Question about Stephone Anthony (1 Viewer)

Crush

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I watched the games last season, and although the defense was terrible, I thought Anthony was one of the few bright spots and building blocks for the future. He was a rookie thrust into the role of defensive captain at MLB, and he took his lumps, but he also improved as the season went on. I looked at him as being a very solid starting MLB in the near future, with the potential to be a top 10 MLB within 3-5 seasons.
Then the Saints decided to buy an aging and declining MLB off of the Rams scrap heap and make him the starting MLB, while moving Anthony to a new position at SOLB, where I saw him playing in the 4th quarter of the last preseason game, and haven't heard his name mentioned very often if at all (aside from when he got hurt).
So I guess my question is, why?
 
Because JL is more experienced and runs the defense better and puts players in better positions to make plays than SA does at this point, and that's the most important job of a MLB.
 
I watched the games last season, and although the defense was terrible, I thought Anthony was one of the few bright spots and building blocks for the future. He was a rookie thrust into the role of defensive captain at MLB, and he took his lumps, but he also improved as the season went on. I looked at him as being a very solid starting MLB in the near future, with the potential to be a top 10 MLB within 3-5 seasons.
Then the Saints decided to buy an aging and declining MLB off of the Rams scrap heap and make him the starting MLB, while moving Anthony to a new position at SOLB, where I saw him playing in the 4th quarter of the last preseason game, and haven't heard his name mentioned very often if at all (aside from when he got hurt).
So I guess my question is, why?

i am with you. why draft him in the 1st if you aren't going to give him a real shot. Its like them moving Peat around, just a very bad idea imo.
 
I'd be willing to bet he takes the MLB job back at some point maybe even this season, it's good he have an expirenced vet to learn behind one that's known for his smarts and like Chris Long stated is a football nerd who talks of nothing else

SA played late because he was coming back from an injury don't think he has been pushed down the depth chart
 
It's in line with every personnel move they've made in the last 4 years. Doesn't make sense. I like Anthony, don't knw exactly why he couldn't be developed, maybe it was Rob Ryan's issues that were holding him back?
They have Peat playing 40 different positions, never drafted a Guard when even Joe Sixpack on the street corner could see it was a blatant problem.

Maybe Payton needs to get back on the vicodin or something.

I'm truly mesmerized the way this team has fallen apart in recent years. I like Sean Payton, and want him to be here, it's just crazy that they rewarded him with this kind of extension after years of decline. I hope he can turn it around
 
His athletism flashed last year but he part of the problem last year. Wrong gap reads and very poor coverages. Reflexes very bad last year which you could tell he was thinking instead of playing. It was too much for him. He's a great kid but football IQ is below average to bad at this point. I think he's the kind of guy where it clicks year before his rookie contract up. So learning from a veteran and put in more simplified role is the best move by far for him
 
Yea the oline is a mystery , they obviously aren't getting what they hoped for with Peat

The defense of 09 was old in 09 , Vilma, Gay even Greer was older - we also won a few games by the single handed play of #42 who was old

This defense, if it comes together , is very young Breaux is the oldest DB with exception of Byrd who is 3 yrs older and I think Cam is the oldest player on the defense at 29 as is JL

Offense is about the same with Brees being the exception

if the defense comes together and improves 10 spots from last year next off season with the cap relief we will have can really put this team in a great position

Granted we haven't stayed dominate like NE but I think we are building a decent roster via draft and udfa starting with last years draft , hopefully if we get back on top of the division we will have the youth to hold it

That's what I'm going with should we suffer this year as looks to be the case as we stand now
 
maybe he will be another Clay Matthews or Sean Lee who both was MLB before switcing
 
Makes me wonder if Anthony was Rob's project.

But I agree, he's a very talented athlete. His stats were the best of any MLB the Saints have had in many years. I cannot attest to his leadership and mastery of the defense, which is so important to a MLB. I assumed it was good at the end of last season, but what do I know.

This I do know: Anthony will play some good LB for us in the future.
 
Makes me wonder if Anthony was Rob's project.

But I agree, he's a very talented athlete. His stats were the best of any MLB the Saints have had in many years. I cannot attest to his leadership and mastery of the defense, which is so important to a MLB. I assumed it was good at the end of last season, but what do I know.

This I do know: Anthony will play some good LB for us in the future.

I'm just making an assumption here, but it is based off of vague remarks made by SP and ML.

The decision to add JL and move SA over had much less to do with Anthony's ability and much more to do with the availability of JL and his experience. With Anthony, you have a quality LB. but we all know that unit was weak overall the last few seasons. Picking up Laurenaitis allowed us to upgrade the experience at MLB, while upgrading the talent on the outside by moving SA over. That's a win-win. Adding Stupar and Robinson were also upgrades. Our LB corps will be much better this season.
 
Yea the oline is a mystery , they obviously aren't getting what they hoped for with Peat

The defense of 09 was old in 09 , Vilma, Gay even Greer was older - we also won a few games by the single handed play of #42 who was old

This defense, if it comes together , is very young Breaux is the oldest DB with exception of Byrd who is 3 yrs older and I think Cam is the oldest player on the defense at 29 as is JL

Offense is about the same with Brees being the exception

if the defense comes together and improves 10 spots from last year next off season with the cap relief we will have can really put this team in a great position

Granted we haven't stayed dominate like NE but I think we are building a decent roster via draft and udfa starting with last years draft , hopefully if we get back on top of the division we will have the youth to hold it

That's what I'm going with should we suffer this year as looks to be the case as we stand now

The Saints O-line is in big trouble for the foreseeable future. Armstead and Unger are the only players worthy of starting. Peat has to one of the bigger Tarzan-Jane players I have ever seen. He's a teddy bear. Unger is 30 years old and in the final year of his contract. It is quite possible that we have Armstead and a bunch of nothing on our OL next year.

We look good cap wise on paper next year but that is largely because we don't currently have a franchise QB on the books next year. If we re-sign Brees...we'll be back to not having breathing room. So 2017 isn't the year of liberation that many foresee...unless we part with Brees. But then we need a QB to replace him.
 
Anthony is a good player he was drafted in Round 1 with the intention that he would be the MLB and Defensive Captain of this team. Somebody that they could build around.

Sadly - for whatever reasons that existed he has a hard time lining up the team , making adjustments / audibles and that has led to us being out of position often and looking bad.

So , the move him outside where he can run and hit and have someone else tell him where to line up.

I'm sure he will play for us for many years and I hope that somehow by watching and learning he can maybe come back and play MLB for us at some point.

It was just another mis calculation by our player personnel/ draft gurus. Guys that are drafted that high should work out as intended He is just another one that hasn't ( yet ).
 
A lot of the Saints defense's success in the second half of the Super Bowl was due to Jon Vilma not letting Peyton Manning get the correct pre-snap reads. Thank you Mr. Vilma.

It seems Mr. Anthony is not ready to direct a defense like that.

I thought when Laurinaitis was picked up that we would be going to see a lot of 3-4 with Anthony next to Laurinaitis, learning how to direct a pro offense, Ellerbe on on side, Robertson on the other. That would be an outstanding group of linebackers.

However, I have since learned, Dennis Allen doesn't like to "two-gap" anything.

In a traditional 3-4, the linemen two-gap, the linebackers make the plays. The problem with that is, in a pass-happy league, quarterback pressure is the key to success. The shortest distance to quarterback pressure is on the line. The linebackers are farther away. When quarterbacks are throwing in less than 3 seconds, that distance is important.

That leaves Stephone Anthony, despite his physical talents, as the odd-man-out until he can learn to direct the defense like an orchestra leader, or displace Ellerbe or Robinson.
 
Because JL is more experienced and runs the defense better and puts players in better positions to make plays than SA does at this point, and that's the most important job of a MLB.

The downside is if Anthony is the MLB of the future, his growth is being stunted by not getting the reps.
 
Whatever the case.. All i know is that Mr. Anthony needs to be on the field. They need to find a way to get him out there. He's probably one of your best players on D
 

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