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Training Camp Battle - WLB


y2lamanaki

The Battle at WLB  

8 members have voted

  1. 1. Who wins the WLB job?

    • Ray-Ray Armstrong
      0
    • Reuben Foster
    • Malcolm Smith
    • Other (Please let us know in a reply!)
      0
  2. 2. Does Ray-Ray Armstrong make the team?



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Seems a foregone conclusion that it's Foster's job with Smith's injury, but the battle (for now) continues: 

 

Quote

The question is whether Reuben Foster or Ray-Ray Armstrong starts at weak-side linebacker next to NaVorro Bowman. Like the Barkley-Beathard competition, whoever doesn't start in Preseason Game 1 could start against the Broncos next week. Foster is dealing with an ankle sprain that has sent him to the sideline in two training-camp practices. Brock Coyle (ribs) seems close to returning to the lineup. He is Bowman's top backup.

^From Barrows

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I really feel like if Foster isn't starting week one, that it's a bit of a fail on someone's part. Either he's not performing very well, and that's cause for concern, or the staff is woefully misjudging its players or has some other issue here, which isn't good either. Foster was supposed to be a top prospect in this draft (legitimate cases were made to get him at #2, and most felt that he was easily worth a top 10 selection), the most complete and NFL ready linebacker available in the draft. Linebacker is not a position that requires a whole lot of transition time from the college game to the professional one. If Foster couldn't be out smith, and then still can't beat out ray ray, that's highly disconcerting...just not sure for what reason. 

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Honestly, the coaching staff will make the rookies work for the starting jobs, but I do think it will be a pretty big upset both ways if Thomas/Foster are not starting week 1. Same goes for Kittle, though that one is tricky as he is battling a hammy issue. So I would say Kittle is not close to being a lock as the other two, but good chance all three are starting if healthy. 

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9 minutes ago, J-ALL-DAY said:

Honestly, the coaching staff will make the rookies work for the starting jobs, but I do think it will be a pretty big upset both ways if Thomas/Foster are not starting week 1. Same goes for Kittle, though that one is tricky as he is battling a hammy issue. So I would say Kittle is not close to being a lock as the other two, but good chance all three are starting if healthy. 

I disagree for Thomas. DL is one of the positions that takes time to learn/develop, and it's not like the guy in front of him didn't come into the league with a ton of talent as well. I mean Aldon didn't win a starting job right away, and that was not at all what derailed his career. Armstead didn't start a game his rookie season with arguably a weaker DL either. Thomas will still play and be a regular part of the rotation. Foster as a backup to Armstrong likely would not. 

I think both end up winning the jobs anyway, but Thomas not entering as the starter wouldn't surprise/concern me.

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It would surprise me. Sure Tank may finally be in the scheme he was meant to be in, but Thomas is a different beast. He's kind of had to play catch up for the first couple of weeks due to not being able to attend minicamp/OTAs. But I bet by next week or the week after he will solidify himself as the starter. I mean yes, not THAT big of a deal if he is used as a rotational player in year one, but I see him starting. Too good not to. Aldon for the freak he was rushing the passer, was still a bit suspect stopping the run in year one. Thomas is a damn good run stopper and that gives him the edge in that area. Same applies to Armstead as he was much better rushing the passer than stopping the run.

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10 minutes ago, J-ALL-DAY said:

It would surprise me. Sure Tank may finally be in the scheme he was meant to be in, but Thomas is a different beast. He's kind of had to play catch up for the first couple of weeks due to not being able to attend minicamp/OTAs. But I bet by next week or the week after he will solidify himself as the starter. I mean yes, not THAT big of a deal if he is used as a rotational player in year one, but I see him starting. Too good not to. Aldon for the freak he was rushing the passer, was still a bit suspect stopping the run in year one. Thomas is a damn good run stopper and that gives him the edge in that area. Same applies to Armstead as he was much better rushing the passer than stopping the run.

I would agree that I suspect Thomas will win the battle, but has he really shown much outside of run-stuffing at this point? Genuine question, I don't remember hearing much about his pass-rush this early in camp (maybe one or two notes). It seems like the prevailing wisdom is that the starting nickel D would be Buckner and Armstead inside, Dumervil (& Brooks?) on the outside. 

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Well, I don't know who will be playing where in the nickel. If I had to guess, Thomas would be one of the guys moved inside along with Buckner and then occasionally Armstead. Maybe it was yesterday or the day before, but Thomas had a sack and two or three TFLs. Armstead being able to rush as well as he has at the LEO position is making this interesting. Dumervil looks to be our pass rushing specialist but it may be hard to keep Armstead off the field. Now, he could as you stated be pushed instead and it becomes a moot point there. 

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Just now, J-ALL-DAY said:

Well, I don't know who will be playing where in the nickel. If I had to guess, Thomas would be one of the guys moved inside along with Buckner and then occasionally Armstead. Maybe it was yesterday or the day before, but Thomas had a sack and two or three TFLs. Armstead being able to rush as well as he has at the LEO position is making this interesting. Dumervil looks to be our pass rushing specialist but it may be hard to keep Armstead off the field. Now, he could as you stated be pushed instead and it becomes a moot point there. 

Yeah, Barrows indicated that's where Armstead will be (as of now) in nickel situations. Again, I believe Thomas will be the first guy rotating in, and he could do that in nickel packages, too. He's certainly going to have a huge role. I just don't think it's as bad of a situation if he's not an immediate starter as it is if Foster is not. 

Thanks for the update on the sack/TFLs. I've been breezing through a lot of reports, so I must have missed it. 

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