Dom Capers?

[packers11]

CAPERS HITS PACKERS’ RADAR
Posted by Mike Florio on January 16, 2009, 12:46 p.m.

With Mike Nolan and Gregg Williams taking defensive coordinator positions with other teams after being identified as finalists for the same job in Green Bay, another name is being added to the Packers’ list.

According to Adam Schefter of NFL Network, Pats special assistant/secondary Dom Capers is interviewing for the defensive coordinator job on Mike McCarthy’s staff.

Capers, 58, has spent the last 23 years in the NFL, working as among other things the first head coach of both the Panthers and the Texans, and the defensive coordinator of the Steelers, Jaguars, and Dolphins.

Another former Steelers defensive coordinator, and two-time former head coach, remains in the running as well — Jim Haslett.

Then there’s Eagles secondary coach Sean McDermott. He still might get the job, if Philly loses on Sunday at Arizona.

[packers11]

He is a 3-4 guy... Don't like it... Pass...

[Fritz]

a 3-4 guy.

[HarveyWallbangers]

1992 - Pittsburgh - 2nd (points allowed); 13th (yards allowed)
1993 - Pittsburgh - 8th (points allowed); 3rd (yards allowed)
1994 - Pittsburgh - 2nd (points allowed); 2nd (yards allowed)

1999 - Jacksonville - 1st (points allowed); 4th (yards allowed)
2000 - Jacksonville - 16th (points allowed); 16th (yards allowed)

In 1992, he was DC for a team with a new coach. Pittsburgh's defense ranked 24th in points allowed and 22nd in yards allowed in 1991.

In 1999, he took over as DC for a Jacksonville defense that ranked 17th in points allowed and 25th in yards allowed in 1998.

Great track record. I'll take him.

[bobblehead]

BATES.....call him, beg him, offer him HC money and assistant HC job. He turned our defense around once already and I think its time to set ego's aside and get the master of the bates system back.

edit: Just read his wikipedia. He still lives in wisconsin. He also got bumped in '07 as DC of the broncos for...get this....bob slowik. The broncos defense went from 9th to 29th. Nice.

[bobblehead]

1992 - Pittsburgh - 2nd (points allowed); 13th (yards allowed)
1993 - Pittsburgh - 8th (points allowed); 3rd (yards allowed)
1994 - Pittsburgh - 2nd (points allowed); 2nd (yards allowed)

1999 - Jacksonville - 1st (points allowed); 4th (yards allowed)
2000 - Jacksonville - 16th (points allowed); 16th (yards allowed)

In 1992, he was DC for a team with a new coach. Pittsburgh's defense ranked 24th in points allowed and 22nd in yards allowed in 1991.

In 1999, he took over as DC for a Jacksonville defense that ranked 17th in points allowed and 25th in yards allowed in 1998.

Great track record. I'll take him.

I like this, I would take him too. I'm all about results and accountability. Looks like he has gotten results.

Since I am all about results I would say at least 3 defensive guys from last year should lose their jobs.

[Zool]

BATES.....call him, beg him, offer him HC money and assistant HC job. He turned our defense around once already and I think its time to set ego's aside and get the master of the bates system back.

edit: Just read his wikipedia. He still lives in wisconsin. He also got bumped in '07 as DC of the broncos for...get this....bob slowik. The broncos defense went from 9th to 29th. Nice.

I've thought of this one too, but he seemed pretty disgruntled that he didnt get the head spot over McCarthy.

[sheepshead]

Hire Capers.

[Freak Out]

Why not hire him?

[Waldo]

I think that MM is pretty open to and possibly set on switching to a 3-4.

The 3-4 is ideal when your primary opponents prefer to run the ball and have quick athletic backs that are good cutback runners. The WCO is its biggest enemy, and was the reason it dwindled in popularity, as the T-2 is the WCO's enemy, and the WCO rose in the 90's. Since then the zone blitz principles have been worked out agaisnt the WCO and it does a decent job with that too.

Our division incidentally is full of crappy QB's and teams that rely on the run with athletic backs. Schwartz's vision in Detroit that he laid out is basing his offense on the run.

We have the most important part. Pickett would be more than adequate at NT, possibly quite good, taking on double teams has been the name of his game since coming to GB, he actually might be better suited there going forward as power is valued over athleticism, and his athleticism is declining.

We have a RDE in Jenkins. Kamp could play LDE (he is similar to Justin Smith, the LDE for SF, who played quite good), though a little more size wouldn't hurt, he too could be traded, but he wouldn't be awful and could excel (Howie Long was 6'5" 265, Kamp is 6'4" 265). There are 2 good 3-4 DE's on the market this FA period if Kamp were to be traded, Canty and Olshansky. Jolly and Harrell would be an acceptable 3-4 DE backups right now, and Harrell could play NT in a pinch (a true backup would be a draft need though, Ron Brace?, though Raji is a Wilfork clone and he started his first year in NE on the nose). We have the 2 ILB's (Hawk, Barnett) and backups (Chillar, Bishop, Lansanah). We have the SOLB (Poppinga) but could use an upgrade. We have 2 backup WOLB's (Thompson, Hunter) but could use an upgrade, Thompson could emerge as a starting caliber OLB on either the weak or strong side.

The biggest needs would be a stud WOLB, Suggs in FA or Brown/Orapko/Johnson in the draft, a backup NT (Brace, Raji, or a few others in the draft (a Michigan DT is a good prospect too)), and possibly a trade of Kamp and signing a dedicated 3-4 DE in FA, plus a DE backup in the draft, and a backup SOLB with starting potential.

We could run it acceptably with out current roster, a few tweaks and we could have a decent one in short order. We have the nose, that is the most important position. At 6'-2" 330, Pickett can handle it. The nose has to be able to take double teams on every play or it doesn't work, and that is Pickett's game.

Another added bonus to a 3-4 is that are more of MM's favorite ST players, 6'5" 265 LB fast guys that can hit, on the roster.

[texaspackerbacker]

You guys just keep on grasping at those straws if it makes you feel good. McCarthy will probably come up with somebody none of you ever thought of.

I would be thoroughly pleased with Bates--basically, continuing the same scheme, but with a more charismatic leader. It just doesn't get any better than that. It probably won't happen, though.

I wouldn't be totally displeased with Capers--BECAUSE he is a 3-4 guy. I don't think that will happen either. McCarthy just doesn't seem to favor old guys who have worn out their welcomes elsewhere.

[The Shadow]

I think that MM is pretty open to and possibly set on switching to a 3-4.

The 3-4 is ideal when your primary opponents prefer to run the ball and have quick athletic backs that are good cutback runners. The WCO is its biggest enemy, and was the reason it dwindled in popularity, as the T-2 is the WCO's enemy, and the WCO rose in the 90's. Since then the zone blitz principles have been worked out agaisnt the WCO and it does a decent job with that too.

Our division incidentally is full of crappy QB's and teams that rely on the run with athletic backs. Schwartz's vision in Detroit that he laid out is basing his offense on the run.

We have the most important part. Pickett would be more than adequate at NT, possibly quite good, taking on double teams has been the name of his game since coming to GB, he actually might be better suited there going forward as power is valued over athleticism, and his athleticism is declining.

We have a RDE in Jenkins. Kamp could play LDE (he is similar to Justin Smith, the LDE for SF, who played quite good), though a little more size wouldn't hurt, he too could be traded, but he wouldn't be awful and could excel. There are 2 good 3-4 DE's on the market this FA period if Kamp were to be traded, Canty and Olshansky. Jolly and Harrell would be an acceptable 3-4 DE backups right now, and Harrell could play NT in a pinch (a true backup would be a draft need though, Ron Brace?, though Raji is a Wilfork clone and he started his first year in NE on the nose). We have the 2 ILB's (Hawk, Barnett) and backups (Chillar, Bishop, Lansanah). We have the SOLB (Poppinga) but could use an upgrade. We have 2 backup WOLB's (Thompson, Hunter) but could use an upgrade, Thompson could emerge as a starting caliber OLB on either the weak or strong side.

The biggest needs would be a stud WOLB, Suggs in FA or Brown/Orapko/Johnson in the draft, a backup NT (Brace, Raji, or a few others in the draft (a Michigan DT is a good prospect too)), and possibly a trade of Kamp and signing a dedicated 3-4 DE in FA, plus a DE backup in the draft, and a backup SOLB with starting potential.

We could run it acceptably with out current roster, a few tweaks and we could have a decent one in short order. We have the nose, that is the most important position. At 6'-2" 330, Pickett can handle it. The nose has to be able to take double teams on every play or it doesn't work, and that is Pickett's game.

Another added bonus to a 3-4 is that are more of MM's favorite ST players, 6'5" 265 LB fast guys that can hit, on the roster.

A nice analysis, but I think a good football player (Kamp) can adapt to just about any system.

[Waldo]

I agree. A lot of people don't think that he could play 3-4 DE, but I disagree. His sack #'s would probably go down, but he would still be quite good. He does a good job 1 on 1 with any lineman, you don't see him getting blown off the line unless doubled, and that wouldn't happen as a 3-4 DE since the TE is lined up across from the SOLB, to double Kamp would leave him unblocked. Justin Smith, SF's LDE is a pretty similar player to him, a little heavier, but Kamp has played heavier, and Smith's sack #'s didn't change switching from a 4-3 to 3-4. Howie Long is widely regarded as the best 3-4 DE ever, and he's pretty similar in build to Kamp.

[rbaloha1]

Pass on the 3-4 scheme. Kampman is a 4-3 end. Asking AK to drop into coverage during a zone blitz would be disasterous.

Plus the scheme could prevent the Packer from making the playoffs. Tweaking the 4-3 with increased innovative blitzing gives the Packers a better chance to make the playoffs. The players are in place combined with the draft and free agency.

Love the 3-4 but not for the Packers.

[Waldo]

Pass on the 3-4 scheme. Kampman is a 4-3 end. Asking AK to drop into coverage during a zone blitz would be disasterous.

Plus the scheme could prevent the Packer from making the playoffs. Tweaking the 4-3 with increased innovative blitzing gives the Packers a better chance to make the playoffs. The players are in place combined with the draft and free agency.

Love the 3-4 but not for the Packers.

Kamp would be a DE, not an OLB. 3-4 DE's don't cover except the rare slant/hook zone drop, something that he already does. The SOLB/WOLB on his side would be the blitzer/coverage guy. Depending on the 3-4 scheme run, he would line up in the RG-RT gap or across from the RT (same as now, but not angled out wide). Right now the best 3-4 SOLB on our roster is Poppinga, the best WOLB on our roster is Thompson.