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4.132 - MIN: Troy Dye LB/Oregon


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Just now, SteelKing728 said:

I think Cameron Smith is gone.

Why was he all hyped up anyways? I remember reading about him in a sports magazine before.

I think this is more trouble for Gedeon given that Smith is more of backup Mike.

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9 hours ago, byuvike88 said:

The more I think about this pick, the more I think Gedeon could be released 

There’s an opening on the depth chart with Brothers gone, for MLB depth with special teams ability. I think that’s the role Dye projects to.

Gedeon was clearly ahead of Cam Smith last year. Smith didn’t make the team and Gedeon was starting in base until his injuries.

Gedeon didn’t play especially well last year, but the run defense got noticeably worse with him out. Eric Wilson is a good modern OLB but Zimmer likes his LBs to be able to come downhill and make run stops, and that’s not Wilson’s game.

So unless Gedeon isn’t the same after his concussion, I think he sticks, along with Wilson and one of Dye or Smith (or both if they keep 6).

 

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On 4/25/2020 at 2:37 PM, byuvike88 said:

The more I think about this pick, the more I think Gedeon could be released 

100%

Gedeon was a part time player for us, and I don't really see the need in keep both of them.

Dye is surely kept, and Gedeon is taking up the spot of a (hopefully high potential 6th-7th-UDFA)

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Gedeon was a starter last year whenever healthy, ahead of Wilson.

Even if he loses his job (to the rookie?), why would they cut him? They have an open roster spot from Brothers' departure. Cam Smith, their only other depth piece at LB, didn't make the team initially last year.

It looks like Dye could be a starter, and an upgrade from Gedeon: he graded well in both run defense and coverage in college, and he seems like a plus athlete (though he didn't do the drills at the combine).

On the other hand, Dye is pretty lanky and lightweight (6'3" 231, though listed at 224 lbs in college), even more than Wilson (231, but 2 inches shorter). I doubt Zimmer is going to want him as the 7th guy in the box facing bigger running backs when he could have Gedeon at 6'2" 244. 

I think Dye is more likely a replacement for Wilson as nickel LB depth, with the potential to be the OLB starter. Wilson's cap number is $3.2M, and there's zero dead money if he's released. That's a big number (12th highest cap hit on the team) for a guy who's never been higher than 4th on the depth chart at LB with everyone healthy. Even if Wilson sticks this year, Dye would probably be able to take over next year so they don't have to extend Wilson longer term. 

In either case, I wouldn't expect Gedeon (if healthy) to be released, leaving only 2 backup LBs with basically zero experience in Dye and Cam Smith. 

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I concur with Krauser. While anyone could be released, I believe this pick is more about an eye towards the expiration of Wilson's and Gedeon's contracts, which both expire after this year. If either of these players are released this year it will probably be Wilson who is both more expensive and has less experience as a starter (if it is fair to call the third LBer in Zimmer's defense a starter, which it probably isn't if you want to limit yourself to calling 11 guys starters). 

I love seeing them bring in potential replacements for expiring contracts a year before those contract expires. It puts the team in a much better position. If things go really well for the rookie they might be able to move on sooner, but I doubt Dye will have a chance to displace either of them this year.

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