Where is Cunningham in terms of being the answer...

[WhoaDirty]

The Pats will have 3 picks in the top 33 players I expect one of if not two of these players to be either a DE or OLB that can rush the passer which will make Cunningham even a better player.

I was thinking this too. Also consider the Pats lost arguably their best DE at the beginning of the season. Ty Warren plus a draft pick plus (possibly) a FA plus all the game experience (regular and post-season) could lead to a fantastic season for Cunningham next year. Here's hoping anyway.

 

[Grizzafted]

for a rookie late second round pick playing arguably one of the most complicated positions in a BB defense, i think you've got to say he's doing about as well as we could have expected. he's not lighting the world up and we don't have the next demarcus ware on our hands, but he's made a few big plays and we haven't heard his name too often as in "cunningham got blown up on that play" or "cunningham got torched out of the backfield."

all in all i think we'll know more around this time next year but i think he'll be a reliable starter and could even have potential to be a 5-10 sack player eventually. i dont feel like OLB is the huge need it used to be, which is great because it means we can draft based on talent and not need this coming year.

 

[Uncle Rico]

Hes been fine. The simple fact that he is playing regularly and has done well vs the run and has applied some good pressure in key moments (see his tap on Peyton's elbow which led to Sanders' INT) has been just fine for a rook.

I believe he also flushed out Cutler on G Warren's sack last week. Nice.

I'm not a good Xs and Os guy, but it seemed like the Browns were always sealing him off with a few guys on some runs, as if they focused on him; a better analyst than I might be able to tell whether that's the case, or he was just lost on his own that day.

 

[TheComeback]

Watch the guy play. He does his job and he usually does it well. He'll only get better with time. He is going to be a very good player for us. I've said it all along and I'll continue to say it until proven otherwise: I think he's going to be our best playmaker in the front 7 in 2-3 years.

He just has that gamer attitude and game-changing ability you look for in a linebacker. It's shown up a few times already this year and he missed most of training camp, and is making a difficult transition from 4-3 DE to 3-4 OLB. For a second round pick he's been excellent so far. Compare him to Larry English. Cunningham is light years ahead of that guy and he's stilll a rookie.

 

[patsfan13]

Comparing him to Spikes and McCourty isn't really fair at this point. Spikes and McCourty are playing the same positions as they did in college (with a lot to learn of course). Cunningham OTOH is moving to a fundamentally different, arguable the most complex in the BB 3-4. From playing with his hand on the ground to playing off the line and having to do reads and drops into coverage as required.

Combine that with him missing most of training camp and reps in the preseason games, he has done and outstanding job IMO, exceeding my expectations. I agree with the view that a full set of OTA and camp after his experience this year we will see a big jump in performance.

 

[Kontradiction]

Cunningham has show the ability to set the edge consistently, speed rush, bull rush, and use a variety of techniques to get into the backfield. He should make an even bigger leap in year two as he becomes more and more comfortable in this defense. Let's not forget that the defense he came from at Florida and this defense are pretty much night and day from one another.

 

[Jared]

And he's doing surprisingly well in my Madden 11 franchise.


...


Though that may be useless information.

 

[eagle eye]

Cunningham has already become an exceptional player on this team. People don't talk about him because he doesn't have many highlight reel plays. What makes him so great for me is that he is not making mistakes, he is a good decision maker and thats why imo he is going to be here a long time and become one of the best 3-4 OLBs in the league.

 

[NewFeep]

I hope we play Denver next year and Cunningham gets to plant Tim Tebow like a dead tree trunk! That would be sweeeeet!

 

[patfanken]

As others have said, you have to evaluate his performance while considering the fact that he is a rookie, playing a position he didn't play in college, and one that happens to be one of the toughest college to pro transitions to learn (college DE to 3-4 OLB in a 2 gap system). If you take all that, PLUS the fact he missed most of training camp, I think his rookie review should be A+.

Think about it. He has well exceeded any reasonable expectations. Now I don't know if the kid is going to be an all pro, but I think its safe to assume we have found a guy who will be able to set the edge with consistency and put some pressure on the passer on a regular basis for the next few years.

 

[RayClay]

Usually, if a guy is good coming out of the draft, you can tell that he's going to be good. If a guy does not play much at all, he is usually going to be a bust.

I wouldn't say your premise holds up, except in an obvious way, i.e. higher drafted players or players the coach likes (camp standouts) tend to play more.

It's very different for different positions. Running backs often shine or bust from the start (obvious exceptions). Cunningham's position is quite demanding and a high learning curve is expected. Probably some added McGoo type muscles too. I would look for steady progress here.

If so, in a year or two, start wrecking house. Maybe in the playoffs, who knows? These youngsters are way ahead of the game on the confidence scale, and they've got the greatest defensive coach evah treating them like vets.

 

[PatsCanDoIt]

In the Jets game Cunningham tackled Tomlinson in the open field short of the first down. I remember because he was standing up looking at Ladainian on the ground and then glancing at the marker as if to say "Huh, I can play in space too." The Jets were forced to kick a FG and never got back into the game.

 

[Kasmir]

For most of the season, Cunningham has been a fixture at one of the OLB spots in the base 3-4 package. That package hasn't been on the field as much lately, what with the Patriots playing from big leads. He's swapped from weak to strong depending mostly on who he is playing opposite, Ninko or TBC. He's been playing steadily better against the run, not just setting the edge, but he's also made some key plays in trailing pursuit as well. He's been dropping into coverage more and more, and made a nice stop on LT from his zone.

When Crable was cut, Cunningham got the snaps Crable had been getting as a rush end in the 4-2 Nickle. He's gotten a bunch of hurries, including the ones that forced the Chung intercept vs Miami and the Sanders pick of Manning.

For whatever reason, Moore replaced Cunningham in the 4-2 Nickle against Chicago. In fact, Cunningham was virtually invisible in the 2nd half of the game. so much so I was worried he had gotten injured, although obviously not.

As several poster have said, Cunningham got off to a late start this year due to his injury and has had a lot to learn. He's still visibly improving both vs the run and the pass. He's already our best OLB, and has all the physical tools to succeed at that position, particularly projecting the likely offseason improvements in his strength and size. He may not be the second coming of Willie McGinest, but he's already a starting quality 3-4 OLB and he's flashed the possibility of being something of a playmaker on defense. One of the most intriguing players to watch on this young defense

 

[eagle eye]

Well what I've noticed with him is that his blocker has no clue which side he wants to go on and the reason for that is Cunnigham's eyes never leave the ball.

He is not trying to get there too quickly, he doesn't gamble and guess what the play is.

 

[ahmed]

Comparing him to Spikes and McCourty isn't really fair at this point. Spikes and McCourty are playing the same positions as they did in college (with a lot to learn of course). Cunningham OTOH is moving to a fundamentally different, arguable the most complex in the BB 3-4. From playing with his hand on the ground to playing off the line and having to do reads and drops into coverage as required.

Combine that with him missing most of training camp and reps in the preseason games, he has done and outstanding job IMO, exceeding my expectations. I agree with the view that a full set of OTA and camp after his experience this year we will see a big jump in performance.

This... the guy is a complete OLB and already our best one. I have no doubt that he has it in him to be a star play maker... much more so than Spikes or Mayo.

 

[Kasmir]

This... the guy is a complete OLB and already our best one. I have no doubt that he has it in him to be a star play maker... much more so than Spikes or Mayo.

I think we'll see Mayo continue to improve in his playmaking, particularly in the passing game. Mayo is an unbelievably gifted LB, with speed, agility and power. But he's still learning the game, so his ceiling is unknown. His agility and quickness is really impressive, I can't remember seeing a back juke him successfully 1:1.

Spikes was an extraordinary playmaker at Florida, and has incredible football instincts and great power. Once he's better calibrated to the NFL game, he'll be a force. His lack of speed is his problem, but once he gets his NFL instincts and gets the reads and jumps right, I expect him to be perhaps the best playmaker of the three. He already has the best ball skills of any of our LB's...

But I like all three of these young guys. They're all still very early in their careers. Next year's defense could be something very special...

 

[jeffbiologist]

He was my Binky in the draft and what I saw from the Florida tape is starting to be more consistent up here. He is always around the ball. Now I think he is progressing fine, but not sure he will ever be a wrecking machine demanding double teams but thats not how our rush works. The stats are never quite right because pressure from one direction doesnt guarantee a sack(stats). Our DEs arent pass rushing well that would squeeze the pocket and send a QB out to a OLB. And we will sacrifice that top end speed edge pass rusher for a edge-setting run stopper. Think of our best teams and we had alot of specialized LBs. Right now we are thin but gaining depth, Guyton is in his proper role unlike the last couple years. It took Vrabel a few years to master the hand techniques that eventually landed him in Hawaii. He is a piece of the puzzle, but we are missing at least 1 DE and a OLB bookend never mind a pass rushing specialist. A Seymour-type DE that would require double teams could leave him on a back, thats how Merriman padded his stats.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I think we'll see Mayo continue to improve in his playmaking, particularly in the passing game. Mayo is an unbelievably gifted LB, with speed, agility and power. But he's still learning the game, so his ceiling is unknown. His agility and quickness is really impressive, I can't remember seeing a back juke him successfully 1:1.

Spikes was an extraordinary playmaker at Florida, and has incredible football instincts and great power. Once he's better calibrated to the NFL game, he'll be a force. His lack of speed is his problem, but once he gets his NFL instincts and gets the reads and jumps right, I expect him to be perhaps the best playmaker of the three. He already has the best ball skills of any of our LB's...

But I like all three of these young guys. They're all still very early in their careers. Next year's defense could be something very special...

No question.

Mayo is 90% there IMO. He has the physical skills to do everything. If he could force a couple of fumbles and make some game-changing plays every now and then he'd be an all-pro.

 

[Water Boy]

I'm definitely encouraged by what Cunningham has shown so far. Hopefully he continues on an upward trajectory as he learns the defense and the nuances of 3-4 OLB.

 

[VJCPatriot]

He was my Binky in the draft and what I saw from the Florida tape is starting to be more consistent up here. He is always around the ball. Now I think he is progressing fine, but not sure he will ever be a wrecking machine demanding double teams but thats not how our rush works. The stats are never quite right because pressure from one direction doesnt guarantee a sack(stats). Our DEs arent pass rushing well that would squeeze the pocket and send a QB out to a OLB. And we will sacrifice that top end speed edge pass rusher for a edge-setting run stopper. Think of our best teams and we had alot of specialized LBs. Right now we are thin but gaining depth, Guyton is in his proper role unlike the last couple years. It took Vrabel a few years to master the hand techniques that eventually landed him in Hawaii. He is a piece of the puzzle, but we are missing at least 1 DE and a OLB bookend never mind a pass rushing specialist. A Seymour-type DE that would require double teams could leave him on a back, thats how Merriman padded his stats.

That's why I think the Pats draft a DE next year. Perhaps one Cameron Heyward. 6'6 290 lbs. Having a huge athletic guy like that on the DL will only make the linebackers even better and more effective.

Cunningham looks to be doing well. He is getting pressure on the QB even if the sack numbers aren't there yet. He's been a lot more effective than say - Vernon Gholston. LOL @ Jets draft blunders.

Anyways I think it is overstated to say that any one player is the 'answer'. Rather they are part of the jigsaw that contributes to the overall passrush. Thats why I think getting another stud up front on the DL is important.