Who Starts At Middle Linebacker?

[justasportsfan]

Bills owner Ralph Wilson made it pretty clear where things stood with respect to the middle linebacker position after the club moved up in round two of the 2007 NFL draft to grab linebacker Paul Posluszny.

"We feel they're going to come in and start right away for the team," said Wilson back in late April at a press conference introducing Posluszny and top pick Marshawn Lynch. "They will fill a big gap for us."

But by no means is Posluszny going to be handed a job, and that was evident in the spring camps. Second-year linebacker John DiGiorgio assumed the starting middle linebacker position and never relinquished it over the month of practice sessions in May and June. Posluszny worked with the second team in the middle.


http://www.buffalobills.com/news/news.jsp?news_id=4902


"Seeing everything the second time he's bound to be a little sharper," said Crowell of DiGiorgio


Crowell is blowin smoke too.

[justasportsfan]

Today Posted By: Chris Brown | Time: 2:23 PM ET | Link


CROWELL ON PLAYING WITH YOUNG MLB: Whether it's the expected starter Paul Posluszny at MLB or John DiGiorgio, Angelo Crowell is going to have a very young middle linebacker next to him trying to get the defense lined up pre-snap down in and down out. I asked him what he thought of that prospect and this was his answer.

“It sits well with me. We’re a family out there. I just have to listen a little more closely to the checks, or if he might not see a check help him with a different adjustment that he might not see right off the bat. I can help him being that I know what’s going on and help him get the defense lined up that much faster. The ‘mike’ linebacker controls the huddle and the defense out there. As long as he’s sharp we’ll be good out there. The most important thing at ‘mike’ linebacker is to make a call and stay with it right or wrong so we’re all on the same page. You’re going to have some plays out there where we’ve just got to get through the down.”



What Crowell is referring to at the end is that not every alignment call in a game is ever perfect, but what is important is making the best of that call. That means giving up only 8-10 yards instead of 20-30... or worse. Crowell thinks both DiGiorgio and Posluszny are pretty sharp tacks, which is likely why the staff appears committed to going with those two young players at a very cerebral position in the defensive scheme.



Ultimately Posluszny will likely be the starter, but DiGiorgio will fight him tooth and nail for it which will make it anything but a foregone conclusion.

http://buffalobills.com/blog/index.jsp?blogger_id=1

[OpIv37]

oh god- it seems like Chris Brown is priming the fan base for DiGiorgio starting.

If that happens, hopefully Poz is moved over and starts at SS instead of Ellison.

Wasting two first day draft picks on a guy who can't even start on a team with so many holes would be a monumental blunder.

[Saratoga Slim]

I'm having a little bit of trouble not secretly rooting for John D. Though if he wins the starting role, I sure hope its because they moved Poz to OLB.

[justasportsfan]

Wasting two first day draft picks on a guy who can't even start on a team with so many holes would be a monumental blunder.


It isn't a waste if someone else all of a sudden stepped up and played well enough to keep a high draft pick on the bench until he beats him or got better . This means we found a diamond in the rough. That's a good thing.

[Saratoga Slim]

oh god- it seems like Chris Brown is priming the fan base for DiGiorgio starting.

If that happens, hopefully Poz is moved over and starts at SS instead of Ellison.

Wasting two first day draft picks on a guy who can't even start on a team with so many holes would be a monumental blunder.
how do you figure? he said he think ultimately Poz will be the starter.

but otherwise, I agree. If we start John D, it better because he's one of the top 3 linebackers on the team and we opted to move Poz to SLB so that both could get on the field.

[justasportsfan]

how do you figure? he said he think ultimately Poz will be the starter.
You still haven't figured him out? He can turn winning the sb into a bad thing.

[SquishDaFish]

All depends on camp. But im hoping Digiorgio wins a spot starting because that means hes 1 more good starting LB. Which bodes well for depth. If he wins it Im sure Poz moves over to Ellisons spot and which means he have 1 potential starter at backup.

[justasportsfan]

But im hoping Digiorgio wins a spot starting because that means hes 1 more good starting LB.. :up:

[Saratoga Slim]

All depends on camp. But im hoping Digiorgio wins a spot starting because that means hes 1 more good starting LB. Which bodes well for depth. If he wins it Im sure Poz moves over to Ellisons spot and which means he have 1 potential starter at backup.

exactly right.

The ONLY way its a bad thing that DiGiorgio is still atop the MLB chart is if its because Poz is really not playing well and has somehow already shown that he wasn't worth the picks. From the sounds of the two articles in this thread, the reason DiGiorgio hasn't relinquished the position yet has more to do with the complexity of calling the defensive alignments than any lack of ability or effort on Poz's part. It's asking a lot of a rookie to immediately make all the calls, and DiGiorgio obviously has a leg up until Poz learns the system and how to diagnose NFL offenses.

I think it's WAY WAY WAY too early to worry about Poz being a bust, and thus I'm taking the fact that DiGiorgio is holding him off as the official #1 MLB as a positive thing-the dude must be playing lights out. the simple fact is we're way better off with 4 LBs that could legitimately hold their own as starters than if we only had 3. and I was only expecting to have 3.

[The last buffalo fan]

oh god- it seems like Chris Brown is priming the fan base for DiGiorgio starting.

If that happens, hopefully Poz is moved over and starts at SS instead of Ellison.

Wasting two first day draft picks on a guy who can't even start on a team with so many holes would be a monumental blunder.

Oh no Dios mio, aqui vamos de nuevo!! :ill:

[OpIv37]

It isn't a waste if someone else all of a sudden stepped up and played well enough to keep a high draft pick on the bench until he beats him or got better . This means we found a diamond in the rough. That's a good thing.

it's a good thing that we found a diamond in the rough.

It's a bad thing that we have a guy riding the pine instead of a 2nd round pick and a 3rd round pick.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Hindsight is 20/20. The thing is, this situation is far from being in anyone's rear view mirror. I'm going to go way out on a limb, though, and say that one of the best linebackers to ever come out of Penn State (a.k.a. Linebacker U.) is going to end up a starter.

[justasportsfan]

It's a bad thing that we have a guy riding the pine instead of a 2nd round pick and a 3rd round pick.
no it isn't. It'll mean we have depth. Having great depth is a good thing, only you can turn that into a bad thing.

[mayotm]

it's a good thing that we found a diamond in the rough.

It's a bad thing that we have a guy riding the pine instead of a 2nd round pick and a 3rd round pick.This is absurd even for you! They haven't even had pads on yet and you're already assuming "we have a guy riding the pine instead of a 2nd round pick and a 3rd round pick." Do you know how ridiculous that sounds? Poz simply needs to earn his spot, just like everybody else on the team. OMG, training camp hasn't started and Poz hasn't been named the starter. He must suck. They should just cut him.

[OpIv37]

no it isn't. It'll mean we have depth. Having great depth is a good thing, only you can turn that into a bad thing.

depth at one position with no one at other positions? How is that a good thing.

[OpIv37]

This is absurd even for you! They haven't even had pads on yet and you're already assuming "we have a guy riding the pine instead of a 2nd round pick and a 3rd round pick." Do you know how ridiculous that sounds? Poz simply needs to earn his spot, just like everybody else on the team. OMG, training camp hasn't started and Poz hasn't been named the starter. He must suck. They should just cut him.

oh please- this is a hypothetical- I should have said "if" instead of "that".

If the season starts and Poz is on the bench, it's a monumental blunder because we still have holes at #2 WR, DT, DE opposite Schobel, CB, receiving TE.... those other two picks could have gone a long way.

[mayotm]

oh please- this is a hypothetical- I should have said "if" instead of "that".

If the season starts and Poz is on the bench, it's a monumental blunder because we still have holes at #2 WR, DT, DE opposite Schobel, CB, receiving TE.... those other two picks could have gone a long way.Hypothetically, if Poz starts and makes the Pro Bowl, it was a great move.

[OpIv37]

Hypothetically, if Poz starts and makes the Pro Bowl, it was a great move.

of course.

But that's not what this article was about. It was about someone OTHER than Poz starting. And this is at least the 2nd or 3rd time that it's come up.

[Night Train]

Barring injuries, Poz,Ellison and Crowell start.

DiGiorgio gets them gatorade.

[im4bflo]

DiGi has a year of learning on Poz, and none of the added stress that Poz has, being a top pick, and expected to start his first year.
DiGi cruised in, a ST player, and then got some LB experience.
He better be ahead right now!
Eventually it will be POZ, and I like having another good LB also in DiGiorgio.
This is a WIN, WIN, situation.

[mayotm]

of course.

But that's not what this article was about. It was about someone OTHER than Poz starting. And this is at least the 2nd or 3rd time that it's come up.The article simply states the two are competing for the job. The aricle also states that ultimately, Poz will likely be the starter. There have been a few articles mentioning DiGorgio has had a good spring. I see that as complementary towards DiGorgio. You seem to want to take it as a knock on Poz. My main point is that it's way to early to draw any conclusions from a few articles coming out of OTA's. This will all play itself out during training camp and the pre-season. Ultimately, three best LB's will be on the field. I'm betting Poz will be one of them whether it's in the middle or weakside.

[HHURRICANE]

You still haven't figured him out? He can turn winning the sb into a bad thing.

Justa you crack me up. Poz not starting after moving up to get him is ridiclous.

[HHURRICANE]

Am I the only one around here that would like to win now?

[mayotm]

Justa you crack me up. Poz not starting after moving up to get him is ridiclous.What am I missing? There hasn't been a single training camp practice. Nor a single pre-season game. How can you possibly draw the conclussion that Poz isn't starting? Could it be that the coaching staff is going to make Poz (or anybody else) earn their job? They did the same thing with JP last season. Depth charts at this time of year are meaningless. Many times they are based simply on seniority. How much of an impression can anybody make in OTA's? They aren't doing any hitting. Last time I check, hitting was an integral part of football. Frankly, drawing any conclusions (positve or negative) from reports coming out of spring practices is silly at best.

[HHURRICANE]

What am I missing? There hasn't been a single training camp practice. Nor a single pre-season game. How can you possibly draw the conclussion that Poz isn't starting? Could it be that the coaching staff is going to make Poz (or anybody else) earn their job? They did the same thing with JP last season. Depth charts at this time of year are meaningless. Many times they are based simply on seniority. How much of an impression can anybody make in OTA's? They aren't doing any hitting. Last time I check, hitting was an integral part of football. Frankly, drawing any conclusions (positve or negative) from reports coming out of spring practices is silly at best.

Read the whole thread. I never said he wasn't starting. Op made the point, and I agree, that if he doesn't start that would be disappointing. justa acted like it was no big deal.

[Philagape]

Am I the only one around here that would like to win now?

If we do win now, it won't be because of any linebackers.

[CJW]

Justa you crack me up. Poz not starting after moving up to get him is ridiclous.
Yeah it's gotta happen.

[justasportsfan]

depth at one position with no one at other positions? How is that a good thing.
ths is stupid. Why change the subject to a different position when we're talking about the lb position? Finding other areas to ***** about is so gay.

[justasportsfan]

Justa you crack me up. Poz not starting after moving up to get him is ridiclous.

Again, it's a great thing when someone steps up to beat a high pick player. If you can't see that, then nothing i can do. While you're thinking Poz might suck or not live up to the hype , I see it as us finding a diamond in the rough in last years draft. That still doersn't mean Poz sucks though.

[OpIv37]

ths is stupid. Why change the subject to a different position when we're talking about the lb position? Finding other areas to ***** about is so gay.

this post is immature, and completely misses the point. There's no purpose in responding.

[Saratoga Slim]

Hindsight is 20/20. The thing is, this situation is far from being in anyone's rear view mirror. I'm going to go way out on a limb, though, and say that one of the best linebackers to ever come out of Penn State (a.k.a. Linebacker U.) is going to end up a starter.

Agreed. And, while it'll be some bad drafting if Poz is never anything more than depth, it's surely not the end of the world if Poz isnt starting week 1. Hell, Marshawn probably won't be the official main-man starter until a little way into the season. It takes rookies a little while to get it, even if they are super talented. and MLB is apparently a tough position to master.

be happy DiGiorgio is playing well enough to buy Poz the time he needs to get up to speed. also, we were all happier when JP had to go out and win the QB position on his own merit, and not be simply immediately annointed the starter. doesn't that same logic apply to other positions as well?

bottom line is we're not even in training camp yet, depth charts mean absolutely nothing at the moment.

[mayotm]

Read the whole thread. I never said he wasn't starting. Op made the point, and I agree, that if he doesn't start that would be disappointing. justa acted like it was no big deal.I read the entire thread. I'll stick to my opinion that it's entirely too early to fret about if Poz is starting.