Yesterday, I talked with Eagles second-year linebacker Mychal Kendricks and I’m confident that he’s got a better grasp of the NFL game and will be much more productive this year than he was in his rookie season. Defensive coordinator Billy Davis will try to put Kendricks in a position where he can use his tremendous speed and quickness to track ball carriers and make tackles as well as big plays.
“If they call my number, heck yeah,” Kendricks said. “I’m definitely sideline to sideline. I’m going to be able to run a little bit more, be a little bit more freed up.
“My primary goal is just to be a better player, not be to complacent and to have more tackles, more assists, more everything.”
The youngster said he’s starting to sense what play is getting ready to be run before the ball is snapped. This is the key to making big plays and becoming an outstanding linebacker in the National Football League. He said video tape study and the repetition of practice has helped him start to recognize upcoming plays from formations and offensive player alignment.
Kendricks knows his rookie year was a disappointment he wasn’t interested in talking about it very much. “It can’t get much worse, let’s put it that way,” said Kendricks after practice yesterday. “Last year was a learning experience across the board. It’s only up from here.”
The former University of California Bear is eager to turned loose on blitzes. Kendricks came down with one sack in his rookie season and was sent on about five blitzes during the entire season. This year he would love to get five opportunities per game.
He won’t be dealing with offensive linemen in his face as much this year as he did a year ago.
“We had a lot of people in our face last year, as well,” said Kendricks. “If tackling was the issue, it shouldn’t be this year.”
Eagles head coach Chip Kelly expects big things from Kendricks in the upcoming season.
“I think Mychal’s a real physical linebacker, but his biggest attribute is his athleticism,” Kelly said. “He’s a three-down linebacker — he doesn’t have to come off the field on third down. He excels in pass coverage — he’s got a great ‘coverageability’ of what he can do and who he can match up with — but he’s physical enough to play on first and second down.
“He’s one of the more athletic linebackers in this league, so (we’re) really excited about his future and what he can do. He can do everything we’ve asked him to do.”
The second-year backer hasn’t been able to really let out his energy and emotion in practice yet, because there hasn’t been any hitting. He’s tired of hearing yapping from the Eagles offensive players.
“There’s a lot of crap talking (now),” Kendricks said. “When we put the pads on, all that stuff is going to stop.”
The wide nine made the back seven look bad I’m that coaching staff is gone they did a horrible job!!!
Paulmans LB Prediction for the 2013 Eagles
Starters in the Base 3-4 Scheme
OLB’s C Barwin and M Kendricks
ILB’s Brandon Graham and D Ryan’s
On Passing Downs, Ryan’s comes off the field, Kendricks slides Inside and Graham slides outside as a Pass Rusher along with the 3 DL (Cox,Cole,?)
A extra DB comes in to replace Ryans as the 11th Defender for Pass-Coverage
That sounds like a solid group Paulman. I’m beginning to like our LB’s. I’m very anxious to see what they look like once the pads go on. Love Kendrick’s comment about shutting up the offense. Sounds like a lot of shit talking has been going on. I’m lovin it!
Just got my place tix for the home opener against the Chargers. Anyone have any tix they wanna sell?
I still like Kendrick’s as a player. I thought he showing great instincts early on and his speed is something that you just don’t find in most lb’s that can actually play anything besides special teams. I do feel like he is better suited outside rushing then playing in the middle getting grinded up on 1st down, but I am not sure about Brandon G playing mlb in the nfl. that’s a bigger reach than graham playing outside in space bc the sidelines and corner are there in zones. inside graham will be at mercy of great TE and motion wr as well as slot wide outs. hopefully dude from Iowa St. can be a gem inside we need some true depth at LB not just converted DE’s
So paulman ur saying graham is playing in the middle and meco is starting on the outside. That’s makes zero sense. It will be projected like such… Barwin..Kendrick’s..Meco..Cole. With sopoaga at the nose and cox and Thornton at the five technique(DE) over the tackle. And if its a passing down and they stay in the 3-4 it will remain the same personnel. Then as they slide into the hybrid 4-3, cole will put his hand in the dirt in his original spot cox and sopoaga will slide to DT and graham will go to his original DE spot as well. Leaving out back 3 as… Kendrick’s.. Meco.. Barwin .. And of course count on a heavy rotation on the outside LBs and the DTs.. I GUARANTEE IT
No I am saying that Graham and Ryans are the ILB in their Base 3-4 on 1st Downs/Running Downds with Barwin & Kendrick’s on the Outside
Then on Passing Downs, Kendrick’s slide inside and Ryans come out
Graham is then used as a pass-rusher with the 3 other DL as a pass blitzer
And I believe our secondary will be as such.. This isn’t hard btw since we no one lol. Fletcher, Williams, Boykin, marsh and poyer..at cb… Chung and philips..but philips will get hurt and wolff will start.. leading to philips and colemans release..Nate and colt Anderson backups.
Paulman, I enjoy ur post and love how much thought u put into them. That being said there is zero chance Graham plays inside backer. It is a different world lining up inside compaired to DE. Plus Kendrick’s is a natural inside backer so why move two guys out of position when u can just tweak a DE’s assignments stand him up at OLB. Moving multiple people out of position is something the last head guy loved doing to show everyone how smart he was.
I don’ believe Graham has the lateral quickness to play outside is why I say this.. Kendrick’s does.. Kendrick’s does not have the bulk, upper body strength and strong arms to get off blocks o the inside and I believe that Graham could develop as a good ILB in a base package and can take on NFL Guards
And with his quickness in close spaces could be effective o. The inside paired with Ryans.. Kendrick’s was very effective pkaying the inside at the Colkege level but at 245lbs is to small at the point of attack, while Graham is about 260..
Now on Passing situations, I get Ryans out of there and slide Kendrick’s to the inside and then blitz Graham from his stand up position all over the formations.. From outside a DE, right over Center, over a Guard, and utilize his pass rushing ability as a “Joker” on in viols passing downs..
Paul, I have to admit that position adjustment for Graham is intriguing. My question would be is he fast, and instinctive enough, from that position to be effective? He is kind of light for a DE, but heavy as a MLB……..
Paul, Kendricks (who played ILB throughout college) is the same size as ILB Daryll Washington of Arizona and a similar athlete. Graham physically looks to me like a typical Steelers/Ravens OLB. I think many fans/pundits were 50/50 when Graham was drafted about whether he was a DE or OLB.
Paulman, your entire scenario is flawed top to bottom..There’s no way graham has the instincts of MLB therefore he will never play the middle regardless of his size. Kendrick’s will be a stout 250 come training camp. He did pretty good ‘as a rook’ handling o lineman. Graham is faster than Lamar woodly from Pitt. The steelers took woodly from n end and stood him up. Same is gonna go for graham over time. You don’t just change a position of players. It’s not madden where that shiz works. I said it above. N I’m 99% certain that’s how it will be
As I Stated, Ryans is more of the MLB in the new Base 3-4
Graham would play inside along him and only be responsible for pkay from Guard to Tackle area in the Base 3-4 Package which would be used on 1st Downs downs and running Downs & Distance
Once it vecomes the Passing downs & disrance, then Graham would be moved all over the formation to be strictly a Pass-Rusher whether its standing up over a Center, Guard or along the Outside or even getting I to a 3 Pt Stance
As a DE.. This is how I see utilizing Graham to his skill set and size..
Ur giving graham way too much credit and responsibility to be ” moved ” around that much. Not gappening
I agree Silencer
Gragam has a good 15lbs and more upper body strength to take on Guards
As an inside LB in their base 3-4c while Kendricjs has the speed and athleticism to play the Outside LB position opposite of Barwin in my opinion.. Again this is on first Downs, on running downs and distance in the base 3-4
And not on passing downs, where Gragam would then become strictly a pass-rusher..
Paulman your scenario does make sense but don’t you think that one of the coaches would have thought about this so maybe it isn’t a plausible option.
Yes I am sure they have thought of this., but I believe that both Graham
And Cole will really struggle as OLB dur their lack of lateral speed and natural LB instincts, you can hide an ILB in a 3-4 being surrounded
By 3 other Athletic Players a lot easier when playing in the Inside than the Outside where they are more on an Island and can be exposed, etc..
No doubt they will be exposed at some points during games so I really think 95% of the time they will be strictly rush lb’s.
I see Cole as strictly a pass-rushing DE for obvious passing downs or released halfway thru Camp.. I don’t envision him being to play as OLB at the NFl Level at all..
agreed