Will Kampman succeed at linebacker?

[Pugger]

I don't think Kampy is going anywhere. I think they'll leave him right where he is.

[rbaloha1]

I don't think Kampy is going anywhere. I think they'll leave him right where he is.

Lets hope.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I don't think Kampy is going anywhere. I think they'll leave him right where he is.

Lets hope.

You can hope. I don't. To play 3-4 DE, he'll likely have to put on 35 pounds. To play 3-4 OLB, he's at the correct weight. Like others have said, his coverage responsibilities will be limited. I'm not that worried about Kampman as a 3-4 OLB. A 3-4 OLB is basically a roving pass rusher that is asked to play zone coverage on a limited basis, especially the OLB who is your best guy at rushing the passer.

[rbaloha1]

I don't think Kampy is going anywhere. I think they'll leave him right where he is.

Lets hope.

You can hope. I don't. To play 3-4 DE, he'll likely have to put on 35 pounds. To play 3-4 OLB, he's at the correct weight. Like others have said, his coverage responsibilities will be limited. I'm not that worried about Kampman as a 3-4 OLB. A 3-4 OLB is basically a roving pass rusher that is asked to play zone coverage on a limited basis, especially the OLB who is your best guy at rushing the passer.

Hope meaning Kampy stays at de and bulks up. Kampy is on record saying he likes playing one position.

Pure speculation on coverage responsibilities. Each time Kampy is in coverage is less opportunities for a premier pass rusher sacking a qb.

[DonHutson]

Kampy is an impact 4-3 end that needs to rush the qb every passing down. Requiring Kampy to drop into coverage is not a great idea.

Other than the occaisonal change up, rushing the passer is exactly what he will be doing on almost every play.

Except now he will have be able to move around more and pick his spots, and correct me if I'm wrong but I suspect he will have less responsibility v. the run on most plays. He should be able to pick a spot, tee off, and go.

I'm not saying Kampman will be as good as DeMarcus Ware, but Ware doesn't get 20 sacks every year by chasing TE's around all day. That's just not the role Kampman will be asked to fill.

He was a pass rusher before. He's a pass rusher now.

[rbaloha1]

Kampy is an impact 4-3 end that needs to rush the qb every passing down. Requiring Kampy to drop into coverage is not a great idea.

Other than the occaisonal change up, rushing the passer is exactly what he will be doing on almost every play.

Except now he will have be able to move around more and pick his spots, and correct me if I'm wrong but I suspect he will have less responsibility v. the run on most plays. He should be able to pick a spot, tee off, and go.

I'm not saying Kampman will be as good as DeMarcus Ware, but Ware doesn't get 20 sacks every year by chasing TE's around all day. That's just not the role Kampman will be asked to fill.

He was a pass rusher before. He's a pass rusher now.

If this is indeed Kampy's role of glorified de end playing olb then Kampy succeeds.

[DonHutson]

If this is indeed Kampy's role of glorified de end playing olb then Kampy succeeds.

It's all assumption until we see the D in action.

But I think many of the people that are worried about Kampman as a LB are thinking of guys like Hawk and Chillar, when you should probably be remembering guys like Bryce Paup, Tony Bennett, and Tim Harris.

[Gunakor]

I don't think Kampy is going anywhere. I think they'll leave him right where he is.

Lets hope.

You can hope. I don't. To play 3-4 DE, he'll likely have to put on 35 pounds. To play 3-4 OLB, he's at the correct weight. Like others have said, his coverage responsibilities will be limited. I'm not that worried about Kampman as a 3-4 OLB. A 3-4 OLB is basically a roving pass rusher that is asked to play zone coverage on a limited basis, especially the OLB who is your best guy at rushing the passer.

Hope meaning Kampy stays at de and bulks up. Kampy is on record saying he likes playing one position.

Pure speculation on coverage responsibilities. Each time Kampy is in coverage is less opportunities for a premier pass rusher sacking a qb.

3-4 DE's don't rack up sack totals. They are there to plug gaps and stop the interior run. The sacks primarily go to the OLB's in a 3-4. His strength as a pass rusher would be better utilized as a OLB in a 3-4 than as a DE. Each time Kampy lines up as a 3-4 DE is less opportunities for a premier pass rusher sacking a QB as well, at least if he's doing the job a 3-4 DE is supposed to be doing anyway.

[DonHutson]

3-4 DE's don't rack up sack totals. They are there to plug gaps and stop the interior run. The sacks primarily go to the OLB's in a 3-4. His strength as a pass rusher would be better utilized as a OLB in a 3-4 than as a DE. Each time Kampy lines up as a 3-4 DE is less opportunities for a premier pass rusher sacking a QB as well, at least if he's doing the job a 3-4 DE is supposed to be doing anyway.

Exactly. But they might move him up to a 3-4 end on rare occasions just to cause confusion. I'm sure he'll step up and put his hand on the ground as more of a 4-3 style end on many occasions. He'll probably drop back into coverage from both formations once in awhile, just to mix it up even more.

That's what McCarthy is talking about when he says the 3-4 can provide more looks and more options. That's the advantage to this D. However, whenever Kampman (or anyone else) excercises one of these options, everybody else needs to pick that up and adjust appropriately. If not executed properly, that will be the major disadvantage of this scheme.

Kampman doesn't worry me. Whether the rest of the D can react accordingly and pick up all the subtleties, does worry me some. We ran a fairly uncomplicated scheme before and there was still confusion. I'm going to hope that was a failing of the coaches, which prompted this change. But if that was a chronic failure of the players, that may not bode well.

[DonHutson]

I floated like a butterfly, stung like a bee.

People change, people change.

Now it just stings when he pees. Changes, indeed.

[MadScientist]

Anyone know how often there is a zone blitz on vs rushing the ROLB in a typical game from Caper's past? If not, how about the Steelers this year?

[SnakeLH2006]

I think Tim Harris was pretty good for a similar type player in the very early 90's. Kampy was prob. only 265 last year anyway, and has good football quickness and exceptional instincts. He's obviously too small to be a 290 lb. DE that the 3-4 calls for, so all bets are off as he'll most likely be a pass rushing LB that stuffs the TE on occasion. Good luck though Kampy.