Cory Littleton - How was he used?

[Ryno]

Hello, if this is a garbo thread feel free to lock it down and kick me out 👀

So the Raiders signed Littleton and as far as I could tell everyone was praising the move including Rams fans. Unfortunately the Raiders have a DC who doesn't seem to know how best to use players and is having issues pretty much everywhere... 

I understand that he's gone from having Donald etc. to a much worse supporting cast, but he is struggling in coverage and tackling which I was led to believe were his strengths! 

https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1239954040970231810

https://twitter.com/JoshDubowAP/status/1239954897103011842?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

etc.

Could you please educate me on things like:

• What was his role with the Rams
• How was he used, what were his strengths and weaknesses
• What was the overall scheme for the defence at the time

Many thanks!

[NYRamsFan88]

On 11/10/2020 at 4:42 AM, Ryno said:

Hello, if this is a garbo thread feel free to lock it down and kick me out 👀

So the Raiders signed Littleton and as far as I could tell everyone was praising the move including Rams fans. Unfortunately the Raiders have a DC who doesn't seem to know how best to use players and is having issues pretty much everywhere... 

I understand that he's gone from having Donald etc. to a much worse supporting cast, but he is struggling in coverage and tackling which I was led to believe were his strengths! 

https://twitter.com/PFF/status/1239954040970231810

https://twitter.com/JoshDubowAP/status/1239954897103011842?ref_src=twsrc^tfw

etc.

Could you please educate me on things like:

• What was his role with the Rams
• How was he used, what were his strengths and weaknesses
• What was the overall scheme for the defence at the time

Many thanks!

Personally I think he is a horrible fit at ILB in a 3-4 defense. Now I don’t know what the Raiders do on defense, but Littleton should not be asked to plug in holes as a run defender, the man has a lot of speed, but he couldn’t shed blocks to save his life when he was with us, which was why RBs had easy access to the second level of defense.

As an ex safety, he’s good in coverage, and is capable of a few INTs and a pick six; he’s even capable of getting a handful of sacks for the year. He could do well as an OLB in a 4-3, but kicking him inside in a 3-4 will limit him severely 

[jrry32]

Littleton is and always has been a janitor in the running game. He cleans up plays down the field. Doesn't shoot gaps or take on blocks that well. He has speed to run sideline to sideline, so he's not useless. He's just very average as a run defender. In pass coverage, he's good against TEs. Can run with them on seam routes. Shifty HBs give him trouble. Again, he can run with them on wheel routes, but he's grabby on short routes with speed cuts. He's an above average LB, but he's not a game-changer.

[NVRamsFan]

Wouldn’t have minded Littleton back but he was a massive overpay for what he brings to a defense.

[RaidersAreOne]

18 minutes ago, NVRamsFan said:

Wouldn’t have minded Littleton back but he was a massive overpay for what he brings to a defense.

Based on the Rams Littleton a 3 year $35,250,000 contract didn't seem too bad. However he certainly hasn't been the Rams version for the Raiders. He went from a good DC surrounded by good players to the exact opposite in LV. 

Here's an interesting video on him if you guys care at all:

 

[NVRamsFan]

2 hours ago, RaidersAreOne said:

Based on the Rams Littleton a 3 year $35,250,000 contract didn't seem too bad. However he certainly hasn't been the Rams version for the Raiders. He went from a good DC surrounded by good players to the exact opposite in LV. 

Here's an interesting video on him if you guys care at all:

 

I totally get that video and think that’s CL. Reminds me of Jared Cook, would make a handful of good plays and you’re excited. Then he’d drop that easy pass on a crucial late drive or fumble or get a drive killing penalty. CL was the same way for us. He’d have 13 tackles but all you could remember was the couple 3rd and longs he surrendered or that some of those tackles were 6 yards downfield after giving up first downs.

 

Most all of us would’ve liked to keep him but not at what he signed for. We have some of the same issues at ILB we’re just paying them peanuts.

[NYRamsFan88]

We had the same problems with Alec Ogletree... ex safeties don’t seem to work with the Rams, plus we have a nasty habit of playing them in positions that’ll hurt the team. A 225lbs ex safety shouldn’t be responsible for shedding offensive lineman and plugging in gaps. 

[jrry32]

1 hour ago, NYRamsFan88 said:

We had the same problems with Alec Ogletree... ex safeties don’t seem to work with the Rams, plus we have a nasty habit of playing them in positions that’ll hurt the team. A 225lbs ex safety shouldn’t be responsible for shedding offensive lineman and plugging in gaps. 

I think Littleton worked for the Rams. He just wasn't Luke Kuechly or Bobby Wagner. But those guys are rare. He was a quality starter. That's good enough. He was also a guy we could afford to let go. Looking at the video, I think part of the problem is the Raiders forcing him to play so close to the LOS. When he was with us, he was typically playing off the LOS, which made it easier for him to cover.