Carl Bradford and the ILBs

[wist43]

I don't think Bradford can play at the NFL level.

When we drafted him I thought it would be a no-brainer that they had him slotted for ILB duty - but of course 1265 didn't see it that way, and insisted on trying to shove a square peg in a round hole. Now they are going to try him there, but from what I saw of him last year - I think he might be useless altogether, as opposed to just being played out of position.

He just didn't look like he belonged on an NFL field. He was slow - very slow - to react; he didn't look like he had any instincts at all; he looked small; his short arms were very evident in that he couldn't keep blockers off of him, and he didn't know how to shed and chase at all.

Getting rid of Hawk and Jones was a step in the right direction, but I'm not convinced that Ted and MM care enough about the ILB position to do much about it.

[Joemailman]

Bradford played the last preseason game at ILB after practicing there for about 3 days. Therefore I think it might be a tad early to write him off. It's too bad it took the team as long as it did to decide he couldn't play outside. Some of the negatives you talk about - lack of speed, short arms - sound like a scouting report of Chris Borland. It will take some time to see if he has the instincts to play inside, but his physical shortcomings aren't as big a problem inside as they were when he was playing outside.

[smuggler]

He has the speed. He does not have OLB strength, but he could potentially be the cover man on the inside, opposite Barrington's thumping. If he has the interior instincts and the coverage ability, he can help the team.

[mraynrand]

He also had vince young in camp...an experienced veteran. I guess he should have gone the silverstein route and traded a 6th for Brady or Manning to back up Rodgers. I do recall that offseason well, there were something like 4 or 5 pro bowl QB's available to back up rodgers for the league minimum, but fucking TT didn't sign any of them.

The point, my impetuous friend, is that TT blew it with respect to the back up QB position. He's still an excellent GM, however.

[3irty1]

I don't think Bradford can play at the NFL level.

When we drafted him I thought it would be a no-brainer that they had him slotted for ILB duty - but of course 1265 didn't see it that way, and insisted on trying to shove a square peg in a round hole. Now they are going to try him there, but from what I saw of him last year - I think he might be useless altogether, as opposed to just being played out of position.

He just didn't look like he belonged on an NFL field. He was slow - very slow - to react; he didn't look like he had any instincts at all; he looked small; his short arms were very evident in that he couldn't keep blockers off of him, and he didn't know how to shed and chase at all.

Getting rid of Hawk and Jones was a step in the right direction, but I'm not convinced that Ted and MM care enough about the ILB position to do much about it.

He was a successful edge rusher in college and athletically the only thing that's special about him is his vertical. I can see why they'd want to give him every opportunity to succeed as an OLB for us.

I agree with your assessment though. He didn't look particularly good at anything.

[Carolina_Packer]

Probably too much thinking and indecision. He wouldn't be the first rookie to have that happen to him. I want to see what he looks like when he knows the plays and is just reacting and showing whatever ability he has. Hard to do that if you are a deer in the headlights. I hope they create a lot of competition at ILB like you'd expect. Barrington, in his second full year is now the man at that spot unless they go first rounder at that position. Perhaps Lattimore will be back to provide some depth/competition as well.

[3irty1]

Probably too much thinking and indecision. He wouldn't be the first rookie to have that happen to him. I want to see what he looks like when he knows the plays and is just reacting and showing whatever ability he has. Hard to do that if you are a deer in the headlights. I hope they create a lot of competition at ILB like you'd expect. Barrington, in his second full year is now the man at that spot unless they go first rounder at that position. Perhaps Lattimore will be back to provide some depth/competition as well.

I agree he was likely thinking too much, specifically fear. There wasn't much time left in preseason by the time he'd been switched to ILB so he really didn't have a lot of opportunities to not suck. The possibility of not making the team was very real. The entire appeal of the guy is his supposed propensity for big plays so the forgettable performance we saw at ILB could just be his conscious effort to avoid risk. I think Morgan Burnett gets into spells of that although he's never really been on the bubble so he doesn't have as good of an excuse as Bradford.

Charles Woodson is the exact opposite with inhuman confidence at all times that allows him to play risky and trust his football training. Why wouldn't he though? Charles Woodson's actual life is a fantasy land of personal accomplishment where he has no reason to think he's not a god.

[Joemailman]

What we saw from Bradford in his one preseason game at ILB was that of a player thinking instead of reacting. Under the circumstances, that's about the best that could be hoped for. Unlike a guy like Lattimore, he at least seemed to know what gap he should be in. He's a tough guy with a good motor. I think he has a chance.

[Fritz]

It'll be a make-or-break year - either they see his potential there and they stash him on the bottom of the 53, or they cut him loose. Not sure he'll be able to make enough of a jump to become a legitimate candidate to start.