RI: Orakpo Starts Out at Linebacker

Didn't our very own Marcus Washington play DE at Auburn?

Double pwned

Miathias Kiwanuka made the transition in 2007 too.

GT why are you dead set at seeing Rak RDE long term? Based on his skill set? Team needs? I just strikes me that w/ his strength and power (and given a little time to add mass the way Daniels did initially) Rak would be a beast @ LDE...able to stop the run and pressure/sack the QB w/ equal dominance.I think you can get away at LDE with a marginal pass rusher, because it's very, very easy for the offense to neutralize the rush on the strong side. If we put Orakpo there, we would need someone that offenses fear on the other side.

Two pass rushing ends works for some teams, but not for others. Freeney and Mathis can put QBs on their backs very quickly, but Denver went with two really small rushers last year...and well, let's just say their first pick this year was a pass rusher.

^^ Denver's first pick was a RB, (it shouldve been a DE) but that's one reason we got Osackporomo.

^^ Denver's first pick was a RB, (it shouldve been a DE) but that's one reason we got Osackporomo.Uh, right. First defensive pick then.

I guess I blocked that insanity out of my mind.

As soon as I saw this I knew people were going to blow this out of proportion. Why is everyone so fixed on Vernon Gholston's failure, when you have both Shawne Merriman and Terrell Suggs as examples of DEs (in college) that made successful transitions to LBs? I'm not saying that Orakpo is going to be a LB, but just as you bring negative examples, there are positive examples of successful transition. Besides, when Greg Blache or Jim Zorn say the words "Orakpo will be a full time LB" stop speculating so much.

I like how Gholston's career is over after one year. I seem to remember people saying that Mario Williams was a bust. Now he is considered a prototype.

I will defer to Greg Blache who might know a little more about defense over the people who automatically dismiss using Orakpo in more than one position.

Didn't they openly say throughout the draft process that they were so high on him because they could use him at linebacker some? If he was a one trick pony, they wouldn't have drafted him.

I think you can get away at LDE with a marginal pass rusher, because it's very, very easy for the offense to neutralize the rush on the strong side. If we put Orakpo there, we would need someone that offenses fear on the other side.

Two pass rushing ends works for some teams, but not for others. Freeney and Mathis can put QBs on their backs very quickly, but Denver went with two really small rushers last year...and well, let's just say their first pick this year was a pass rusher.

This begs the question...why? Why does it work in some cases and why not in others? Why can't it work for us?

In Denver's case, I would argue that the answer to "Why?" is: lack of performance by the DE's, not the setup itself. Jarvis Moss is a bust. It doesn't matter what defensive strategy you pursue when you have a bust executing it.

Personally I see no reason, once Rak bulks up a bit, why we can't make Rak at LDE and Carter at RDE work. In fact, I look forward to this!

This begs the question...why? Why does it work in some cases and why not in others? Why can't it work for us?

In Denver's case, I would argue that the answer to "Why?" is: lack of performance by the DE's, not the setup itself. Jarvis Moss is a bust. It doesn't matter what defensive strategy you pursue when you have a bust executing it.

Personally I see no reason, once Rak bulks up a bit, why we can't make Rak at LDE and Carter at RDE work. In fact, I look forward to this!My answer to this at least, is that "it works, so long as both ends are better than the guys they are going up against." Jarvis Moss. Not better than most RTs in this league. Elvis Dumerville is only better than a handful of LTs.

The way I see it, by the time Orakpo has enough of a move arsenal to be a factor from the left side (remember that everything he did in college came from the right), Carter's best years (arguably 2007 and 2008), will be so far in the rear view mirror, that we will be searching for his replacement. By 2011, I see Orakpo as our full-time right end.

In the mean time, I caution against taking Orakpo out of his comfort zone. I like moving him around to get him mismatches as a rookie. But moving him around to exploit offensive weaknesses, and moving him around just for the sake of having him learn multiple moves from multiple positions are very different ideas.

My answer to this at least, is that "it works, so long as both ends are better than the guys they are going up against." Jarvis Moss. Not better than most RTs in this league. Elvis Dumerville is only better than a handful of LTs.

The way I see it, by the time Orakpo has enough of a move arsenal to be a factor from the left side (remember that everything he did in college came from the right), Carter's best years (arguably 2007 and 2008), will be so far in the rear view mirror, that we will be searching for his replacement. By 2011, I see Orakpo as our full-time right end.

In the mean time, I caution against taking Orakpo out of his comfort zone. I like moving him around to get him mismatches as a rookie. But moving him around to exploit offensive weaknesses, and moving him around just for the sake of having him learn multiple moves from multiple positions are very different ideas.

The clarification is appreciated GT...i see your logic now. The one follow up discussion point i have is who's to say we won't draft/sign a more pure passrusher to replace Carter in the coming season or two? What's easier to come by: a passrushing specialist at RDE or a phenom who can shut down the rush and flip the switch to pressure/sack the QB? I tend to think pass-rush specialists are more common/available. If Rak can be the phenom to do both things on the left side wouldn't it make sense? I guess the bottom line question is where can he make the biggest impact and reach his highest potential?

The clarification is appreciated GT...i see your logic now. The one follow up discussion point i have is who's to say we won't draft/sign a more pure passrusher to replace Carter in the coming season or two? What's easier to come by: a passrushing specialist at RDE or a phenom who can shut down the rush and flip the switch to pressure/sack the QB? I tend to think pass-rush specialists are more common/available. If Rak can be the phenom to do both things on the left side wouldn't it make sense? I guess the bottom line question is where can he make the biggest impact and reach his highest potential?Absolutely we could do something like that. Established pass rushers just tend to run expensive, unless you get lucky with a late round find.

But your logic does make sense: could we use Orakpo like a Mario Williams type, and have sort of a platoon between a more run focused player and a third down specialist with orakpo playing whereever he is needed? Yeah, that makes sense. I just think that may be jumping the gun on how good Orakpo can be for us. I'd like to see him for two years before I conclude on how versatile a player he can be.

Absolutely we could do something like that. Established pass rushers just tend to run expensive, unless you get lucky with a late round find.

But your logic does make sense: could we use Orakpo like a Mario Williams type, and have sort of a platoon between a more run focused player and a third down specialist with orakpo playing whereever he is needed? Yeah, that makes sense. I just think that may be jumping the gun on how good Orakpo can be for us. I'd like to see him for two years before I conclude on how versatile a player he can be.

Word...but it is a challenge to not get overly jacked about him, watching vids of him play for Texas and of course the weight room spectacle.

Part of me still wishes we'd traded down and got Rey or Oher and another pick (in fact i fear by mid-season there will be weeping and wailing that we passed on Oher) but now that Rak's a Skin, and especially after seeing his attitude/character in pressers, i'm full go Orakpo and just want to see the braintrust develop him into an elite player over the long term. I'm one who really won't bitch and moan if we don't see him play a ton of snaps this year.