Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
Bruce Arians and Steve Keim are on the same page when it comes to player versatility. In numerous cases, the more versatile a player can be, the more attractive he is to the coaches. In this day and age, with the limits of a 53 man roster with a mere 45 players active on game days, it would seem to put a premium on player versatility.
Cases in Point:
RB Andre Ellington.
We are seeing the pure vanilla version of Andre Ellington this pre-season as Bruce Arians has yet to unveil the multi-dimensional aspects of his role for the 2014 season. Ellington is BA's queen on the chessboard---he will move Ellington vertically, horizontally and diagonally all over the football field as a runner and pass receiver. Which is he? A RB or a WR? The answer is: both.
RB Robert Hughes.
BA loves this guy---partly because he is a tough lunch pail type of role player and partly because he can play RB, FB, H-Back and ST dynamo.
WR Larry Fitzgerald.
One of the first things BA did when he arrived in AZ was to diversify Fitz's role. No longer would teams be able to key on Fitz as easily as they could in the past because BA started moving and motioning him all across the formations. Double teaming Fitz when he is in the slot presents quite a dilemma for the defense because (a) do you keep a CB on him and thus take your CB out of the perimeter? and (b) do you still double team and/or bracket him with the FS and thus make the deep thirds all the more vulnerable? What is Larry Fitzgerald right now, a WR, a FL, a Slot WR or a hybrid WR/TE? Answer: all of the above.
C/G Ted Larsen.
A seemingly unheralded UFA signing at the time, Ted Larsen has emerged as a key cog in the Cardinals' offensive line. He has stepped in very well for Lyle Sendlein and has shown himself to be, as Steve Keim termed it, "one of the top five offensive lineman on the team." Larsen has plenty of starting experience at LG and C---which is why he appears to be the logical choice to start at LG while Jonathan Cooper is injured and struggling and Earl Watford is improving his consistency. The plan was to start Cooper from day one---but Larsen was the insurance policy at G and C.
DT Dan Williams.
Now that Almeda Ta'amu is off the PUP list and gearing to be ready to play as soon as possible---and now that the depth at LDE has become an issue due to the loss of Darnell Dockett, could Dan Williams and Almeda Ta'amu see time together on the interior of the 34 base? Williams has that kind of versatility, should Todd Bowles wish to tap into this option, particularly against teams that run the ball effectively.
OLB Matt Shaughnessy.
There are those who still are convinced that Shaughnessey's most natural position is 34 DE. So, why then did he wind up at LOLB? Because the Cardinals were set at 34 DE with Dockett and Campbell and in an effort to get the 11 best players on the field, Shaughnessy was moved to the outside. Not only might Shaughnessy be the most logical player to start in place of Dockett, he would appear to be a good inside pass rushing option in the 4 man rush. Shaughnessy is an excellent tackler and in order to defend the more mobile QBs in the division and on the schedule the Cardinals need interior rushers who can shed their man and tackle the QB when he tries to bolt from the pocket.
OLB Marcus Benard.
Not only would Benard be a viable candidate to start at OLB should Todd Bowles slide Matt Shaughnessey down to DE, Benard is a good nickel DE edge pass rusher. Plus, he's been making big hits and stops on STs. Alex Okafor would also be a viable option to start at LOLB and Benard could sub in for him in the nickel, as he did with Shaughnessey.
SS Deone Bucannon.
Bucannon is big, fast and tough enough to play a variety of roles on the defense. If properly covered up, he can play WILB. If you saw him last week on the goalline, playing what was essentially a third LB spot, he stepped up and made two excellent stops on first and goal from the 4 and second and goal from the 3. The coaches have been lauding his play as the nickel LB, and of course, he is a natural SS who has the speed and athleticism to play nickel FS.
FS Tyrann Mathieu.
Honey Badger is the ultimate versatile player. Just as Andre Ellington is BA's queen of the chessboard on offense, HB is TB's queen of the chessboard on defense, as he can thrive in a number of roles as a FS, edge blitzer and nickel CB. When certain players are hurting the defense, Mathieu gives Todd Bowles the flexibility to "Badger" that player all over the field. Even though he gives up size on big TEs, Badger showed last year that he can pester them in coverage when need be. In essence, Badger can pester just about anyone because he is sticky, tenacious, smart and fully under control.
There are numerous other players on the roster who fill multiple roles---and this is exactly what BA&SK look for when they evaluate and acquire talent.
If you look back at the list of players highlighted above---other than Fitzgerald and Williams, all of them were added in the last two years by BA&SK.
What the player versatility does as much as anything? It allows BA and his coaches to do what they vow to do---which is put the best 11 players on the field at all possible times. BA and his staff have shown very clearly that they will adapt their schemes to fit the strengths of the personnel. If you are one of the best players---you are going to play. The creativity of BA and these coaches ensures just that...just as player versatility makes it all the more possible.
Cases in Point:
RB Andre Ellington.
We are seeing the pure vanilla version of Andre Ellington this pre-season as Bruce Arians has yet to unveil the multi-dimensional aspects of his role for the 2014 season. Ellington is BA's queen on the chessboard---he will move Ellington vertically, horizontally and diagonally all over the football field as a runner and pass receiver. Which is he? A RB or a WR? The answer is: both.
RB Robert Hughes.
BA loves this guy---partly because he is a tough lunch pail type of role player and partly because he can play RB, FB, H-Back and ST dynamo.
WR Larry Fitzgerald.
One of the first things BA did when he arrived in AZ was to diversify Fitz's role. No longer would teams be able to key on Fitz as easily as they could in the past because BA started moving and motioning him all across the formations. Double teaming Fitz when he is in the slot presents quite a dilemma for the defense because (a) do you keep a CB on him and thus take your CB out of the perimeter? and (b) do you still double team and/or bracket him with the FS and thus make the deep thirds all the more vulnerable? What is Larry Fitzgerald right now, a WR, a FL, a Slot WR or a hybrid WR/TE? Answer: all of the above.
C/G Ted Larsen.
A seemingly unheralded UFA signing at the time, Ted Larsen has emerged as a key cog in the Cardinals' offensive line. He has stepped in very well for Lyle Sendlein and has shown himself to be, as Steve Keim termed it, "one of the top five offensive lineman on the team." Larsen has plenty of starting experience at LG and C---which is why he appears to be the logical choice to start at LG while Jonathan Cooper is injured and struggling and Earl Watford is improving his consistency. The plan was to start Cooper from day one---but Larsen was the insurance policy at G and C.
DT Dan Williams.
Now that Almeda Ta'amu is off the PUP list and gearing to be ready to play as soon as possible---and now that the depth at LDE has become an issue due to the loss of Darnell Dockett, could Dan Williams and Almeda Ta'amu see time together on the interior of the 34 base? Williams has that kind of versatility, should Todd Bowles wish to tap into this option, particularly against teams that run the ball effectively.
OLB Matt Shaughnessy.
There are those who still are convinced that Shaughnessey's most natural position is 34 DE. So, why then did he wind up at LOLB? Because the Cardinals were set at 34 DE with Dockett and Campbell and in an effort to get the 11 best players on the field, Shaughnessy was moved to the outside. Not only might Shaughnessy be the most logical player to start in place of Dockett, he would appear to be a good inside pass rushing option in the 4 man rush. Shaughnessy is an excellent tackler and in order to defend the more mobile QBs in the division and on the schedule the Cardinals need interior rushers who can shed their man and tackle the QB when he tries to bolt from the pocket.
OLB Marcus Benard.
Not only would Benard be a viable candidate to start at OLB should Todd Bowles slide Matt Shaughnessey down to DE, Benard is a good nickel DE edge pass rusher. Plus, he's been making big hits and stops on STs. Alex Okafor would also be a viable option to start at LOLB and Benard could sub in for him in the nickel, as he did with Shaughnessey.
SS Deone Bucannon.
Bucannon is big, fast and tough enough to play a variety of roles on the defense. If properly covered up, he can play WILB. If you saw him last week on the goalline, playing what was essentially a third LB spot, he stepped up and made two excellent stops on first and goal from the 4 and second and goal from the 3. The coaches have been lauding his play as the nickel LB, and of course, he is a natural SS who has the speed and athleticism to play nickel FS.
FS Tyrann Mathieu.
Honey Badger is the ultimate versatile player. Just as Andre Ellington is BA's queen of the chessboard on offense, HB is TB's queen of the chessboard on defense, as he can thrive in a number of roles as a FS, edge blitzer and nickel CB. When certain players are hurting the defense, Mathieu gives Todd Bowles the flexibility to "Badger" that player all over the field. Even though he gives up size on big TEs, Badger showed last year that he can pester them in coverage when need be. In essence, Badger can pester just about anyone because he is sticky, tenacious, smart and fully under control.
There are numerous other players on the roster who fill multiple roles---and this is exactly what BA&SK look for when they evaluate and acquire talent.
If you look back at the list of players highlighted above---other than Fitzgerald and Williams, all of them were added in the last two years by BA&SK.
What the player versatility does as much as anything? It allows BA and his coaches to do what they vow to do---which is put the best 11 players on the field at all possible times. BA and his staff have shown very clearly that they will adapt their schemes to fit the strengths of the personnel. If you are one of the best players---you are going to play. The creativity of BA and these coaches ensures just that...just as player versatility makes it all the more possible.
49
