Camp Battles - Linebackers

General discussion and team advice concerning IDP Leagues.
Slevin Kelevra
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Re: Camp Battles - Linebackers

Postby Slevin Kelevra » Fri Jun 09, 2017 12:49 am

Any update on the Redskins ILBs situation ?

Is Zach Brown gonna play every down?

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lukkynumber13
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Re: Camp Battles - Linebackers

Postby lukkynumber13 » Fri Jun 09, 2017 1:19 am

Slevin Kelevra wrote: Fri Jun 09, 2017 12:49 am Any update on the Redskins ILBs situation ?

Is Zach Brown gonna play every down?
There won't be any updates until we watch week 1. Or unless Foster & Compton both tear their ACLs.

But I strongly believe Brown has an every down role locked in.
TEAM A - 12T (22 R/U, 20 R/U, 19 R/U, 18 Champ, 17 R/U)
HERBERT, Baker
BIJAN/KAMARA/MIXON, A Jones
HILL/AJB/DK/G WILSON/D Adams, Pittman, Z Flowers, Evans
KITTLE
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TEAM B - 16T, SF, TEP (22 R/U)
HURTS/MINSHEW, Cousins, D Jones
JT/JACOBS, Mostert, Gus E
HILL/MCLAURIN/DEEBO
KELCE/KITTLE, LaPorta
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TEAM C - 14T, SF (Joined in 22)
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HENRY/A JONES, Gus E
HILL/DIGGS/K ALLEN
WALLER
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TEAM D - 14T, 1QB (Joined in 22)
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BIJAN/BREECE/POLLARD
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KITTLE, Goedert
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TEAM E - 14T, SF, 2TE (Started in 22)
MAHOMES/T-LAW, Carr
BIJAN/CMC/SAQUON/POLLARD, Hall
HILL/AIYUK/EVANS/GODWIN, Hollywood, Thielen
MCBRIDE/ENGRAM, Goedert, Chig
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TEAM F - 16T (Joined in 23)
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JJ/G WILSON/WADDLE/OLAVE, Godwin, J Reed
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Re: Camp Battles - Linebackers

Postby bruiser » Fri Jun 09, 2017 3:09 am

dawgs4life wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2017 1:04 pm I think Marshall just had a bad UNLUKKY year last year. He is too talented to stay that way
I have a strange observation on last year: linebackers that refused to stand for the national anthem had a bad year. I recall a number of them on my team getting benched - not because they were distracted with political grandstanding, but because their performance was grossly affected by it.

Brandon Marshall - DEN
Robert Quinn
Jelani Jenkins

Arian Foster...
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Re: Camp Battles - Linebackers

Postby bruiser » Fri Jun 09, 2017 3:14 am

boobam13 wrote: Thu Jun 08, 2017 2:32 pm
Bruiser wrote: Tue May 30, 2017 6:49 pm Nate Gerry (R) PHI - played SS in college, but the Iggles have already declared that he is a chase-and-tackle LB. They need one. They're cutting Kendricks post-June 3rd, and they absolutely need a WILL. Stash this guy.

Fwiw, I have no grade on this guy. I'm strictly buying on role/opportunity.
With Philly not moving on from Kendricks change the Nate Gerry train?
I believe Philly is in the same situation as Dallas was with Romo. They have a player that is so well paid, he can't be traded. When you are in that situation, there is no rush to cut them. But he definitely couldn't be cut before June 1st because of the lump sum of dead cap that would have counted against 2017. Post-June 1st cuts get spread out across 2017 and 2018 (dead cap).
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Oslo Oildrillers
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Re: Camp Battles - Linebackers

Postby Oslo Oildrillers » Fri Jun 09, 2017 9:31 am

Slevin Kelevra wrote: Fri Jun 09, 2017 12:49 am Any update on the Redskins ILBs situation ?

Is Zach Brown gonna play every down?
Last year Compton was the MIKE playcaller in an every down role and Foster played WILB in a ~70% role with Cravens playing some 300 snaps as sub-package linebacker. When Compton and Cravens went down with injury they used Spaight at MIKE playcaller in an every down role (where he blew up for 15 total tackles) and Foster in a WILB every down role. As a group the WAS LBs struggled with a lack of speed and they got burnt in coverage. Compton is a limited player. He's bad against the run and he's not very good in coverage, but he has the coaching staff's trust as their primary playcaller.

Zach Brown gives them a considerable boost in pass coverage and I'm confident that Brown will win an every down role as their WILB. He might even play MIKE but to me he is a better fit for them at WILB. Foster is far superior against the run vs Compton (as is Spaight), but they seem to clearly trust Compton more in pass coverage. So if they are serious about moving Cravens full time to safety I would think that Compton is the default option in nickel alongside Brown. Both Foster and Spaight profiles best as two down players so they have a lot of guys to play the run but they're thin in coverage.

I hope that they will end up using Brown and Foster, and their best option would be to play Brown and Cravens in sub-packages, but if I had to put money on it I would say Brown and Compton - until they're able to find an upgrade for Compton. They could either find an every down MIKE or they could find a more natural 3-4 WILB and move Brown to MIKE. Brown and Brown played left/right in BUF, not strongside/weakside, with both calling plays but Preston was usually the playcaller.

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Re: Camp Battles - Linebackers

Postby NY CAT » Fri Jun 09, 2017 10:41 am

Lots of buzz on Jayon Brown in Tennessee.

Any thoughts on him beating Woodyard for a starting job?

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Re: Camp Battles - Linebackers

Postby Eagles4life » Fri Jun 09, 2017 1:13 pm

Bruiser wrote: Tue May 30, 2017 6:49 pm Nate Gerry (R) PHI - played SS in college, but the Iggles have already declared that he is a chase-and-tackle LB. They need one. They're cutting Kendricks post-June 3rd, and they absolutely need a WILL. Stash this guy.

Fwiw, I have no grade on this guy. I'm strictly buying on role/opportunity.
I agree with this... let's not forget Bradham has some legal issues that could result in a suspension or release (doubtful, but you never know) giving Gerry an opportunity

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Re: Camp Battles - Linebackers

Postby Space Cowboy » Fri Jun 09, 2017 2:19 pm

Oslo what do you think about the LB group at your local HS?

hehe i joke i joke! Good insight as always

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Re: Camp Battles - Linebackers

Postby Space Cowboy » Fri Jun 09, 2017 2:32 pm

Eagles4life wrote: Fri Jun 09, 2017 1:13 pm
Bruiser wrote: Tue May 30, 2017 6:49 pm Nate Gerry (R) PHI - played SS in college, but the Iggles have already declared that he is a chase-and-tackle LB. They need one. They're cutting Kendricks post-June 3rd, and they absolutely need a WILL. Stash this guy.

Fwiw, I have no grade on this guy. I'm strictly buying on role/opportunity.
I agree with this... let's not forget Bradham has some legal issues that could result in a suspension or release (doubtful, but you never know) giving Gerry an opportunity
Thanks for the heads up guys. I'm weak at LB so I went ahead and grabbed him.

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Re: Camp Battles - Linebackers

Postby jnappy » Fri Jun 09, 2017 3:51 pm

Bruiser wrote: Mon Jun 05, 2017 5:41 pm Same here, Lukky. I'd like to have Jones on just one of my teams, but the price is peaking.
Got him for Blount straight up from an RB needy team :shock:. I'm thinking of flipping him because everyone is going so bonkers over him...
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Oslo Oildrillers
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Re: Camp Battles - Linebackers

Postby Oslo Oildrillers » Sat Jun 10, 2017 12:46 am

Commendable wrote: Fri Jun 09, 2017 10:41 am Lots of buzz on Jayon Brown in Tennessee.

Any thoughts on him beating Woodyard for a starting job?
Looking back at last season the Titans had a linebacker rotation where Wesley Woodyard played base WILB but came out in sub-packages, Avery Williamson played MIKE and nickel, Sean Spence played nickel linebacker and some dime, and their safety Stafford also played some dime linebacker. :?

Needless to say this type of rotation is not great for IDP, in part because the snaps are split but also because the use of players becomes less consistent and less predictable as it becomes dependent on what the opposing offense is doing. Woodyard would typically play 35-60% of snaps, Williamson would play 70-100%, and Spence would play 30-60% of snaps. But the snaps would flip from week to week depending on formation and game flow. Like in week 5 Spence played 77% and Woodyard played 36%, and two weeks later Woodyard played 73% and Spence played 39%.

As for Williamson you could pretty much trust that he would play a lot versus run heavy and play action offenses, like he played 100% against MIN, OAK, HOU and KCC, but then he would come off the field more when playing teams that use a lot 3 and 4 WR sets. His fewest snaps came when they played GBP when he only played 67% of snaps. Williamson's use could to some extent be predicted but it's not consistent and you're going to be more of an LB4 depth player in IDP with that usage, not a preferred starter. You see sites list Williamson as an every down linebacker but it's not really accurate. Williamson finished as an LB3 but that's in part because he stayed healthy the entire season. Looking at his weekly contribution and PPG he was more like a low end LB4.

Williamson is great against the run, he's a very physical player, but he's okay at best in coverage due to his lack of quickness. For a 250-pound LB he's decent in coverage, but it's not exactly a strength. Woodyard is a lighter WILB type who you would think would be better in coverage but he is clearly best against the run as that is where they have been using him. Both Stafford and Spence are gone so the question is what the new rotation will be in sub-packages.

Jayon Brown is considered by most to be a pure cover linebacker. He plays like a safety in coverage and can play man against TE and RBs very well, but while a solid tackler he doesn't play with the physicality to beat blocks so the expectation is that he would be pushed around in the running game as a 3-4 ILB. It would have been more attractive if he landed in a situation as a run-and-chase 4-3 WILL behind a strong DL where he would be more free to get from sideline to sideline. But who knows...he might surprise us and I'm sure he'll put on 10+ pounds to his frame over the next year or so. The Titans are super thin at ILB so there is hardly anyone behind these three. You get into pure backup and special team role players pretty much immediately, so it will be interesting to see if one of their safeties will play some linebacker - in particular if Woodyard or Williamson goes down with injuries.

I'm expecting Jayon Brown to pretty much take over Spence's role with a long term shot of beating out Woodyard for base snaps at WILB, and for Woodyard and Williamson to keep the same roles they had last year. I like Jayon Brown for the long term upside and I wouldn't mind Williamson as my LB4-5. Their division just got more run heavy with Fournette landing in JAX and looking at their schedule I see quite a few games where Williamson should get significant snaps.
Last edited by Oslo Oildrillers on Sat Jun 10, 2017 12:56 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Camp Battles - Linebackers

Postby Oslo Oildrillers » Sat Jun 10, 2017 12:52 am

Space Cowboy wrote: Fri Jun 09, 2017 2:19 pm Oslo what do you think about the LB group at your local HS?

hehe i joke i joke! Good insight as always
My local HS is in Italy so they don't have a football team here, but if you let me know your local HS I can throw a dart at some projected LB snap shares. :dance:

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Re: Camp Battles - Linebackers

Postby Space Cowboy » Sat Jun 10, 2017 9:30 am

Oslo Oildrillers wrote: Sat Jun 10, 2017 12:52 am
Space Cowboy wrote: Fri Jun 09, 2017 2:19 pm Oslo what do you think about the LB group at your local HS?

hehe i joke i joke! Good insight as always
My local HS is in Italy so they don't have a football team here, but if you let me know your local HS I can throw a dart at some projected LB snap shares. :dance:
Now I want some pasta.

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Re: Camp Battles - Linebackers

Postby Space Cowboy » Sat Jun 10, 2017 10:29 am

Groups thoughts on Connor Harris? Jets will give everyone a shot and he'll sure have tackling opportunities. D-II UDFA.....

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Re: Camp Battles - Linebackers

Postby bruiser » Sun Jun 11, 2017 6:14 am

I liked Connor Harris in the pre-draft. I had a C+ grade on him for his production, but he had a below average athletic score.

Opportunity trumps all of my generic analysis, and there appears to be more opportunity there, so.........
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