Can Clayton Fed......

[corpjet]

drop into the box and play LBer on passing downs? Im mean seriously he can't do any worse than what we are currently running out at LBer. At least he could maybe cover a TE or back.

[THE PISTONS]

(11-20-2018, 10:19 AM)corpjet Wrote: drop into the box and play LBer on passing downs?  Im mean seriously he can't do any worse than what we are currently running out at LBer.  At least he could maybe cover a TE or back.

The Bengals ALREADY do this with him. When I was there for the Saints game...I saw him on the field used as a LB...A LOT.

The defense obviously didn't improve.

[sandwedge]

(11-20-2018, 10:19 AM)corpjet Wrote: drop into the box and play LBer on passing downs?  Im mean seriously he can't do any worse than what we are currently running out at LBer.  At least he could maybe cover a TE or back.

The only problem I see with that is, a QB will see him at LB and will run the ball at him. I actually thought of him being bigger but he is only 205lbs. TEs and O-lineman will flatten him.

[SunsetBengal]

(11-20-2018, 12:24 PM)sandwedge Wrote: The only problem I see with that is, a QB will see him at LB and will run the ball at him. I actually thought of him being bigger but he is only 205lbs. TEs and O-lineman will flatten him.

He can't do much worse than what we've been rolling out there at LB.  Have you seen those guys get caught up in blocks?

[sandwedge]

(11-20-2018, 12:27 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: He can't do much worse than what we've been rolling out there at LB.  Have you seen those guys get caught up in blocks?

True, do they not teach LBs how to shed blocks anymore? It's really bad when you see WRs blocking our LBs downfield and they can't shed.

[THE PISTONS]

Fej is around the ball atleast when they play him at LB. He just misses some Tackles too at times.

Really, we have a bunch of guys who take bad angles and a bunch of guys who miss tackles. That sums up our defense.

[SunsetBengal]

(11-20-2018, 12:31 PM)sandwedge Wrote: True, do they not teach LBs how to shed blocks anymore? It's really bad when you see WRs blocking our LBs downfield and they can't shed.

In order to get a LB that can shed blocks, make great plays, with very few mistakes, you need to go all the way to the top of the draft class.  I was watching a bit of the Dallas/Atlanta game on Sunday, as I wanted to get a look at Leighton Vander Esch.  Even as polished and highly regarded as he was in this year's class, he still struggled to get off blocks.  

I'm not saying that he didn't have a good game, because he did.  He looked good in coverage, had an INT, and looked really good on some open field tackles.  As time goes by, I think he will become just as proficient between the tackles, as he is off the ball.

[THE PISTONS]

(11-20-2018, 02:13 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: In order to get a LB that can shed blocks, make great plays, with very few mistakes, you need to go all the way to the top of the draft class.  I was watching a bit of the Dallas/Atlanta game on Sunday, as I wanted to get a look at Leighton Vander Esch.  Even as polished and highly regarded as he was in this year's class, he still struggled to get off blocks.  

I'm not saying that he didn't have a good game, because he did.  He looked good in coverage, had an INT, and looked really good on some open field tackles.  As time goes by, I think he will become just as proficient between the tackles, as he is off the ball.

Yep...and we have soo many needs that it's hard to say go LB for sure. We need Tackles just as bad.

[SunsetBengal]

(11-20-2018, 02:18 PM)THE PISTONS Wrote: Yep...and we have soo many needs that it's hard to say go LB for sure. We need Tackles just as bad.

Evidence shows that you cannot "fix" an entire team's roster problems in one draft, or even two.  I think they need to pick a group, such as LB, and invest heavily.  20 years ago, the Bengals went LB twice in the 1st round.  They landed a pair of great ones in Takeo Spikes and Brian Simmons.  I think it might be time for them to double did on the position with another pair of high picks.  

These late round, developmental projects just aren't panning out.  Loading up at LB will also increase the productivity of our rapidly aging DL stars.

[*ochocincos*]

(11-20-2018, 10:19 AM)corpjet Wrote: drop into the box and play LBer on passing downs?  Im mean seriously he can't do any worse than what we are currently running out at LBer.  At least he could maybe cover a TE or back.

Would rather put Williams there, as he's a bit bigger while still having good speed. Iloka would have been an ideal candidate to convert from S to LB seeing as he was 6'4", 225 lbs already. 

[*ochocincos*]

(11-20-2018, 02:29 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Evidence shows that you cannot "fix" an entire team's roster problems in one draft, or even two.  I think they need to pick a group, such as LB, and invest heavily.  20 years ago, the Bengals went LB twice in the 1st round.  They landed a pair of great ones in Takeo Spikes and Brian Simmons.  I think it might be time for them to double did on the position with another pair of high picks.  

These late round, developmental projects just aren't panning out.  Loading up at LB will also increase the productivity of our rapidly aging DL stars.

They also did what essentially was the same thing in 2005 with Pollack and Thurman. Those two could have been so good if not for injuries and off-field issues.

It's worth noting too though that investing multiple picks in the same area early in the same draft can derail progress too.
Glaring example: Cedric Ogbuehi and Jake Fisher in 2015. 

It's about focusing on good players, not just positions. If the players aren't there for a particular position in the draft, that should be known before FA starts such that players in FA can be pursued. And if FA also had a bad selection of players...better wait until next year I guess.

[J24]

(11-20-2018, 10:47 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: The Bengals ALREADY do this with him. When I was there for the Saints game...I saw him on the field used as a LB...A LOT.

The defense obviously didn't improve.

He was playing Nickle Back not LB though; we were in Heavy Nickle in the first half. Didn't understand that we basically just got less Athletic with that move. Would have been better if he played LB.

[*psychdoctor*]

Williams would be better suited for that role as a hybrid backer/safety roamer.

[SunsetBengal]

(11-20-2018, 07:37 PM)psychdoctor Wrote: Williams would be better suited for that role as a hybrid backer/safety roamer.

I may have been about the only one completely in favor of going 3 Safety, since back in the offseason.  Now that I've seen Bates can comfortably hold his own out there in deep center field, I feel even more strongly about it.  Sure, it sounds "exotic" by NFL standards, but why not?  Williams would do well as the off the ball LB/hybrid, Fedj and Bates can patrol the back halves of the field.

Some seem concerned about the opposition just running the ball at the hybrid player, but why the concern?  In a 4-3, the Mike and Will backers are your primary rushing stoppers, anyway.  Now, to those of you who actually know what you're talking about..  Sure, I realize that this is a "drawing at straws" opinion, hoping that something, anything might work.  At this point in the season, why not?  We've already shit-canned the DC, pulled Marvin out of the archives, what's the worst that could happen?

Edit: If anyone is wondering how I would arrange this setup? I'd put Brown at Mike, as his best attribute is stopping the run, Evans at Will, and Williams at Sam. (While Burfict is still hobbled, anyway)

Re: Edit: Well, scratch that idea, just saw that Brown is down for the year..

[sandwedge]

(11-20-2018, 07:50 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I may have been about the only one completely in favor of going 3 Safety, since back in the offseason.  Now that I've seen Bates can comfortably hold his own out there in deep center field, I feel even more strongly about it.  Sure, it sounds "exotic" by NFL standards, but why not?  Williams would do well as the off the ball LB/hybrid, Fedj and Bates can patrol the back halves of the field.

Some seem concerned about the opposition just running the ball at the hybrid player, but why the concern?  In a 4-3, the Mike and Will backers are your primary rushing stoppers, anyway.  Now, to those of you who actually know what you're talking about..  Sure, I realize that this is a "drawing at straws" opinion, hoping that something, anything might work.  At this point in the season, why not?  We've already shit-canned the DC, pulled Marvin out of the archives, what's the worst that could happen?

Edit:  If anyone is wondering how I would arrange this setup?  I'd put Brown at Mike, as his best attribute is stopping the run, Evans at Will, and Williams at Sam. (While Burfict is still hobbled, anyway)

Re: Edit:  Well, scratch that idea, just saw that Brown is down for the year..

That's actually pretty good. But now Brown is out for the rest of the year.... Can we see Jefferson instead of Nickerson? That's where I say, it can't get any worse..

[treee]

At this point you'd think we'd keep and extra man in the box pretty much no matter what. Yea it puts more pressure on the DBs, but the alternative is getting gashed in the run game non-stop.

[McC]

(11-20-2018, 12:27 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: He can't do much worse than what we've been rolling out there at LB.  Have you seen those guys get caught up in blocks?

They seem to run straight at blocks.  Like our blitzers running straight into the pile.

[SunsetBengal]

(11-20-2018, 08:40 PM)McC Wrote: They seem to run straight at blocks.  Like our blitzers running straight into the pile.

Yes, it's really strange.  It's almost like instead of developing into better football players, our coaches take them back to their first day of middle school practice, and they don't know how to do a damn thing right.

[McC]

(11-20-2018, 08:51 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Yes, it's really strange.  It's almost like instead of developing into better football players, our coaches take them back to their first day of middle school practice, and they don't know how to do a damn thing right.

They've lost abilities they had last year.  It defies logic.  Are they dropping acid in the pregame huddle?

[SunsetBengal]

(11-20-2018, 08:54 PM)McC Wrote: They've lost abilities they had last year.  It defies logic.  Are they dropping acid in the pregame huddle?

Hmm, could be.  Or, it could be that Haslett is so far behind the times that he just can't relay information to the modern day players.