How to use Jerry Hughes

[BProland85]

I may be in the minority here, but I still believe Hughes can play in this league as a pass rusher. He has too much talent and athleticism.

 

The question is, what is the best way to use him to get the most production out of him? I would argue that he should be used in a way that Everson Griffen is from Minnesota. I know Griffen is a true DE, but they use him in pass coverage on occasion, and move him all over the DL.

 

Now while I dont think Hughes could play DT, he could be used in coverage as well as rushing the QB from either side. I really hope he proves his worth this year and comes out with a 7 or 8 sack year and gives us a talented 3rd pass rusher from the OLB.(I am assuming we will still get a 3rd OLB to replace Freeney either thru the draft or free agency)

 

Sometimes pass rushers take a little time to develop into their prime form, and Hughes could be coming into that soon.

[oldunclemark]

With Dwight Freeney likely moving on...I think Hughes is a 3rd down pass rusher...who can drop into coverage...as you say

he seems fairly durable....

I doubt he'll ever be Freeney but he's bigger and faster..he improvedin 2012..didnt you think so?

[JoKeR]

I think his job should be a simple as possible rightnow, give him different angles but just let him rush. He still needs some work when useing his arms and useing leverage.

[braveheartcolt]

In answer to your thread title.....sparingly....

[Coltscodeblue]

I'm totally into giving Jerry a shot, Colts need an equal to close to his ability as a back up, an older guy is ok since he wouldn't be a full time guy just come in once in a while...

[TKnight24]

We should use him in Pass Coverage. He's better at it than Freeney imo. Hughes has the potential, but as a TCU Fan.... I've been a bit disappointed with him. I know he can be a great pass rusher, but I don't think his head is there. I feel that coming in as a 1st Rounder (when he should've been a 3rd-4th) then having to sit the bench behind 2 of the greatest pass rushers to ever put their hand in the dirt destroyed his confidence level a bit. Not often you're a 1st rounder that rides the bench. But I watched Hughes come into his own slowly but surely this past season. I think he's getting his confidence back. I know most of you have already thrown the book at him & want him off the team, but I have Hughes being alot better this year. 6+ Sacks this year.

Book It

[ColtJ82]

Punter....assuming Pat isn't re-signed. Will be hard to replace Pat's tackling ability

[Gavin]

He fits the Mathis role much better but given consistent playing time and not spot duty he clearly can produce and as a full time starter I can see 8-10 sacks out of him from the Mathis role, the problem is he wont get that consistent playing time

[ÅÐØNϧ 1]

We should use him in Pass Coverage. He's better at it than Freeney imo. Hughes has the potential, but as a TCU Fan.... I've been a bit disappointed with him. I know he can be a great pass rusher, but I don't think his head is there. I feel that coming in as a 1st Rounder (when he should've been a 3rd-4th) then having to sit the bench behind 2 of the greatest pass rushers to ever put their hand in the dirt destroyed his confidence level a bit. Not often you're a 1st rounder that rides the bench. But I watched Hughes come into his own slowly but surely this past season. I think he's getting his confidence back. I know most of you have already thrown the book at him & want him off the team, but I have Hughes being alot better this year. 6+ Sacks this year.

Book It

 

 I believe your right with  & if not maybe he should try a new sport 

.

[gacker65]

Hughes improved last season, so IMO, he should continue this season.  When he was drafted, he was put in a position that he had not played and undersize for that position. 

[TKnight24]

Hughes improved last season, so IMO, he should continue this season. When he was drafted, he was put in a position that he had not played and undersize for that position.

Had not played? He played DE at TCU. And then played DE here in Indy......

[gacker65]

Had not played? He played DE at TCU. And then played DE here in Indy......

Only part of his Senior year. Played OLB before that. He came out as a 3-4 OLB/DE and not as a 4-3 DE.  We put him in that position and were upset because he could not be another Robert Mathis.  IMO, Hughes will continue to improve in our new 3-4 hybrid.

[TKnight24]

Only part of his Senior year. Played OLB before that. He came out as a 3-4 OLB/DE and not as a 4-3 DE. We put him in that position and were upset because he could not be another Robert Mathis. IMO, Hughes will continue to improve in our new 3-4 hybrid.

No, he didn't. TCU runs a 4-2-5. 4 Defensive Lineman, 2 Linebackers, & 5 Defensive Backs. Hughes played DE his entire time there. There is no OLB in the 4-2-5 Defense. It's 2 MLB's that's it

[jskinnz]

 

He fits the Mathis role much better but given consistent playing time and not spot duty he clearly can produce and as a full time starter I can see 8-10 sacks out of him from the Mathis role, the problem is he wont get that consistent playing time

Man o man do you talk all around a subject. So he can get 8-10 sacks but then not get playing time? I think your last statement is key - he won't get that consistent playing time. Ask yourself - why is that? Could it be that he is simply not good enough.

And how can you say that he clearly can produce? What is so clear about it? He has done nothing in his 3 years here. Plain and simple, he is a bust. The reason Mathis was given a 3rd contract is because Hughes has proven nothing. His #'s increased slightly this year but he had chances to play bigger minutes with both Freeney and Mathis missing time and did nothing with the oppty. Hickman got more plays than Hughes did until he got hurt.

[illdubb]

Given the injuries to Dwight and Robert this season (mid season), don't you think the coaches would've said: "dang, he should be starter" if he was in fact, starter material? I think we will know during the preseason what role he will have, as it will be his second year in the system. But IMO I think we see him in the same role we did this year, giving Robert Mathis a breath or two. 

[Gavin]

 Man o man do you talk all around a subject. So he can get 8-10 sacks but then not get playing time? I think your last statement is key - he won't get that consistent playing time. Ask yourself - why is that? Could it be that he is simply not good enough.

And how can you say that he clearly can produce? What is so clear about it? He has done nothing in his 3 years here. Plain and simple, he is a bust. The reason Mathis was given a 3rd contract is because Hughes has proven nothing. His #'s increased slightly this year but he had chances to play bigger minutes with both Freeney and Mathis missing time and did nothing with the oppty. Hickman got more plays than Hughes did until he got hurt.

Ill some this up in one sentence instead of getting in a pointless debate based on his actual production last year that he had, your a Hughes hater its that simple regardless of what numbers he puts up

[jskinnz]

 

Ill some this up in one sentence instead of getting in a pointless debate based on his actual production last year that he had, your a Hughes hater its that simple regardless of what numbers he puts up

Categorical nonsense. So you think if he put up any #'s at all, I would be having this debate with you? I want the Colts to succeed and therefore I want players to help them with that goal. If he had proven anything, I would own his jersey. I thought he was a great pick when he was taken. It just simply has not worked out because he is not good enough. There would be no Paul Kruger talk if he was good enough. They would have let Mathis walk last year if Hughes was good enough. That ain't hatin' - that is just reality.

[Gavin]

 Categorical nonsense. So you think if he put up any #'s at all, I would be having this debate with you? I want the Colts to succeed and therefore I want players to help them with that goal. If he had proven anything, I would own his jersey. I thought he was a great pick when he was taken. It just simply has not worked out because he is not good enough. There would be no Paul Kruger talk if he was good enough. They would have let Mathis walk last year if Hughes was good enough. That ain't hatin' - that is just reality.

Perhaps they would have let Mathis go but thats hard to believe given his 9.5 sacks in 2011 besides Hughes was drafted to come in when Freeney was gone and seeing as how Freeney was still putting up real good numbers before this past season there was no way Grigson was going to let that walk either, Its a simple fact, if your not on the field consistently then your not going to put up consistent numbers that goes hand in hand

[braveheartcolt]

Perhaps they would have let Mathis go but thats hard to believe given his 9.5 sacks in 2011 besides Hughes was drafted to come in when Freeney was gone and seeing as how Freeney was still putting up real good numbers before this past season there was no way Grigson was going to let that walk either, Its a simple fact, if your not on the field consistently then your not going to put up consistent numbers that goes hand in hand

And equality, if you are not on the field consistently, it's because you are not talented enough...

[Gavin]

And equality, if you are not on the field consistently, it's because you are not talented enough...

In many cases I would agree but this is a rare case that I think that this is not one of them cases considering the production we have got from Freeney and Mathis

[Jerryhughes]

Jerry hughes is a good linbacker, in the time that he has been playing for me, he has been playing excelent.

And when he played in the college, his position was DE!! Why dont we put him in DE!! He could be so perfect!! We need a DE! He is so good in that position just imagine:

Redding/chapman/hughes. It could so good! For me thats perfect!! What do you think? (Im sorry If I dont write so good because I live in México but Im a colt since 5 year a old)

[throwing BBZ]

Jerry Hughes 41 tackles 4 sacks in the Pagano D.

Freeney 12 tackles 5 Sacks

Freeney has one season with 40 tackles. Year One 41. Hasn`t been close since.

Freeney hasn`t had THIRTY tackles since 2005. A High of 25 over the last Four years.

As most Know, with Dwight we have been defending the Run with 10 people!

Bethea - ONE interception Total over the last 3 years. NONE the last two years.

[Jerryhughes]

Jerry hughes is a good linbacker, in the time that he has been playing for me, he has been playing excelent.

And when he played in the college, his position was DE!! Why dont we put him in DE!! He could be so perfect!! We need a DE! He is so good in that position just imagine:

Redding/chapman/hughes. It could so good! For me thats perfect!! What do you think? (Im sorry If I dont write so good because I live in México but Im a colt since 5 year a old)

[NewColtsFan]

Jerry hughes is a good linbacker, in the time that he has been playing for me, he has been playing excelent.

And when he played in the college, his position was DE!! Why dont we put him in DE!! He could be so perfect!! We need a DE! He is so good in that position just imagine:

Redding/chapman/hughes. It could so good! For me thats perfect!! What do you think? (Im sorry If I dont write so good because I live in México but Im a colt since 5 year a old)

 

the reason he is not playing DE is that he's too small,  250 pounds.    That was OK in his college defense, a 4-3 DE, which allows for smaller faster defensive lineman.

 

But on the Colts, we play a 3-4 defense.   The lineman are much, much bigger.   All of ours are around 295+++.   Much bigger than Hughes.   So, he plays OLB and is asked to mostly rush the QB.    He's had trouble converting from the college game to the pro game.   That happens more often than some realize.   Hopefully this is the year that Hughes adapts and is a break-out player...   but the optimism here for that happening is not very high...

 

Hope that clarifies things for you....

[Superman]

Jerry hughes is a good linbacker, in the time that he has been playing for me, he has been playing excelent.

And when he played in the college, his position was DE!! Why dont we put him in DE!! He could be so perfect!! We need a DE! He is so good in that position just imagine:

Redding/chapman/hughes. It could so good! For me thats perfect!! What do you think? (Im sorry If I dont write so good because I live in México but Im a colt since 5 year a old)

 

He underperformed at defensive end in our 4-3 defense because he doesn't have the necessary strength, nor does he have the pass rushing moves to make up for his lack of strength.

 

The defensive end in a 3-4 defense needs to be even bigger and stronger. That's an even worse fit for Hughes. His role in Pagano's defense is where he fits best.

[LockeDown]

Jerry Hughes 41 tackles 4 sacks in the Pagano D.

Freeney 12 tackles 5 Sacks

Freeney has one season with 40 tackles. Year One 41. Hasn`t been close since.

Freeney hasn`t had THIRTY tackles since 2005. A High of 25 over the last Four years.

As most Know, with Dwight we have been defending the Run with 10 people!

Bethea - ONE interception Total over the last 3 years. NONE the last two years.

Even Jerry Hughes's mama wouldn't say he's better than Freeney in his prime.

[tydontlie]

How to use Jerry Hughes...hmmmm how about in a trade to aquire more draft picks or a trade for a better player??

[gacker65]

No, he didn't. TCU runs a 4-2-5. 4 Defensive Lineman, 2 Linebackers, & 5 Defensive Backs. Hughes played DE his entire time there. There is no OLB in the 4-2-5 Defense. It's 2 MLB's that's it

Got info from nfldraftscout.com.  Was researching earlier drafts for possible positions and where to place in draft.

[esmort]

Hughes did not set the world on fire, but he did not do that bad either.  Especially seeing as this is his first year playing in a defense and position that is more suited for his skill set.

 

Statistically he did better than Connor Barwin, who a lot of people on here are listing as someone we should consider acquiring during free agency and paying him significantly more than Hughes is making.

 

I just don't think some people can see past where we drafted him and realize while he may never live up to our round 1 expectations he may still wind up being a pretty good player when its all said and done; even if he's not elite.

[braveheartcolt]

Hughes did not set the world on fire, but he did not do that bad either.  Especially seeing as this is his first year playing in a defense and position that is more suited for his skill set.

 

Statistically he did better than Connor Barwin, who a lot of people on here are listing as someone we should consider acquiring during free agency and paying him significantly more than Hughes is making.

 

I just don't think some people can see past where we drafted him and realize while he may never live up to our round 1 expectations he may still wind up being a pretty good player when its all said and done; even if he's not elite.

This is not about looking past the no1 pick. This is not seeing a 3rd year player who has done nothing to help our team win games. He's had a few tackles and a few sacks here and there, but he has not once been a difference maker on our defense. Every game we walk away talking about big plays by big players. Not once has Hughes been that man. He's a nice rotational back-up, no more no less.

[esmort]

This is not about looking past the no1 pick. This is not seeing a 3rd year player who has done nothing to help our team win games. He's had a few tackles and a few sacks here and there, but he has not once been a difference maker on our defense. Every game we walk away talking about big plays by big players. Not once has Hughes been that man. He's a nice rotational back-up, no more no less.

 

You are down playing his contribution .... He had:

 

- 30 tackles which tied for 13th for OLBs (same as Ware, more than Matthews, Kruger, & Mathis) ...

- 4 sacks which tied for 16th for OLBs(same as Barwin, more than Upshaw) ....

- 17 QB hurries which tied for 17th for OLBs (same as James Harrison, more than Mathis, Woodley, & Upshaw) ... 

- 6 QB hits which tied him for 16th for OLBs (same as Upshaw, more than Harrison, Mathis, & Spencer) ....

 

This came on only 610 snaps (20th among OLBs), some OLBs had over 1000 snaps.

 

His stat line and snap count are almost the same Lamarr Woodley's ...

 

I would say that he definitely did his part to help us win games, and had more than "a few tackles and sacks here and there"  ... and again this is the first year he has been put in a defense and position that suited his skill set.  He is better than most give him credit for.

[Crunked]

Jerry hughes is a good linbacker, in the time that he has been playing for me, he has been playing excelent.

And when he played in the college, his position was DE!! Why dont we put him in DE!! He could be so perfect!! We need a DE! He is so good in that position just imagine:

Redding/chapman/hughes. It could so good! For me thats perfect!! What do you think? (Im sorry If I dont write so good because I live in México but Im a colt since 5 year a old)

In this defense to play DE you need to be around 300+ pounds, he is too small physically......and Jerry's biggest weakness as an NFL player is the ability to get off a block and make a play. If he can engage and release in space he is a good defender but locked in combat he usually just gets shoved out of the way.....he cannot or has not developed the ability to hold a block, disengage and make a play.

 

For those thinking his tackle and sack numbers show improvement, the fact is, the frequency of times he was engaged in a blocker decreased because he was standing up more..... therefore his tackles and sacks went up, it didnt mean he improved it meant the Colts changed their defensive philosophy and his stats were a by product.

[braveheartcolt]

You are down playing his contribution .... He had:

 

- 30 tackles which tied for 13th for OLBs (same as Ware, more than Matthews, Kruger, & Mathis) ...

- 4 sacks which tied for 16th for OLBs(same as Barwin, more than Upshaw) ....

- 17 QB hurries which tied for 17th for OLBs (same as James Harrison, more than Mathis, Woodley, & Upshaw) ... 

- 6 QB hits which tied him for 16th for OLBs (same as Upshaw, more than Harrison, Mathis, & Spencer) ....

 

This came on only 610 snaps (20th among OLBs), some OLBs had over 1000 snaps.

 

His stat line and snap count are almost the same Lamarr Woodley's ...

 

I would say that he definitely did his part to help us win games, and had more than "a few tackles and sacks here and there"  ... and again this is the first year he has been put in a defense and position that suited his skill set.  He is better than most give him credit for.

And how many of those tackles were game changers? He had 8 v the Jets, probably in garbage time as they controlled the clock.....

 

If we are going by NFL base stats alone, Ponder was better than Luck. Gosh, I sound like Bill Polian.....

[CroatianColtsFan21]

simple: start him.

[braveheartcolt]

simple: start him.

I agree. At the Chiefs or Browns.....

[Balzer40]

Jerry hughes is a good linbacker, in the time that he has been playing for me, he has been playing excelent.

And when he played in the college, his position was DE!! Why dont we put him in DE!! He could be so perfect!! We need a DE! He is so good in that position just imagine:

Redding/chapman/hughes. It could so good! For me thats perfect!! What do you think? (Im sorry If I dont write so good because I live in México but Im a colt since 5 year a old)

 

 

 

Hughes can not play DE in a 3-4 defense. Good Lord, he would get destroyed.

[theanarchist]

With Dwight Freeney likely moving on...I think Hughes is a 3rd down pass rusher...who can drop into coverage...as you say

he seems fairly durable....

I doubt he'll ever be Freeney but he's bigger and faster..he improvedin 2012..didnt you think so?

Bigger and faster than Freeney? Absolutely no way. Straight line speed Freeney still beats him. Freeney ran a 4.44 when he was at the combine. I still say freeney is the fastest big man ive ever seen in the first 10 yards. I don't know why people are in love with Jerry Hughes. Yes, I agree Hughes looks more natural standing up than Freeney does and he will be a decent option as a OLB/DE. Freeney is shorter than Hughes but still outsweighs him.

 

Here's the way I feel about Hughes. He's not terrible. He just got drafted 3 rounds higher than he should have, thanks to Bill Polian. Polian himself said he made a mistake on Hughes. Hughes does not have the pass rush skills that Freeney has. He also does not have the ideal skills you look for in a traditinal OLB. He's just an average DE in this league and until he does something to prove me wrong I stick by that assessment.

[theanarchist]

simple: start him.

Some people may think I'm a Hughes basher. I said a lot of the same things about Hughes as I used to say about a guy named Rob Morris. Morris had a heck of a time his first few years in the league. He didn't play well in the middle. He was labeled a bust and i used to get so mad because we needed a good MLB at that time. Then, Tony Dungy came along. Moved him to SLB in his 4-3 and all of a sudden Morris turned into a pretty darn good player in that role.

 

Hughes has some time left to prove he isn't a bust. I think trying to compare Hughes to Freeney is a complete joke. Freeney has every pass rush move in the book not to mention freakish speed(in his prime)and great leverage. Same can be said for Robert Mathis. Hughes has 2 moves off the edge from what I've seen. That's not terrible. I think he looks natural standing up and he'll probably be OK in this defense next year if he gets a chance to start. I just don't think he's going to produce 10 sacks, and double digit tackles for loss.

[theanarchist]

I agree. At the Chiefs or Browns.....

 funny

[Superman]

Got info from nfldraftscout.com.  Was researching earlier drafts for possible positions and where to place in draft.

 

Good website, but they project a player's best pro position. Consensus was that Hughes would be a 3-4 linebacker in the NFL, but he was an end at TCU.