Kaden Elliss..... (1 Viewer)

[AmerVet]

A dominant D Line would have masked the LBs.

I see our line being dominant.

 

[Stalwart385]

I feel like you only really need two good LBs. Anazalone just needs to stay healthy until Alonso comes off the PUP. Until then Ellis, Robertson and/or Baun will just need to do spot duty. Put them in minor roles that best fit them. You're only talking about a handful of snaps each game.

The Saints only ran base defense 16% of the time. That comes out to about 10 snaps a game with 3 LBs.

Defensive Personnel Analysis 2019

Nickel remains the true base defense in the NFL, but 2019 saw dime packages continue their growth. Also, we learn why the 2019 Seahawks weren't as bad as the 2017 Browns.

www.footballoutsiders.com

 

[Outbackjack]

IF.....and that's a key disclaimer, but IF Anzalone stays healthy, he's more than just a LB. He's a heat seeking missile in the mold of CJGJ last season.

Strong, fast, aggressive, he's a game changer IF he stays healthy. He's much better at his best than Kiko.

 

[Saintsphere]

I see our line being dominant.

With Clowney I would have said yes.

Without Clowney, Davenport needs to stay healthy AND take that third year leap that 2013 Cam Jordan did; and Rankins needs to show he's back to his normal self. Davenport I'm cautiously optimistic about, Rankins not so much (I just think it's real hard to have two major surgeries and ever return to top form)

 

[meily]

The fact people have to invision the worse case scenario to show concern about the defense shows how talented this defense is and both Ellis and Baum though young and inexperienced both come with a motor and pass rush ability that will be on display at times.

People forget the iron man football Ellis played as at times he was not just a linebacker but a DE, DT and TE for wyoming. This guy is a football player with pedegree and a high football iq.

 

[greg8710]

I feel like you only really need two good LBs. Anazalone just needs to stay healthy until Alonso comes off the PUP. Until then Ellis, Robertson and/or Baun will just need to do spot duty. Put them in minor roles that best fit them. You're only talking about a handful of snaps each game.

The Saints only ran base defense 16% of the time. That comes out to about 10 snaps a game with 3 LBs.

Defensive Personnel Analysis 2019

Nickel remains the true base defense in the NFL, but 2019 saw dime packages continue their growth. Also, we learn why the 2019 Seahawks weren't as bad as the 2017 Browns.

www.footballoutsiders.com

Only as strong as your weakest link
Elliss Is still new and they have the confidence in starting him over some that have been with the Saints for a lot longer.
Give him a chance

 

[Hedon James]

I agree with everyone in this thread who is concerned about depth, especially at LB. While I'd put our starters toe-to-toe with any other units in the league, the FACT is that injuries are a part of the game and if you don't have a viable Plan B, one injury may derail the season for the entire team. Other than Robertson & Davis, every other LB on the roster is injury-prone.

I'm more than willing to give them a chance. I'm PRAYING for that magical season with no serious injury. But history shows us that injury prone guys in college don't magically become durable iron men in the pros. Just like inaccurate college QBs don't suddenly become marksmen with professional coaching. With very few exceptions, whatever they are in college, they extrapolate that trend into the pros.

Is anyone aware of an injury prone college player who developed into a consistently durable starter in the NFL? Or an erratic college QB who developed into a 60%-65% plus passer in the NFL? I'm sure there are some, but I'm not aware of them.

I love our starters. And backups too! But counting on mostly full seasons from anyone not named Davis or Robertson is just wishful. I believe in all our guys on paper....can't wait to see what the younger fellas can do come gametime. But I'll be waiting for them to "show me" what they can do over the course of a whole season before I get comfortable and start anointing All-Pro LBs. The potential is there....but a wise older fella once told me that "potential is just an alternate reality that hasn't happened yet." I didn't understand it back then, but I now I know exactly what he meant.

 

[Stalwart385]

Only as strong as your weakest link
Elliss Is still new and they have the confidence in starting him over some that have been with the Saints for a lot longer.
Give him a chance

Don't get me wrong I'm optimistic for Elliss. Just saying you shouldn't worry too much about the 3rd LB spot.

 

[saint_drago]

I feel like you only really need two good LBs. Anazalone just needs to stay healthy until Alonso comes off the PUP. Until then Ellis, Robertson and/or Baun will just need to do spot duty. Put them in minor roles that best fit them. You're only talking about a handful of snaps each game.

The Saints only ran base defense 16% of the time. That comes out to about 10 snaps a game with 3 LBs.

Defensive Personnel Analysis 2019

Nickel remains the true base defense in the NFL, but 2019 saw dime packages continue their growth. Also, we learn why the 2019 Seahawks weren't as bad as the 2017 Browns.

www.footballoutsiders.com

This is why I'm not that worried about the depth at LB. Just trot out a warm body next to Davis and we'll be alright. There are some things you can do scheme wise if you don't have great backers. We've been seeing that firsthand for years.

 

[Stalwart385]

This is why I'm not that worried about the depth at LB. Just trot out a warm body next to Davis and we'll be alright. There are some things you can do scheme wise if you don't have great backers. We've been seeing that firsthand for years.

We ran dime almost 20% of the time. If you have to, some teams run dime 40-50% of the time. NE and BAL are in that number, very good defenses last year. You can often pass a safety in a linebacker role today anyway.

 

[Mississippi Saints Fan]

Is anyone aware of an injury prone college player who developed into a consistently durable starter in the NFL?

I can think of a couple on our team, but I won't mention their name because we don't need to speak over it. Lol
But I absolutely agree that we have gambled on a lot of injury-riddled players coming out of college, and ended up letting them go because they couldn't stay healthy. I think it is wise to throw a red flag on these players, but sometimes the risk/reward is worth taking a shot.

 

[lapaz]

I agree with everyone in this thread who is concerned about depth, especially at LB. While I'd put our starters toe-to-toe with any other units in the league, the FACT is that injuries are a part of the game and if you don't have a viable Plan B, one injury may derail the season for the entire team. Other than Robertson & Davis, every other LB on the roster is injury-prone.

I'm more than willing to give them a chance. I'm PRAYING for that magical season with no serious injury. But history shows us that injury prone guys in college don't magically become durable iron men in the pros. Just like inaccurate college QBs don't suddenly become marksmen with professional coaching. With very few exceptions, whatever they are in college, they extrapolate that trend into the pros.

Is anyone aware of an injury prone college player who developed into a consistently durable starter in the NFL? Or an erratic college QB who developed into a 60%-65% plus passer in the NFL? I'm sure there are some, but I'm not aware of them.

I love our starters. And backups too! But counting on mostly full seasons from anyone not named Davis or Robertson is just wishful. I believe in all our guys on paper....can't wait to see what the younger fellas can do come gametime. But I'll be waiting for them to "show me" what they can do over the course of a whole season before I get comfortable and start anointing All-Pro LBs. The potential is there....but a wise older fella once told me that "potential is just an alternate reality that hasn't happened yet." I didn't understand it back then, but I now I know exactly what he meant.

Taysom Hill was hurt every year in college, but has been injury free in the NFL, so injury susceptibility can change. I’m sure the key is the types of injuries and how you train. Anzalone is an example of college translating, because he keeps injuring his shoulders. Hopefully NFL docs strengthened his shoulder.

 

[DoMePaTrolleR]

I think Kaden Ellis is going to be a stud this season and surprise a lot of people. He has just about everything you want in a LB. Ellis has the size and athleticism this group has been missing from its 3rd and even most of the time 2nd LB for years. His athleticism was put on full display in college as his team used him often at TE where he consistently “Mossed” people when given the opportunity. Having Ellis learn from Demario and even Robertson doesn’t get much better. All I know is this group looks good getting off the bus.



Chase Hansen is a converted safety in college barely having any LB experience and when he did the kid dominated. He brings lots of athleticism and length giving us a very versatile player to do it all. In his senior season at Utah playing LB he dominated. His only issue was making wrong reads at times which is expected from a first time LB. he is the exact player NFL teams are looking for his a LB who can cover like a safety and that’s this kid. If he can soak in the coaching we can have a very valuable piece to our defense. In todays league of TEs it doesn’t hurt to have hybrids like Hansen.




Some have serious questions about the LB group which I understand. Personally I have never been so excited about the group of guys we have. Our LB group is much better from top to bottom with tons of athleticism for the first time in the Payton era. We know what we have from a healthy Anzalone who can be very good and IMO Ellis can be even better. Most of the times we only need 2 LBs and I’m comfortable with that being Anzalone, Ellis, or Hansen opposite Davis. We have a top 5 overall LB period is Demario Davis which is much more then lost teams have. Not to mention the ole reliable vet that seems to always to his job and make the play when in the game. This will be a very solid group and the help up front along with the insanely talented second will only help.

 

[Hedon James]

Taysom Hill was hurt every year in college, but has been injury free in the NFL, so injury susceptibility can change. I’m sure the key is the types of injuries and how you train. Anzalone is an example of college translating, because he keeps injuring his shoulders. Hopefully NFL docs strengthened his shoulder.

I wish you hadn't mentioned by name, LOL! I hadn't even thought of him, and what you say is true, so far. But the caveat, IMO, is that ALL of his NFL touches likely don't add up to one season of college touches. I LOVE TH7's style in the joker/wild card role he plays for us; but I question the durability of that style as our future potential every down QB. But I'm really looking forward to finding out what he can do as one of those new hybrid-mobile QBs IF he learns to avoid contact, rather than seeking it out. And I hope you're right and he continues trending as a durable player. I would be happy to have him prove me wrong on that statement.

 

[bobad]

Taysom Hill was hurt every year in college, but has been injury free in the NFL, so injury susceptibility can change. I’m sure the key is the types of injuries and how you train. Anzalone is an example of college translating, because he keeps injuring his shoulders. Hopefully NFL docs strengthened his shoulder.

Yeah, but in college, Taysom was used as a battering ram. To this day I cringe when I watch his college film. If Taysom's dad was like Archie, he would have been pulled out of football.