McCain and Tripp should get some looks with the 1st team D in weeks 2 and 3 of preseason. The coaching staff has to at least be open to upgrading Wheeler and Ellerbe.
Jordan Tripp
- Thread starter MarinoEqualsGod
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Dick Pepperwood
Practice Squad
It's not like Ellerbe and Wheeler or all pro, or ever will be. Go young. Take chances. It beats giving up every 3rd down man
I asked the same question last week and got hammered for it.
Tripp is as good as we have at LB and personally I think he is going to be a player.
I would start Tripp at MLB and move Misi back outside where he belongs.
Wheeler is absolutely terrible and needs cut. I am not thrilled with Ellerbe's play either. I would be tempted to give that McCain kid more of a look to see if he could take the other spot.
Very possible that our best look is:
SLB - Misi
MLB - Tripp
WLB - McCain
You know Misi is stout against the run and can handle the coverage responsibilities at SLB, so you have one position locked (more than we have now). I think Tripp's instincts are at least as good as Ellerbe and Wheeler's, but he's a better athlete than either. There's a good chance that his instincts prove much better than either. Lot of upside, little downside there. McCain looks like a perfect fit at WLB. He has great instincts and agility around the LOS. Maybe Tripp and McCain aren't ready, but I think they've shown enough to get a legitimate look with the 1's.
SLB - Misi
MLB - Tripp
WLB - McCain
You know Misi is stout against the run and can handle the coverage responsibilities at SLB, so you have one position locked (more than we have now). I think Tripp's instincts are at least as good as Ellerbe and Wheeler's, but he's a better athlete than either. There's a good chance that his instincts prove much better than either. Lot of upside, little downside there. McCain looks like a perfect fit at WLB. He has great instincts and agility around the LOS. Maybe Tripp and McCain aren't ready, but I think they've shown enough to get a legitimate look with the 1's.
People are rushing to annoint these rookie linebackers simply because they aren't Wheeler or Ellerbee. Yes I do believe those two suck, but this is the same crew that blew an assignment yesterday that let a dump off go for like 50 yards, and that was against third stringers. Our starters whiff on making their tackles and they suck at locking down their coverage, but they weren't ever caught out of position so bad last year that we got gashed for massive plays. Tripp seems to have good physical skills and reminds me ever so slight of Zack Thomas, but no coordinator is going to throw guys like these out there if they aren't ready mentally. Bad, bad things can happen, a lot worse than a missed tackle or a 3rd down conversion. Don't think that coaches like McDaniels in NE wouldn't be able to eat these guys for breakfast with potential for 40 point blowouts (you know, like when Sparano's defenses faced NE's backups).
normaniii
Active Roster
Ireland's decision to release Burnett & Dansby, then sign Wheeler & Ellerbe, together with trading up in a non-elite but deep draft for a player best suited to 3-4 OLB, has to be up there with the worst offseason decisions ever made
I can't speak for everyone else, but I'm not anointing either. Given the issues with our starting LB's, though, and the flashes that we've seen from Tripp and McCain, I think the coaches should at least see what they look like with the rest of the starters on D.
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[S][T][O][R][M]
In Foro
McCain is an interesting development prospect, but he's no certainty to even make the 53 man roster. He's just a 6'5" prospect.
I'm a Jordie Tripp fan but these are early days. Maybe give him some mike LB playing time in a practice game and see how he goes but my preference would not be to rush him along. Good things sometimes take a little time.
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I love the Burnett idea if his wrist is okay. He knows the defense and is steady.
TRIP will play OLB, period!!
but, in pre season AND camp, you have to find out the versatility [if there is any] of players.
if the starting mlb goes down, who is the best back up to come in? if an olb gets hurt or arrested, or banned, who is the best guy to fill the roll? strong side, week side..... .
all they are doing with trip is searching out his STRENGTHS and where they want him to be as a back up roll or position switch in a game emergency.
as they are doing with others also, like on the offensive line and d-line. who can slide over where and or who is the first off the bench to play at a certain position.
BUT, I WILL SAY THIS: i am liking both JORDAN TRIP and CHRIS McCAIN as our future [maybe sooner than later] outside olb's. the trio of TRIP-MISI-McCAIN looks pretty sweet and i know a lot of guys wouldnt cry if that crew was named starters tomorrow. and i would be intrigued, but, lets see what happens in the 3rd, real game scenerio, pre season game. if ellerbe is missing tackles and getting washed, we may see at least one of those guys taking his spot. and wheeler, i imagine it is a hard pill for the staff, especially DENNIS HICKEY to have a bench warmer making a quasagillion dollars per game starting every weekend. and eating that IRELAND maximum failure probably is just killing hickey slowely seeing he had NOTHING to do with the aponte approved wheeler deal. so, i imagine they almost have to give him every perceivable chance to lift his game and at least appear that he is earning SOME of that loot. and i am sure hickey also cringes at the thought of cutting wheeler and having all that negative money on the next few years ledger. but, wheeleer has and is looking like a LIABILITY on the field and something, be it unpleasant will have to be done about him soon. especially with two very capable looking youngsters on the roster.
you can bet the coaching staff is just waiting for the right time and excuse to bench wheeler and bring in trip or mccain [who has also had a stellar camp and was VERY active in the atl game. kid can cover a TE, no doubt and can rush the passer. SUPER QUICK olb!!] to fill his void.
and on ANOTHER NOTE: i hope that end of game injury to DAMIEN WILLIAMS [the rb] isnt going to keep him out long. probably will. but from what i have heard from camp, not only his plays but the praise from players and coaches, i like him over MILLER [who i never wanted anyways] to be our starting rb. better blocker and better ALL AROUND rb. kid is a good receiver, can block [and wants to] and doesnt rely on a huge hole to run straight through for his yards. unlike miller, he is one of those backs that can make his own yards when things dont go as planned.
but, he will probably miss enough time now where he wont be getting the nod over the vet. or, if he is even able to play this year or not. havnt heard anything.
and ellerbe WILL play better. this was a sandlot, who gives a rats arse game for most veterans. their out to prove nothing, and frankly [cant blame them] are not looking to sell out on a worthless, 1st pre season game and get carted off. these first two games and last pre game are for checking out the new guys and the bottom of the roster.
but, in pre season AND camp, you have to find out the versatility [if there is any] of players.
if the starting mlb goes down, who is the best back up to come in? if an olb gets hurt or arrested, or banned, who is the best guy to fill the roll? strong side, week side..... .
all they are doing with trip is searching out his STRENGTHS and where they want him to be as a back up roll or position switch in a game emergency.
as they are doing with others also, like on the offensive line and d-line. who can slide over where and or who is the first off the bench to play at a certain position.
BUT, I WILL SAY THIS: i am liking both JORDAN TRIP and CHRIS McCAIN as our future [maybe sooner than later] outside olb's. the trio of TRIP-MISI-McCAIN looks pretty sweet and i know a lot of guys wouldnt cry if that crew was named starters tomorrow. and i would be intrigued, but, lets see what happens in the 3rd, real game scenerio, pre season game. if ellerbe is missing tackles and getting washed, we may see at least one of those guys taking his spot. and wheeler, i imagine it is a hard pill for the staff, especially DENNIS HICKEY to have a bench warmer making a quasagillion dollars per game starting every weekend. and eating that IRELAND maximum failure probably is just killing hickey slowely seeing he had NOTHING to do with the aponte approved wheeler deal. so, i imagine they almost have to give him every perceivable chance to lift his game and at least appear that he is earning SOME of that loot. and i am sure hickey also cringes at the thought of cutting wheeler and having all that negative money on the next few years ledger. but, wheeleer has and is looking like a LIABILITY on the field and something, be it unpleasant will have to be done about him soon. especially with two very capable looking youngsters on the roster.
you can bet the coaching staff is just waiting for the right time and excuse to bench wheeler and bring in trip or mccain [who has also had a stellar camp and was VERY active in the atl game. kid can cover a TE, no doubt and can rush the passer. SUPER QUICK olb!!] to fill his void.
and on ANOTHER NOTE: i hope that end of game injury to DAMIEN WILLIAMS [the rb] isnt going to keep him out long. probably will. but from what i have heard from camp, not only his plays but the praise from players and coaches, i like him over MILLER [who i never wanted anyways] to be our starting rb. better blocker and better ALL AROUND rb. kid is a good receiver, can block [and wants to] and doesnt rely on a huge hole to run straight through for his yards. unlike miller, he is one of those backs that can make his own yards when things dont go as planned.
but, he will probably miss enough time now where he wont be getting the nod over the vet. or, if he is even able to play this year or not. havnt heard anything.
and ellerbe WILL play better. this was a sandlot, who gives a rats arse game for most veterans. their out to prove nothing, and frankly [cant blame them] are not looking to sell out on a worthless, 1st pre season game and get carted off. these first two games and last pre game are for checking out the new guys and the bottom of the roster.
WOW!! someone hasnt been keeping up with camp. this kid has already locked down a spot on the roster. he is going NO WHERE NEAR the practice squad.
he has flat surprised EVERYONE, from coaches to players how fast he has picked it up AND his over all game.
Rhoadsy13
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I somewhat understand you're point but after 1 preseason game vs back ups its hard to know their impact yet. I would like to see them get 1st team reps.
xXwarXx
☠️ Banned ☠️
I think Tripp gets ran the heck over if je ever steps on the field against the #1s, but hopefully he proves me wrong.
He's not a physical player at all.
Reminds me of a small school version of Bobby carpenter.
He's not a physical player at all.
Reminds me of a small school version of Bobby carpenter.