Everette Brown = SAM?

[CatMan72]

Could Everette Brown be converted into a SAM linebacker?

Diggs did an okay job this past year, but it seems to me that Brown could be a nasty SAM linebacker at 6'1" 256 with his kind of burst and strength. The only question would be whether or not he can play coverage.

[Zod]

considering our SAM will sometimes be in coverage, I would say hell no.

[rayzor]

another no vote.

you don't take a speed pass rusher like this guy and do anything but make him rush the QB.

diggs and connor have the Sam covered.

[littlebigman89]

Our OLBs don't get after the QB, plus Brown can't cover, so no. Meek has experience taking undersized DEs and making them effective. Brown is too fast off the corner to move him.

[House]

If we traded our first round pick in '10 to get an impressive pass rushing DE and convert him into an oversized OLB that can't drop into coverage effectively, when we already have impressive LB depth, I am going to be really pissed.

That would deffinetly drop our draft grade to a D.

So, I really doubt that converting Brown into an OLB is anywhere in our future.

[Jackofalltrades]

Hell no, where the hell do people come up with crap like this?

Diggs was more than ok last year, he played quite well after moving from the weak side to the strong side.

Plus, we still have Dan Conner.

[Mr. Scot]

He's already been told by the coaching staff that his job is to "put his hand in the dirt" and "rush the passer".

So no.

[panthers55]

Meeks tend not to drop linemen in coverage but he keeps the linebackers to cover short underneath, so why put a DE in the secondary? Brown will be bringing it hard on third down when he gets in just like our other guys.

[CatMan72]

Do we really have "impressive" LB depth? Dan Connor is an exciting prospect but we haven't even seen the guy play. Diggs held things down last year but he's not getting any younger and Landon Johnson lost out a starting job to Diggs in training camp.

I agree that if anyone can get production out of an undersized DE it's Meeks, but we don't know whether or not Brown can play coverage since he wasn't asked to do that @ FSU. It would stand to reason that a guy with his kind of speed and agility is capable of playing coverage. I don't think it's a waste to use a 1st round pick on a SAM that can rush the passer.... lots of teams use 1st round picks on OLB prospects. Do we know that under Meeks we won't blitz the LB's more?

I'm playing devil's advocate here, not saying anyone's opinion is right or wrong. I do think it would be interesting to see what a guy like Brown can do as a SAM and I'd imagine the Panthers have considered that as well.

[CatMan72]

Hell no, where the hell do people come up with crap like this?

Diggs was more than ok last year, he played quite well after moving from the weak side to the strong side.

Plus, we still have Dan Conner.

You know, that's the problem with this board - someone posts an idea and right away people jump in and call it "crap".

I've played and coached football for many years and the idea of Brown possibly being converted to a SAM OLB is not "crap". If you think it's a ridiculous idea then you obviously don't know much about football.

[CatMan72]

He's already been told by the coaching staff that his job is to "put his hand in the dirt" and "rush the passer".

So no.

And coaching staffs never tell you one thing and then do another, right?

I think if it becomes clear that Brown doesn't have the stuff to get to the QB at the NFL level, then converting him to a SAM OLB would be under serious consideration, especially given our situation at that position.

[monstercat]

The Panthers run a 4-3 defense and don't draft 256lb DE's to play linebacker...period. Everette Browns job is to sack the QB...period.

[CRA]

Hell no, where the hell do people come up with crap like this?

Diggs was more than ok last year, he played quite well after moving from the weak side to the strong side.

Plus, we still have Dan Conner.

I agree, that is crazy! Anywho, I was thinking maybe we could convert Duke Robinson to FB, Brown to nickel CB, and finally address the QB issue by converting our 7th rounder into our new starting QB ( I heard he played some in middle school).

........I'm off to find a thread about the possibility of moving to a 3-4 or why Peppers is the anti-christ.

[House]

And coaching staffs never tell you one thing and then do another, right?

I think if it becomes clear that Brown doesn't have the stuff to get to the QB at the NFL level, then converting him to a SAM OLB would be under serious consideration, especially given our situation at that position.

I think that you would have a viable arguement if we were a 3-4 D but we are a 4-3 D. Ron Meeks D's have historically had undersized DE's that are good at getting to the QB, DT's that are big and strong but not overly athletic and can handle two OL long enough for the LB's to get into position, LB's that are not massive but more built on speed and great tackling, CB's and Safety's that are more smart than freakish athletes.

If you look at that model then Brown fits in with a Meeks' DE perfectly.

Our LB depth is "impressive" because any of our backups, Anderson, Johnson, and Connor can play just about any of the 3 LB positions. They may not be Pro-bowlers but they can all play effectively if needed, and all 3 could possibly start for a lot of teams.