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Can Clowney play OLB?

Discussion in 'Houston Texans' started by sydmill, Nov 19, 2013.

  1. sydmill

    sydmill Member

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    Assuming we draft high enough to get him, can he stand up at OLB? We all know he is a freak athlete and the fact we had Mario Williams at the position leads me to believe Clowney could too. This would allow the Texans to move Reed inside to ILB (as many have proposed he would be a better fit) thus accomplishing two goals with the one pick.
    For those who know more than I about such things: Can Clowney play standing up or will it take away what he has shown he is capable of? Would he work as a 3-4 end or is he better suited for a 4-3? Given the answer to that , would we be better off going with Barr and staying with the 3-4 or would drafting Clowney and putting him at DE with Watt at DT in a 4-3 be, depending on other considerations (new coach, FA losses and gains etc.), the better plan?
     
  2. rhino17

    rhino17 Member

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    I'd have a very hard time taking clones that high


    As for reed playing ILB......DO IT!!!! Do it now! There is time to test him there this season and experiment. He cannot continue outside, he just isn't fit for the position anymore. His skillet is better suited for inside. They need to try him out there on a longer basis when they have nothing to play for now. Otherwise it might be time to get rid of him
     
  3. leroy

    leroy Contributing Member

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    What are the odds they'll be running the 3-4 next season?
     
  4. vinsensual

    vinsensual Member

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    What's in Reed's skillset that makes him a better fit as an inside LB? He's been forgettable as an edge rusher but that was what he was drafted to be right? Did he have some previously undiscovered talent in tackle cleanup or coverage, or has the push towards Reed going inside been because he's no good on the outside?
     
  5. what

    what Member

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    We get it, you don't want to draft a qb with the first round pick.
     
  6. ItsMyFault

    ItsMyFault Contributing Member

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    I'd rather have Barr if they're picking OLB in the first round. Need ILB depth though.
     
  7. rhino17

    rhino17 Member

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    I think the only things he can do okay is cover and clean up. He also doesn't have the speed or agility to play outside. Putting him inside minimizes those flaws. I think he could be a poor man's cushing.
     
  8. rhino17

    rhino17 Member

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    And to add, I never said he could do it, but we KNOW he can't play OLB. We should see what he can do for the rest of the year and if he can do it then great. Otherwise let him go
     
  9. vinsensual

    vinsensual Member

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    We've needed help ILB since deciding to ship Demeco. After disasters at FA, and waiting on Sharpton, I'm wondering why they ignored this in the draft. This has been one of the few positions they've shown a strength in drafting. Supposedly they wanted Arthur Brown but that couldn't have been the only ILB on their board.

    And regarding Clowney as a OLB, it's clear that the book's out on how Wade uses our personnel. Best case scenario we could see a 2011 Barwin type year from him. But I would see that defense/DL being entirely too reliant on him and Watt to create pressure, or sending 5 and leaving one less man in coverage.
     
  10. meh

    meh Contributing Member

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    Wasn't there a time when the Texans asked themselves if Julius Peppers could play OLB in a 3-4?
     
  11. Spacemoth

    Spacemoth Contributing Member

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    He has that Viking hair going for him. Opposing players squint and think its Clay Matthews back there.

    Good enough for me
     
  12. vinsensual

    vinsensual Member

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    Yeah I've noticed Reed's made plays on tackle cleanup. His biggest weakness on draft profiles has been change of direction, but that's probably as detrimental to an ILB in coverage as it would be for an OLB shedding a block or tackling an RB. I'm not pointing you out as a champion of Reed, it's just something that's been rumored since the offseason, and it felt like that was the team trying to salvage Reed while skimping out on drafting a true ILB.
     
  13. Canadiandude

    Canadiandude Member

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    He can be a DeMarcus Ware type rushing "linebacker" in the 3-4 scheme.
     
  14. Naija Texan

    Naija Texan Member

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    Given the success they've had with a clearly dysfunctional one, with no line backers above average save Cushing, I'd say it is pretty high unless you have coach that will flip things defensively which probably means we are in full rebuild mode.
     
  15. sealclubber1016

    Supporting Member

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    This defense is bad, and it was bad to finish the season last year. I don't care what the YPG says.

    Watt will be even better in a 4-3, and Cush is the only good MLB we have anyway. Everybody else in the front 7 is extremely replaceable.
     
  16. Cannonball

    Cannonball Contributing Member

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    He's 6'6", 274 lbs. That's closer to JJ Watt's size (6'5", 289 lbs) than our biggest LB Mercilus (6'4", 258).

    But he's kind of a tweener. Right now he'd be our lightest D-Linemen by about 10 lbs but he'd be our heaviest LB by 16 lbs.

    Not sure how he fits skill wise.
     
  17. Nick

    Nick Contributing Member

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    If he's a good player, you make him fit... regardless of the "scheme" you run.

    They shouldn't be married to any particular scheme given this defense hasn't been elite since 2011.

    No more passing up potential elite defensive players due to the "system".
     
  18. The Real Shady

    The Real Shady Contributing Member

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    Clowney would fit in any system. If the new D-coordinator can't figure it out he's an idiot.

    My question is if we switch to a 4-3 does Watt stay at end or go to DT?
     
  19. platypus

    platypus Member

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    Unless one of the QB's available is an ABSOLUTE lock to be a franchise QB in the mold of an Andrew Luck or a RG3 you have to take clowney.

    He is a game changer and putting him next to watt will instantly make everyone in our defense look ten times better. Those two would singlehandedly destroy teams.
     
  20. josephnicks

    josephnicks Member

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    i still think that D was a product of that softer than baby shiit schedule we had in 2011..
     

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