What happens to Jimmy Williams?
4. Who lands in the MLB spot – plugger Hartwell, Brooking, or a longshot like Boley or Jordan Beck?
Thoughts?
