Werner and Newsome - Aaron Kampman and Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila?

[rock8591]

I know it's the offseason, and it's been enough hypotheticals...

 

IMO they should be PREPARED to be the starters next season...it's no longer acceptable to be complacent and pray for Mathis to be healthy and/or assume Walden will overachieve yet again.

They both fit the scheme well, but both are very different types of LBs. Werner reminds me heavily of Aaron Kampman for the Packers IMO. Not the best pass rusher but an every-down player, gets plenty of tackles, hard working, dependable player. Newsome reminds me of Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila - raw pass rusher but can be a liability in the running defense.

 

I see Mathis taking a backseat and putting up only 8 sacks or so next year, much like 2012. I see Werner and Newsome being our starting LBs next year by season's end, with Walden as primary backup.

[bababooey]

8 sacks for Mathis at 34 off a torn Achilles might be a fall order considering the most we had last year was 6.5

[COLTS449]

Aaron Kampman was a beast for a few years, double digit sacks and what not. I don't think Werner will be that good of a pass rusher. I don't think he'll get anymore than 4-5 sacks next season. We need to add another OLB either through free agency or with our 1st round pick.

[rock8591]

Kampman only got double digit sacks for 2 seasons. He did have plenty of years where he got between 50-80 tackles a year.

[BOTT]

I wouldn't count on Werner beating out Walden

[rock8591]

Walden's already peaked, will turn 30 soon. Werner will be 25 and will hit his 3rd year in league; time for him to show what he's made of.

[lollygagger8]

Werner needs to blow it up this year and show all the people that are saying he's a bust, that he's legit. 

 

I still remember the Colts had their 1st round pick in before the Vikings were even off the stage when Grigson picked Werner that year.

[ProblChld32]

Aaron Kampman was a beast for a few years, double digit sacks and what not. I don't think Werner will be that good of a pass rusher. I don't think he'll get anymore than 4-5 sacks next season. We need to add another OLB either through free agency or with our 1st round pick.

 

With our first round pick?   but we have so many other Glaring needs! we also will be getting Mathis back 

[Jay Kirk]

DONT COUNT MATHIS OUT , DONT UNDERSELL WALDEN , lol not a glaring need folks.

[12isthenew18]

Werner needs to blow it up this year and show all the people that are saying he's a bust, that he's legit. 

 

I still remember the Colts had their 1st round pick in before the Vikings were even off the stage when Grigson picked Werner that year.

i wanted xavier rhodes he was there too. 

[jskinnz]

DONT COUNT MATHIS OUT , DONT UNDERSELL WALDEN , lol not a glaring need folks.

 

Absolutely not accurate.  Fortifying their pass rush will absolutely be something the Colts address this off season.  Counting on Mathis in 2015 without the injury is foolish at his age.  Add the injury on top of that and you have an extreme unknown situation.  Walden was a pleasant surprise this year but he is not a player that you want to build a pass rush around.  

[COLTS449]

With our first round pick?   but we have so many other Glaring needs! we also will be getting Mathis back 

 

Yeah, and a pass rusher is one of those needs. We gotta be able to get to the QB. Remember the Pittsburgh game. Mathis isn't young anymore (in football terms anyway). We cant rely on him coming back and being the same beast he was, and although it wouldn't surprise me if he is, we just cant assume it.

[ProblChld32]

Yeah, and a pass rusher is one of those needs. We gotta be able to get to the QB. Remember the Pittsburgh game. Mathis isn't young anymore (in football terms anyway). We cant rely on him coming back and being the same beast he was, and although it wouldn't surprise me if he is, we just cant assume it.

 

Only way i think they go with a Pass Rusher in the first round is if the pick is BPA. 

[lollygagger8]

i wanted xavier rhodes he was there too. 

 

Same here. I thought for certain that's the name we were going to call too. I was flabbergasted when we didn't. 

 

Can you imagine a Vontae and Xavier as our CB tandum? Woowee

[COLTS449]

i wanted xavier rhodes he was there too. 

 

Yep me too. I wanted either him or Hopkins. Imagine if we had taken Rhodes and signed Dumervil.

[Jay Kirk]

Absolutely not accurate.  Fortifying their pass rush will absolutely be something the Colts address this off season.  Counting on Mathis in 2015 without the injury is foolish at his age.  Add the injury on top of that and you have an extreme unknown situation.  Walden was a pleasant surprise this year but he is not a player that you want to build a pass rush around.  

And neither are your LBs lol get real. If you need rely on them to do it all your in trouble from the start.

[Horse Shoe Heaven]

I wouldn't count on Werner beating out Walden

Agree

[TheBlueAndWhite]

Werner needs to blow it up this year and show all the people that are saying he's a bust, that he's legit.

I still remember the Colts had their 1st round pick in before the Vikings were even off the stage when Grigson picked Werner that year.

he's playing out of position. Either switch to 4-3 and play him at end or release him.

[lollygagger8]

he's playing out of position. Either switch to 4-3 and play him at end or release him.

 

It's not like Grigson didn't know Werner was a 4-3 player when we drafted him. 

 

 

I just hope he's not Jerry Hughes 2.0 

[chad72]

This draft is a good draft for pass rushers and defensive linemen. I would be shocked if we don't land one in the first 2 rounds. Seattle, when they won the SB, they were 7 or 8 deep on DL quality wise with 7 of them potential starters on other teams. Never hurts to have enough pass rushers and DLs. It helps us survive free agency too when one or two of them leave for other teams without a huge loss in quality of play.

[BOTT]

he's playing out of position. Either switch to 4-3 and play him at end or release him.

No he's not. He is just as ineffective when he has his hand in the dirt on a 4 man front.

[Jason_]

he's playing out of position. Either switch to 4-3 and play him at end or release him.

 

 

ugh..this again

[theanarchist]

I know it's the offseason, and it's been enough hypotheticals...

 

IMO they should be PREPARED to be the starters next season...it's no longer acceptable to be complacent and pray for Mathis to be healthy and/or assume Walden will overachieve yet again.

They both fit the scheme well, but both are very different types of LBs. Werner reminds me heavily of Aaron Kampman for the Packers IMO. Not the best pass rusher but an every-down player, gets plenty of tackles, hard working, dependable player. Newsome reminds me of Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila - raw pass rusher but can be a liability in the running defense.

 

I see Mathis taking a backseat and putting up only 8 sacks or so next year, much like 2012. I see Werner and Newsome being our starting LBs next year by season's end, with Walden as primary backup.

Plus, wasn't it great to hear John Madden pronounce Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila?

[theanarchist]

he's playing out of position. Either switch to 4-3 and play him at end or release him.

We play variations of both from time to time. If Werner is better with his hand on the ground in a 7 technique then Manusky needs to recognize that and make situations where he can do that. As for his play to this point, I think he's making strides and he'll eventually end up where Walden is, on the strong side.

[TKnight24]

I know it's the offseason, and it's been enough hypotheticals...

IMO they should be PREPARED to be the starters next season...it's no longer acceptable to be complacent and pray for Mathis to be healthy and/or assume Walden will overachieve yet again.

They both fit the scheme well, but both are very different types of LBs. Werner reminds me heavily of Aaron Kampman for the Packers IMO. Not the best pass rusher but an every-down player, gets plenty of tackles, hard working, dependable player. Newsome reminds me of Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila - raw pass rusher but can be a liability in the running defense.

I see Mathis taking a backseat and putting up only 8 sacks or so next year, much like 2012. I see Werner and Newsome being our starting LBs next year by season's end, with Walden as primary backup.

Werner does NOT fit this defense very well. That's a lie

He had one streak this season then went ghost (and I don't mean like Hilton does past DB's) for the rest of the year thus the emergence of Newsome

Man, love the Newsome pick

Jonathan "QB Nuisance" Newsome

[TKnight24]

It's not like Grigson didn't know Werner was a 4-3 player when we drafted him.

I just hope he's not Jerry Hughes 2.0

That's what he's turning into. Overdrafted DE, poor results given

[TKnight24]

he's playing out of position. Either switch to 4-3 and play him at end or release him.

Too small to play DE in the NFL, he has to play OLB.

[Dustin]

Too small to play DE in the NFL, he has to play OLB.

 

I'd love to here how 6'3" 260 lbs is too small to play DE. 

[TKnight24]

I'd love to here how 6'3" 260 lbs is too small to play DE.

By "too small" I mean he plays small. Werner got bodied most of the time when he was pass rushing. He's just not physical enough. Doesn't finish plays. He had numerous sack/TFL opportunities last season that he didn't make.

He has the measurables, not the tenacity & heart though

[theanarchist]

By "too small" I mean he plays small. Werner got bodied most of the time when he was pass rushing. He's just not physical enough. Doesn't finish plays. He had numerous sack/TFL opportunities last season that he didn't make.

He has the measurables, not the tenacity & heart though

IDK about the lack of tenacity and heart. What I saw was, IMO, a lack of pass rush moves. :Lack of technique.

[TKnight24]

IDK about the lack of tenacity and heart. What I saw was, IMO, a lack of pass rush moves. :Lack of technique.

Lack of pass moves, basically same as tenacity. Tenacity means you'd drop kick that OT if you have to to get to the QB

Werner seems like once the OL heemed him up, he gave up, conceded defeat

That's just my opinion though

[theanarchist]

Lack of pass moves, basically same as tenacity. Tenacity means you'd drop kick that OT if you have to to get to the QB

Werner seems like once the OL heemed him up, he gave up, conceded defeat

That's just my opinion though

There's a big difference between being tenacious and having technique.

 

I meant pass rush moves in the original post.

[Briggs32]

Kampman and KGB were good as a 4-3 DE combo. Newsome will never be a DE and Werner would probably fit better as a 4-3 DE.