How Good Is Cullen Jenkins?

[Smidgeon]

Really and truly, how good is Cullen Jenkins? I've heard him mentioned all the way from "just a guy" to "best player on the team" or "most disruptive player on the team (in a good way)". If I remember correctly, Jim Bates loved him when he came in. I've read this board go different ways on him too.

I'm just curious about where he stacks up across the league in terms of ability and impact. What other DE is he like?

The thing that got me thinking about that was in the Cleveland game where he speed rushed around Joe Thomas for (I think it was) a sack. I tend to expect Jenkins to be more of a bull rush, quick move inside kind of rusher, so that speed rush around the edge surprised me. Is he that good? Was Joe Thomas caught flat footed on one play only? What's the deal?

[mraynrand]

Against Cleveland I have him going against Joe Thomas:

4 runs - Thomas stones him all 4
8 passes - Thomas wins 6; Jenkins forces a fumble and beats a double team for a pressure

Against Steinbach (with some help from Mack (center) or Thomas):

9 runs - lost 8 but was doubled on 3
18 passes - lost 12, with one double on the prevent pass at the end of the half and won 6 (one was the dt with Thomas mentioned above). he was Dt three other times and got a pressure on Woodson's INT and a 1/2 sack on another.

He seemed pretty effective to me. Some of the battles he 'lost', the ball came out in 2-3 seconds. In the run game, he wasn't very disruptive, but he only got blown out a few times; was only doubled on 3 of 13 snaps. Montgomery coming in for him was completely ineffective.


Mack, Steinbach and Thomas are a pretty decent left side of that line for Cleveland. If they had any talent at WR, TE, RB, or QB, the line would be very effective.

[Brandon494]

Jenkins is very underrated, he is our best DL IMO. He was having a great season last year before injury ended his season. I think Jenkins is the perfect 3-4 DE and is far from "just another guy".