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Kevin Dodd talk - Does he make the team?


Dionysus

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8 hours ago, titans0021 said:

https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/pro-refocused-tennessee-titans-34-carolina-panthers-27/

My thoughts: I'm legitimately intrigued by Reed. He's apparently had a strong camp and has looked damn good in the preseason games. When Sims and Ryan come out next week, I'd much rather see Reed and Adoree on the outside. We know what Brice McCain is, he doesn't need those reps. I'd also like to see them work in a few plays where you have Byard as the rover and Reed playing deep. 

Aaron Wallace has also looked real good. I know he's playing against backups, but he at least shows up. Right now, I'd have him ahead of Dodd on the depth chart. For a 3-4 team, I still have no real idea why we drafted Dodd and he's been pretty invisible.

Aaron Wallace has been getting after it consistently.  Looks like Aaron Wallace and Jayon Brown brought that speed to the LB position that we've been missing.  Right now, I think Dodd is still just trying to get back into football shape.  Remember, the dude missed a ton of real action with that foot injury since college.

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33 minutes ago, Dionysus said:

Aaron Wallace has been getting after it consistently.  Looks like Aaron Wallace and Jayon Brown brought that speed to the LB position that we've been missing.  Right now, I think Dodd is still just trying to get back into football shape.  Remember, the dude missed a ton of real action with that foot injury since college.

He should be well in shape by now...

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I've been somewhat hard on Dodd but I think they've actually set him up to fail. I think anyone who saw him in college and watching him now, it's clear that he is a 4-3 end playing in a 3-4. He may become a quality player for us but I don't think he'll ever reach his full potential as a 3-4 OLB.

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4 hours ago, Justin615$ said:

I wouldn't be surprised if they were to trade Dodd. I just don't think he fits our system.

It's not even about him fitting our system. I just don't think he is a fast rusher. He is slow off the edge. He would be slow in an 4-3 system.  Any system asking him to rush off the edge may not be happy with him. If he is just to play the run, then maybe cool.

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54 minutes ago, KingTitan said:

It's not even about him fitting our system. I just don't think he is a fast rusher. He is slow off the edge. He would be slow in an 4-3 system.  Any system asking him to rush off the edge may not be happy with him. If he is just to play the run, then maybe cool.

I agree. I watched Dodd yesterday and he got beat on containment by Anderson. I know that Morgan made the transition but I don't think Dodd can. IMO. 

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Yes, Dodd is a little out of place as a 3-4 OLB, however the Titans ran more 4 man front on defense last year than 3 man "base" fronts. In those 4 man fronts you would see Casey and Jones playing as traditional 3 tech 4-3 DTs most of the time and then Orakpo and Morgan (or Dodd when he was in there) lining up as 4-3 DEs. You won’t see that as much in the preseason because we are going to play a ton of base defense in the preseason. Dodd gives them some flexibility there and I’m convinced that that was a big part of why they took him. He allows them to go to a nickel sub package with a 4 man front and still have the size/strength to hold up at the point of attack and not expose the defense to getting spread out and run on. I would expect to see a far more selective usage for Dodd once the regular season starts which will (hopefully) keep him from having to cover the flats in coverage

 

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2 hours ago, KingTitan said:

It's not even about him fitting our system. I just don't think he is a fast rusher. He is slow off the edge. He would be slow in an 4-3 system.  Any system asking him to rush off the edge may not be happy with him. If he is just to play the run, then maybe cool.

It was painful watching him get beaten to the edge by the fullback on that touchdown. I once saw Jurrell Casey, at four inches shorter and 30 pounds heavier, almost run down Brandon Marshall (which yes, speaks more to Casey), seeing Dodd try to play in space was almost sad to watch.

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Out of all the footage I've seen of Dodd (both college and pros), he never came off to me as any kind of a speed rusher.  He was relentless and got to the QB well enough, but it was mostly through power and tenacity.  He's probably better off as a situational player than a possible full-timer.  But that's just me.  I'm not ready to write him off just yet, until I see a larger body of work to judge.

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4 minutes ago, Dionysus said:

Out of all the footage I've seen of Dodd (both college and pros), he never came off to me as any kind of a speed rusher.  He was relentless and got to the QB well enough, but it was mostly through power and tenacity.  He's probably better off as a situational player than a possible full-timer.  But that's just me.  I'm not ready to write him off just yet, until I see a larger body of work to judge.

I genuinely wonder if he's better off trying to add 15 to 20 pounds and attempting to play 3-4 end. I just don't see how he works at OLB. The burst just isn't there.

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3 hours ago, lamont said:

I agree. I watched Dodd yesterday and he got beat on containment by Anderson. I know that Morgan made the transition but I don't think Dodd can. IMO. 

Main difference being that Morgan is about 15-20 pounds lighter and was a far better athlete coming out than Dodd.

Even a quick look at Morgan's combine/pro day numbers compared to Dodd's is a decent indicator as to why Morgan was more likely to transition successfully.

Morgan: 4.79 40 (1.64 10-yard split), 36" vert, 9-10 broad, 4.21 shuttle, 7.12 3-cone.

Dodd: 4.86 40 (1.69 10-yard split), 30.5" vert, 9-2 broad, 4.44 shuttle, 7.32 3-cone.

Morgan, while never an elite athlete, was at least solid. None of those numbers from Dodd are impressive or do anything to make me think he has the ability to play 3-4 OLB. Obviously the combine/pro day isn't the end all, but when it really backs up everything I've seen from him in college, I feel like it's worth noting.

I frankly just don't even know where he fits at this point. Because even if he was best suited for 3-4 end, at this point Casey has one side locked down for hopefully the next 4-5 years and with Jones and apparently Austin Johnson taking all of his reps at end, I don't know how he breaks into anything more than a pure rotational player. Which is particularly painful when you're talking about a guy that we spent the 33rd pick on a year ago (ahead of guys like Myles Jack, Noah Spence, Sterling Shepard, Michael Thomas and Deion Jones).

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2 hours ago, VY said:

The way Mularkey has been talking up Dodd in the face of poor production, I am guessing he's traded for like a conditional 6th/7th rounder to a 4-3 team. Unless LeBeau & Co can get very creative, he's a very poor fit.

Will be hard to justify keeping him over someone like Fluellen, McBride or Kalen Reed.  All three seem to have outplayed him so far.  
Morgan, Orakpo, Walden, Wallace, and Carroway. All OLB's that have looked better so far compared to Dodd.

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I agree Dodd has not shown up as much as he needs to. However, I don't see the Titans giving up on what was a top of the 2nd round draft pick who plays a very important position.

I think we can get creative with Dodd and make him effective. Keep in mind while Wallace to me has been very impressive and Carraway has been too, neither has played starters really where as Dodd has.

I would like to see the next game us give some time to Wallace and Carraway with the ones if we get a chance or at least be the first ones off the bench. To me Dodd if I was the Titans he needs to get pretty much a full game as they need to fully evaluate him.

I agree the players who play best should stick on the team but I just don't see the Titans giving up on such a high draft pick when this is really his first healthy year with us. I think Dodd can be effective but I do think he is better with his hand down at present.

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