The Defense - Again, the Defense :(

[3irty1]

Every scheme needs a second level of linebackers at least to some degree you'll have to sink or swim with what's on the roster.

In pretty much any formation you can displace one of them by moving Clay into a second level role, but now you're building a scheme around getting your worst player in a position to sit on the bench rather than get your best player in a position to play their best. Is our ILB play so poor that its worth sacrificing a pro bowl pass rusher to mitigate? Any scheme that gets Hawk or Jones/Lattimore off the field without going into dime is basically saying yes to that question.

These questions are way above the paygrade of even the most infallible armchair coaches and GMs but I'd say no, the highest paid pass rusher in the league needs to be rushing the passer most of the time.

[pbmax]

Every scheme needs a second level of linebackers at least to some degree you'll have to sink or swim with what's on the roster.

In pretty much any formation you can displace one of them by moving Clay into a second level role, but now you're building a scheme around getting your worst player in a position to sit on the bench rather than get your best player in a position to play their best. Is our ILB play so poor that its worth sacrificing a pro bowl pass rusher to mitigate? Any scheme that gets Hawk or Jones/Lattimore off the field without going into dime is basically saying yes to that question.

These questions are way above the paygrade of even the most infallible armchair coaches and GMs but I'd say no, the highest paid pass rusher in the league needs to be rushing the passer most of the time.

And Clay hasn't been exactly reliable in the middle.