Brandon Moore prognosis? (1 Viewer)

[BearsFan]

Any updates on which direction the SF base scheme will head in 2007 after finishing strong in 2006 with what I believe was a 4-3?

If they go 4-3, will the middle go to Brandon Moore ahead of Derek Smith?

If they go 3-4, will Moore play LILB?

Will they bring an new LB blood via FA or draft?

 

[Pick]

My limited take on Moore was that he played all over last year. I think he's good enough to start and I think the 9ers feel the same. Obviously, as noted, scheme and position will determine production. My point is that I think the starting talent is there.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Given the past two seasons frame of reference, it's really hard to figure what Mike Nolan wants to do with Brandon Moore. Injuries aside, Moore has been yanked between positions repeatedly.

Most feel that Nolan wants to move back to the 3-4 in 2007 and will be actively looking for bodies this off-season. He liked Moore as a situational backer, mostly outside, early in 2006. Reports are that the Niners will pursue Adalius Thomas in FA, which would likely push Moore into a starting ILB role for IDP purposes. If the Niners don't sign a player that clearly changes their starting LB unit, we're back to waiting for mini-camp/training camp updates for scheme and depth chart notes.

 

[BearsFan]

Given the past two seasons frame of reference, it's really hard to figure what Mike Nolan wants to do with Brandon Moore. Injuries aside, Moore has been yanked between positions repeatedly. Most feel that Nolan wants to move back to the 3-4 in 2007 and will be actively looking for bodies this off-season. He liked Moore as a situational backer, mostly outside, early in 2006. Reports are that the Niners will pursue Adalius Thomas in FA, which would likely push Moore into a starting ILB role for IDP purposes. If the Niners don't sign a player that clearly changes their starting LB unit, we're back to waiting for mini-camp/training camp updates for scheme and depth chart notes.

Thanks Jene!...So 3-4 is highly likely. Right now, I'm thinking that Moore is their best overall LB and almost guaranteed of starting in one of those positions. If they don't find an outside rusher in that scheme, I assume Moore would still be looking at significant time that role. If SF picks up someone like Adalius Thomas, such that Moore moves to an ILB spot, would it be the LILB spot, with pretty good upside for production? Any likley comparable NFL player analogy?

 

[Pick]

Given the past two seasons frame of reference, it's really hard to figure what Mike Nolan wants to do with Brandon Moore. Injuries aside, Moore has been yanked between positions repeatedly. Most feel that Nolan wants to move back to the 3-4 in 2007 and will be actively looking for bodies this off-season. He liked Moore as a situational backer, mostly outside, early in 2006. Reports are that the Niners will pursue Adalius Thomas in FA, which would likely push Moore into a starting ILB role for IDP purposes. If the Niners don't sign a player that clearly changes their starting LB unit, we're back to waiting for mini-camp/training camp updates for scheme and depth chart notes.

Thanks Jene!...So 3-4 is highly likely. Right now, I'm thinking that Moore is their best overall LB and almost guaranteed of starting in one of those positions. If they don't find an outside rusher in that scheme, I assume Moore would still be looking at significant time that role. If SF picks up someone like Adalius Thomas, such that Moore moves to an ILB spot, would it be the LILB spot, with pretty good upside for production? Any likley comparable NFL player analogy?

I thought Lawson was their outside rusher.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Given the past two seasons frame of reference, it's really hard to figure what Mike Nolan wants to do with Brandon Moore. Injuries aside, Moore has been yanked between positions repeatedly.

Most feel that Nolan wants to move back to the 3-4 in 2007 and will be actively looking for bodies this off-season. He liked Moore as a situational backer, mostly outside, early in 2006. Reports are that the Niners will pursue Adalius Thomas in FA, which would likely push Moore into a starting ILB role for IDP purposes. If the Niners don't sign a player that clearly changes their starting LB unit, we're back to waiting for mini-camp/training camp updates for scheme and depth chart notes.

Thanks Jene!...So 3-4 is highly likely. Right now, I'm thinking that Moore is their best overall LB and almost guaranteed of starting in one of those positions.

If they don't find an outside rusher in that scheme, I assume Moore would still be looking at significant time that role. If SF picks up someone like Adalius Thomas, such that Moore moves to an ILB spot, would it be the LILB spot, with pretty good upside for production? Any likley comparable NFL player analogy?

The short answer: Don't know. If the Niners find another pass rushing LB, they're apparently planning to use Derek Smith and Brandon Moore as the ILBs with Jeff Ulbrich in a reserve role. Whether that's purely media speculation is hard to say today, but it would make sense. It's unclear who'll play where and which position would be the featured tackle role.

The long and detailed answer:

In 2005, the Niner 3-4 had Smith at LILB and Ulbrich at RILB. After Ulbrich got hurt in Week 5, Moore moved into the lineup at LILB (but only after Saleem Rasheed couldn't go either) and bumped Smith to RILB. Moore was also moved all over the place though -- even playing some end with Julian Peterson and Andre Carter at OLB. He was sometimes on the bench in nickel situations. Hence the comment above about being yanked among a number of different positions.

If the media is correct and Moore and Smith are the ILBs, the 2005 lineup suggests that Moore would play LILB. It's impossible to tell by looking at old SF game stats whether that's the more advantageous position or not. Ulbrich out-tackled Smith 32-23 in the games they played together in 2005. Moore played so many positions in the starting lineup that the comparative tackle stats probably aren't reliable.

The 2002 Baltimore Raven statlines aren't much more helpful. Ray Lewis was the RILB on that team; Ed Hartwell the LILB. Until Lewis got hurt, he was making the vast majority of the tackles. After he was hurt, Hartwell went crazy to the tune of 106 solos for the season -- but he remained the LILB. In 2003, Lewis (RILB) had 121 solos, Hartwell (LILB) 68 solos. 2004 had Lewis at 101 and Hartwell at 56 solos.

Nolan's 3-4 roots go back to his time under Wade Phillips in Denver in the early 1990s. Phillips' defenses have tended to feature the LILB recently (Donnie Edwards in SD; Keith Brooking in 2003). The above stats strongly suggest that the RILB may be the better option in Nolan's 3-4 defense, but it may just be that the better player put up the better stats (Lewis, then Hartwell in 02, Lewis in 03 and 04, and Ulbrich in 05).

If you have to make a move now, I think I'd still roster Moore above the others given his success inside when he's played there. Smith wasn't anything special with 90 solos in a full time role in 2005. It could get interesting if the Niners bring in a solid ILB prospect before camp, though.

I've got more questions than answers myself on this one. It's something to watch closely in camps. Maybe someone else can give a better answer than me.

 

[Jene Bramel]

I thought Lawson was their outside rusher.

The Niners hope he will be, but they'd prefer to have both OLB capable of rushing the passer. Although the official line was that they were too weak against the run to stay in a base 3-4, the lack of any solid outside pass rush played a role too. Brandon Moore was the only LB that showed any pass rush capability last season. Lawson was so inconsistent that they brought him off the field in some passing situations last year.If the Niners don't get Adalius Thomas, they're left with Lawson (needs improvement), Parys Haralson (two major injuries last year and was somewhat of a project anyway), Roderick Green (backup material at best), and whomever they might grab in the draft. Not a very attractive pair out of that group. IMO, the ILB talent isn't much better. Given that group, it's hard to firmly project them into a 3-4. So if they don't obviously improve during the off-season, it's not a stretch to see Moore back in a roving role in 2007.