I’m confident that new Eagles middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans will be a tremendous asset to the Birds when it comes to run defense and that alone will be a major improvement over the Birds linebacker play of 2011. Most of the time, the run defense at the middle linebacker position is about instincts, quickness and aggressive which I understand that Ryans has in abundance.
Still one of the keys for how much of a difference Ryans will make in the Eagles defense will be his ability to play versus the pass. He needs to convince Birds defensive coordinator Juan Castillo and the Eagles that he’s the linebacker who should be kept on the field on third down.
Hopefully his injured Achilles tendon is all the way back. The former Pro Bowler needs to be able to move like he did when he was going to Hawaii at the end of the season.
It would be an ideal situation if he’s the linebacker on the field the most because that will mean he’s calling the defenses. He’ll likely be more comfortable than any of the other backers calling the coverages and getting the defense in blitzes on third down. Timing means everything on third down when the defense is trying to catch the quarterback and the offense off balance.
“All you have to do is turn the film on and watch him,” Kubiak said. “He runs the show. Everybody goes to him, they trust him so much and what he’s doing. He really raised Cushing in a lot of ways. … He’s just a guy on the field that gave everybody some calm: ‘Hey, I got it under control. What are we doing? What’s our adjustment?’ DeMeco let us know we got it.”
The defensive quarterback isn’t as important as the offensive quarterback, but he’s still very important. I would like to see Ryans get his hands on more balls than he has in the past. The former Alabama backer has only two interceptions in his career. The Birds need their third down linebacker to be more productive than that.
Ryans needs to get his hands on more balls and I think he’ll have a better opportunity to do that here in Philadelphia than he had during his early years in Houston. The key will be hanging onto the football when it hits his hands.
Eagles Draft LB Luke Kuechely will play SAM for the 1st 2 Downs and then slide over to MLB in Passing Situations..
WE DON’T WANT KUECHELY!!!!!!
He’ll be garbage and I’d rather have a stud DT or Barron in the first round if they trade back.
We’ve solved the middle and ca get a Stud SAM i the 2nd round.
Songs – Barron? Double Hernia Neck Surgery? You want a guy coming off of a major injury? Really? YOU?
Do you know the total number of projected “stud SAMs” in this year’s draft? I’ll give you a clue, there’s a guy who’s screen name is our favorite football team, then a number, then ‘superbowls’ on this website – that’s the number.
Just saying, another example of your lazy thinking. You really seem to pick your ideal football moves off of everything except facts and how a guy played the sport. Keuchly played LB really well in college. Way better than any other LB. You want a guy who played a lot worse. You’re crazy.
Songs, are you still Upset the Burfict continues to Drop as a Prospect..
He’s now fallen to the 5th/6th Round territory.. I have never seen a player drop so fast in 3 months time leading up to the Draft in my alsmost 25 years of faollowing tehe Draft.. He was rated about the #35- #45 Top Prospect in December and now has plummeted down to #187 by NFL DraftScout.Com…
Ooh and remember, that I told you about Burfict’s shortcomings and character flags, immaturity and lack of Intelligence back in January that he would never be a 1st Round Selection adn that the Eagles would not even waste their time putting a putz like this on their Draft Board…
listen Paulman, could care less where Burfict is picked…He’ll be on an NFL team and will be a better linebacker than Kuechly.
If we can get him with a 4th or 5th round pick that would be great. The 15th pick can be used for another need now Ryan is here.
schill….I want a guy once his hernia is healed is 100 times better than the garbage we have at safety.
Songs, I look forward to watching both of those LBs’ careers in the NFL. We’ll see what happens. At this point, one of them has played football well…
Almost bet on a LB in the first round after reading this.
http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/03/28/andy-reid-admits-he-goofed-at-linebacker-and-safety-last-season/
Still doesn’t make up for the previous season but maybe he’s seen the light! One can only hope. Sorry for got to add safety to the almost bet part. Wanted to get that in before its pointed out later.
Songs, we all know you like Burfict, but why? What is your rationale for him being so great when every other expert doesn’t share your opinion? And why do you think Keuchly who is a tackling machine is going to be so bad? Every stat comparison favors Keuchly. I know that combine doesn’t measure football ability, but Keuchly outperformed Burfict on every one of those tests too including lifting. I am just curious now.
Schill, com’n man
one have played well?
I’ve seen Burfict play and Keuchly is not even in the sam universe. look at the competition. The teams Burfict played against and the teams Keuchly played against. I remember the same hype for that penn state linebacker the Bills drafted who is ass. I told everyone he was garbage..Kuechly is not even better than him.
The scheme funneled payers to the middle for clean up racking up bloated tackles.
That scheme is not what he’ll be playing in the pros. You never see tackles for losses with this kuechley guy. He’s a bum.
Look at Burfict and you can count tackles for losses, forced fumbles, tackling with bad intentions. That’s a linebacker and he will get the opportunity to prove it regardless of where he’s chosen.
Doesn’t the Wide 9 funnel plays up the middle?
Chris – yes, shows a lack of understanding on their part. Give them time, unless their name is jakedog, drummerwinslow, or songs, they can learn.
the wide 9 does not funnel plays to the middle. the running plays fake to the middle and cut outside behind the void that’s left by the DE’s running upfield.
Songs – be honest (and of course we can’t hold you to that), but when you say that you’ve seen Burfict play – do you mean anything beyond youtube clips? Have you watched entire football games of him playing? Because the NFL isn’t about youtube clips. It’s about games, 16 of them at a minium. If a guy can have a few huge hits in a game, but get run and passed on for 3.5 quarters of football – he’s worthless.
It was always my understanding that the plays were forced up the middle. I was asking to make sure. So if that’s the case Kuechely would probably be perfect at SAM. Most likely the reason we failed last year was because of the plays coming at the weakest part of our D. Andy has admitted he made a mistake with the LB and Safetys. Per an article on PFT.
According to the stats last year, Burfict had 7 tackles for loss and Keuchly had 12. ASU played Oregon, USC and Boise St. Those are the top teams that you are referring to right? Here are his tackles for those games: 5 vs. USC, 7 vs Oregon and 1 vs BSU. In contrast to when Keuchly played: Clemson= 16 tackles, Va Tech = 19 tackles, FSU = 20 tackles. Which guy is the gamer?
Schill…I’ve watched entire games played by Burfict.
Hs coach had words and they’ve been looking to sink him every since. The coach there even played seer talent to hurt Burfict’s reps and that pissed him off even more. There’s 2 sides to a story. Now, I don’t excuse Burfict’s behavior and he could have given in, but that coach is not blameless either. there’s a clear difference when Burfict’s on the field and personally I like that he’s willing to challenge a coach. That’s needed on the Eagles with a bunch of choir boys on defense. Bring the fire and passion back to philly defense.
Reid finally admits he goofed on the defensive side of the ball. Does that men we’ll actually get Barron to fix the Safety position for the next 10 years? He can fully recover from hernia surgery and theres no leg injuries which are the big issues.
Barron would tell the fan base he have learned and is ready to compete. Nate Allen is ass.
Wide 9 will funnels the runners thru the open gaps between the DT and DE spots which I believe they call the C & D Gaps.. All 3 LB and the Strong Safety need to playing in unison for proper spacing and of course, need to react to the ball carrier and shed blocks nad make sure taclkles
LB L Kuechely could be a good fit at the SAM Spot, he has the size, strength and speed.. Why not select him even with Ryans playing the MLB.. Then let Rolle & Chaney fight it out for the Will Spot… keep Matthews as back-up and let Jordan & Clayton battle it out and then Draft another OLB in the 2nd/3rd Round like a Bobby Wagner,Lavonte David, or Keenan Robinson who can be ready to challend for a Starters spot in 2013.. In the event that Ryans reinjures himself and just doesn’t work out, then you shift Kuechley to MLB in 2013 and adjust accordingly at the SAM Spot.. Get you best 3 LB’s on the Field in my opinion… (I would released Fokou)
I think that that makes a lot of sense and there is your insurance for MLB. They could potentially solve their LB problem in 1 year.
Songs are u related to Burfict? Even his own mom was probably ashamed of his epic failures at the combine/pro day. In fact I do t think I ‘ve ever heard of another decent prospect having as a horrible pro day. A proxy is designed for you to look good. Its your home turf and a controlled environment meant to make u look good even if you suck. If you can’t succeed in that atmosphere no way you survive in the high pressure of the NFL. I’d gladly take him as a sixth or seventh rounder but not a moment before. He’s a guy who will surely eat, sleep and shit his way out of the league if given set for life money. Let him come in at league minimum and work his way up. But I doubt he would last two years.
*don’t
*pro day
Damn iPhone.
Reid’s “goof” comment make me sick and angry, don’t even want to get into it.
SOngs, I’m with you on drafting Barron. I’ve been personally pleading for them to draft him 1st for a long time now.
Schiller, don’t know where you’re getting the “neck” surgery..im sure either that was a typo or you’re just trying to reach and make things up. Again the guy is coming off hernia surgery, lets not make that the end of the world…its not a knee or neck or achilles or ankle etc..
I think BArron will be one of the top safeties in the league in 3 years. We have below average ones at best. Put him with allen and I think the position will be fine for years to come…we finally won’t have to worry about it every offseason.
Address LB at DT in the 2nd round. There are plenty of options available at those positions, a lot of depth with guys that could be just as good as the big names ones ppl have going in the top 20. Not the same for Safety.
Or they could use their second round to jump back in the mid 20s and draft a Hightower or DEvon Still
Honestly though looking at the draft order I think DE Coples can fall easily.
I don’t see him going to any of teams from 1-6.
IF JAx doesn’t take him at 7 than he will def drop until at least 9 cuz there is no way Miami doesn’t draft Tannhehill who has Mike Sherman as their OC right now and coach RT in college.
The Panthers at 9 have lots of needs. They spend big money on that DE but I can see them taking Coples in a heart beat. If Coples falls here tho if Im the Eagels I would def. consider trading up to get this guy…he will be J. Peppers.
SO if Coples falls to at least 9 I says trade up to get him if not Barron is my pick.
**NFL News
– SF 49ers signed RB Brandon Jacobs who was released by the GIants in a Salary CAp move earlier this month. Jacobs signed a 1 YEar Deal and terms were not disclosed (he was due to earn a whopping $4.4 Million with the Giants who smartly released him) This will give the 49ers a backfield tandem of Gore, Jacoms and the shifty Kendall Hunter…
What are the Eagles going to do about their Backfield who after MCCoy, they really don’t have any provens Backs… Go out and get Panthers J Stewart
Nice obserations Pheags..
I think the way the Draft falls will be on 2 Teams and 2 Players
#5 Tampa Bay — Most Mocks show them taking RB Trent Richardson (which I don’t buy for a minute.. I think they are looking to trade back and accumulate more picks or may go for Secondary Help
#7 Jaguars — Need a little bit of everything, OT, RB, WE, DE, LB Secondary
Coples on paper is the most natually talented DL in this entire draft, at 6-6 275lbs he reminds many of Julis Peppers, His drive and motivation have been questioned but after excellent showings at Senir Week, Indy Combine, private workouts and Interviews, I think he will be the 1st DL off the Board
In saying this, i would not be very surprised to see the Patriots offer their #27 & #31 Picks with maybe a 3rd ROund pick too to either the Bucs or Jags and try to move up for Coples.. The area that TB Bucs do not need is along the DL where they have 4 1st & 2nd Round Players from the last 2 Drafts on their roster already (McCoy, Price, Claiborn and Bowers) who they are all high on and have lots of $$$ invested in them already..
Also Remember the the Bucs GM (Mark Dominic) is a former NE Patriot Front Office employee and obviously knows Belicheck and right now has ffree-reign to be aggressive and improve the Bucs team which is evident with their gfree-agents signings of WR V-Jax, OG C Nicks, CB E Wright, resigned CB Barber
Paulman, I think TR goes to Tampa Bay. He is a beast and would be perfect for new head coach Greg Shiano who loves a powerful run game. Esp when you think about the O-line they will have there, TR could easily be OROY running behind them.
I think JAx needs offense more than anything…esp with their young QB. So if Coples is there I think there is a good chance they pass on him since their defense wasn’t really that bad this year. Atleast not as bad as that putrid offense.
You think Carolina would draft Coples with all that money invested on CJ? I know they need help on D big time. Just saying if he is there the EAgles should make the move even though they are solid at the DE position Right Now. This guy will be a stud and then you could dump Tapps salary off the books. If BG ends up as a solid player liek the FO says (personally I don’t which is why i say go for Coples if you can)…then you would have a young duo in the making kinda how like when we had Lito and Sheldon. However the T. Cole contract might put an end to all of this but I think Coples would easily be the best other DE on this team in 2 years so you could trade a Babin or BG later on.
I could easily see Cowboys trading up to get him also which would be terrible.
Songs I agree with you on Burfict, dude we stand alone with this one. But I understand why people view Burfict that way, but I see what you see a guy that if he get’s his head screwed on straight will be beast like. His nasty side which not one player on our D has. But he has to get his head right, I tell you what watch baltimore grab him in the 5 rd. Ray Lewis will smack him around a little bit and he will be very good.
PAnthers need DT,DE,SC and SAfety help along their Defense
Then need another pass-rushger opposite of Charles Johnson and they did draft 2 DT’s in the 3rd/4th Round last year do did pretty well..
I think if CB M Claiborne dropped to #9, PAnthers could grab him but if Coples is on the board, they are grabbing him, if Claiborne.Coples are gone, then look for DT D Poe who was in town last week for a workout at Panthers Facility..
The kid from Boston College is a very good sound player, he will rap you up and tackle you. And every D needs that especially the eagles who lack tackling. But what we need also fellas is someone who will Knock the shit out of somebody,like Brian Urlacher or Ray lewis. Your Middle linebacker is supposed to be intimidating. That’s what Songs is really saying about Burfict. Hopefully Ryans can bring some of that to our defense but we have no intimidator on our team. That’s what Songs see’s in Burfict a crazy motherfucker. I am a little tired of choir boys myself. But I will agree Burfict has come up weak this off season so far. He will probably be better suited with a leader like Lewis Or Urlacher, cause he needs to be smacked around a little to get his head on right. We don’t have that leader right now, Maybe Ryans will see.
I am sorry to have to come right out and say this about Burfict, He biggest issues is that he is simpy not very bright. Multiple reports that he had a very difficult time as a signal-caller in College level of getting the correct allignments called and having his teammates in the proper positions which actaully caused many of the probelems between he and his Defensive Coaching Staff & eventualyl with his teammates which caused him being benched late in his final Season.. He was not very well liked or repsected by his Coaches or Peers which is not a good thing if your expecting this man to be a leader and signal caller for your defense.. He is not very bright and we can leave it at that.. Eagles do not draft intellectually challenged players, they just don’t and when you out is surliness, poor atttitude on top of his poor metrics,conditioning, the Eagles would not touch this guy with a 10 ft pole and this is why Songs is all over Burficts balls, for he knows the Eagles are not going to select him, but Songs will build his entire 2012 Eagles Suck Mantra on why the Eagles failed at winning a Super bowl is because they Eagles didn’t select a mid-level LB who has intelliegence,attitude and physcial libailities like being slow and weak and that the Eagles won’t even consider..
So, Paulman?
If Burfict end up an all pro in the NFL…what would that say about your observation?
Now, before you answer keep in mind everything you said would happen this offseason was wrong.
Paulman? another question.
Do you think a team will draft Burfict?…if so, why?
Burfict’s Jersey # is 7 which was about as high as his “Wonderlic Score”..
Pman not all football players our rocket scientist, it does not mean they can’t play football. The game they have been playing since they were kid I disagree with you, but we shall see man.
Actually I don’t.. Mayve a 5th/6th Round flyer from a team like the Ravens,Steelers,Bears,Jets who are all long in the tooth a LB and could probably use a player like him, but today’s NFL is different than even 5 years ago. The majority of Teams flat out stay away from bad character players no matter how talented they may be and Burfict’s biggest issue besides his character and lack of smarts is tht fact that he’s had 2 Opportunitutes to prove himself to the NFL Scouts and Coaches that he is mature and serious enough to be an NFL player and he’s failed miserbly at both of them at the Combine and at Arizona’s State Pro-Work day.. Vontaeze Burfict is not the only LB in this Draft Songs and there are many, many good LB’s in this Draft Class.. Pro teams don’t have the time to waste on babysitting a kid and that’s just the way it is..
pdiddy,
It’s so much that Burfict isn’t book smart, it’s that he doesn’t have football smarts, his play recoginition, diaganosing schemes and tendancies were criticzed while in COllege, Was he too lazy to study and become a better student of the game or was his just unable to decihper all the information, who knows… He has what I call the “ernie SIms Syndrome” who by the way is still out there sharking around in the free-agent waters.. Another lack of football smarts kind of player..
But I will quit posting on GCobb.Com if Burfict becomes an All-Pro Songs..
In fact, I bet he’s not even on a NFL Roster 2-3 Years time..
Paulman?
Casey Matthews is pretty smart. how did that pan out?
You don’t need too much brains to kick someone’s teeth out!
Point him in a direction and cut him loose!
We’re looking for a linebacker, not someone who stayed at Holiday Inn last night.
Songs I agree, Pman if his football IQ is truly that low then he will not make it out of training camp he will be cut. So we shall see early this summer what his future will hold. We can go back and forth all night about this, I am to the point now I just want to see how he does. I will not make another comment about him till after the draft.
songs. Casey Mathews – I never heard anything about him being particularly smart. And he’s irrelevant here. And for the record, I think Paul’s off with the ‘smarts’ thing. I agree that LBs don’t have to be incredibly smart. BUT they have to play football well. Songs you made a good point “point him in the right direction, and let him loose” – yeah, if you could do that, I agree he’d be awesome. BUT YOU CAN’T POINT AN LB IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION DURING A FOOTBALL PLAY. He’s gotta figure that out himself. And the scouts say that he’s most often pointed in the WRONG direction. I love the idea of adding toughness and beastly MFer mentality at LB. But only if its in a LB who’s good at football too.
Schill, you thin Burfict can learn?
He have one tangible that can’t be taught. He’s a mean Mother f’er.
I’ll take that and teach the rest
Songs, sure, it’s certainly possible. I’ll tell you this Songs, with all this talk back and forth about him, I will be interested to see what he does or doesn’t end up doing. I couldn’t possibly be more curious at this point about a prospect who I don’t consider particularly promising…. It will be fun to watch him and Keuchly over the next few years just to see how it compares to all of our comments
A MLB is simply not a seek and destroy player.. Look at all the Great Teams that have great MLB, these guys have to have a very high Football IQ, they are to a Defense what a QB is to the Offense and to be honest from what I’ve read, J Chaney issn;t hte brightes buld in the room either..
You have to get the plays in and the proper alignments made and make sure that all 11 Players are on the same page and working in unison.. What do you think they do SOngs, wait to the snap of the ball and chase the guy with the ball.. TRhere are repsonsibiliey for all 11 Players on Defense and it’s starts with having smarts like London Fletcher, Brian Urlacher, Patick Willis and of course the ultimate in Ray Lewis who is not only smart but will know your head off.. Give me a smart Leader at MLB every daay over someone who may be more physically gifted but flys around and is undisciplined which is wah Burfict is and to be honest, His speed at 5.1 in th e40, he could be on the field on passing dowsn with that kind of slow speed, talk about get toasted by todays NFL TE’s… You over-hyped this guy Songs because you didn’t do enough homework on him plain and simple and now you will Cry Uncle because the Eagles won’t select him… for this is how you operate ..
I’m not too concerned about Barron’s double hernia surgery, because if he follows his rehab correctly, he will be fully healed 8-10 weeks from the surgery date. But we ain’t drafting him at 15, & nobody else will draft him in the 1st round either. If Burfict falls to the 5th, or 6th round, you’d have to be stupid, not to at least take a chance on him. He does at the very least have untapped talent & is a nasty bastard. Low-risk high reward at that point of the draft. To be honest, I’d rather take a late chance on him, than bring back Fokou & Jordon. They flat out BLOW!