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fivetwos

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Gregory and Lawrence will be the ends in the nickel, which we will use about 70 percent of the time. The base defense (the hybrid 3-4) is only a run-down defense.

The idea is that we want to put three big'uns out there for run defense purposes, but we also want to be able to rush the passer because teams don't always run on first down. To do that, you need to run a 3-4, so that you have the big'uns but you also have two pass rushers (usually two OLBs in the 3-4). The hybrid part is that instead of having the two OLBs, one of those players is a LEO, which creates a four-man front, even though the LEO is counted as a linebacker.

The advantage of the hybrid is more flexibility with the LEO and the other 3-4 OLB. You can move the LEO from side to side. You can drop him into zone and bring the other OLB off the other side or in an overload. (One of the things I think Quinn might be doing differently, which is interesting, is having Parsons be the other primary pass rusher but playing inside linebacker, MLB, instead of an outside spot. So he might start out looking like he's at the MIKE and blitz the middle or might shift before the snap to an outside edge position. We might even fake that he's going to be the pass rusher and bring Jaylon off the edge instead.)

Gregory and Lawrence will get plenty of snaps because we're not going to want either of them to play on every run down so that we can save them for clear pass-rushing situations. I think that's why Basham will get some run-down work as the LEO. We don't want him out there all the time because he's inferior to Lawrence and Gregory, especially as a pass rusher, but neither Lawrence or Gregory needs to play more than 80 percent of the snaps.
Thanks for that. This is where I get a little lost and I won't pretend to fully understand things I don't.

I have been watching forever, so I can at least tell who may or may not work at a certain position.

The more I read, the more I think Lawrence is your typical 43 DE and not a fit here.

When Gregory or Basham is the LEO, where is DLaw?

In a 5 tech type of spot? I suppose the answer varies because so will the looks up front....but again it feels like he isn't a fit....especially for what they are paying him....yet he may very well be our best player on defense.

I think back to late 2018....the last time this defense was any good, and that was largely due to pressure from DLaw on one side and Gregory from the other.

Was thinking they may attempt to recreate that, but I guess MM didn't want that "one call" defense and got his way.

Regardless I just don't see a big year for Lawrence in this scheme. They say it will look similar to last year, and I dont think he was ever comfortable standing up.

Not awful, but it just looked off. Sort of like Greg Ellis under Parcells' 34. He made an effort, but just wasn't a true fit.
 

gimmesix

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Thanks for that. This is where I get a little lost and I won't pretend to fully understand things I don't.

I have been watching forever, so I can at least tell who may or may not work at a certain position.

The more I read, the more I think Lawrence is your typical 43 DE and not a fit here.

When Gregory or Basham is the LEO, where is DLaw?

In a 5 tech type of spot? I suppose the answer varies because so will the looks up front....but again it feels like he isn't a fit....especially for what they are paying him....yet he may very well be our best player on defense.

I think back to late 2018....the last time this defense was any good, and that was largely due to pressure from DLaw on one side and Gregory from the other.

Was thinking they may attempt to recreate that, but I guess MM didn't want that "one call" defense and got his way.

Regardless I just don't see a big year for Lawrence in this scheme. They say it will look similar to last year, and I dont think he was ever comfortable standing up.

Not awful, but it just looked off. Sort of like Greg Ellis under Parcells' 34. He made an effort, but just wasn't a true fit.

I disagree on Lawrence. The LEO is essentially a designated pass rusher. That means that Lawrence will be playing essentially like he has been playing. He can either do it from a three-point stance or standing up, but he still will be asked to simply beat the man in front of him (either the left tackle or right tackle). If he drops into coverage, it won't happen very often.

He won't play 5-tech because the 5-tech's role is to occupy blockers, not necessarily beat ta blocker. You want him and the 1-tech to stand their ground against blocking to allow the linebackers to stay clean and flow to the ball. If he's blocked 1-on-1, then the 5-tech needs to win that battle and make plays so the offense will see it's necessary to provide help.

Just continue to look at Lawrence as a 4-3 end because that's essentially what he'll be playing, whether you want to call it LEO or DPR or whatever. It's a role he knows and plays well. Last year's problems for Lawrence IMO had to do less with him standing up and more with him having a lower-body injury that limited his ability to push off. But I do prefer him in a three-point stance and hope he chooses to use that or the coaches make that choice for him.
 

buybuydandavis

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For comparison purposes, Lawrence played 61 percent of the snaps last year and Gregory played 25, so it's probably that another end or two will rotate in some on passing downs.

You say that like it should be acceptable for us pay 20mil for Lawrence to be a slightly over halftime payer.

For comparison purposes, Ware was a 90%+ player when healthy.
 

buybuydandavis

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I disagree on Lawrence. The LEO is essentially a designated pass rusher. That means that Lawrence will be playing essentially like he has been playing. He can either do it from a three-point stance or standing up, but he still will be asked to simply beat the man in front of him (either the left tackle or right tackle). If he drops into coverage, it won't happen very often.

Rushing from 3-point and rushing standing are not the same. Lawrence is good at the former. He's spent his career doing the former. I suspect he's ok at rushing standing, but paying 20mil a year for ok snaps is not good cap management.

Whether standing or in coverage, that's Lawrence doing things he's not great at, and he already only played 60% snaps last year. He was a poor fit last year for the defense, and from all indications about the new defense, he'll be a poor fit this year.
 

fivetwos

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I disagree on Lawrence. The LEO is essentially a designated pass rusher. That means that Lawrence will be playing essentially like he has been playing. He can either do it from a three-point stance or standing up, but he still will be asked to simply beat the man in front of him (either the left tackle or right tackle). If he drops into coverage, it won't happen very often.

He won't play 5-tech because the 5-tech's role is to occupy blockers, not necessarily beat ta blocker. You want him and the 1-tech to stand their ground against blocking to allow the linebackers to stay clean and flow to the ball. If he's blocked 1-on-1, then the 5-tech needs to win that battle and make plays so the offense will see it's necessary to provide help.

Just continue to look at Lawrence as a 4-3 end because that's essentially what he'll be playing, whether you want to call it LEO or DPR or whatever. It's a role he knows and plays well. Last year's problems for Lawrence IMO had to do less with him standing up and more with him having a lower-body injury that limited his ability to push off. But I do prefer him in a three-point stance and hope he chooses to use that or the coaches make that choice for him.
So not much of Lawrence and Gregory at the same time, or am I missing you (thanks for the responses btw)?

I think I may be able to understand it better once I see it.

I just hope we aren't minimizing the potential effectiveness of a guy who may be our best player and we are paying a ton of money to.
 

gimmesix

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So not much of Lawrence and Gregory at the same time, or am I missing you (thanks for the responses btw)?

I think I may be able to understand it better once I see it.

I just hope we aren't minimizing the potential effectiveness of a guy who may be our best player and we are paying a ton of money to.

Lawrence and Gregory will be on the field together up to 70 percent of the time, even if we run the hybrid 3-4 as the base. That is far more than they were on the field with each other last year when Nolan underused Gregory after he came off suspension.

The only time they won't be on the field with each other is when we are running the hybrid 3-4, which should be about 30 percent of the time, and one of them should be out there for most of those snaps as well ... depending on how many snaps we give players like Basham and Anae.
 

gimmesix

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Rushing from 3-point and rushing standing are not the same. Lawrence is good at the former. He's spent his career doing the former. I suspect he's ok at rushing standing, but paying 20mil a year for ok snaps is not good cap management.

Whether standing or in coverage, that's Lawrence doing things he's not great at, and he already only played 60% snaps last year. He was a poor fit last year for the defense, and from all indications about the new defense, he'll be a poor fit this year.

I'm not ready to write Lawrence off as a standing-up rusher. He played hurt the first part of the season. If they determine that he's just as effective standing up as he is in a three-point, I'm OK with that.

I also don't expect him to drop into coverage much at all. It might happen a couple of times a game; it might not. The idea behind it is that he's going to be coming on almost every down, so when he drops out, that should give us the element of surprise.

He's not a poor fit unless he can no longer play 4-3 defensive end, which is what he's going to be playing, whether you call it LEO or DPR or whatever.
 

gimmesix

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You say that like it should be acceptable for us pay 20mil for Lawrence to be a slightly over halftime payer.

For comparison purposes, Ware was a 90%+ player when healthy.

I would think that Lawrence will play 70 to 80 percent of the snaps. Anything more than that and he would be less effective. I believe that the reason he played 61 percent last year was because he was dealing with a fairly significant leg injury.

I think both he and Gregory will be around 70 to 80 percent, and Basham will pick up most of the rest. Anae or some other DE could grab some of those, but I'm not counting on it.
 

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I would think that Lawrence will play 70 to 80 percent of the snaps. Anything more than that and he would be less effective. I believe that the reason he played 61 percent last year was because he was dealing with a fairly significant leg injury.

I think both he and Gregory will be around 70 to 80 percent, and Basham will pick up most of the rest. Anae or some other DE could grab some of those, but I'm not counting on it.
@buybuydandavis

When he was last totally healthy (2018) he averaged about 80% in games that were not blowout wins/losses and not the final game of the season after they had clinched the division.
 

buybuydandavis

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@buybuydandavis

When he was last totally healthy (2018) he averaged about 80% in games that were not blowout wins/losses and not the final game of the season after they had clinched the division.

Lawrence couldn't stay totally healthy taking a full load, and his sack totals tanked in the back half of 2017-2019. That's probably why they keep snaps so low now. 2018 he had the torn labrum all year. Last year he started the season injured and ineffective, then perked up through the season.

We're paying elite money for a player who hasn't been able to give elite snaps for over half a year at a time.
 

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Lawrence couldn't stay totally healthy taking a full load, and his sack totals tanked in the back half of 2017-2019. That's probably why they keep snaps so low now. 2018 he had the torn labrum all year. Last year he started the season injured and ineffective, then perked up through the season.

We're paying elite money for a player who hasn't been able to give elite snaps for over half a year at a time.
Injuries happen.
 

fivetwos

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Injuries happen.
X do you think he looked good standing up?

He wasn't awful....and actually had nice numbers vs the run, but it reminded me a lot of Greg Ellis trying to do it.....it just didnt look right.

Can probably pull it off due to overall talent, but is still a square peg.
 

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X do you think he looked good standing up?

He wasn't awful....and actually had nice numbers vs the run, but it reminded me a lot of Greg Ellis trying to do it.....it just didnt look right.

Can probably pull it off due to overall talent, but is still a square peg.

Ellis had his most productive seasons as a Cowboy playing standup.
 

fivetwos

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Ellis had his most productive seasons as a Cowboy playing standup.
Statistically speaking, sure. He just didn't look natural doing it. That's what I meant by the comparison.

Then again if DLaw had Ware opposite him he would probably be much more productive also.
 
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