DE/OLB Hybrid

[Ochmed Jones]

As our defense transitions and morphs into a defense of complete versatility in the front seven, I continue to be concerned about the future of Cunningham in this new style defense. Is he capable of excelling in a hybrid system?

Does he have any position flexibility to his game?

Does this new defense now allow BB the luxury of drafting those DE/OLB one dimensional pass rushers that might be able to convert to OLB, that in years past he completely ignored?

PS: Barwin is starting in Houston at OLB and Reed also in Houston looked pretty darn good against the Jets as well.

 

[MaineMan]

As our defense transitions and morphs into a defense of complete versatility in the front seven, I continue to be concerned about the future of Cunningham in this new style defense. Is he capable of excelling in a hybrid system?

Does he have any position flexibility to his game?

Does this new defense now allow BB the luxury of drafting those DE/OLB one dimensional pass rushers that might be able to convert to OLB, that in years past he completely ignored?

PS: Barwin is starting in Houston at OLB and Reed also in Houston looked pretty darn good against the Jets as well.

I'm not that concerned about Cunningham. He was solid against the run last season (a BB requirement for DE/OLB regardless of scheme), but the knock most of us had for him was his pass rush. However, with the acquisition of Andre Carter, Cunningham now has something he didn't have before - someone on his team with significant, well-developed pass-rush skills to study and emulate.

 

[D-Money]

Justin Houston has looked impressive for the chiefs as well.I thought Houston could play in a 4-3 or 3-4 defense.

 

[Ochmed Jones]

I'm not that concerned about Cunningham. He was solid against the run last season (a BB requirement for DE/OLB regardless of scheme), but the knock most of us had for him was his pass rush. However, with the acquisition of Andre Carter, Cunningham now has something he didn't have before - someone on his team with significant, well-developed pass-rush skills to study and emulate.

I have not seen a lot of Cunningham this year, but it does not look like he is making a year two leap. I need to see more before I take him off the hot seat.

I still am not convinced Carter can last for 16 games at a high level. At best he is a spot pass rusher; which is why we need Cunningham to make a year two leap.

 

[MaineMan]

I have not seen a lot of Cunningham this year, but it does not look like he is making a year two leap. I need to see more before I take him off the hot seat.

I still am not convinced Carter can last for 16 games at a high level. At best he is a spot pass rusher; which is why we need Cunningham to make a year two leap.

With no OTAs, any progress on a "year-two-leap" that Cunningham might make is probably a little behind schedule. The only area in which he hasn't shown very good NFL-level play, as far as I'm concerned, is in being more consistently successful in getting pressure on the passer, an element of his training that I believe was probably not at the top of the coaches' To-Do list for him in his first season.

So far this camp, Cunningham had a mere 10 days working around Carter prior to the Tampa game, so I'm not surprised if that (possible) mentoring relationship has yet to bear striking results in improving Cunningham's pass rush. Meanwhile, he's covering early-down work very well - the part of defending that creates those 3rd-and-long situations that Carter, playing his spot role, thrives on.

So, Cunningham isn't even close to being on any "hot seat" with me.

 

[TriplecHamp]

Ochmed Im pretty sure you're a 'Bama fan so what are you early thoughts on Courtney Upshaw as a possibility in the 2012 draft.