Brooking to WILL? (1 Viewer)

[Tecmo]

Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Brooking isn't expected to play middle linebacker again — for the Falcons — and if he is back with the team, he probably would be moved to his natural weakside position.

good or bad? some of his best years were at the WILL, but he has definitely lost a step

 

[Tecmo]

The article mentions him as a possible cap casualty, he restructured his contract last year and his cap hit is a big $7.7 million this season... they might be stuck with him

 

[duece2626]

Nicholas at MLB?

 

[Rozelle]

Nicholas at MLB?

Read my mind I would be very, very surprised if they cut Brooking, but you never know.

 

[obxlegends]

Nicholas at MLB?

Crosses fingers.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Nicholas at MLB?

Crosses fingers.

I suppose he's the best current option on the roster -- but when I read "want to be strong up the middle" a 6'2", 225lb MLB doesn't jump immediately to mind. Chaos Commish has always said that Nicholas plays much stronger than his size, but Nicholas doesn't have the same ties to this coaching staff as he did the last staff.Smith (and Del Rio) didn't necessarily have the biggest guys in Jacksonville -- most were between 230 and 235 -- but they were different body types than Nicholas.Be interesting to see what comes of this. Nicholas is a very interesting guy to get/watch though.

 

[Rozelle]

Nicholas at MLB?

Crosses fingers.

I suppose he's the best current option on the roster -- but when I read "want to be strong up the middle" a 6'2", 225lb MLB doesn't jump immediately to mind. Chaos Commish has always said that Nicholas plays much stronger than his size, but Nicholas doesn't have the same ties to this coaching staff as he did the last staff.Smith (and Del Rio) didn't necessarily have the biggest guys in Jacksonville -- most were between 230 and 235 -- but they were different body types than Nicholas.

Be interesting to see what comes of this. Nicholas is a very interesting guy to get/watch though.

True ... but VanGorder is back.Nicholas owner

 

[Jene Bramel]

Here's a post from CC on Nicholas last May. Yes -- May.

Probably not. I know CC likes him and he was a SLB/rush guy in college, but if I'm reading most scouting reports correctly, Nicholas will do okay in trash but struggle when opposing teams run at him. That'll happen to some extent anyway, but Boley has been so solid in the SLB role I don't see them moving him.

Your reading bad scouting reports. I am all you need ( ) on Nicholas, Moffitt, St. Louis, Jenkins, Williams and Selvie (Those last three are coming along on their path to the NFL). This was a great defense to watch, study and research. You simply cannot run AT Nicholas. I would break that tape down with anyone. It's like Mayock complaining Patrick Willis sometimes gets engulfed by OLs. Then he shows footage of Willis fighting 6-9, 320 pound uber-athlete and future NFL franchise LT, King Dunlap. "Willis has a trouble with maulers and gets engulfed too easily." Well, Dunlap lost that battle in the end, and it was one of very few he ever lost. I'm sure there's footage of Nicholas being blocked. Not nearly as much as him simply dominating against the run. That's his game. He had 90 some tackles playing the position least likely to make tackles and Moffit beat him for leading the team by a couple assists or something. Nicholas equals run support first, pass rush second, coverage third, weakside pursuit fourth. He is good enough at all to play either side. He can, like Ryans, play in the middle. I agree with what you've read from Atlanta and WLB being most likely, but the limiting report is false. Boley is a better playmaker than Nicholas. When asked to compare Nicholas to a pro over at my subscription site before the draft... I picked a slightly less athletic Boley. But let's not go so far to say "I like him." I liked him better than the many OLBs who were grading much higher in a very weak class that I expect to have little impact. I think the online scouting reports on the LBs can rightfully be filed in the garbage, which is what they were (according to 32 NFL franchises and me). If you believe them then Earl Everett is a far better prospect. I got these guys right. I may have blown the DEs by falling in love with the Georgia Bulldogs, but I got these LBs down.

If CC is right about Nicholas -- and his track record is solid -- then Nicholas has a very good chance to be the guy. Looks like he may have weighed in a 232 at the combine last year, though he's listed at 225 by most outlets. I've got no problem pimping undersized guys at MLB -- Ryans, Thomas, Witherspoon, etc -- but there's usually a track record or consensus that these guys have a very good set of all-around skills. Regardless of the numbers and scouting reports, there's plenty of value in Nicholas if he's plugged in as the starter.

 

[Zoomanji]

Nicholas at MLB?

Crosses fingers.

I suppose he's the best current option on the roster -- but when I read "want to be strong up the middle" a 6'2", 225lb MLB doesn't jump immediately to mind. Chaos Commish has always said that Nicholas plays much stronger than his size, but Nicholas doesn't have the same ties to this coaching staff as he did the last staff.Smith (and Del Rio) didn't necessarily have the biggest guys in Jacksonville -- most were between 230 and 235 -- but they were different body types than Nicholas.Be interesting to see what comes of this. Nicholas is a very interesting guy to get/watch though.

What if Peterson gets cut loose by Jax?

 

[Jene Bramel]

Nicholas at MLB?

Crosses fingers.

I suppose he's the best current option on the roster -- but when I read "want to be strong up the middle" a 6'2", 225lb MLB doesn't jump immediately to mind. Chaos Commish has always said that Nicholas plays much stronger than his size, but Nicholas doesn't have the same ties to this coaching staff as he did the last staff.Smith (and Del Rio) didn't necessarily have the biggest guys in Jacksonville -- most were between 230 and 235 -- but they were different body types than Nicholas.Be interesting to see what comes of this. Nicholas is a very interesting guy to get/watch though.

What if Peterson gets cut loose by Jax?

I'll believe that one when I see it. Peterson's injuries are a concern, but they aren't tissue deals -- hamstrings, groins, sports hernias, back problems, etc. I wouldn't call Peterson injury prone necessarily -- the pectoral injury qualifies but the two broken bones don't. Is a 1.6 million roster bonus really that big a deal to a guy who's still in his prime?Anyway... ...Peterson could definitely fit. Even if Smith was the driving force behind all the "Peterson should be moved to an OLB spot" rumors over the past two seasons, he's likely going to be at least as good anything the Falcons can find in the draft or on the free agent market.

 

[Weiner Dog]

Sounds like Brooking has survived the first waive of cuts. If Brooking refuses to restructure, he'll be getting the pink slip as well.

 

[Rozelle]

Sounds like Brooking has survived the first waive of cuts. If Brooking refuses to restructure, he'll be getting the pink slip as well.

I expect something to be worked out to keep Brooking around. You can bet the Pats and prolly the Broncos have an eyeball on the situation.

 

[FUBAR]

Sounds like Brooking has survived the first waive of cuts. If Brooking refuses to restructure, he'll be getting the pink slip as well.

I expect something to be worked out to keep Brooking around. You can bet the Pats and prolly the Broncos have an eyeball on the situation.

Makes sense, Brooking owners should love him in Denver, probably not as much in New England - although I bet he'd be happier there.