Rob Jackson's Worth

[DC9]

can we stop trying to trade away anyone that has potential?

I hear what you're saying, but here is the problem: We may only get to keep one.

LB is going to be a numbers game next year.

1. Lorenzo Alexander - ILB/OLB (Keeping and under contract)
2. London Fletcher - ILB (Coin toss whether or not he comes back/but under contract)
3. Rob Jackson - OLB (UFA)
4. Bryan Kehl- ILB/OLB (UFA/maybe worth keeping if Fletcher doesn't come back)
5. Ryan Kerrigan - OLB (Keeping and under contract)
6. Rod Muckelroy - ILB (RFA - probably keeping- will probably compete with Keenan)
7. Perry Riley - ILB (Keeping and under contract)
8. Vic So'oto - OLB (RFA - probably keeping - will get to compete)
9. Chris Wilson - OLB (probably not keeping, very dissapointed in his production)
10. Brian Orakpo - OLB (injured twice with the same injury - next year is a contract year)
11. Keenan Robinson - ILB (injured once - under contract - he'll be competing for his job next year)

So, that give you for sure:

Zo, Riley, Kerrigan... to me, the rest is honestly WIDE open competition wise.

I would say the favorites to me are:

ILB:
Riley, Muck, Fletch (if he comes back), and Keenan or Kehl (both if Fletch retires)

OLB:
Zo, Kerrigan, So'oto, Orakpo or Jackson

I suspect we keep more defensive backs next year than LBs. We will need all of the room we can get there. Especially with Bernstine and (hopefully) Rambo fighting it out with Jackson and Merriweather.

We may be able to keep them both without keeping Banks. But it's a numbers game. Mind you we have Minniefield and others competing next season as well.

This is a good problem to have... but do you want to roll the dice on Orakpo and his bum pec or do you want to get what you can for him now, a la Cooley circa 2009?

[repo_4]

[illone]

Orakpo is a freak of nature, but he cant catch and he doesnt play as well as his draft status warranted. I wouldn't call him a complete bust, but he certainly hasn't set himself up for a phat new contract either.

It will certainly be interesting what the team thinks of him moving forward but he only has one year left on his rookie deal. Id love to see him turn into the beast that we all want him to, but i just dont see it.

[rumplestilskin]

I think much of Robs success is scheme and is a credit to being coached up properly. That being said why not keep around guys that respond well to coaching and opertunity. Some of his game changing plays were clear gifts from the offense screwing up and others were plain instinct. He is an asset to the team but he is not an eilte pass rusher. I dont care about anyones man crush on Jackson he is not even close to Orakpo in pass rush ability. Pass rushers flourish when their offense gives them a big lead and they can pin their ears back and go for the QB. This is not a luxury Orakpo has benefited from in his early career. I also think the art of pass rushing is a rare gift whereas learning how to cover can be coached in most cases. I have enough faith that Rak would have made that gimme from Romo last night because it was a scheme play.

[zoony]

Nevermind answered above

---------- Post added January-1st-2013 at 12:19 AM ----------

Orakpo is a freak of nature, but he cant catch and he doesnt play as well as his draft status warranted. I wouldn't call him a complete bust, but he certainly hasn't set himself up for a phat new contract either.

It will certainly be interesting what the team thinks of him moving forward but he only has one year left on his rookie deal. Id love to see him turn into the beast that we all want him to, but i just dont see it.

Agreed, though I really want to see him play out his final year before I totally give up on the guy

[Momma There Goes That Man]

One thing to note is that Rak will now get the chance to "pin his ears back" and rush the QB like Freeney and others have benefited from because next year he has an amazing offense to play with that should have the lead often.

We need to keep both because they each bring things to the table that benefit our defense.

[zoony]

Orakpo is a freak of nature, but he cant catch and he doesnt play as well as his draft status warranted. I wouldn't call him a complete bust, but he certainly hasn't set himself up for a phat new contract either.

It will certainly be interesting what the team thinks of him moving forward but he only has one year left on his rookie deal. Id love to see him turn into the beast that we all want him to, but i just dont see it.

Agreed, though I really want to see him play out his final year before I totally give up on the guy

[Drastik]

The problem with Jackson is that he is borderline terrible at rushing the passer.

For an OLB in the 3-4, he has 4.5 sacks on the year and he's played the majority of 14-15 games. That's terrible, especially so considering the attention Kerrigan receives.

I do believe Rob Jackson is a solid football player, but most of his big plays come when he's not rushing the passer; which is the primary job of a 3-4 OLB in our system.

---------- Post added January-1st-2013 at 12:27 AM ----------

Orakpo is a freak of nature, but he cant catch and he doesnt play as well as his draft status warranted. I wouldn't call him a complete bust, but he certainly hasn't set himself up for a phat new contract either.

It will certainly be interesting what the team thinks of him moving forward but he only has one year left on his rookie deal. Id love to see him turn into the beast that we all want him to, but i just dont see it.

Our pass rush this season should let you know he's not a bust..

[Momma There Goes That Man]

Edit: double post

[PeterMP]

The problem with Jackson is that he is borderline terrible at rushing the passer.

For an OLB in the 3-4, he has 4.5 sacks on the year and he's played the majority of 14-15 games. That's terrible, especially so considering the attention Kerrigan receives.

I do believe Rob Jackson is a solid football player, but most of his big plays come when he's not rushing the passer; which is the primary job of a 3-4 OLB in our system.

---------- Post added January-1st-2013 at 12:27 AM ----------



Our pass rush this season should let you know he's not a bust..

But he's only played 586 defensive snaps this year and I can tell you in a lot of cases it was on passing downs he was being taken out.

Kerrigan, Fletcher, and Riley have all played over 1000.

Now, they haven't doubled his snaps so I wouldn't double the stats, but if he had over 1000 defensive snaps with 7.5 sacks and 6 interceptions, how does that change the picture?

[The Full Monty]

Pretty ridiculous that some posters here are denigrating Jackson's pass rushing. The guy was being taken off the field on 3rd down. When he asked for more playing time on 3rd down, he got it, and has MADE PLAYS sack-wise on top of game-changing interceptions.

[DC9]

He is an asset to the team but he is not an eilte pass rusher. I dont care about anyones man crush on Jackson he is not even close to Orakpo in pass rush ability. Pass rushers flourish when their offense gives them a big lead and they can pin their ears back and go for the QB. This is not a luxury Orakpo has benefited from in his early career. I also think the art of pass rushing is a rare gift whereas learning how to cover can be coached in most cases. I have enough faith that Rak would have made that gimme from Romo last night because it was a scheme play.

Again. 9 sacks. It's annoying, but it's a pretty good argument. And he pins his ears back all the time because that's basically all he does is rush the quarterback.

And again... what makes you think "Rak" would've made that "gimme" from Romo last night when he couldn't catch a gimme earlier in the year from Drew Brees?

[Drastik]

But he's only played 586 defensive snaps this year and I can tell you in a lot of cases it was on passing downs he was being taken out.

Kerrigan, Fletcher, and Riley have all played over 1000.

Now, they haven't doubled his snaps so I wouldn't double the stats, but if he had over 1000 defensive snaps with 7.5 sacks and 6 interceptions, how does that change the picture?

Link?

[lowek723]

Sign and trade Jackson. Keep Rak.

[Drastik]

Pretty ridiculous that some posters here are denigrating Jackson's pass rushing. The guy was being taken off the field on 3rd down.

Have you wondered why?