Ahmad Brooks starts?

If all our OLB's did was rush the passer, than Brooks would be starting right now. But obviously there's more to it than that. He's got to learn to play the run and understand coverages, too.

Manny is a solid OLB for us. Its not going to be easy to unseat him as starter.

Potentially Brooks brings something (that Arizona game was a thing of beauty) that the Niners have needed for some time: big-time pressure on the QB. If he does that, he needs to be in the line-up.

Originally posted by NinerDreamer11:
If brooks plays, he'll take Haralson's spot, lawson did better than haralson, and brooks did better than those two.

Co-signed. Why is everyone so quick to hand over Lawson's spot? He led the team in sacks. He may never turn out to be a 10+ sack per season guy, but he brings so much more to the table. Haralson on the other hand is the one-trick pony, who didn't do all so well at his trick last season. If anything, he needs to go to the bench.

Originally posted by LifelongNiner:

Co-signed. Why is everyone so quick to hand over Lawson's spot? He led the team in sacks.

I'm disappointed with his production as a #1 pick. I know he's the sack leader but I think it's by one sack or so and he sees more playing time than Brooks. He should have more sacks!

Also, he's leaving next year sounds like. So if you can give some guys a little more playing time that are going to be around next year without losing games, then we should. Mostly though, I really liked Brooks play at the end of the season last year. I think he really caught on.

Originally posted by Esco:
If healthy, I expect amazing things from Brooks.

YES! I think we've discovered our much needed pass rusher.

Hopefully it's over Parys., La Boy and Parys coming off the bench would be awesome.

He just needs to learn to play in coverage. Then he starts. But until then, Lawson has more of the combine skill set that you need to be an everydown player

Originally posted by NinerBuff:
He just needs to learn to play in coverage. Then he starts. But until then, Lawson has more of the combine skill set that you need to be an everydown player

No he doesn't. He just needs to force the OC to game plan to block him. Last year, when he wasn't getting sacks, he was still applying pressure. He's also very good against the run.

If a team wants to change their gameplan to throw more flats then we have the advantage and we also have Patrick Willis.

OLB by committee

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by NinerBuff:
He just needs to learn to play in coverage. Then he starts. But until then, Lawson has more of the combine skill set that you need to be an everydown player

No he doesn't. He just needs to force the OC to game plan to block him. Last year, when he wasn't getting sacks, he was still applying pressure. He's also very good against the run.

If a team wants to change their gameplan to throw more flats then we have the advantage and we also have Patrick Willis.

Thats true if he lines up in a 3-point stance all the time. And maybe Brooks can get 10+ sacks as a situational pass rusher. That would help immensely.

How about this...
a 2-5 defense with Franklin and Smith as DTs, Brooks and Haralson with their hands in the ground and then PWilly, TKO, and Lawson in coverage. Or does this scheme give up too much size up front?

Originally posted by NinerBuff:

Originally posted by Joecool:

Originally posted by NinerBuff:
He just needs to learn to play in coverage. Then he starts. But until then, Lawson has more of the combine skill set that you need to be an everydown player

No he doesn't. He just needs to force the OC to game plan to block him. Last year, when he wasn't getting sacks, he was still applying pressure. He's also very good against the run.

If a team wants to change their gameplan to throw more flats then we have the advantage and we also have Patrick Willis.

Thats true if he lines up in a 3-point stance all the time. And maybe Brooks can get 10+ sacks as a situational pass rusher. That would help immensely.

How about this...
a 2-5 defense with Franklin and Smith as DTs, Brooks and Haralson with their hands in the ground and then PWilly, TKO, and Lawson in coverage. Or does this scheme give up too much size up front?

Brooks is very good against the run but that does give up too much size.

I have a feeling Brooks is going to make this defense fearful to QBs. He has all the ability and size you can want in a player at that position and he seemed to develop a sense of getting to the QB late last year.

We could possibly have one of the top OLB's/passrushers in the league teamed with THE best ILB in the league. Now if Franklin and Justin Smith match last years play, we will have one damn good defense.

See, look what you did, I actually got myself excited about 2010 season for the first time. Our defense is going to be killer. I can see it being similar to SD Defense when Manusky was there.

i am utterly confused by most of the comments ive read

1. dre bly is still on the team? i thought he was a FA

2. hardly any mention of ted ginn or taylor mays

3. josh morgan as a speedster, really?

Brooks has been groomed for the past two years in this defense. Last year he exploded as a play-making pass rusher. He's trained all off-season to be a starter working on his diet and conditioning.

We know he can pass rush. We know Singletary loves him. We know he's good against the run (how can a former ILB NOT be good against the run) plus he's bigger, stronger and more aggressive then Manny.

And today he's dropping back in coverage. Sounds to me like an OLB that is training to be a FT starter whether Manny decides to be here or not. Briggs is up to 254 pounds as well. Brandon Long and Travis LaBoy? Haralson is 100% healthy (see Staley's comments).

The SAM & WILL are interchanging a ton in practice thus far (as they should be ~ good job Manusky!). We could have some good to great starting OLB's and some good pass rushing depth.

Ball's in your court Manny! You've got to earn and keep your job this year...I can't imagine too many fans being upset with Brooks starting over Lawson. Heck, there was excitement when Brooks took over for Lawson on pass rushing downs last year.

Originally posted by theninermaniac:
i am utterly confused by most of the comments ive read

1. dre bly is still on the team? i thought he was a FA

2. hardly any mention of ted ginn or taylor mays

3. josh morgan as a speedster, really?

In addition, the title of the thread is "Ahmad Brooks starts?". Hence, none of those issues really relates to the question posed. Just sayin......

Originally posted by Overkill:
If all our OLB's did was rush the passer, than Brooks would be starting right now. But obviously there's more to it than that. He's got to learn to play the run and understand coverages, too.

Manny is a solid OLB for us. Its not going to be easy to unseat him as starter.

I feel there is no need to push Brooks to start, let him learn the position more, but use him on obvious passing situation, like the niners did with Fred Dean, keep both of them fresh. It is a long season.