Looking at the boxscore, it appears Harris, Barton and Kassell are all getting equal time (based on the timelines of the game yesterday). Are any distinquishing themselves? Is Harris a good long term solution and/or consistent performer, or is this position just a mess? Thanks for the insight.
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Jets ILB Question (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter pacman_fl
- Start date
Jene Bramel
Footballguy
Harris rotated in frequently for Eric Barton in Week 2. Kassell did the same during the second half of 2006. It's a mess for now, but I agree with Smizzy that Harris is definitely the long term answer. Harris has some growing to do in coverage and Vilma is likely the every down ILB for now in New York.
brakeyawself
Footballguy
I dont really know schemes that well. Does only one ILB in a 3-4 defense play every down or could we expect sometime in the future that both Vilma and Harris would play every down?
Illegal Pants Downfield
Footballguy
I've read that pass coverage is one of Harris' question marks, so I doubt that he ever becomes a true 3-down LB unless he proves capable in that facet of his game.
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Jene Bramel
Footballguy
It really depends on the personnel of the front seven, the ends and OLB in particular. If the ends can rush and the backers can cover, the team often stays in a 3-3-5 type setup with one ILB and an extra defensive back. The Cardinals and Steelers do that more often than the Jets. If the ends aren't great rushers -- like the Cowboys -- you'll often see a more traditional 4-2-5 on nickel downs, even from a 3-4 team. The Jets could play either way. Shaun Ellis can rush the passer well enough to play with one ILB (Thomas and Hobson rush) and an extra DB. They can also easily morph into a 4-2-5 with Thomas having his hand down and Hobson (or potentially Harris) playing in coverage with Vilma.
That was the original thought of many observers, but Harris showed more speed and athleticism during the predraft workouts than expected. I don't remember seeing anything specific about what the Jets thought in camp, but the buzz about Harris being athletic enough to become an every down backer had him slipping into the first round (esp to NE) in a few of the mocks close to draft day.
Rovers
Footballguy
I was reluctant to post here.... because it's very hard to get a handle on right now. Harris got a lot, I mean a lot more snaps against Miami than he has previously, and he was all over the field making plays. He rotated in for Vilma even, for a couple snaps. His pass coverage has clearly improved, or Mangini would not have rotated him in so often, with the caveat that the Dolphins were clearly doing their best to establish Brown as a workhorse RB in that game. Harris is still probably better against a team trying to establish a running attack the way Miami was, but as Smizzy said, he looks like the real deal for future stud-dom.
There have been some very unsubstantiated rumors about the Jets trading Vilma once Harris is ready.... pure rumor mill stuff, but it might have legs as Vilma's effectiveness as a 3-4 ILB have not panned out all that well either. If I were doing a dynasty daft righ now, and had to take a Jet LB.... I'd take Harris, although should Vilma ever get traded to a team with a 4-3 D, he could be a top 5 LB again.
There have been some very unsubstantiated rumors about the Jets trading Vilma once Harris is ready.... pure rumor mill stuff, but it might have legs as Vilma's effectiveness as a 3-4 ILB have not panned out all that well either. If I were doing a dynasty daft righ now, and had to take a Jet LB.... I'd take Harris, although should Vilma ever get traded to a team with a 4-3 D, he could be a top 5 LB again.
