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The 2021 Offseason Thread

UPennChem

Hall of Famer
Daelin hayes was one of the absolute most underrated and unappreciated prospects in this draft. To me he’s got starting OLB in a multiple front written all over him in big fucking bold black ink. The league really messed up letting the ravens get him for such a great value.

the thing about hayes is that you never got the feeling that he would struggle with a learning curve or anything like that, he’s a natural football player, very high iq, very heads up, both proactive and reactive as the situation calls for it, very well rounded and just a ready to go kind of prospect.

I’ve been seeing all the buzz as well, and as someone who watched a lot of his tape, I was not surprised about the buzz. If he’s generating buzz this early it’s likely because he’s the smartest rookie in the building, and is just head and shoulders above others as far as study habits and what not, so when he suits up for practice he’s mentally more prepared out there running circles around other rookies, thinking less and doing more.

again, not surprising at all. This kid is a natural linebacker. He’s gonna kill in our scheme. Im honestly expecting him to be a locked in starter once 2022 rolls around, maybe even as early as this year, because bowser is one starter but Oweh and Ferguson I’m not so sure about, that other OLB role is up for grabs and I believe hayes is a safer choice to start early than Oweh, and by safer I mean a more fundamentally sound and high iq prospect.

I'm not saying you're wrong at all, just if you're right that would really be great for us. I'm really pulling for him!
 

UPennChem

Hall of Famer
he's a classic great late round pick - a guy who might never be spectacular but has the chance to be long-term successful and especially in a draft class full of question marks i'm surprised we were allowed to get him

We'll take it! Any chance he's actually a starter over Odafe early in the season if we don't bring in Houston?
 

JoeyFlex5

Hall of Famer
I'm not saying you're wrong at all, just if you're right that would really be great for us. I'm really pulling for him!
Now let me add that he likely won’t ever put up eye popping sacks or pressures, but he’s got the goods to be a quality OLB, and make an impact early. Expect him to blow up screens, bat down some balls between the hashes and flats, and with the ravens coaching id also expect some quality bump and run zone coverage, being disruptive in the 5 yard window to prevent free releases, that sort of thing.

One thing I think we are gonna have in spades now, is quality edge defense, not edge rush but just quality fundamental defense out there with high motor guys, guys will squeeze, crash, backside pursuit, 2 gap that outermost blocker and force the play to the closed up side of the front, I think the run defense has done a complete 180 from 2019 where the stretch runs absolutely boned us, these guys don’t allow that kinda shit.
 

UPennChem

Hall of Famer
Now let me add that he likely won’t ever put up eye popping sacks or pressures, but he’s got the goods to be a quality OLB, and make an impact early. Expect him to blow up screens, bat down some balls between the hashes and flats, and with the ravens coaching id also expect some quality bump and run zone coverage, being disruptive in the 5 yard window to prevent free releases, that sort of thing.

One thing I think we are gonna have in spades now, is quality edge defense, not edge rush but just quality fundamental defense out there with high motor guys, guys will squeeze, crash, backside pursuit, 2 gap that outermost blocker and force the play to the closed up side of the front, I think the run defense has done a complete 180 from 2019 where the stretch runs absolutely boned us, these guys don’t allow that kinda shit.

Maybe he and Odafe are actually just amazing complimens. Seems pretty lucky.
 

rossihunter2

Staff Member
Moderator
We'll take it! Any chance he's actually a starter over Odafe early in the season if we don't bring in Houston?

my guess is the starters are pernell mcphee and odafe oweh (purely because of running downs) and that we'll see a ton of Tyus (obviously - who's basically the starter in everything but name) and tons of daelin too

i think daelin and mcphee both offer us some interior pass rush possibilities that mean they can get on the field in combination - its possible we see packages with all 4 guys on the field at once

i really wouldnt worry about who's the starter at EDGE because last year the top snapping EDGE guys (Judon and Tyus) only played just over 50% of the snaps over the season...

and the 3rd and 4th guys both played a ton
our 6th OLB (in snaps), Jihad Ward, played 25% of the season's snaps despite missing multiple games on the inactives list...

in terms of snaps, I'm expecting the end season snaps to look something like this (as it stands before any veteran addition):
Tyus Bowser
Odafe Oweh
Pernell McPhee
Daelin Hayes
Jaylon Ferguson

with Hayes and Ferguson potentially interchangeable depending on how quickly Hayes develops and whether Ferguson can overcome his poor edge discipline vs misdirection
 

rossihunter2

Staff Member
Moderator
Now let me add that he likely won’t ever put up eye popping sacks or pressures, but he’s got the goods to be a quality OLB, and make an impact early. Expect him to blow up screens, bat down some balls between the hashes and flats, and with the ravens coaching id also expect some quality bump and run zone coverage, being disruptive in the 5 yard window to prevent free releases, that sort of thing.

One thing I think we are gonna have in spades now, is quality edge defense, not edge rush but just quality fundamental defense out there with high motor guys, guys will squeeze, crash, backside pursuit, 2 gap that outermost blocker and force the play to the closed up side of the front, I think the run defense has done a complete 180 from 2019 where the stretch runs absolutely boned us, these guys don’t allow that kinda shit.

and i think Wink wants those guys because he knows that ultimately he can manufacture some pass rush especially with Queen at MLB and Chuck at S but you can't make up for losing the EDGE in the running game
 

JoeyFlex5

Hall of Famer
and i think Wink wants those guys because he knows that ultimately he can manufacture some pass rush especially with Queen at MLB and Chuck at S but you can't make up for losing the EDGE in the running game
Yup, plus if there’s two things you can’t manufacture, it’s high iq plays, and Uber athletic plays. Hayes appears capable of one and Oweh the other.
 

rossihunter2

Staff Member
Moderator
It's great seeing Tavon back on the field - with his history I'm not expecting us to rely on him or even really plan around him necessarily but him being back on the field is a massive bonus and we'll see how long it lasts

he's snake-bitten but so talented

and also sounds like Averett's been getting his hands on the ball too - and if he starts doing that then this CB corps is somehow even more stacked than it was going into last year
 

JoeyFlex5

Hall of Famer


it'd be a lot of guys to carry at CB/DB generally but Dorsey's got a shot and so does Davantae Harris simply because they're gonna be favourites in that gunner competition

I was just about to say after reading the tweet that he and Harris looked to have some real potential last year
 
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