Why is it Jaylon isn't playing WLB and Leighton isn't playing MLBer?

[Creeper]

Jaylon weighs about 265 now.

LVE has not been playing any position.

The Cowboys list him at 245 and I don't believe he weighs that much. He is only 6'2" and if he were 265 lbs he would show it. He looks slender to me and he plays like it too.

In any case, I also believe he is not a MLB. LVE has the potential to play there though. Then again, if he has a neck issue, its probably not the best place for him to play.

 

[quickccc]

Why is it Jaylon isn't playing WLB and Leighton isn't playing MLBer? Jaylon is more of a chaser and LVE at 250+ has size for the inside. Don't get it.

- Jaylon is a forward moving chaser and has limited lateral movement and change of direction.
His overall agility isn't near what it used to be before the horrific knee injury he suffered back in college.
He's more challenged when he is asked to reverse and run up field.

- Ironically I was asking myself the same question as why "Swipe " now I know
why this club has destined him more for middle mike man role vs outside at OLB trying to contend with wheel routes
and isolation on a top pass catching RB or more exposure vs a top pass catching TE.
Also Jaylon doesn't have a knack for playing the passing lanes in coverages. That's why we will never see INTs in his game.
My biggest concerns with Swipe is his overall instincts and his limitations in coverage.

- Staff seem to be working with Jaylon in keeping his man in front of him, maintain the middle of the field, limiting his coverage responsibilities
and focus on his greater strengths- His biggest pluses are his run and hit ability and his blitzing skills.
if Swipe can built up momentum going forward, he's a much better player and more comfortable.
His power and physicality can actually cause pop-fumbles on occasions.

- If there is a coaching flaw, I don't think we've maximized his blitzing ability to it's most creativity, imo.
We don't run him in delay blitzes, allowing blockers to engage before sneaking him freed up and running to the QB.
And too many times he's just str8 running into crowds at the line. Stonewalled too many times.
and if a blitzer is not getting there, that's an open area up field to be exploited in the passing game.
if we get a better designer in the blitzing area, he can be more effective in delays, stunts-twists, and off the edge vs RBs, the key is to get him
freed up and on the move as a pass rusher.

 

[bornafan1981]

The Cowboys list him at 245 and I don't believe he weighs that much. He is only 6'2" and if he were 265 lbs he would show it. He looks slender to me and he plays like it too.

In any case, I also believe he is not a MLB. LVE has the potential to play there though. Then again, if he has a neck issue, its probably not the best place for him to play.

LVE battled injuries in college, and there were concerns about his durability during the draft process. MLB is not where you want an injury prone player, we already have experienced that, which is why Smith took over MLB for Lee.
https://www.profootballweekly.com/2...sputes-leighton-vander-esch-concerns/a45fktj/

 

[CouchCoach]

I've got more questions about this D than just the LB's. I have had them since they made Marinelli the DC and I got why they hired Richard with the young secondary but neither has worked out.

Posters use the stats and ranking as measurements but for me it's all about can the D make the stop when needed or create turnovers.

This D needs a new staff and a DC that is all about team defense, not individuals celebrating making a play when they've been whiffing most of the game. Then, at least we'll know if this is coaching or talent.

I think Smith is as good as he's going to get physically and there seems to be some limitation and now there's a ? about LVE's neck and stenosis has been mentioned.

But all is well. They resigned Smith, invested in his business and he thinks he should be a pber. Business as usual.

 

[conner01]

I thought Jaylon Smith played Mike last year.

He did

 

[quickccc]

The Cowboys list him at 245 and I don't believe he weighs that much. He is only 6'2" and if he were 265 lbs he would show it. He looks slender to me and he plays like it too.

In any case, I also believe he is not a MLB. LVE has the potential to play there though. Then again, if he has a neck issue, its probably not the best place for him to play.

https://www.nfl.com/prospects/leighton-vander esch?id=32195641-4e41-7781-d704-68bbb90fe766

I tend to always go by NFL combine when it comes to actual measurements as the Combine staff aims for most accurate physical listing and measurements- and all across the board(height, weight, arm span, hands) .

LVE is well renowned for his unusual height and that height, length and wing span arms length for a LB. And those measurement comes in handy when he is required to
defend the passing lanes in his drops.

He actually gets his mitts on thrown balls and tips passes because he's so long and has a good timing and knack vs pass.

He has the lateral movement and agility in both in space and man coverage that Jaylon Swipe doesn't possess. Because of his combination of size, agility, speed, range, instincts
and knack for coverage, that played a huge part in Cowboys selecting LVE in 1st round, which at that time was not popular among fan base.

His ability to make plays and change momentum suddenly convince his critics differently.
Imo, Wolf Hunter is far more instinctive than Swipe, has a much better ability to play the ball for INTs, can make the sure open field tackle in space, has blitzing ability.
and he has a higher potential roof than Jaylon. I think he is a more complete player than Jaylon. Though I thought his game really fell off this year in areas he was so impressive
at in his rookie first year.

What we have to do with BOTH players is get the necessary DL front that can far better take the 2nd level pounding of OLinemen off them so they can better flow to the ball.
it's gonna totally depend upon the next coaching staff to urge a bigger and dire need for that than what Marinelli has the past years.

He's still a work in progress when it comes to playing the misdirection plays better and the neck issues are a long term concern to me.
I truly hope we shelf him for the season and let him rest it up and fully recover, rather than try to rush him back for sake of playoff berth run.

 

[beware_d-ware]

It's less about program measurements and more about skillsets. When everything is going right, Jaylon comes downhill a lot more violently than LVE does, while a healthy LVE is a much better tackler in space than Jaylon (or just about anyone in the NFL). You want Jaylon teeing off on guys from deep zone, while you want LVE one on one in the curl-flat zone.

It's kind of like how Crawford was a better run defender at 3T than Maliek Collins, even though his program weight was 285 and Collins is 310. Despite the 25 pound difference, Crawford simply played with more strength.

 

[Sydla]

All three LBs have regressed this year.

I will wait for a new defensive coordinator to come in before I reach any long term assessments of these guys. Although Lee might be in decline simply because of age. But for all the crap Smith gets, people seem to forget that LVE was as bad as Smith before getting hurt. The fact both those guys stink this year makes me wonder if something bigger is at play here, namely coaching.

 

[quickccc]

It's less about program measurements and more about skillsets. When everything is going right, Jaylon comes downhill a lot more violently than LVE does, while a healthy LVE is a much better tackler in space than Jaylon (or just about anyone in the NFL). You want Jaylon teeing off on guys from deep zone, while you want LVE one on one in the curl-flat zone.

It's kind of like how Crawford was a better run defender at 3T than Maliek Collins, even though his program weight was 285 and Collins is 310. Despite the 25 pound difference, Crawford simply played with more strength.

I saw just the opposite, after struggling to anchor vs run with the Giants (2016) Marinelli eventually made the change to going with a bigger Maliek Collins in the starting lineup at the 3 tech.
Maliek has had the starting 3 tech role every since.
And we know David Irving was already having his issue, so he couldn't factor and develop as a full time starter there as well.

Crawford worked best as a utility guy, a jack of all trades and master of none.
He can play DE, but he won't be exception at it, He can play 3 tech DT, but he's not stout and strong enough to be an every down player.
He's idea for rotation and nickel rush packages. But he's not a guy you want starting full time and on a every game basis.

 

[buybuydandavis]

It's less about program measurements and more about skillsets. When everything is going right, Jaylon comes downhill a lot more violently than LVE does, while a healthy LVE is a much better tackler in space than Jaylon (or just about anyone in the NFL). You want Jaylon teeing off on guys from deep zone, while you want LVE one on one in the curl-flat zone.

I like Jaylon using his downhill speed and aggression to protect the edges or blitz. He doesn't have the knack for playing in the wash at MLB. LVE is a better tackler in space or close. Jaylon is a better hitter when he gets up a head of steam. Tends to hit and tackle high too. Doesn't get leverage or lean unless he's launching himself after a run.

 

[buybuydandavis]

All three LBs have regressed this year.

I will wait for a new defensive coordinator to come in before I reach any long term assessments of these guys. Although Lee might be in decline simply because of age. But for all the crap Smith gets, people seem to forget that LVE was as bad as Smith before getting hurt.

LVE was diagnosed with vertigo earlier this year. Hurts balance.
https://heavy.com/sports/2019/10/cowboys-leighton-vander-esch-vertigo-injury-update/

 

[CT Dal Fan]

It doesn't shock me the Cowboys may have been playing Jaylon and LVE at the wrong spots.

After all, they wasted over two years of Byron Jones' career by playing him at safety instead of corner.

 

[Floatyworm]

Why was Tyrone Crawford playing RDE at 290?

Note that prior to drafting LVE, there was talk of moving Jaylon to SLB, which I considered great out of the box thinking. That's probably still our best line up keeping Lee at WLB, LVE at MLB, and Jaylon at SLB for the base defense.

.....LVE would own hash to hash if we had 2 decent tackles. He's the answer...not the problem.

 

[Floatyworm]

It doesn't shock me the Cowboys may have been playing Jaylon and LVE at the wrong spots.

After all, they wasted over two years of Byron Jones' career by playing him at safety instead of corner.

They have messed with everyone...the list on defense is endless. LVE,Jones, Crawford, Claiborne, Collins, Taco, Hill...

 

[CT Dal Fan]

They have messed with everyone...the list on defense is endless. LVE,Jones, Crawford, Claiborne, Collins, Taco, Hill...

The strange part is, the last two losses have hidden the fact Trysten Hill is starting to come into his own a little bit. I hope we were all a bit too hasty in writing him off.

 

[charron]

All three LBs have regressed this year.

I will wait for a new defensive coordinator to come in before I reach any long term assessments of these guys. Although Lee might be in decline simply because of age. But for all the crap Smith gets, people seem to forget that LVE was as bad as Smith before getting hurt. The fact both those guys stink this year makes me wonder if something bigger is at play here, namely coaching.

I think Bloom has had a big impact on these LB's and not in a good way.

 

[PA Cowboy Fan]

I sure hope new coaches can fix this defense.

 

[Pessimist_cowboy]

It won’t matter we will succeed without good DT’s. I don’t care if we had Ray Lewis and Dick Butkus.

 

[OmerV]

Why is it Jaylon isn't playing WLB and Leighton isn't playing MLBer? Jaylon is more of a chaser and LVE at 250+ has size for the inside. Don't get it.

LVE does have better size, but the reality is he is more of a "chaser" too. The both pursue very well, but neither is the tough in the middle guy that fights off blocks and stuffs the run.

 

[Floatyworm]

The strange part is, the last two losses have hidden the fact Trysten Hill is starting to come into his own a little bit. I hope we were all a bit too hasty in writing him off.

He's playing better....the effort is there. I just think he needs to get stronger. Gonna be a huge off season for him. He needs to hit the weight room hard. Question is...will he be wiling to put the time in?