Troy Chapman
Rookie
Houston will likely activate his 5th year option.
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JaDeveon Clowney
- Thread starter Marcus
- Start date
- Status
Houston will likely activate his 5th year option.
I thought they had to declare such in March.
banned1976
sleeper mode
That's what I thought, March 10th.
This is what I have been saying all along. I'll add to it. They should go into this draft as if Nix is not on the roster either. I understand it's two totally different situations but really what has Nix done to make anyone think he can contribute to this team? According to OB he hasn't even had a single good practice.
Now back to Clowney. Even if he returns One bad hit on that knee, one good chop block by a RB, one bad landing on that crappy field and we are right back at square one. If he stays healthy there are worse things than having two top flight outside pass rushers flanking arguably the best DL in the history of the NFL.
banned1976
sleeper mode
Just checked it out. The Texans have until May 3rd to pick up Mercilus's 5th year. Should be interesting if they plan on doing so. The Panthers have already said they will pick up Kuechley's 5th year option. They'd be crazy not to do so.
man was I wrong about that guy. Seemed like every tackle he made was down the field. Really thought he was over rated. Kinda like how I feel about Dawson so he'll probably be an all pro to lol.
I think especially when playing in the middle of the field that want to has a lot more importance
Originally I thought the same thing. However, I believe we should "expect" a nice jump in the level of Mercilus' play. I know... I know.. It's been three years & we've got bump from him. But I think he's responding very well to Vrabel & is finally being coached to be an OLB instead of a rush end.
So while outside rusher is still a need, I think it's lower than what it would be if we were to act as if "Clowney is not on the roster."
PHILLYTEXANFAN
Saddle Up Partner
While i will say a sack is a sack, how many of Mercilus' sacks were due to blown assignments?
How many were due to JJ's Watt?
My point was that pre-draft he was projected, by some, to be the best talent in the draft. I just wonder if the coaching staff still thinks they'll get the guy they thought they drafted or have they been told by their doctors that, even after recovery, he might not perform at near the projected levels.
does it really matter?
don't you have to alert enough and have enough hustle to take advantage of blown assignments?
PHILLYTEXANFAN
Saddle Up Partner
Yes. Beating a OL for a sack is not the same as just running in and getting it. If anything it shows he can capitalize on an open lane. It doesn't show he's improved or has gotten better. How alert do you have to be to see no one is blocking you
I hear ya. And, outside of going back through every gametape, there's no way to know how he (or anyone else) accumulated those sacks.
I think he played well - and O'Brien said so - this past season.
link
sandman
Brexit Advisor
So now we are discrediting his sack totals because they were not the right kind of sacks?
No one has had more sacks in his three seasons other than JJ. In the two years he played with Ninja, he had more sacks.
The entire rest of the LB corps had 1.5 more sacks than he did last year. He also had 7 TFL's and 2 FF which was a hell of a lot more than the other LB's.
Averaging 6 sacks a season from a back of the 1st round draft pick with a base salary less than 1.5MM is the least of the worries on this team. Getting the rest of the LB's to actually do something in a game is.
PHILLYTEXANFAN
Saddle Up Partner
Not discrediting them. I said originally a sack is a sack. A majority were on blown assignments. Doesn't change sack in the end, but it also doesn't show he has improved either
sandman
Brexit Advisor
I think the 7 TFL's and 2 FF's definitely show he improved this last year. Anyone that did an eyeball test of his attitude and demeanor on the field would see that Vrabel has really helped his game.
I think you may define "blown assignment" differently than RAC. I believe that his defense is designed for the DL to engage and the OLB's to take advantage of that. His job is not to go hand-to-hand with an OL.
He has 18 sacks in the last three years. No other LB on this team comes close. But he isn't good, just lucky.
PHILLYTEXANFAN
Saddle Up Partner
18 sacks over 3 years is NOT good. Especially for a former first rounder. He'll lets even get more technical, 5 sacks this year, 2 against an injury plagued Eagles OL, 2 against a shotty steelers OL, 1 against Jags. 18 sacks OVER 3 years is nothing to write home about
Blake
MMQB
Dear Home,
Today I got 2 sacks, bringing my total to 18 over 3 years. Things are going well and I am trying harder just in time to cash in on my second paycheck.
Love,
Whitney
Nick Perry who was taken 2 picks later has 9 career sacks. Courtney Upshaw taken 9 picks later has 3 career sacks. So, it could be worse.
I agree with what you're saying here. Mercilus is not & never will be that physical freak that's going to beat OLmen straight up. He needs the unpredictability you're supposed to get out of a 3-4 front. When the offense is confused about who's coming, when, & where.
I think Vince is going to help with that, because he makes our ILBs dangerous.
sandman
Brexit Advisor
A quick look at the 2012 draft for DE's:
Of the DE's like Mercilus that were converted to LB, Bruce Irvin (#15) from the Seahawks has 16.5 career sacks. Quintin Coples (#16) from the Jets has 16.5 sacks. Shea McClellin (#19) from the Bears has 7.5 sacks.
The remaining DE's that still play DE in the NFL? Chandler Jones (#21) from the Patriots has 23.5 sacks. Andre Branch (#38) from the Jaguars has 10.0 sacks. Vinny Curry (#59) from the Eagles has 13.0 sacks.
If we are going to use sacks as our barometer, then outside of Chandler Jones he has outplayed everyone in his draft class that was picked in the first two rounds.
But again, your issue seems to be about HOW he got the sacks (frequency, style points, etc) and I am just pointing out that he outplayed every other LB on the Texans over the last three years in negative yardage plays and is more than competitive with his draft class.
sandman
Brexit Advisor
I was looking at college LB's drafted as LB's too, and saw a lot of tackles, PD's and INT's which tells me they have been utilized differently. I focused on college DE's that transitioned to LB's and Mercilus still stacks up favorably.
Seegara
Guitar Picker, Dog Lover, Woodworker
What takes perception is running right at a blocker knowing he's moving over to block someone else.
If you're JJ Watt, you can run right at your blocker and make him run away out of fear.
Marshall
Not pretty, but ALIVE!
First you must determine whether it is a blown coverage or a trap/screen before you charge the QB. It's not as easy as you make it sound. You still have coverage/gap responsibilities. And many times you bear even more responsibility in order to free your rushers to make complex moves to pressure the QB and collapse the pocket.
There's more to a great line than four great individuals. They have to compliment each other's skills as well. Sometimes the best play is only recognized in house.
Hervoyel
BUENO!
msr
PHILLYTEXANFAN
Saddle Up Partner
Irvin is a 4-3 OLB, Mclellan has been a backup and just switched to OLB, Vinny curry has been a backup, Andre branch, ANOTHER backup
so we got one of the few starters?
Blake
MMQB
You seem to know a lot about Merc's sacks and how he obtained them. Do you also know about Chandler Jones' sacks and how he obtained them? Any of the other players we are discussing?
Its home team syndrome. You know a lot about these Texans players and can knit pick them to death. But are we just assuming the other players sacks are legit? Everyone has their fare share of BS sacks. They all get 'em.
PHILLYTEXANFAN
Saddle Up Partner
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
With the current roster, yes.
O'Brien said that last year. Clowney will have to beat out Mercilus for the starter's spot.
And that may be harder than it sounds. Mercilus had all last year in Crennel's defense. Clowney has some catching up to do.
Snap count data:
Whitney Mercilus: 767 snaps, 72.2 percent
Brooks Reed: 751 snaps, 70.7 percent
John Simon: 219 snaps, 20.6 percent
Jadeveon Clowney: 142 snaps, 13.4 percent
Ricky Sapp: 22 snaps, 2.1 percent
Jason Ankrah: 16 snaps, 1.5 percent
Thorn
Dirty Old Man
I honestly don't see how anybody expects Clowney to play up to expectations, healthy or not. Just don't see it.
badboy
Hall of Fame
I'm going to disagree in that if he feels he can handle the pain Clowney's confidence will rise. Even if explosion is gone if the speed is close to last year he will be more effective than Mercilus IMO. It may take a few days for him to get kinks worked out but it depends on pain.
All I know is Clowney has basically missed a year's worth of in-game experience and Mercilus seemed to have capitalized on that opportunity.
LINK
Don't take this as me banging the drum for Mercilus. I don't have to. O'Brien already did. I'm just saying that when Clowney is healed up, O'Brien won't just hand him the starter's job; (a) that's not O'Brien's M.O. and (b) Clowney (because of injuries) has done nothing to earn it.
TejasTom
All Pro
And all these guys just have to beat their man. Mercilus has to beat his man and Watt.
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
badboy
Hall of Fame
Obsiwon, hard not to laugh at that writer who thought it was ok for Mercilus to have difficult time with Crennel but not Clowney. I am cool with Merci but if at only 75% Clowney will be better and will be handed the starter job quickly if not game one.
If Brooks Reed 6'3" 253 can handle the running game so can Mercilus 6'4 258 and can be taught to work opposite Clowney. If OBrien will not hand job to CLowney why did he do so game one last year per info you posted?
Competition will be in TC and preseason, if Clowney is healthy enough to be "good to go", then he goes.
If Brooks Reed 6'3" 253 can handle the running game so can Mercilus 6'4 258 and can be taught to work opposite Clowney. If OBrien will not hand job to CLowney why did he do so game one last year per info you posted?
Competition will be in TC and preseason, if Clowney is healthy enough to be "good to go", then he goes.
Marshall
Not pretty, but ALIVE!
I interpret the situation as:
Clowney makes the squad rather than go to IR, but he's relegated to the backup roles until he shows something in practice which will change things. Perhaps limited third down usage in nickel packages just to get his feet wet. I wouldn't look for a start before the second half barring injury to the starting OLBs.
The hope would be that he peaks just as the key games and playoffs approach.
But that is taking a little reporting and stretching it to the extreme with speculation.
Clowney makes the squad rather than go to IR, but he's relegated to the backup roles until he shows something in practice which will change things. Perhaps limited third down usage in nickel packages just to get his feet wet. I wouldn't look for a start before the second half barring injury to the starting OLBs.
The hope would be that he peaks just as the key games and playoffs approach.
But that is taking a little reporting and stretching it to the extreme with speculation.
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
Not really. With the medical info we have from Doc a gradual increase in pitch count approach would not be surprising at all.
Bah humbug ! That all you got Mr Sunhine ? C'mon man, you can think of something worse to say about Clowney can't you ?
Thorn
Dirty Old Man
Well, let's see. Another wasted 1st round pick by the Texans isn't really something you can blame on him. However, the fact that he'll never be what he was supposed to be leaves him open to ridicule to internet posters, such as myself, that do know more about football than the people who are actually employed to do so.
Clowney, a draft pick I cheered last year, will never deliver the goods as promised. He might be actually useful, but not in a 1st pick in the draft type of useful.
Mr. Sunshine
Nitrofish
Let The Big Fish Eat!
Hey, if you don't mind. As long as you have your crystal ball out. Would you mind privately passing on the winning power ball number to me? And while you are at it, can you explain what the hell the final episode of Lost really meant?
Thanks,
Mr. Skeptical
infantrycak
Hall of Fame
You're looking at PowerBall odds for Clowney to ever be the player he was drafted to be. And thats not Ms. Cleo, it's Doc.
Hey Mr Sunshine, there have been reports out there that John Wayne might have been a pansy. I dunno if they are true or not, but what do you have to say about your hero now ? I say long-live Clowney ! Take that Mr Sunhine !
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