Efe

[Jimmy]

With the new talent, new defensive scheme, new approach...how does Efe Obada fit in? I loved his play early last year, made a big splash but then sort of tailed off. With the new editions, etc, playing in London at Tottenham...does he make the team, practice squad, do we call him up for London?

Wondering where he fits. I love the guy.

[therealmjl]

I don’t think he’s PS eligible.

And it wouldn't surprise me if he doesn’t make the team 

[Jimmy]

10 minutes ago, mjligon said:

I don’t think he’s PS eligible.

And it wouldn't surprise me if he doesn’t make the team 

Completely forgot about PS eligibility...dang, well, I hope there is some avenue for him to be a part of the team in London. He has single handedly been the biggest boon to NFL UK in the last couple of years.

[Captain Morgan]

everybody wants him to make the team so he can go to London, and you have to wonder if the NFL is going to push the Panthers for that.  I don't know how he fits our new scheme.  We lost Pep, but added Irvin, Burns and MIller.  At least one of our current DE's is going, maybe two.  

I like the kid, I just don't know if he fits.

[Dex]

I really hate saying this but I made the point in another thread. If it's between Cox or Efe I think we're going to ride with Cox this year. Better scheme fit.

[Ja Rhule]

49 minutes ago, Dex said:

I really hate saying this but I made the point in another thread. If it's between Cox or Efe I think we're going to ride with Cox this year. Better scheme fit.

You and riding the Cox...

[LinvilleGorge]

We drafted two new edge rushers and signed a decent FA. I think that sends a very clear message that we're none too pleased with our current crop. Hell, Mario might be the only edge rushers off of last year's roster that is a 100% lock to be on this year's roster. I doubt we'd give up on Haynes after only one season but we have to do whatever we have to do to improve our edge rush.

[KB_fan]

I do fear Efe is very much on the bubble. Not only is there the question of how he fits in a 3-4 (Person reports he's put on like 30 lbs! to get heavier), but you've got to wonder how quickly he'll make the transition. After all he didn't grow up playing football. A steeper learning curve for him, perhaps.

His story is special. I really hope he can play in London!

[Baskinridge]

4 hours ago, Jimmy said:

With the new editions, etc, playing in London at Tottenham...does he make the team, practice squad, do we call him up for London?

Hopefully if he makes the team and actually plays in games its because he's the best option and not simply because of the London connection etc. Kind of tired of a coach who gets paid 7 million a year or whatever it is  to put the best plays on the field to play vets past their prime for good send offs or a guy who is just a jag to get time his time in sun in his home country for good feels while getting owned defensively and losing the game badly. 

[Peon Awesome]

Obada has shown more flashes than Cox and Hayes combined. I recommend we see how training camp and preseason shakes out before we decide we'd definitely rather keep those 2 and an injury plagued rookie who has yet to prove anything in the nfl (Miller). Especially if 1 or more of them can be safely stashed on the practice squad.

[Seltzer]

48 minutes ago, Peon Awesome said:

Obada has shown more flashes than Cox and Hayes combined. I recommend we see how training camp and preseason shakes out before we decide we'd definitely rather keep those 2 and an injury plagued rookie who has yet to prove anything in the nfl (Miller). Especially if 1 or more of them can be safely stashed on the practice squad.

I think a lot of people are seriously underrating Obada.  He showed more in that Bengals game than any other DE/OLB on the roster outside of Addison and Irvin.  

At the end of October last year, Obada was 3rd among edge defenders in pressure percentage (@ 20%) even though he only had the one sack.  

It did seem by the eyeball test he hit a break wall towards the end of the season, which is common for most guys in what was essentially his rookie season.

His measurements and athletic profile are more in line with a first round pick than an undrafted guy (which is exactly why he got noticed in the first place in 2015).

Wingspan: 83” (or 6’11”) – This was the same as Jadeveon Clowney recorded at the 2014 NFL Combine. In the 2015 draft class, Randy Gregory had the largest wingspan of pure edge rushers in this class, with 81.9”. Among tight ends, Clive Walford had the biggest wingspan, at 81.5”.

Arm Length: 35.6” – It’s actually hard to compare Obada’s length to anyone. Danielle Hunter had the longest arms amongst edge rushers in this class, with 34.3” arms. Clive Walford’s 34” arms were the longest among tight ends. The longest arms of anyone at the 2015 NFL Combine were Florida’s 355lb offensive lineman, Trenton Brown (36”).

40 yard dash: 4.63s – At the 2015 NFL Combine, this would have been good for second among tight ends, and sixth among defensive linemen.

10 yard split: 1.53s – This is the truly astonishing statistic. Obada’s 10 yard split time (which is far more important for defensive linemen than the 40 yard dash) cannot be compared amongst defensive linemen or tight ends, because it’s so much better than his counterparts. In fact, only six prospects at the 2015 NFL Combine ran a faster 10 yard split than Obada (five wide receivers, and one defensive back).

Broad Jump: 121” – Would have been good for joint-first amongst tight ends at the 2015 Combine, and in the top-10 for defensive linemen.

By every measureable, Obada is clearly ahead of Cox, Jr., Haynes, and Miller.  And I still think the Panthers are going to employ a decent amount of 4 man fronts.  For any perceived disadvantage Obada has in a 3-4, the disadvantage for the other guys in a 4-3 is much more prevalent.

I personally would be shocked if Obada doesn't make the team.  He has a arguably a higher ceiling than any other of our younger EDGE guys (not counting Addison and Irvin) outside of Burns IMO.

[Seltzer]

4 hours ago, Captain Morgan said:

everybody wants him to make the team so he can go to London, and you have to wonder if the NFL is going to push the Panthers for that.  I don't know how he fits our new scheme.  We lost Pep, but added Irvin, Burns and MIller.  At least one of our current DE's is going, maybe two.  

I like the kid, I just don't know if he fits.

I thought that at first, but then I took a look at the roster makeup last year under a base 4-3 defense.  16 total roster spots for the Front 7.

We kept 10 Defensive Lineman (6 DE: Peppers, Addison, Horton, Haynes, Cox, Jr., and Obada & 4 DT: Short, Butler, Love, and Poe)

We kept 6 Linebackers (Kuechly, Davis, Thompson, Mayo, Jacobs, and Carter, Jr.)

For this year, for arguments sake, let's assume we keep 16 roster spots for the Front 7 also.

I think we keep 5 Defensive Interior players (Short, McCoy, Poe, Love, and Butler).

That leaves 11 spots for EDGE/OLB players and ILB's.  The absolute locks barring injury are Burns, Addison, Irvin, Kuechly, Thompson, and Norris (ST).  Miller was a 4th rounder this year which means he is basically a lock, too.

That is 7 out of 11 spots.  The last 4 come down to (not counting long-shots): Obada, Cox, Jr., Haynes, Carter Jr., & Smith.

Out of those 5, I think Haynes, Obada, and Carter, Jr. are definitely going to make the team, and probably Cox, Jr. before Smith.  I think the team keeps 4 ILB's which would be Kuechly, Thompson, Carter, Jr., and Norris.  Barring injury, Kuechly and Thompson are going to be on the field for almost every defensive down.

Anyway, long story short, I think Obada making the roster is incredibly likely even if most of the other EDGE/OLB guys make it as well.

I don't think it would be odd at all looking at the roster makeups for other teams that run 3-4 schemes for the team to keep 7 EDGE/OLB players, which would appear to be Addison, Irvin, Burns, Obada, Miller, Haynes, and Cox, Jr.

 

 

[Seltzer]

4 hours ago, Dex said:

I really hate saying this but I made the point in another thread. If it's between Cox or Efe I think we're going to ride with Cox this year. Better scheme fit.

I personally disagree with this completely, even though I agree with a lot of your posts.  I think too much of made of scheme fit b/c I still think the Panthers are going to run quite a bit of 4 man fronts, and Obada is probably the best suited guy on the roster right now (along with Addison) to be a true 4-3 end.

I also think Obada's ceiling is simply much, much higher than Cox's.  He was markedly better at pass rushing last year, and he is superior athletically.  Obada has to continue to develop, but the potential he flashed in the Bengals game is that of a game-changer.  Obviously, 1 game doesn't make a career, but I think Obada could develop into a starter and/or impact player.  I think Cox (much like Horton) is a decent backup at best.

I think there is a good chance both of them make the team, and I'm not dogging Cox.

Obada would be picked up immediately by one of our NFC South rivals if he was released.

[Seltzer]

2 hours ago, Baskinridge said:

Hopefully if he makes the team and actually plays in games its because he's the best option and not simply because of the London connection etc. Kind of tired of a coach who gets paid 7 million a year or whatever it is  to put the best plays on the field to play vets past their prime for good send offs or a guy who is just a jag to get time his time in sun in his home country for good feels while getting owned defensively and losing the game badly. 

I think enough has been said about Obada's story at this point... it is an incredible story, but on some level so is every player in the NFL's.  Making a NFL roster is the epitome for the most part of beating the odds, at least from a statistical standpoint.

And good story or not, Obada wouldn't have made the roster over a highly drafted guy like Daeshon Hall last year had he not been able to play.  He's not going to make the roster simply b/c of the London trip.  Rivera has way too much riding on this year not to play the best guys.

I do agree with you about playing time, but by the same token, players generally have up and downs in their rookie years (which was what essentially last year was for Obada).  He did seem to hit the proverbial brick wall as the season progressed, and his playing time reflected that.