Is Manny Lawson Onboard with the 49ers New Culture?

I agree with those wondering how he got this label at being so great in coverage?? He has made a few plays in coverage but not much over the course of 3-4 seasons. I would bet nobody else across the NFL thinks of him as a great coverage LB. Time and time again tight ends and backs out of the backfield kill us and I'm sure thats not his fault but I dont belive he deserves this label of being so great in coverage. If its one thing I despise even though im a die hard 49er fan I cant stand when people exaggerate our players. Manny is average. I like having him on the team and he has made his share of plays when healthy but he's like the invisible guy 50% of the time you dont realize he's on the field. He needs to improve.

Originally posted by hubbyt:
I would bet nobody else across the NFL thinks of him as a great coverage LB.

You hear damn near every analyst say it during every game. I tend to trust Brian Billick and Moose Johnston (and my own eyes) over the average poster on the WZ.

He's reduced to coverage because of his height.........and because Sopoaga friggin sucks.

If there was a J.Smith type player at RE, it'd be a fu*kin WRAP.

i think his label of being great in coverage comes from the nice pick he made in st louis his rookie year

Manny is an average player, niners need to upgrade that position. Maybe they already told him he is not gonna be the starter next year and it pissed him off.

He's alright.

Nothing great nothing awful.

I like Manny and hope he does well. But I suspect in 2011 we're going to be looking at Brooks, Haralson, and Diryal Briggs as our outside group.

Originally posted by bret:
I like Manny and hope he does well. But I suspect in 2011 we're going to be looking at Brooks, Haralson, and Diryal Briggs as our outside group.

that nigga hella weak in Madden

I just dont see it homie. I dont recall many plays being made by him in coverage I really dont. When your removed on 3rd downs and/or you rush the QB on 3rd down how is it that you get labeled great in coverage? I'm not saying he's bad not at all but this label of great I feel is inappropriate. Ray Lewis breaks up passes constantly as an LB. Julian Peterson would line up and play man to man against tight ends and you KNEW he was one on one and he could hold his own. Manny doesnt stand out to me this way ... I'd consider him decent/good in coverage but not GREAT

is it safe to say he was a 2006 first rounder cus he played on the same def line as mario williams in college?

Originally posted by susweel:
Manny is an average player, niners need to upgrade that position. Maybe they already told him he is not gonna be the starter next year and it pissed him off.

Entirely plausible.

I too have to roll my eyes at the homies who are constantly constantly characterizing him as a great coverage guy. These homies have to come up with something obscure to justify his presence because he sure hasn't lived up to his billing. I've watched him: Too many times he's running around like a chicken with his head cut off. After all this time, put a fork in it . . . it's done! Now if he was a sixth round pick . . . fine he's done ok. But for a first rounder: FAIL. Realistically, had he been a sixth rounder the team would have moved on and looked for a better solution.

Let him test the FA market. Guaranteed, at best he gets back-up money

Sorry to be so harsh, Manny. Great guy. You're doing your best and have put in the work. It's been nice knowin' ya.

Hope we get a monster pass rusher in the draft. Would be great!

Originally posted by crabman82:
is it safe to say he was a 2006 first rounder cus he played on the same def line as mario williams in college?

That is the reason the 49ers noticed him, when they went to scout Williams they ended up paying more attention to Manny. That's been repeated a million times.

i bet he explodes this year. he should be 100% confident after playing a year after that injury and its a contract year for him.

C'mon down, Brandon Graham!!!

Originally posted by Rsrkshn:

Originally posted by susweel:
Manny is an average player, niners need to upgrade that position. Maybe they already told him he is not gonna be the starter next year and it pissed him off.

Entirely plausible.

I too have to roll my eyes at the homies who are constantly constantly characterizing him as a great coverage guy. These homies have to come up with something obscure to justify his presence because he sure hasn't lived up to his billing. I've watched him: Too many times he's running around like a chicken with his head cut off. After all this time, put a fork in it . . . it's done! Now if he was a sixth round pick . . . fine he's done ok. But for a first rounder: FAIL. Realistically, had he been a sixth rounder the team would have moved on and looked for a better solution.

Let him test the FA market. Guaranteed, at best he gets back-up money

Sorry to be so harsh, Manny. Great guy. You're doing your best and have put in the work. It's been nice knowin' ya.

Hope we get a monster pass rusher in the draft. Would be great!

It's ridiculous to say letting a guy that does his job very well is a good idea. He's not a monster passrusher but that is not his #1 priority (that would be Haralson's). That being said he's in the backfield a lot creating pressure and getting TFL's. He also rarely lets running plays around his side of the field go for a gain. Either by not letting the runner turn the corner so Willis or a DB can come up and make the tackle or by making the tackle himself (or forcing the RB out of bounds, which doesn't show up on Manny's stat sheet).

And yes, he IS good in coverage. He's no Champ Bailey but he's a linebacker, he's not supposed to be. Compared to many other starters that play his position he is MUCH better than they are in coverage.

Don't forget, he still lead the team in sacks, a team that was near the top of the league in sacks overall in 2009, when he was not even close to a full time passrusher.

[ Edited by Gavintech on Apr 9, 2010 at 12:49:47 ]