More football: Linebackers

[bobblehead]

Ok, first the kool aid:

Mathews and Perry both stay healthy and provide consistent pressure.

Sadly that is about the only kool aid I can find with this group. The reality is they will both miss time and the group as a whole is unimpressive. Clay is getting old and should be playing ILB, Burke is a rookie and seems to lack instinct. Martinez seems to get to the ball carrier, but I can't recall seeing him make any impact in coverage or pass rush. Biegel is still effectively a rookie who hasn't shown much, Fackrell is hopeless.

I just can't find a reason to get excited about this group.

[Upnorth]

Ok, first the kool aid:

Mathews and Perry both stay healthy and provide consistent pressure.

Sadly that is about the only kool aid I can find with this group. The reality is they will both miss time and the group as a whole is unimpressive. Clay is getting old and should be playing ILB, Burke is a rookie and seems to lack instinct. Martinez seems to get to the ball carrier, but I can't recall seeing him make any impact in coverage or pass rush. Biegel is still effectively a rookie who hasn't shown much, Fackrell is hopeless.

I just can't find a reason to get excited about this group.

But Jones will transition to Nitro LB and make everyone look that much better!

Also hasn't wist taught us all that LBs dont matter???

[red]

just remember, the new DC might run some 4-3. so on those plays, we'll only have 3 disappointments on the field instead of 4

so we got that going for us

[Joemailman]

Ok, first the kool aid:

Mathews and Perry both stay healthy and provide consistent pressure.

Sadly that is about the only kool aid I can find with this group. The reality is they will both miss time and the group as a whole is unimpressive. Clay is getting old and should be playing ILB, Burke is a rookie and seems to lack instinct. Martinez seems to get to the ball carrier, but I can't recall seeing him make any impact in coverage or pass rush. Biegel is still effectively a rookie who hasn't shown much, Fackrell is hopeless.

I just can't find a reason to get excited about this group.

I think we'll start seeing Clay at ILB quite a bit again, where he seems less injury prone. Martinez had 8 passes defensed last year, which I think is pretty damn good for an ILB. He wasn't used in pass rush much, if I recall correctly, but that could change as Pettine stresses inside pass rush. I'm hopeful a healthy Biegel will be pretty good. Don't forget Reggie Gilbert, who's been pretty good when he's had a chance to play.

[texaspackerbacker]

I also think Clay should play a lot at ILB. Paired with Martinez, the Packers would be pretty solid there. The big question mark obviously is OLB. I'm optimistic about Biegel and Gilbert, and I may be the only one, but I even think there is some hope for Fackrell. I also think Burks' best chance to contribute is OLB. If your D Line is solid - ours is, and your ILBs get the job done - they should, then OLB becomes not much more than a speed position - turn that corner hard and don't miss the tackle when you get there. Whatever else you can say, Biegel, Gilbert, Fackrell, and Burks are fast. I haven't mentioned Perry because I'm not thinking very positive about him. He gets hurt a lot, and he's got the kind of speed that just almost gets there - like warning track power in baseball.

[pbmax]

Matthews, if inside, will be there for pass rush. He might see more coverage but it'll be from OLB.

I, too, still have hope for Fackrell, but its running against his trend of simply not being impactful enough. But he has got to stop playing careful.

Gilbert seems like the typical offseason "jump" story but he did look better than the alternatives late last year. But I wonder what kept him on the bench that long.

Burks will be the dime LB by the third pre-season game.

I am not expecting a ton out of Biegle.

[MadScientist]

If the DB's don't look like a bunch of idiots who never played football and all speak different languages, maybe the LB's will have that extra step to get the sack. CM might actually look rejuvenated, not because he's improved physically, but because QB's won't have their choice of open receivers the instant he finishes his drop back.

[run pMc]

Matthews was good last year, think that will continue if he's healthy. Has a chance to reach double digit sacks but don't count on it. I don't know how much he'll play ILB because they have a bunch of mid rounders there (Burks, Martinez, Ryan). Maybe they line him up there with Ryan outside to confuse a QB pre-snap, but I don't know they have enough OLB quality depth to play him inside.
Perry is good when he's healthy; he's almost never healthy though.

I think you just pencil in these two missing 2-4 games each.

Gilbert will leapfrog Fackrell on the depth chart, if he has his technique down and knows the plays.
Fackrell sticks for ST if nothing else. I think given his age he's not going to show a lot more, unless Pettine finds a way to turn the lightbulb on.
Too early to tell on Biegel; last year was a lost year for him. We'll get an idea in training camp. People are all over the place on him.

Burks is going to be the Nitro and dime LB instead of Josh Jones. Supposed to be smart and a hard worker, but they'll start Ryan/Martinez over him to start the season. Maybe that changes by mid-season. I think he'll at least be Joe Thomas his first year, with a chance to make a jump and be a decent/average starter.

The R7 pick is probably a PS guy his first year.

Don't know who else they have.

Overall, kind of a meh group. They will need to address/overhaul it next offseason. Matthews' contract is up I believe but they should bring him back and draft 2-3 guys like they did with RBs, CBs, and WRs the last two drafts. Maybe the NO pick makes that more feasible.

[Zool]

I know CM3 made some flashy plays at ILB, but did anyone watch him play there? He was actually pretty bad. He has no discipline for the position. He over-runs as many plays as he makes. Let Clay do what Clay does. Rush the passer and improvise.

[Fritz]

just remember, the new DC might run some 4-3. so on those plays, we'll only have 3 disappointments on the field instead of 4

so we got that going for us

Red is an awesome poster.

[mraynrand]

Red is an awesome poster.

I love how Red calls the English fans the 'most negative in the world.' They got nothin' on Red.

[pbmax]

I know CM3 made some flashy plays at ILB, but did anyone watch him play there? He was actually pretty bad. He has no discipline for the position. He over-runs as many plays as he makes. Let Clay do what Clay does. Rush the passer and improvise.

The biggest reason for improvement that year was Nick Perry starting in place of Matthews on run downs.

[Fritz]

We'll know the season has really started when Matthews strains or tears some quad or groin and when Nick Perry breaks some freaky bone in his hand or wrist, thus having to miss a few games before he comes back to play with a club on that hand.

We all better hope that a miracle occurs and that either Kyle Feckless, Vince Smeagol, or Reggie (White) Gilbert is The Next Big Thing.

Sigh.

[Joemailman]

We'll know the season has really started when Matthews strains or tears some quad or groin and when Nick Perry breaks some freaky bone in his hand or wrist, thus having to miss a few games before he comes back to play with a club on that hand.

We all better hope that a miracle occurs and that either Kyle Feckless, Vince Smeagol, or Reggie (White) Gilbert is The Next Big Thing.

Sigh.

Might not need The Next Big Thing. In 4 years as Jets DC, Pettine's pass defenses were in the top 6 every year. Yet he never had a player with more than 8 sacks. Sacks really weren't their strong point, as only once were they in the top 10. Pettine stresses inside pass rush, and I suspect he's more concerned with getting consistent inside pressure than he is with high numbers of sacks.
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[Zool]

Packers have been high in sacks for quite a few years. Sacks (not equals sign) good defense.