what happens at ILB in SD after D. Edwards is gone next year (1 Viewer)

[odon]

im looking ahead at ILB positions for next year. one that stood out that will definately have a new starter is in S.D.. donnie edwards is in the last year of a contract and does not have a good relationship with management. there is no way he signs there next year. they signed stephen cooper to a decent contract earlier this year. is he the man next year? i've heard some good things about this kid dobbins. what about matt wilhelm or randell godfrey? they're pretty old if i remember correctly. or is this a position that they will address in the draft or free agency. odell thurman purhaps if he's kicked out of cincy.

your thoughts, rumors, and insider info would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

I would expect Cooper on one side and Dobbins on the other, with an outside shot for Wilhelm if Dobbins is having trouble adjusting to a 3-4.

 

[odon]

bloom,

do you think that the combo of cooper and dobbins is a starting ILB in the NFL. obviously they like cooper after signing him, but what is his pedigree? do you think that the draft offers a replacement option? will cooper be a fill in until they find another stud? or do they see cooper as that stud

i enjoy your info, bye the way.

 

[Keg]

I would expect Cooper on one side and Dobbins on the other, with an outside shot for Wilhelm if Dobbins is having trouble adjusting to a 3-4.

i own edwards in a dynasty league and acquired Cooper back in the spring and got dobbins in the rook draft(7.3 99th overall) so I am hoping that its one of those 2 that replace donnie

 

[The_Hunchback]

I think your looking at both ILB's being new in SD next year. That could lead to some changes not only during the offseason but into the preseason and even into the regular season until someone just stands out.

Right now there are three guys for the two spots, you could guess and get it right but who knows what will happen in the draft.

 

[Sigmund Bloom]

bloom,do you think that the combo of cooper and dobbins is a starting ILB in the NFL. obviously they like cooper after signing him, but what is his pedigree? do you think that the draft offers a replacement option? will cooper be a fill in until they find another stud? or do they see cooper as that studi enjoy your info, bye the way.

thanks for the kind words.Cooper was a UDFA, but I don't see any reason to give that any weight. They really like him and the contract that they signed him to shows a clear intention to make him a long term starter, and yes, they see him as that stud. Wilhelm should be at least adequate, but I think Dobbins offers more upside. If anything, the Bolts need to address their OLB depth, since it looks like Steve Foley will need a comeback of titanic proportions to play football again.

 

[Jene Bramel]

bloom,do you think that the combo of cooper and dobbins is a starting ILB in the NFL. obviously they like cooper after signing him, but what is his pedigree? do you think that the draft offers a replacement option? will cooper be a fill in until they find another stud? or do they see cooper as that studi enjoy your info, bye the way.

thanks for the kind words.Cooper was a UDFA, but I don't see any reason to give that any weight. They really like him and the contract that they signed him to shows a clear intention to make him a long term starter, and yes, they see him as that stud. Wilhelm should be at least adequate, but I think Dobbins offers more upside. If anything, the Bolts need to address their OLB depth, since it looks like Steve Foley will need a comeback of titanic portions to play football again.

Despite the rumors all summer that Wilhelm would take over for Edwards, I agree with Sig. All signs (contract, PT, etc) point to Cooper getting the first shot.

 

[BoltBacker]

Despite the rumors all summer that Wilhelm would take over for Edwards, I agree with Sig. All signs (contract, PT, etc) point to Cooper getting the first shot.

I think that was the plan but Edwards has played at such a high level(as usual) that Wilhelm just hasn't been able to see the field. There's much less of a gap between Godfrey/Cooper than there is Edwards/Wilhelm right now imo. Thank goodness AJ didn't give Edwards away to N.O., SD would be in much worse shape if they had.In regards to Dobbins I can't help but wonder if he's the odd man out of those three in that Cooper seems to be getting the extention, playing time and is certainly being groomed to step in as the starter(I'm not even sure it doesn't happen by the end of the year) but I'm not sure and ILB duo of Cooper/Dobbins would work. Neither covers as well as Wilhelm and it just seems to me Wilhelm compliments either Cooper or Dobbins better than Cooper/Dobbins compliment one another. If it comes down to a choice between Cooper or Dobbins starting next year the choice seems pretty obvious based on how the coaches are using them right now. I thought Dobbins would be a shoe-in to start in '07 when the drafted him but I doubt that's the case now, and we don't even know if they'll sign a FA in the summer to compete with all three of them.

 

[BoltBacker]

If anything, the Bolts need to address their OLB depth, since it looks like Steve Foley will need a comeback of titanic proportions to play football again.

Do you think Marques Harris is a stop-gap, or do you think the coaching staff views him as a solid long-term contributor? Merriman/Philips are both young, talented and entrenched as the starters regardless of what happens with Foley and if the coaches liked Harris I'm not sure how much FA $ or how high a draft pick they would be willing to invest in depth at OLB. Philips does make mistakes from time to time but he has to be on the field because of his athleticism and his contributions to the pass-rush that is so key to SD's defensive success. I'd be interested to hear MT's thoughts on Harris. He seems to show flashes from time to time but is inconsistent which also describes Cooper from what I've seen yet the orginization seems to be in love with Cooper.

 

[Maurile Tremblay]

I don't expect a drop-off in play from Edwards-Godfrey to Cooper-Dobbins (just like I didn't expect a drop-off from Foley to Phillips). Wilhelm is not under contract beyond this year, but it'd be nice to keep him around as well. Cooper is very athletic and instinctive, and Dobbins looked fantastic during the preseason as a killer run-stuffer. The Cooper-Dobbins combo should work very much like the Edwards-Godfrey combo. (Note that both Cooper and Dobbins got some playing time at ILB against the Rams.)

Someone mentioned Cooper's pedigree. He was undrafted, but that was because of off-the-field issues, not his football ability. He was a stud on the field. He was an Associated Press first-team All-American at Maine, and was the Atlantic-10 Defensive Player of the Year as a senior. He's also got all the measurables to excel in the NFL. (What were the off-the-field issues? He got caught with so many steroid pills that the FBI investigated him for intent to distribute.)

I do think Harris is a long-term contributor . . . but as a special teamer and a situational rusher, not as a starting outside linebacker.

Shaun Phillips is not under contract beyond this year, so they really need to extend him. With Foley's career in doubt, I would go ahead and give Phillips the big bucks to keep him in town and be set at OLB with a Merriman-Phillips combo for years to come.

 

[msommer]

He got caught with so many steroid pills that the FBI investigated him for intent to distribute.

So HE was the one that spiked Merriman's stuff...

 

[BoltBacker]

I don't expect a drop-off in play from Edwards-Godfrey to Cooper-Dobbins (just like I didn't expect a drop-off from Foley to Phillips).

That's a pretty strong statement. Especially when you consider how often SD uses its OLB's to rush the passer. Do you think Cooper or Dobbins can cover well enough to make the loss of Edwards after this season anything but glaring? I haven't seen Merriman/Philips in coverage enough to know if either is capable but would it even be wise if they were given the fact they are the best pass rushers on the team?

 

[odon]

i found this at profootballweekly.com today.

This was believed to be ILB Randall Godfrey’s last year, but he backed off any retirement talk last week, suggesting he’s keeping his options open because he’s still having fun and football has been “a medicine” for him since the death of his sister last year. But the question is: Will the Chargers have a spot for him if he does come back? Godfrey is playing well as basically a two-down defender in this, his 11th NFL season, but he is already splitting time with fourth-year LB Stephen Cooper, an explosive athlete who figures to move into a starting role next season regardless of what Godfrey decides. If the Chargers retain the services of free-agent-to-be Matt Wilhelm, either he or rookie Tim Dobbins likely will take over for Godfrey’s running mate inside, Donnie Edwards, as depth is definitely a luxury for San Diego in the LB corps.