Earl Okine

[Traines]

Earl Okine confirmed today that he has been training and working on switching from defensive line to outside linebacker, according to The Herald Bulletin's George Bremer.

http://www.stampedeblue.com/2016/5/3/11579668/colts-earl-okine-confirms-he-is-working-on-switch-to-outside-linebacker

 

I apologize if this has already been posted.

[Lef]

great article telling his story.  from september 2015 but a good read.  hope he continues to improve.  

 

http://www.indystar.com/story/sports/columnists/gregg-doyel/2015/09/09/doyel-meet-colts-dl-earl-okine-long-strong-heavy-handed/71961822/

[SteelCityColt]

So THIS is why we didn't draft an OLB early on in the draft .

 

Cue pitchforks..

[BigQandTheManiac]

Idk, at 290 pounds?? 

[Jason_]

14 minutes ago, Luck12-to-Hilton13 said:

Idk, at 290 pounds?? 

 

I have a feeling he'll mostly play at SAM and move inside in a 4 man front in pass rushing situations.

[Defjamz26]

I'm guessing not full time though. It would take a good year for him to transition into a full time stand up OLB, maybe longer. He'll probably drop to 270 and get moved around. I wouldn't expect him to try and drop 40 pounds and play at 250.

[LockeDown]

Maybe he just runs at the QB with his hands up.   He is tall.

[throwing BBZ]

He had some rush ability at the higher weight.
Get him to 265 - 270 and he could be good in the rotation as a 4-2 DE.
 Go Earl!

[Cynjin]

5 hours ago, Luck12-to-Hilton13 said:

Idk, at 290 pounds?? 

 

If he has been training all offseason for the switch, he may not be 290lbs anymore.

[Bluefire4]

He'd have a better chance at making the roster at OLB than on the defensive line.

[GOCOLTS_ROLLTIDE]

What's  about to happen is he's going to show tremendous ability in training camp and   pre season and we'll  trade him for 6th or 7th Rd pick next yr.... you heard it here first

[COLTS449]

Oh great. So yeah that's why we did nothing to improve the pass rush. You know. Because Okine is going to breakout and put up 12 plus sacks!!!

[COLTS449]

Lets just trade for Mingo and hope he realizes his potential.

[Derakynn]

11 minutes ago, COLTS449 said:

Oh great. So yeah that's why we did nothing to improve the pass rush. You know. Because Okine is going to breakout and put up 12 plus sacks!!!

Yes. That's exactly what you should get out of this. The front office definitely made this declaration and it is completely true. 

[superrep1967]

2 hours ago, GOCOLTS_ROLLTIDE said:

What's  about to happen is he's going to show tremendous ability in training camp and   pre season and we'll  trade him for 6th or 7th Rd pick next yr.... you heard it here first

Yeah goodbye Earl

[Superman]

2 hours ago, GOCOLTS_ROLLTIDE said:

What's  about to happen is he's going to show tremendous ability in training camp and   pre season and we'll  trade him for 6th or 7th Rd pick next yr.... you heard it here first

 

Where is Caesar Rayford anyways? Is he a car salesman yet?

[Gavin]

He most likely is not 290lbs now. My guess is closer to 260lbs-265lbs if he has lost 1lb a week or so and been at it since 1 week after the end of the regular season is my guess. Maybe 270lbs if he took like a month off after the regular season

[jskinnz]

1 hour ago, COLTS449 said:

Oh great. So yeah that's why we did nothing to improve the pass rush. You know. Because Okine is going to breakout and put up 12 plus sacks!!!

 

Dear God...

 

You are broken freaking record

[Mr. Irrelevant]

3 hours ago, COLTS449 said:

Oh great. So yeah that's why we did nothing to improve the pass rush. You know. Because Okine is going to breakout and put up 12 plus sacks!!!

I think you might be missing the greater picture here; the Colts are not trying to be a SB contender this season. That much is pretty clear from all that Irsay has said and done. Everybody and his grandma knows that pass rush is an issue, but we cant fixed it all in one draft/off season. If pass rush haven't been addressed at this time next year, then it might be time to have a forum meltdown.

 

I'm not saying that you cant have aspirations for a great SB run, but the FO doesn't, that much seems pretty clear to me.

[SteelCityColt]

6 hours ago, jskinnz said:

 

Dear God...

 

You are broken freaking record

 

That's the problem with single issue candidates 

[Wesk7]

15 hours ago, Luck12-to-Hilton13 said:

Idk, at 290 pounds?? 

 

5 hours ago, Gavin said:

He most likely is not 290lbs now. My guess is closer to 260lbs-265lbs if he has lost 1lb a week or so and been at it since 1 week after the end of the regular season is my guess. Maybe 270lbs if he took like a month off after the regular season

I think Mario WIlliams was about 290 when he went to OLB for the Texans and he was having a tremendous year before getting hurt. I know Okine is no Mario Williams but from what I hear Okine is pretty athletic. I wouldn't imagine him being the rush OLB but an edge setter behind Walden. With the depth at d line and lack of depth at OLB it doesn't hurt to try. Especially because he might not make the team if he is just a 3-4 de considering that depth. 

[Smonroe]

8 hours ago, COLTS449 said:

Oh great. So yeah that's why we did nothing to improve the pass rush. You know. Because Okine is going to breakout and put up 12 plus sacks!!!

 

Basically it comes down to this - we could have taken Spence and Martin if we didn't trade back.  Instead we got Kelly, Green, Morrison, and Blythe. 

 

Personally I think Kelly and Martin are about equal.  Even the Bama players said Martin was the best center they faced in games.  At this point, I concede that it would have been a wash.

 

So if Spence turns out to be more productive than Green, Morrison, and Blythe in the next couple years, the draft strategy was flawed.  Like Chuck said, after the second round you shouldn't just pick guys because they play the pass rusher position. 

[DougDew]

30 minutes ago, Smonroe said:

 

Basically it comes down to this - we could have taken Spence and Martin if we didn't trade back.  Instead we got Kelly, Green, Morrison, and Blythe. 

 

Personally I think Kelly and Martin are about equal.  Even the Bama players said Martin was the best center they faced in games.  At this point, I concede that it would have been a wash.

 

So if Spence turns out to be more productive than Green, Morrison, and Blythe in the next couple years, the draft strategy was flawed.  Like Chuck said, after the second round you shouldn't just pick guys because they play the pass rusher position. 

While this is theoretically true, I don't think using hindsight helps to determine what could have happened in any draft.  Yes, the way the draft unfolded suggests that we could have had Spence at 18, (even could have traded down) and got Martin at 48.  

 

But once we begin to chart alternative selections, the rest of the draft may not have unfolded the way it did.

 

For example, if the draft is at the top of the second round with us already taking Spence, would Martin be selected by some other team ahead of us, since Spence being off the board would have influenced many of the decisions made before pick 48?

 

Houston drafted Martin 2 spots below us.  Knowing that we had drafted Spence and that we coveted a C, its highly likely they would have traded up ahead of us.  Especially considering that we stole Dorsett from them last year and they would have loved to return the favor.

 

So when looking at alternative realities, we would have had Spence, then likely Green, and who knows what center other than Blythe.  None of the others available after Martin are really any better than Blythe.....or Holmes or Harrison for that matter.

 

While not perfect,  I like the idea of having a solid C being involved in every offensive snap, and making do with situational pass rushers that aren't necessarily useful in every defensive snap....at this time.

[krunk]

9 hours ago, COLTS449 said:

Lets just trade for Mingo and hope he realizes his potential.

 

Seriously you need to stop being a baby!

[krunk]

17 hours ago, Defjamz26 said:

I'm guessing not full time though. It would take a good year for him to transition into a full time stand up OLB, maybe longer. He'll probably drop to 270 and get moved around. I wouldn't expect him to try and drop 40 pounds and play at 250.

 

I'd actually like for him to play around 270-275. Gives us a huge human being who is basically a lineman setting that edge, and if we can get some pass rush out of him(which he is not known for) that would be even better.  I have a hunch he may actually be better as a pass rusher if coming from a stand up position versus a 3 point stance.  It's going to be interesting to see.

[krunk]

9 hours ago, COLTS449 said:

Oh great. So yeah that's why we did nothing to improve the pass rush. You know. Because Okine is going to breakout and put up 12 plus sacks!!!

 

I noticed that if you don't know a players name, or if he isn't talked about all over the place you instantly diss the ability of the player no matter what.  You don't even give the player a chance to prove otherwise.

[krunk]

9 hours ago, COLTS449 said:

Oh great. So yeah that's why we did nothing to improve the pass rush. You know. Because Okine is going to breakout and put up 12 plus sacks!!!

 

I promise Spence won't have more sacks than Robert Mathis this year

[Gavin]

6 hours ago, Wesk7 said:

 

I think Mario WIlliams was about 290 when he went to OLB for the Texans and he was having a tremendous year before getting hurt. I know Okine is no Mario Williams but from what I hear Okine is pretty athletic. I wouldn't imagine him being the rush OLB but an edge setter behind Walden. With the depth at d line and lack of depth at OLB it doesn't hurt to try. Especially because he might not make the team if he is just a 3-4 de considering that depth. 

I don't think that's the case. Walden did not have a great year playing the run if you believe in PFF's grades (A little of which I question but for the most part I think are very accurate and thorough). Werner was actually the 2nd best last year in stopping the run but that's out of only 80 run snaps. Problem with Werner was he was horrible in getting pressure and sacks. He had no variety in his pass rush, Straight bull rush the majority of the time and he didn't have lightning quick acceleration off the snap (Though he wasn't as slow as some say in my opinion)

 

Trent Cole was our best OLB against the run last year (78.8 grade in that area which PFF grades as starter level...Far from elite but solid). He did not offer enough as a pass rusher though (77.1 grade in that area) Though PFF only has him at a total 533 snaps defensively......Rotational OLB

[GOCOLTS_ROLLTIDE]

 exactly 

[Hoose]

I say why not? The Colts are thin at OLB, this guy shows signs of having the ability to play there....and he probably loses out on the DE logjam of players. So lets see how it works out. If it doesn't click this off season, he gets cut. If he shows something special, the Colts have some better depth. What's not to like?

[James]

15 hours ago, COLTS449 said:

Lets just trade for Mingo and hope he realizes his potential.

 

Get a grip.

[Superman]

6 hours ago, Smonroe said:

Personally I think Kelly and Martin are about equal.

 

How?

 

Kelly is slightly bigger, has longer arms, moves better, has more range. He is a better blocker in both phases right now.

 

What does Martin do as well or better than Kelly?

 

Martin is probably good enough, and another combo of first/second round picks with Martin in the second would have been fine, most likely. But Kelly is the superior prospect.

[Smonroe]

1 hour ago, Superman said:

 

How?

 

Kelly is slightly bigger, has longer arms, moves better, has more range. He is a better blocker in both phases right now.

 

What does Martin do as well or better than Kelly?

 

Martin is probably good enough, and another combo of first/second round picks with Martin in the second would have been fine, most likely. But Kelly is the superior prospect.

 

Youre taking what I said out of context.  I was responding to someone who was complaining that we didn't address the pass rush.  I said we could have gone Spence, Martin.

 

in that scenario, I'd concede that Martin and Kelly are about even.  Although I did say Kelly was rated better.  But for this scenario, let's say they're equal.

 

So in this alternate universe, it comes down to what helps the team more, Spence or the three players for the way we went.  We can't make that call for at least a year.  Point being, after we took Kelly we didn't have a lot of pass rushers to choose from.  

 

Back to Martin v Kelly, I've probably seen every game Kelly played. IMO he's the closest we're going to get to a sure thing. But in the limited games I've seen ND, and from what other PLAYERS have said, Martin is not far behind him.  

[Superman]

1 hour ago, Smonroe said:

 

Youre taking what I said out of context.  I was responding to someone who was complaining that we didn't address the pass rush.  I said we could have gone Spence, Martin.

 

in that scenario, I'd concede that Martin and Kelly are about even.  Although I did say Kelly was rated better.  But for this scenario, let's say they're equal.

 

So in this alternate universe, it comes down to what helps the team more, Spence or the three players for the way we went.  We can't make that call for at least a year.  Point being, after we took Kelly we didn't have a lot of pass rushers to choose from.  

 

Back to Martin v Kelly, I've probably seen every game Kelly played. IMO he's the closest we're going to get to a sure thing. But in the limited games I've seen ND, and from what other PLAYERS have said, Martin is not far behind him.  

 

I got your context, I just disagree with the premise that Kelly and Martin are about even. I think that your scenario should acknowledge that they are not even, but that's JMO.

 

I also forget that you watch a bunch of Alabama football. You obviously know how good Kelly is. But I watched a lot of Martin, and while he's good, I think Kelly is in a different class. Again, JMO, but I'm not just pulling that out of my rear. I said it well before I had any idea that the Colts might draft Kelly.

[COLTS449]

9 hours ago, krunk said:

 

I noticed that if you don't know a players name, or if he isn't talked about all over the place you instantly diss the ability of the player no matter what.  You don't even give the player a chance to prove otherwise.

 

What are you even talking about?

[krunk]

7 minutes ago, COLTS449 said:

 

What are you even talking about?

 

You know what I'm talking about. You diss every guy on this roster to the point where you are stooping low enough to suggest we trade for Barkevious Mingo?  People like Bates, Maggitt, Thompson they don't have a chance because you don't know much about them.  You're so desperate for a name you go so far as to suggest Mingo of all people! It's funny

[COLTS449]

15 hours ago, Mr Clueless said:

I think you might be missing the greater picture here; the Colts are not trying to be a SB contender this season. That much is pretty clear from all that Irsay has said and done. Everybody and his grandma knows that pass rush is an issue, but we cant fixed it all in one draft/off season. If pass rush haven't been addressed at this time next year, then it might be time to have a forum meltdown.

 

I'm not saying that you cant have aspirations for a great SB run, but the FO doesn't, that much seems pretty clear to me.

 

That's one of the things that makes me so angry. When you have a franchise QB like Andrew Luck you don't screw around and try to do some stupid 3 year plan. That's just dumb to put it simply. You go out and load up and go all in every year. The whole thing literally makes zero sense to me. But a lot of people on here just want to buy into this "plan" that Grigson has, and when somebody like myself questions it, or calls it stupid they wanna get all tore up and say this or that and call me out, etc. I mean come on guys. Wake up. With a different GM we could be sitting where Seattle is right now. Loaded at every position. But the big question is this. Why worry about 5 years from now when you could win now and cross that bridge when you get there? If we draft well and have Andrew Luck we're gonna be set in 5 years anyway. Why waste away the first 5 years of his career trying to build piece by piece? In other words. Why wait when you can have it now, and not to mention have it longer? What we're doing is giving ourselves a little 5-6 year window to win a SB or 2. Ridiculous.

[RockThatBlue]

17 hours ago, Superman said:

 

Where is Caesar Rayford anyways? Is he a car salesman yet?

He's the greatest preseason colts pass rusher in our history don't ya know? Lol I remember everyone freaking out after we cut him.

[COLTS449]

9 minutes ago, krunk said:

 

You know what I'm talking about. You diss every guy on this roster to the point where you are stooping low enough to suggest we trade for Barkevious Mingo?  People like Bates, Maggitt, Thompson they don't have a chance because you don't know much about them.  You're so desperate for a name you go so far as to suggest Mingo of all people! It's funny

 

Man. I mean a guy like Mingo has superstar caliber talent. He just hasn't tapped into it. Remember a guy named Vontae Davis? Don't you wish we had kept some UDFA to start at CB instead of trading for Vontae? Look at Jerry Hughes. What he's done in Buffalo. I mean a lot of times those super skilled guys go to a new team and realize their potential. You know just as well as I do that the chances of one of those UDFA's becoming a dominant pass rusher is slim to none.

[jim scheurich]

7 minutes ago, COLTS449 said:

 

That's one of the things that makes me so angry. When you have a franchise QB like Andrew Luck you don't screw around and try to do some stupid 3 year plan. That's just dumb to put it simply. You go out and load up and go all in every year. The whole thing literally makes zero sense to me. But a lot of people on here just want to buy into this "plan" that Grigson has, and when somebody like myself questions it, or calls it stupid they wanna get all tore up and say this or that and call me out, etc. I mean come on guys. Wake up. With a different GM we could be sitting where Seattle is right now. Loaded at every position. But the big question is this. Why worry about 5 years from now when you could win now and cross that bridge when you get there? If we draft well and have Andrew Luck we're gonna be set in 5 years anyway. Why waste away the first 5 years of his career trying to build piece by piece? In other words. Why wait when you can have it now, and not to mention have it longer? What we're doing is giving ourselves a little 5-6 year window to win a SB or 2. Ridiculous.

I agree with "why wait for a SB run". If Luck can stay healthy and Gore has some running room and health as well, colts could make some noise. How many years did Manning have a shaky Defense?