DMN Blog: Who will replace Kevin Burnett in the nickel and dime?

[WoodysGirl]

12:30 PM Tue, Apr 28, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
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Wade Phillips says the Cowboys expect Bobby Carpenter to play in the defensive sub packages.

Then again, Phillips believes that Keith Brooking is still a three-down linebacker.

And the Cowboys believe third-round pick Jason Williams, who has sub 4.5 speed, has major potential.

And sixth-rounder Stephen Hodge will be converted from safety to inside linebacker, so you can't count him out, either.

Maybe two of those guys play in the nickel, but that would mean removing Bradie James from the package after his eight-sack season. You have four guys probably battling for one spot.

Let's rank the candidates.


1. Carpenter -- This is probably his last chance to contribute to Wade Phillips' defense, and it's a role that plays to his strengths. He has good speed and coverage skills and made a lot of plays in the passing game during last year's training camp. He showed a knack for getting to the quarterback at Ohio State (eight sacks as a senior), so he could be an effective blitzer. He knows the scheme, a significant advantage over the rookies.

2. Williams -- He was high on the Cowboys' draft board because of his similarities to Burnett, who bolted to the Chargers. He'll have to prove that his workout numbers translate to NFL-caliber coverage skills. He's making a major jump from I-AA Western Illinois to the NFL, and it could take him some time to get comfortable in the scheme.

3. Brooking -- The 33-year-old, who has his two best seasons when Phillips was the Falcons' defensive coordinator, will know what he's doing. But he's probably better off becoming a two-down player for the first time in his career. The Falcons released him in large part due to his declining coverage skills. He has said he's "realistic" about his chances to play in the sub packages, but he wants a chance to compete for the job.

4. Hodge -- They're converting him from safety because he's a big hitter who would have been a Roy Williams-like liability in the secondary. But he might be able to handle the coverage duties as a nickel/dime linebacker. He's proven that he can create problems as a blitzer, racking up seven sacks in the final seven games of his junior season.

 

[Bob Sacamano]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Brooking get the boot

but then again, Wade is scared of playing young guys

 

[YosemiteSam]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Brooking get the boot

but then again, Wade is scared of playing young guys

Doubt it. Though he could lose his job.

 

[BAT]

Wade is just pumping sunshine up Brooking's rear if he thinks Brooking is still a 3 down player. Brooking has not been a 3 down player for a few years now.



And Williams is the best coverage LB on the team now. Carpenter is decent in coverage, but Williams is much more talented, not to mention more physical. And I am for playing the 2 best pass rushing ILBs in the dime packages. I have a feeling James will not be a 3 down LB for long either. Both Williams and Hodge are more natural pass rushers. And aside from last year, both have a more impressive resume when it comes to rushing the passer.



Wade's scheme/play calling allowed Bradie James to rack up 8 sacks last season, can you imagine how many sacks a real pass rushing ILB can put up in Wade's system?

 

[jobberone]

Don't see how you can declare Williams the best coverage LB on his team and he's not played one down in the Div 1A much less the NFL.

I think they will train him as the Mo and he may end up rushing the passer from somewhere by the end of the year. He may catch on very quickly esp with his athleticism but he's not a trained ILB yet.

 

[NextGenBoys]

Don't see how you can declare Williams the best coverage LB on his team and he's not played one down in the Div 1A much less the NFL.

I think they will train him as the Mo and he may end up rushing the passer from somewhere by the end of the year. He may catch on very quickly esp with his athleticism but he's not a trained ILB yet.

My thoughts exactly. No one on this board has ever even seen him play and they're already putting him in Canton!

 

[BAT]

Don't see how you can declare Williams the best coverage LB on his team and he's not played one down in the Div 1A much less the NFL.

I think they will train him as the Mo and he may end up rushing the passer from somewhere by the end of the year. He may catch on very quickly esp with his athleticism but he's not a trained ILB yet.

What does his coverage ability have to do with familiarity at the MO? You are talking like he's never dropped back before? Williams responsibilities were primarily attacking the LOS his senior year. But he was playing a more traditional 4-3 OLB position his previous 2 years, which includes dropping into coverage.


I don't think it so much of a stretch to crown him the best coverage LB on the team, even w/out him playing a down in the NFL. Seriously, do you really believe that there is a better coverage LB on the team?


If you or Nextgen have another name, I am more than willing to place a wager. What will it be gentlemen?

 

[TheCount]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Brooking get the boot

but then again, Wade is scared of playing young guys

Not on this team, at the very worst he'll become a backup but I doubt they cut him and rely on rookies, we hate rookies, remember?

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I think by the end of camp Williams will have secured the Nickel and Dime roles for this team.

 

[TheCount]

I think by the end of camp Williams will have secured the Nickel and Dime roles for this team.

Not if Bobby has anything to say.... you're probably right.

 

[Cowboys22]

If Williams and Hodge show anything at all and if there is any market out there for Carpenter whatsoever, they will trade him. He makes too much money as a 1st round pick to not be head and shoulders better than a couple of rookies. If they show they can play in training camp, I want them on the field.

 

[Shinywalrus]

What does his coverage ability have to do with familiarity at the MO? You are talking like he's never dropped back before? Williams responsibilities were primarily attacking the LOS his senior year. But he was playing a more traditional 4-3 OLB position his previous 2 years, which includes dropping into coverage.


I don't think it so much of a stretch to crown him the best coverage LB on the team, even w/out him playing a down in the NFL. Seriously, do you really believe that there is a better coverage LB on the team?


If you or Nextgen have another name, I am more than willing to place a wager. What will it be gentlemen?

No one's going to take the bet, because we all THINK he'll be effective, and God knows we all THINK he can't be much worse than Carpenter.

But it is a complete and utter stretch to crown him the best in coverage. An absolute folly. It's absolutely impossible to know what he'll do when Tony Gonzalez manhandles him pivoting on a cross, or when the angle he took on Westbrook ends up being completely wrong when he turns on the second gear.

Seriously, I like the pick, but too much Koolaid will give you a headache.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

Here's my take on Carp and why I think he's best suited to take over Burnett's role in the sub-packages.

Carp was drafted by Parcells to eventually fit in Parcells' scheme which calls for his OLBs to focus more on coverage and less on pass rush. Remember the days when Parcells use to always run Ware out into coverage and it would drive us all nuts (I never say Madden so livid)? That's why Carp started out as an OLB, and in the playoff game against Seattle had good results from that spot in coverage. His skills suit that type of OLB.

But Parcells' sceme left when he bailed on Dallas and guys like Carp. And when Wade Phillips came in he brought in a better version of the 3-4, where the OLB needs to be more of a pass-rusher and less of a cover guy; hence the drafting of Spencer. So Carp was moved inside because we had no other depth inside and because Burnett, who could cover outside in sub-packages did not have the skills to play inside. So Carp had to be slotted outside - away from his strengths - and got caught in limbo.

But now, Dallas clearly had the option to re-sign Burnett and trade Carp, or let Burnett walk and keep Carp. The fact that Dallas did not even enter serious negotiations with Burnett, or even attempt to match the modest offer he got from the Chargers, should tell you something - and that is that Carp has better potential to play in those sub-packages. That's why Philips is now giving him a shot, because he's taking him out of limbo and letting him settle into a role where he has a great chance to be productive.

And don't believe for a minute that Dallas is only doing this to be nice to Carp or to squeeze all they can out of him, because with the T.O. decision, Dallas made it very clear that they have no qualms about cuting their losses and moving on. What they did with Carp, as with any other player, is evaluated him fairly, and they decided that keeping him was more worthwhile than cutting their losses, and that he was more of valuable long-term option in sub-packages where Burnett once played - because of his strengths in space and coverage.

So I'm pretty optimistic about Carp’s future in the sub-packages role, because I think he has the skills to play well in those sub-packages, because football is important to him and he does work hard t it, and because he seems to hold his confidence even though he has been the target of much ill-criticism. I’m pretty excited about his future to tell you the turth!

That, ...and he'll always be my barbie! :laugh2:

 

[adbutcher]

Not if Bobby has anything to say.... you're probably right.

 

[BAT]

No one's going to take the bet, because we all THINK he'll be effective, and God knows we all THINK he can't be much worse than Carpenter.

But it is a complete and utter stretch to crown him the best in coverage. An absolute folly. It's absolutely impossible to know what he'll do when Tony Gonzalez manhandles him pivoting on a cross, or when the angle he took on Westbrook ends up being completely wrong when he turns on the second gear.

Seriously, I like the pick, but too much Koolaid will give you a headache.

As long as the koolaid isn't laced, its just sweet water. As for the "absolute folly" I am going to have to disagree. We can only act on what we think, and it would be ridiculous for me to claim otherwise, if it is what I believe. If you want to use absolutes, then Williams ABSOLUTELY outshone all the other LBs at the Shrine game practices, especially in coverage drills, that includes the supposed best coverage LB in the draft, Dannel Ellerbe.


And I fully expect Williams to do the same at the Cowboys TC. As for being burned by Gonzalez or some other future HOF player, show me where I said that he was the best coverage LB in the league, or that he was perfect. Williams will be the best coverage LB on the Cowboys, that is what I said, I stand by it. You appear to do so as well, with your "think" line, so I don't understand the patronzing tone.


Seriously, you obviously don't believe Carpenter is the best coverage LB on the current team, so who do you think is/could be better than Williams?

 

[adbutcher]

Here's my take on Carp and why I think he's best suited to take over Burnett's role in the sub-packages.

Carp was drafted by Parcells to eventually fit in Parcells' scheme which calls for his OLBs to focus more on coverage and less on pass rush. Remember the days when Parcells use to always run Ware out into coverage and it would drive us all nuts (I never say Madden so livid)? That's why Carp started out as an OLB, and in the playoff game against Seattle had good results from that spot in coverage. His skills suit that type of OLB.

But Parcells' sceme left when he bailed on Dallas and guys like Carp. And when Wade Phillips came in he brought in a better version of the 3-4, where the OLB needs to be more of a pass-rusher and less of a cover guy; hence the drafting of Spencer. So Carp was moved inside because we had no other depth inside and because Burnett, who could cover outside in sub-packages did not have the skills to play inside. So Carp had to be slotted outside - away from his strengths - and got caught in limbo.

But now, Dallas clearly had the option to re-sign Burnett and trade Carp, or let Burnett walk and keep Carp. The fact that Dallas did not even enter serious negotiations with Burnett, or even attempt to match the modest offer he got from the Chargers, should tell you something - and that is that Carp has better potential to play in those sub-packages. That's why Philips is now giving him a shot, because he's taking him out of limbo and letting him settle into a role where he has a great chance to be productive.

And don't believe for a minute that Dallas is only doing this to be nice to Carp or to squeeze all they can out of him, because with the T.O. decision, Dallas made it very clear that they have no qualms about cuting their losses and moving on. What they did with Carp, as with any other player, is evaluated him fairly, and they decided that keeping him was more worthwhile than cutting their losses, and that he was more of valuable long-term option in sub-packages where Burnett once played - because of his strengths in space and coverage.

So I'm pretty optimistic about Carp’s future in the sub-packages role, because I think he has the skills to play well in those sub-packages, because football is important to him and he does work hard t it, and because he seems to hold his confidence even though he has been the target of much ill-criticism. I’m pretty excited about his future to tell you the turth!

That, ...and he'll always be my barbie! :laugh2:

It wasn't the Tuna putting Ware in coverage, it was the offensive coordinator. Big difference.

 

[Kalyan]

What does his coverage ability have to do with familiarity at the MO? You are talking like he's never dropped back before? Williams responsibilities were primarily attacking the LOS his senior year. But he was playing a more traditional 4-3 OLB position his previous 2 years, which includes dropping into coverage.


I don't think it so much of a stretch to crown him the best coverage LB on the team, even w/out him playing a down in the NFL. Seriously, do you really believe that there is a better coverage LB on the team?


If you or Nextgen have another name, I am more than willing to place a wager. What will it be gentlemen?

Coverage responsibilites mean reading the offensive sets and pickup up correct offensive player, zone coverge responsibilites and all that stuff in the NFL level which would be much much more complicated than what he played at.

It's not that he is running against 1 TE/RB all the time in a straight line dash because he has th fastest 40 right

 

[BAT]

Coverage responsibilites mean reading the offensive sets and pickup up correct offensive player, zone coverge responsibilites and all that stuff in the NFL level which would be much much more complicated than what he played at.

It's not that he is running against 1 TE/RB all the time in a straight line dash because he has th fastest 40 right

Never said that he was going to start at WILB (MO), at least not right away. I understand that Williams is coming from a lower level of competition (what rook isn't really, but he is a FCS guy so even lower) but this guy is instinctive and hard working. I believe he will find his way onto the nickel and dime packages. Learning the MO is still in his future. I believe he can master the nickel LB position more quickly, it really is not that much different from what he already should know. Everyone is taught to read their keys inside out, in a passing only situation his keys will be simpler and more familiar. He still has to get used to the speed of the game at the NFL level but I have confidence in the guy.


This is the guy who, instead of pouting for not getting a combine invite, used every single opportunity to win over doubters and fence sitters. From playing against & outperforming higher rated peers in the Shrine Game to going out of his way to improve on his measurables (weighing in at 241 instead of 235), not once but multiple times (his own pro day as well as running again at Northwestern's). Each time he did something, he did better than scouts expected (running a 4.46 on a basketball court, then running a 4.42 on a slow fieldturf surface b/c scouts were doubting the legitimacy of his pro day results).


The kid has a will to succeed and a superb work ethic, to go along w/his talent and production. And I love the chip on his shoulder. I will ALWAYS bet on those kind of guys.

 

[DaBoys4Life]

Hopefully its Williams.

 

[Doomsday101]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Brooking get the boot

but then again, Wade is scared of playing young guys

I don't blame him young guys make critical mistakes. I would hope they would get eased into the games as the season moves on and they have a better grasp of what they are doing