Bungarian
Butt Monkey
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Versatility makes Carpenter valuable
While driving to work this morning, I listened to some Bobby Carpenter talk on ESPN Radio. One host declared that the Cowboys were completely screwing the kid up by bumping him back and forth from inside to outside linebacker. The other predicted that Carpenter would be traded as soon as Greg Ellis gets healthy.
All due respect, but they're both wrong as the day is long.
Carpenter has value because he's versatile enough to play any linebacker spot. Fellow Ohio State alum Mike Vrabel has made a heck of a career out of being able to man different positions from play to play and game to game. Carpenter isn't good enough to win a starting job at any spot now, so it's in his best interests to be a jack of all LB trades.
It's also in the Cowboys' best interests to have a backup who can fill a lot of roles. Let's assume that Greg Ellis won't be ready to go until October, which isn't a stretch of the imagination. Carpenter will split time with Anthony Spencer as the strongside OLB, man one of the two LB spots in the nickel package, back up Bradie James as the strongside ILB and play on special teams. In other words, he'll be doing a heck of a lot more than just filling a roster spot.
The spotlight shines bright on Carpenter because he was the last first-round pick of Bill Parcells' career. He hasn't lived up to his draft position, and odds are he never will.
Forget that he's a first-rounder. Focus on what he can do to help the Cowboys, because he'll be here for a while.
Posted by Tim MacMahon
While driving to work this morning, I listened to some Bobby Carpenter talk on ESPN Radio. One host declared that the Cowboys were completely screwing the kid up by bumping him back and forth from inside to outside linebacker. The other predicted that Carpenter would be traded as soon as Greg Ellis gets healthy.
All due respect, but they're both wrong as the day is long.
Carpenter has value because he's versatile enough to play any linebacker spot. Fellow Ohio State alum Mike Vrabel has made a heck of a career out of being able to man different positions from play to play and game to game. Carpenter isn't good enough to win a starting job at any spot now, so it's in his best interests to be a jack of all LB trades.
It's also in the Cowboys' best interests to have a backup who can fill a lot of roles. Let's assume that Greg Ellis won't be ready to go until October, which isn't a stretch of the imagination. Carpenter will split time with Anthony Spencer as the strongside OLB, man one of the two LB spots in the nickel package, back up Bradie James as the strongside ILB and play on special teams. In other words, he'll be doing a heck of a lot more than just filling a roster spot.
The spotlight shines bright on Carpenter because he was the last first-round pick of Bill Parcells' career. He hasn't lived up to his draft position, and odds are he never will.
Forget that he's a first-rounder. Focus on what he can do to help the Cowboys, because he'll be here for a while.
Posted by Tim MacMahon
