“It’s good now”… “It’s been feeling awesome”.

[3wt]

That's how Margus Hunt describes how his back is feeling in Dan Hoard's recent article on Hunt and Clarke stepping up (http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Opportunity-Beckons-for-Clarke-and-Hunt/df3b1689-76ad-41b5-a4a3-bf5ef518604d).  

He went on to describe how bad his back was last year and the process it took to start getting his strength and flexibility back.  Ultimately he was only able to contribute 5% of the defensive snaps.

I have this crazy good (emphasis on crazy) feeling about Hunt this year.   If he stays healthy that is.  I remember how long it took Geno to get back to speed after his knee surgery.  Backs are every bit as serious as knees and he barely was able to get back on the field.

Couple that with what sounds like a really good meeting with Kevin Green and I actually have a touch of optimism going into training camp.  The visit involved physically showing Hunt how he trained and film work of both Green and Hunt.

If Hunt were to develop to the point where he could put significant pressure on the quarterback it would put our defense into a different category.  It would strengthen the rotation (spelling MJ) and add the pressure on the quarterback that has been missing at the end of big games.

[XenoMorph]

(07-11-2016, 05:47 PM)3wt Wrote: That's how Margus Hunt describes how his back is feeling in Dan Hoard's recent article on Hunt and Clarke stepping up (http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Opportunity-Beckons-for-Clarke-and-Hunt/df3b1689-76ad-41b5-a4a3-bf5ef518604d).  

He went on to describe how bad his back was last year and the process it took to start getting his strength and flexibility back.  Ultimately he was only able to contribute 5% of the defensive snaps.

I have this crazy good (emphasis on crazy) feeling about Hunt this year.   If he stays healthy that is.  I remember how long it took Geno to get back to speed after his knee surgery.  Backs are every bit as serious as knees and he barely was able to get back on the field.

Couple that with what sounds like a really good meeting with Kevin Green and I actually have a touch of optimism going into training camp.  The visit involved physically showing Hunt how he trained and film work of both Green and Hunt.

If Hunt were to develop to the point where he could put significant pressure on the quarterback it would put our defense into a different category.  It would strengthen the rotation (spelling MJ) and add the pressure on the quarterback that has been missing at the end of big games.

big dude like back issues would be a huge problem....   so heres hoping hes healthy and back to ragdolling people

[*jason*]

I've moved on. I'd rather have Kevin Green on the roster at this point.

[3wt]

(07-11-2016, 06:09 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: big dude like back issues would be a huge problem....   so heres hoping hes healthy and back to ragdolling people

And able to combine brute force with some technique

[bonesaw]

Man, don't get me all hyped up for Margus Hunt again. I want him to detonate people sooooo bad, but so far he's been Mr July.

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(07-11-2016, 06:09 PM)XenoMorph Wrote: big dude like back issues would be a huge problem....   so heres hoping hes healthy and back to ragdolling people

Back to? Don't you mean starts? He's been pretty much a non-entity on the Bengals since he's been drafted.

[BengalChris]

(07-11-2016, 05:47 PM)3wt Wrote: That's how Margus Hunt describes how his back is feeling in Dan Hoard's recent article on Hunt and Clarke stepping up (http://www.bengals.com/news/article-1/Opportunity-Beckons-for-Clarke-and-Hunt/df3b1689-76ad-41b5-a4a3-bf5ef518604d).  

He went on to describe how bad his back was last year and the process it took to start getting his strength and flexibility back.  Ultimately he was only able to contribute 5% of the defensive snaps.

I have this crazy good (emphasis on crazy) feeling about Hunt this year.   If he stays healthy that is.  I remember how long it took Geno to get back to speed after his knee surgery.  Backs are every bit as serious as knees and he barely was able to get back on the field.

Couple that with what sounds like a really good meeting with Kevin Green and I actually have a touch of optimism going into training camp.  The visit involved physically showing Hunt how he trained and film work of both Green and Hunt.

If Hunt were to develop to the point where he could put significant pressure on the quarterback it would put our defense into a different category.  It would strengthen the rotation (spelling MJ) and add the pressure on the quarterback that has been missing at the end of big games.

Well, all I have to say is that he's a bust until he proves otherwise. Three years to contribute essentially nothing. A bad back for one year just doesn't explain the complete disappearance he's was able to do the other two years. It's time to put up or make room for someone who will.

[Essex Johnson]

(07-11-2016, 11:52 PM)BengalChris Wrote: Well, all I have to say is that he's a bust until he proves otherwise. Three years to contribute essentially nothing. A bad back for one year just doesn't explain the complete disappearance he's was able to do the other two years. It's time to put up or make room for someone who will.

Are we talking about   Jadeveon Clowney    

[Thundercloud]

My observation of Hunt, and we have limited snaps to talk about, show a guy with tremendous power, who doesn't finish, who doesn't take his play all the way to achieve a football objective, like making a tackle for instance.

He gets into a pushing contest and forgets that job one is to GET YOUR HANDS ON THE GUY WITH THE BALL! Now I'm sure that he has been coached on finishing over and over. But he doesn't seem to have the football instinct to make that one great, last move to get a sack, or at least a tackle.

Let's hope that exposure to Kevin Greene, will bring him up a couple of notches, and he'll understand that there's a time to get off the damn block and make a play. It seems like he has the talent in there somewhere, to be awesome. But the clock is ticking loudly.

[wolfkaosaun]

(07-12-2016, 12:54 AM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Are we talking about   Jadeveon Clowney    

Actually Clowney is one of the best DEs against the run. Just is hurt a lot and was way over-hyped. But I over-hyped him too coming out of college.

Only played in 17 games and really hasn't done all that much. Good against the run, nowhere near as good as a pass rusher.

[BengalintheCbus]

My problem with him is he seems to quit and gets beat at the attack too often for a guy his size. In preseason when he gets the most time he just seems to underwhelm me. If the coaches want to give him one more shot lets see what he has. But I agree with some of the others...to this point he's a bust

[BengalChris]

(07-12-2016, 12:54 AM)Essex Johnson Wrote: Are we talking about   Jadeveon Clowney    

[Sled21]

Disagree. Hard to play with a sore back. I remember one of the first games at PBS last year we were in the clubhouse and I walked my daughter up to Icky Woods, Mike Martin and Jim Breech to get them to sign her football. I was wearing my newly purchased Hunt jersey. Icky pointed to it and said "watch that guy, he's gonna be special". I agree, which is why I bought his jersey. Yeah, it's taken a little time to get him up to speed, and injuries limited his playing time, but I have a feeling about this year..... "The Eastern Block" may just be back..... 

[*SHRacerX*]

(07-12-2016, 08:39 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Disagree. Hard to play with a sore back. I remember one of the first games at PBS last year we were in the clubhouse and I walked my daughter up to Icky Woods, Mike Martin and Jim Breech to get them to sign her football. I was wearing my newly purchased Hunt jersey. Icky pointed to it and said "watch that guy, he's gonna be special". I agree, which is why I bought his jersey. Yeah, it's taken a little time to get him up to speed, and injuries limited his playing time, but I have a feeling about this year..... "The Eastern Block" may just be back..... 

People will say you are pulling for him out of pure fandom and that he is a bust...blah, blah, blah.

I don't always like to hear the terms "raw", or "project" when it comes to a second round selection, but the Bengals had talent that were already entrenched as starters so I was ok with the decision.  His health has been the #1 issue with Hunt.  I watched him a lot in college.  You can go back and watch his Youtube highlights.  The guy was unblockable.  He had tremendous balance for a big man, and great speed and athleticism.  

I was hoping to see him more at DT next to Geno with MJ and Dunlap outside.  I also thought he was more suited at LDE, but either way, the guy made some amazing plays and he wasn't always facing duds.  I remember when he went against a tackle that was drafted pretty high (second rounder, I think) and he definitely got the best of him the entire game.  Plus, blocking something ridiculous like 17 kicks?  Why was he not next to Dunlap on these units?

I still have hope for the guy, but he is a longshot at this point.  If he has a huge season, this team is going to be lethal on defense. 

[XenoMorph]

(07-12-2016, 09:02 AM)SHRacerX Wrote: People will say you are pulling for him out of pure fandom and that he is a bust...blah, blah, blah.

I don't always like to hear the terms "raw", or "project" when it comes to a second round selection, but the Bengals had talent that were already entrenched as starters so I was ok with the decision.  His health has been the #1 issue with Hunt.  I watched him a lot in college.  You can go back and watch his Youtube highlights.  The guy was unblockable.  He had tremendous balance for a big man, and great speed and athleticism.  

I was hoping to see him more at DT next to Geno with MJ and Dunlap outside.  I also thought he was more suited at LDE, but either way, the guy made some amazing plays and he wasn't always facing duds.  I remember when he went against a tackle that was drafted pretty high (second rounder, I think) and he definitely got the best of him the entire game.  Plus, blocking something ridiculous like 17 kicks?  Why was he not next to Dunlap on these units?

I still have hope for the guy, but he is a longshot at this point.  If he has a huge season, this team is going to be lethal on defense. 

Everyone should be hoping he hits that potential the coaches see in him...  we already have a dangerous defense  Hunt could make unbearable for opponents (on top of the rest of them)  But I agree on thinking putting him next to geno and have them switch here and there force the OL guys to try and block 2 different sized beast.

[3wt]

(07-12-2016, 08:39 AM)Sled21 Wrote: Disagree. Hard to play with a sore back. I remember one of the first games at PBS last year we were in the clubhouse and I walked my daughter up to Icky Woods, Mike Martin and Jim Breech to get them to sign her football. I was wearing my newly purchased Hunt jersey. Icky pointed to it and said "watch that guy, he's gonna be special". I agree, which is why I bought his jersey. Yeah, it's taken a little time to get him up to speed, and injuries limited his playing time, but I have a feeling about this year..... "The Eastern Block" may just be back..... 

Yeah, I've been where most people have been this off season: no expectations of what appears to have been a failed experiment.  But when I hear that he had major back problems last year, and when the guy was only on the field for 5% of the snaps, and he probably wasn't going to be himself till this year I'm ready to invest in a little hope.

I'm not pie in the sky here.  He's only ever produced against 2nd and 3rd stringers - and the guy has had a major issue with injuries.  He's old and got into the game late, and did not seem to have the passion to finish when he was on the field.  So I'm in agreement with all that.

But the injury thing - especially last year - coupled with not having been on the field much in his career at this point could be a legitimate reason that he has not produced.   So IF he can stay healthy I think he has the potential to produce.

Hopefully he does enough in practice to warrant a look with the ones, and he rewards the coaches with something wild and crazy.  If not we'll just  have to give him a hat and a printed shirt and send him off to cruise chicks.

[3wt]

(07-12-2016, 10:03 AM)XenoMorph Wrote: Everyone should be hoping he hits that potential the coaches see in him...  we already have a dangerous defense  Hunt could make unbearable for opponents (on top of the rest of them)  But I agree on thinking putting him next to geno and have them switch here and there force the OL guys to try and block 2 different sized beast.

I like the idea of him playing inside, and if he can put together a pass rush having opposite Dunlap could be very exciting.   Spelling Peko really improved his game last year.  Doing the same for MJ could also bear some pretty good fruit.  If he's healthy and producing Guenther is likely to use him in a variety of ways.

So in this the driest part of the off season I'm willing to put some positive energy behind a reasonable pipe dream.

[yellowxdiscipline]

Back issues might hinder him his whole career, however long it may be.

[3wt]

(07-12-2016, 12:06 PM)yellowxdiscipline Wrote: Back issues might hinder him his whole career, however long it may be.

Well for now he says it feels awesome!  But you're right.  Back issues don't usually go away.  Hopefully it has been some sort of myofascial issue that is fixable vs an orthopedic issue.

[*SHRacerX*]

(07-12-2016, 10:03 AM)XenoMorph Wrote: Everyone should be hoping he hits that potential the coaches see in him...  we already have a dangerous defense  Hunt could make unbearable for opponents (on top of the rest of them)  But I agree on thinking putting him next to geno and have them switch here and there force the OL guys to try and block 2 different sized beast.

Exactly....And when the "rotation" was at its best, they had guys like Fanane and Rucker being disruptive right up the gut.

In college, despite his lack of football experience, they lined up Hunt all over and basically said:  Get QB, Eat QB.  His film showed great balance as he would get hit from both sides and still stay on his feet and fly in to the QB.  That height also negated a lot of checkdowns and pure vision of the QB.

Peko is great for what he is, but I think he can be even more effective if spelled by Hunt and Hardison.  

Third and long, I would love to see Dunlap, Geno, Hunt, and MJ.  Even if they want him focused more on DE, he can stunt inside behind a DT.  Either way, I think what I saw in college wasn't a fluke.  The guy has freakish length, speed, and strength.  

My biggest fear is he gets released and goes somewhere like New England and becomes a Pro Bowler.