Trench Talk January 21, 2009

Hey everybody, Matt and I are unveiling a new feature for all the Alldayfootball.com fans. Trench Talk, where Matt and I discuss football and the NFL. Feel free to email us questions or topics you want us to discuss as this will be a new weekly feature. Enjoy!

Alright, for our innaugural edition of Trench Talk we will be discussing the idea of Julius Peppers wanting to leave the Panthers and possibly join a 3-4 defensive team.

Eric Dunn: Peppers says he wants to play for a 3-4 team
Eric Dunn (ED): I think he is an idiot, I do not think he would be a good 3-4 OLB
Matthew Gambino (MG): I disagree, i think he would be a nasty 3-4 OLB for a big guy at 6'6" 280, he has exceptional speed and spatial awareness
ED: I think he is too big... yes he is athletic , but enough to play in coverage?
MG:Absolutely
ED: I don't know ... I think he is a pure rush end
MG: He has very fluid hips from playing basketball with UNC, he has great closing speed and his awareness in space in fantastic
plus, the sheer thought of getting him one on one with a TE or RB
ED: Ya, I think in theory it would be nice ... but he takes off far too many plays to play coverage, it would be a huge liability for a team.
MG: I think it's more a question of motivation, I don't think the Carolina coaches are bringing out the best in him.
ED: That’s what he thinks as well ... but what’s to say anyone can bring the best out of him. If he doesn't want it, it won't happen
MG: A fiery coach who he is willing to call him out, Carolina seems far too relaxed with their coaching if he gets someone on him to make him better, he'll be an animal, be it in 4-3 or 3-4 but I think he has all the skills required to be an OLB in a 3-4 he may need to drop some poundage but I'm positive he can do it
ED: He is definitely too big to be a 3-4 OLB right now.. He is 6'7" 283lbs
MG: I don't think there's "too big" if you have the skill set I mean, look at Kiwanuka
ED: I don't believe he has this Skill set you speak of .... and Kiwanuka isn't really elite at either position. Peppers is an Elite RE.
MG: Kiwanuka is only 3 years in and had an injury that killed most of last year, and I think you're just biased because he's a Panther. I've seen him in coverage for a big guy, he has amazing fluidity in his hips
ED: I'd have to see it ... but I think on an occasional play it would be fine ... but for a full game switching it up ... more reads would be a tough transition.
MG: I think he'd be perfect for the Ravens. Especially if they lose Suggs but when a defensive end can pick off a pass in the red zone and take it 97 yards to the house, that's huge
ED: Yes, but he probably picked it in the flat and had no one in front of him I doubt he took the pick across the field and broke tackles and juked people he probably picked off a ball going into the flat and was gone he has speed no doubt
MG: I just saw the pick for a TD he was playing coverage in the middle of the field.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yprtuIx_F9o @ 1:35
oh yeah, I don’t what you're talking about, he could so play OLB the way he breaks on the ball against Tampa at 2:15 is huge.
ED: I’m watching the pick.... He was in the flat and nobody around him and then had escorts into the end zone.
MG: Still a solid break on the ball doesn't matter that there's no one in front of him but the pick against the Broncos is mid field in coverage on a TE this highlight clip gives me a new appreciation for how nasty Peppers is
ED: It was also a poorly thrown ball; the TE was wide open if he put the ball up easy TD. I’m not disagreeing he is nasty ... I just think he should stay as a RE and work on his work ethic, not take plays off
MG: I think he would definitely benefit at staying as a RE, but I think he can be an OLB in a 3-4 and I also disagree with the laziness
ED: How can you disagree its a known fact that he takes plays off.. Occasionally the whole series. So if you agree he should remain a RE and be an Elite player why would you want him to be a decent 3-4 OLB?
MG: I think he could benefit at staying at RE, but if the dude wants to play OLB, I think he also has the skills to be an elite talent there as well I'm just making the argument that he can where you're saying he can't
ED: I won't disagree that he can play OLB, but I do disagree that he would be an elite player at that spot. Basically, I am trying to say that it is not that he can't but shouldn't.
MG: That makes sense, and my argument is that if he can, do it, he's already proven he's an elite DE so he always has that to bank on if making the transition from DE to OLB doesn't pan out
ED: All the while potentially stunting his development and losing money on an unnecessary experiment
MG: He won’t lose any money
ED: He will after his OLB experiment fails
MG: If it fails and even if it does, he'll get a big contract regardless his talent is far too great for him not to find work for big money.
ED: Well there is always Jerry Jones for that
MG: And as for stunting development, if anything he's growing as a player because he now has a new appreciation for learning the nuances of coverage, pursuit and what have you, not just pass rush or run stuff
ED: So he becomes a jack of all trades, expert of none?
MG: No, not at all
ED: That is the description of stunting development
MG: He remains a pass rush specialist that now has awareness of the entire field not just opposing back fields
ED: But that would take away from his specialty.... great that he has the awareness of the entire field but he needs to focus on the quarterback and the back field
MG: No, it doesn't, it makes him more dangerous
ED: That would be like you and I focusing on how WR run their routes
MG: No, it's more like us focusing on the blocking assignments of the backs and TE’s it's not essential knowledge but knowing it can make a helluva difference. He remains a pass rush weapon, but when he's not rushing he can make plays as well, he has a sense of what's going on in the play, he has a better understanding of what the offense is doing for instead of the "see ball, get ball" or "get QB" mentality. He becomes a fuller and smarter player which may lead him to be less "lazy" as he'll always be in a position to make a play.
Not to mention he has the given ability to make plays based on sheer athletic prowess and skill
ED: I think that peppers sees all these OLB out there getting all kinds of freedom, and thinks that a position change will be the difference ... where he should be focusing on being a better worker
MG: I disagree; you don't get to where he is by not knowing how to work
ED: Fine, you can have all the athletic prowess and skill you want but if you don't have the desire, it means nothing
MG: Right, desire, one of the best DEs in the nation has no desire?
You don’t become elite by being apathetic
ED: I think this is exactly where you get ... he has gotten by on his pure athletic ability and now is inconsistent as hell because he is not working
MG: Inconsistent? bull shit he had 1 down year last year aside from that, he has averaged over 10 sacks a year for the entirety of his career including a career high 14.5 this past season inconsistent? What a crock.
ED: Not for a season, inconsistent for games on a play to play basis.
MG: That's because he does everything for the Panthers they don’t have anyone else he needs to take series off to rest probably the same thing was said about Haloti Ngata coming out of Oregon, he took plays off because he was a behemoth DT who didn't leave the field, he goes to Ravens and gets into a rotation and he's on his way to elite.
ED: He is a pro athlete.... they should not be taking plays off on the field .. if he needs to rest get on the bench
MG: The coaches should be aware of this it shouldn't be his responsibility that's why they get paid
ED: He can't be man enough to raise a hand and say I need a breather?
MG: Has nothing to do with being a man and you know that. They're football players, most would stay out there regardless
ED: If it is hurting the team around you because you need to loaf it for a bit
MG: If it's hurting the team, then the coach should do something, they're not stupid people
ED: Well don't me started on John Fox
MG: If he's out there, he's out there for a reason
ED: This is a discussion on Peppers and I think he would be wasting his talent changing positions
MG: And I think if he has the talent and become better, do so, he'd be stunting his development by not doing it and being complacent with what he is.
ED: I mean the guy is like a monster sized Deacon Jones. He should be averaging 17-18 sacks a season ... he is not because he needs to take plays off... why add to his work load? Keep him at RE, develop his talent and watch him destroy QB's. It seems simple to me
MG: Or, make him work, become a better, more mature player and get him to the QB but use his abilities to make plays in more than just the backfield seems logical to me.
ED: I think adding more work for him adds to his loafing problem
MG: I disagree find him the right coach and right system who will control him and his talent and he'll blow up opposing offenses even more.
ED: I agree he needs the right coach and the system should remain 4-3.... Get him to a team like the Rams and have Steve Spagnuolo kick his ass
He has gotten results from Tuck, Kiwanuka, Strahan, he would be great.
MG: If that were the case I’d be psyched, but if Peppers wants to be a 3-4 OLB, that's what he's going to look for, and some team is going to give him that opportunity because he's too talented not to have on the field
ED: Teams will take the gamble ... no doubting that .... I think it would be a shame
MG: And I think it could be huge
ED And you disagree I know....
MG: mhm
ED: It remains to be seen, we will revisit this topic again when he either remains or finds a new team I guess.