Our back up situation at OLB

Quote:
I think Harris makes it for sure cuz we just signed him

Until we sign somebody else then he makes it for sure because we just signed him. Nice logic!

The backup situation at OLB is a mess.

--Jay Moore--
2 years on IR. Seems to lack the burst necessary for the position. Looked lost in coverage. If he's the best we've got at backup OLB, we're in trouble.

--Ahmad Brooks--
His measurables are off the charts, but his production is lacking. He's got the physical skills necessary, but does he have the drive? He played ILB in a 3/4 in college, then MLB in Cincy. Here, we've tried him inside and outside. He was a late pickup, so he didn't know the defense very well until late in the year. This TC and preseason will really determine if the guy has much of an NFL career at all. The team desperately needs him to show improvement--to take one of the backup jobs, be it at OLB or TED.

--Marques Harris--
Just got him from SD. He was a FA for weeks and weeks and no one picked him up. He has experience under Manusky in the SD 3/4, so he may have a leg up on the other guys. He's listed at 6'1" and 231 by ESPN, so he can't carry the load, but he may make a nice backup.

--Brandon Long & Diryal Briggs--
They are nobodies. UDFAs that are brought in as warm bodies for TC. Someone out of the backup OLBs may surprise b/c they will get plenty of PT in the preseason.

Let's just say that the backup OLBs are more than a little shaky. However, if we have injury issues at OLB, J.Smith could always be moved to ROLB as a fill-in.

Agree with the above summaries. Plenty of opportunity here to be seized by someone.

If I were a betting man, I would put my money on Marques Harris and a player not yet on the roster.

This could be in flux beyond TC, right up to the eve of Game 1.

Another thing to keep in mind is that we might need more than 2 backup OLBs. Usually 3-4 teams have 8-10 LBs. So it's possible that we'd have 3 backup OLBs. It looks like if that happened though, we'd probably end up having to cut a better player at another position.

Since Moore is the only one any of us have seen play it's pretty hard to guess who might make the roster. Of these guys I'd say Moore, Harris, and Long have the best chance. But I'd really like to see someone shake loose from another team and get picked up.

We have a back-up situation at OLB?

IMO we don't have any back-ups. We have unproven players who could easily be total scrubs. If we lose Lawson or Haralson we are totally screwed.

That's why I want Peppers. You start him and Lawson. On 3rd downs you take out Lawson and bring in Haralson. We would have a great rotation at OLB and a fierce pass rush.

You are also forgetting OLB Mark Washington, who entered the supplemental draft last year and then was picked up as FA by the 49ers.

A little background on Washington: He was a highly touted prospect at Arizona St but then transfered to Texas St, where he was often poorly utilized as a DT despite being 6'3" ~250. He entered the supplemental draft and impressed scouts with his athleticism, posting 40 times in the 4.55-4.60 range. Last year during training camp I remember the 49ers being pretty high on him and he was one of the last cuts and was eventually signed on the practice squad. Towards the end of the season he was signed by the Dolphins and played three games for them but since then has come back to the Niners.

Given his athleticism and success last year, I think Washington is someone to look out for this year. He has shown an ability to rush the passer and given the lack of depth at the position this year I wouldn't be surprised at all if he makes this squad.

Originally posted by DownSouth:
The backup situation at OLB is a mess.

--Jay Moore--
2 years on IR. Seems to lack the burst necessary for the position. Looked lost in coverage. If he's the best we've got at backup OLB, we're in trouble.

--Ahmad Brooks--
His measurables are off the charts, but his production is lacking. He's got the physical skills necessary, but does he have the drive? He played ILB in a 3/4 in college, then MLB in Cincy. Here, we've tried him inside and outside. He was a late pickup, so he didn't know the defense very well until late in the year. This TC and preseason will really determine if the guy has much of an NFL career at all. The team desperately needs him to show improvement--to take one of the backup jobs, be it at OLB or TED.

--Marques Harris--
Just got him from SD. He was a FA for weeks and weeks and no one picked him up. He has experience under Manusky in the SD 3/4, so he may have a leg up on the other guys. He's listed at 6'1" and 231 by ESPN, so he can't carry the load, but he may make a nice backup.

--Brandon Long & Diryal Briggs--
They are nobodies. UDFAs that are brought in as warm bodies for TC. Someone out of the backup OLBs may surprise b/c they will get plenty of PT in the preseason.

Let's just say that the backup OLBs are more than a little shaky. However, if we have injury issues at OLB, J.Smith could always be moved to ROLB as a fill-in.

I would think Justin would have to lose some weight before he could succesfully play the position. Then again he did get an INT last season and got 7 sacks as a 3-4 DE which is pretty difficult.

Originally posted by jimbagg:
Agree with the above summaries. Plenty of opportunity here to be seized by someone.

If I were a betting man, I would put my money on Marques Harris and a player not yet on the roster.

This could be in flux beyond TC, right up to the eve of Game 1.

I was reading the article about Harris. He has been in this situation before and produced as a back up. He played as a back up and as a starter for SD last year. He has been flying under the radar so far but he should be a bright spot as a OLB.

I think all our OLB's look like backups at this point, but I think Harris & Brooks make the final 53 and Long and Washington make the PS. Everybody else gets cut.

And I should point out that I think Harris sticks because he's a vet that has worked with Manusky before, not simply because he was recently signed - we've signed and cut other players in the same offseason before. The last one I remember is that DL we signed from the Eagles (Rayburn?). Brandon Jones might be another guy on the bubble despite his recent signing, but every report out of OTA's so far seems positive.

Originally posted by Overkill:
I think all our OLB's look like backups at this point, but I think Harris & Brooks make the final 53 and Long and Washington make the PS. Everybody else gets cut.

And I should point out that I think Harris sticks because he's a vet that has worked with Manusky before, not simply because he was recently signed - we've signed and cut other players in the same offseason before. The last one I remember is that DL we signed from the Eagles (Rayburn?). Brandon Jones might be another guy on the bubble despite his recent signing, but every report out of OTA's so far seems positive.

And Doneterius Thomas, or whatever that ILB from the Vikins was called. Vet backups get signed and then cut before the season all the time. The fact that Harris guy was recently signed does not give him any leg up on Moore or Brooks. However, I agree that his ability, which sounds decent, might.

I think Harris plus either Moore or Brooks make the roster. Moore vs Brooks will probably come down to whether or not Brooks can remove his head from his @$$. If he doesn't, and Moore shows anything at all, then I think Moore gets the spot. If they both look decent (which would be amazing) then Moore probably goes to the practice squad (he has one more year of eligibility, right?).

I'd go with Brooks, Harris and Moore and Briggs on practice squad.

Originally posted by yoda76:
We have a back-up situation at OLB?

IMO we don't have any back-ups. We have unproven players who could easily be total scrubs. If we lose Lawson or Haralson we are totally screwed.

That's why I want Peppers. You start him and Lawson. On 3rd downs you take out Lawson and bring in Haralson. We would have a great rotation at OLB and a fierce pass rush.

Originally posted by ezrider:

Quote:
I think Harris makes it for sure cuz we just signed him

Until we sign somebody else then he makes it for sure because we just signed him. Nice logic!

Yeah, like Dontarrious Thomas who was supposed to be our solution at TED.

-9fA

Originally posted by lamontb:

Originally posted by yoda76:
We have a back-up situation at OLB?

IMO we don't have any back-ups. We have unproven players who could easily be total scrubs. If we lose Lawson or Haralson we are totally screwed.

That's why I want Peppers. You start him and Lawson. On 3rd downs you take out Lawson and bring in Haralson. We would have a great rotation at OLB and a fierce pass rush.