A linebacker quandary

[QuikSand]

Okay, in a multi-player league, I have an linebacker who's giving me some difficult decisions. Here is the player in question -- an FOF 2007 screenshot, as this league (IHOF) has completed its transition to the new game:

http://www.fof-ihof.com/upload/QuikSand/jtwiggins.jpg

J.T. has a void in run defense, making him a guy I hesitate to use very much at any LB position. But he does have very attractive skills in both coverage (we have in recent years been a mostly BNR team) and pass rushing. While formally slotted at OLB, then, he gets the chance to play other positions. So, I have basically used him for the last few seasons in a jack-of-all-trades backup role... sometimes as a reserve pass-rushing DE, sometimes as a reserve free safety, and sometimes at the Sam backer spot. He has usually been decent at anything.

Now, I have a new wrench in the works -- due to retirements elsewhere, Wiggins has been thrust into the group leadership for our front seven. That's bad, for reasons not worth expanding upon here, and all things being equal, i'd rather not have him in that role... and acquiring another player just to eclipse his leadership probably isn't viable on a team that's going to be tight for roster spots already.


So... he's a 2115 lb linebacker... and I have a few questions:

-At 215 pounds, are his days of playing effectively at DE now over? Does FOF 2007 treat a situation like this differently than FOF 2004 did?

-Due to his weight, his only options for a new positions are in the secondary. So...I'm thinking of moving him permanently. Here's what my scout says about the potential moves:

FS: 88%
SS: 89%
LCB: 70%
RCB: 71%

So, I guess the obvious move would be to move him to free safety, and hope that he came through the switch okay. There's fairly little opportunity cost involved in doing so - he's probably #6 on my LB depth chart, and is pretty easily replaceable in each of his former roles.


Any thoughts on what to do with a guy like this? And any guesses on what I might be likely to see in him after the switch (presumably to FS)?

[QuikSand]

Oh, if you hate the color scheme and logo, blame me.

If you dig it, praise cuervo.

[Joker]

I think this is a perfect test for changing positions using the new feature of weights. Im not sure which phase you can increase his poundage but this would be the guy who probably could be moved to DE after some time in the weight room.

[QuikSand]

From 215, he'd probably have to gain something like 35 pounds just to be able to try the switch to DE. Maybe a five year plan, to do so, or thereabouts, even if we grant the longshot that he could actually gain that kind of weight at all in-game. And at 255 pounds, he'd probably be around an 80% candidate. He's a 9th year player already, so by the time we were able to switch him to DE, he'd probably have one season left to play at the new position.

Doesn't seem so perfect to me.

[Gotee7]

Free Safety would be your best move. Although, having a Safety with no run defense can be dangerous as well. Not as dangerous as SS, but still not ideal.

[Joker]

From 215, he'd probably have to gain something like 35 pounds just to be able to try the switch to DE. Maybe a five year plan, to do so, or thereabouts, even if we grant the longshot that he could actually gain that kind of weight at all in-game. And at 255 pounds, he'd probably be around an 80% candidate. He's a 9th year player already, so by the time we were able to switch him to DE, he'd probably have one season left to play at the new position.

Doesn't seem so perfect to me.

Ok plan #2 Ive seen a LB with zero run stopping have great years.
They have to have one great quality punishing hitter, seems like this guy rated a 100 would fit that bill. Ok Im spent this is all Ive got.

[SteveMax58]

Are you completely sold on moving him from SLB??

I know his Run Defense looks terrible...but what a beast of a situational pass rusher he must be...especially if you play a 3-4.

Edit: Sorry, I know you're probably looking for more experienced FOF opinions regarding the move than mine...but I'd love to use a guy like this for all passing downs at LB since he's also pretty good at B&R, and decent at M2M.

[Gotee7]

Good point. If your DL is good at Run Stopping and your Inside LB's are decent, you could just let this go run free to the QB.

[DougWyatt]

He looks to me like an ideal "role" player. Not just your every team role player, but the kind of guy that gets accolades from the media for being great at it.

The Role ?

Pass Defense OLB (nickle & dime) & special teams gunner.

Why ? you ask.

1. Endurance - he can't play effectively full time anyway.
2. A move to safety isn't smart. Don't know about your team, but my safeties usually out tackle my OLBs - so the run D would be hurt here.
3. Not only the do you lose run D with him at safety, but he looks to take a HUGE experience bump at FS or SS (going from 100 to 10), so my guess his green/red bars will look like a rookie & with him being in his 9th year - he'll never be useful.
4. His skill set is a great match for this - in the nickle & dime - he can blitz effectively, as well as cover - giving you an all-pro caliber OLB on passing downs.

He actually looks like Jack Ham did for me in my historical league. Same weight & skill set (great coverage, special teams & pass rush - no rund D). I used him as I suggested & he was very effective.

[sabotai]

Are you definitely going to hold onto him? Have you tested the market to see if you could get a nice deal for him?

[Arctus]

He looks to me like an ideal "role" player. Not just your every team role player, but the kind of guy that gets accolades from the media for being great at it.

The Role ?

Pass Defense OLB (nickle & dime) & special teams gunner.

Why ? you ask.

1. Endurance - he can't play effectively full time anyway.
2. A move to safety isn't smart. Don't know about your team, but my safeties usually out tackle my OLBs - so the run D would be hurt here.
3. Not only the do you lose run D with him at safety, but he looks to take a HUGE experience bump at FS or SS (going from 100 to 10), so my guess his green/red bars will look like a rookie & with him being in his 9th year - he'll never be useful.
4. His skill set is a great match for this - in the nickle & dime - he can blitz effectively, as well as cover - giving you an all-pro caliber OLB on passing downs.

He actually looks like Jack Ham did for me in my historical league. Same weight & skill set (great coverage, special teams & pass rush - no rund D). I used him as I suggested & he was very effective.

I very much agree with DougWyatt.

If keeping him at OLB isn't an option due to the leadership issue, I think your only choice is to change his position to Safety. I suspect that you may end up releasing him afterwards.

He does a few things very well, and he has a reasonable contract. Maybe you could pick up a late round draft pick for him in a trade.

[QuikSand]

Are you definitely going to hold onto him? Have you tested the market to see if you could get a nice deal for him?

No, I haven't tested the waters, but I wouldn't expect there to be very much interest. He is (not mentioned earlier) coming off a serious injury, and while his bars fully recovered, he may well be tagged as "injury prone." I wouldn't expect to see much more than token consideration for him in a trade.


I guess with the more detailed gameplanning options available in FOF 2007, I could use him in a swing slot as I have been, and still find pretty detailed places for him to play (like in our dime package). However, I already have a few other linebackers I like for duties like that (more well balanced guys who need the playing time) so he wouldn't be filling a real need there.


In any event... I think it's an intriguing situation.

[Ksyrup]

I have yet to see the AI be interested in a 9-year vet of any kind, so I don't think a trade is viable. I've even tested it with stud QBs and haven't gotten anything but the "lack of interest" message. I'm thinking there's a hard cap in the game to not even consider trades above, say, 7 years experience.

[mhass]

I agree in the statement that if he's moving to the secondary, put him at SS, not FS. If you play B&R and he's your nickel or dime back, you're gonna save some bucks over a corner for the same role. I'm not sure what year you're in, but a nickel corner will cost you way more than $1.1 mil and you can still shift him around like you've been doing. In short, I say leave him at SLB as the declared position, play him in nickel/dime passing situations at SS. To boot you'll have a decent backup for the pass rush positions you say you've got earmarked already if you don't formally move himi to safety.

[Ben E Lou]

I have yet to see the AI be interested in a 9-year vet of any kind, so I don't think a trade is viable. I've even tested it with stud QBs and haven't gotten anything but the "lack of interest" message. I'm thinking there's a hard cap in the game to not even consider trades above, say, 7 years experience.Dude, this is MP.


Quik:

My first thought is that, given how things have changed in this version, and Jim's revelation about weight, the best thing to do is use him in various roles, and watch carefully to see how he does in each. What WOULD happen if a 215-pound fast guy was speed-rushing against a big, fairly-slow offensive tackle? In real life, I'd think that a RB would be needed to help pick him up. No idea how FOF would handle this, though.

[Raiders Army]

#1: I like the CHE for the Chesapeake and the Pig looks pretty funny.
#2: I'd keep him at SLB. What's the difference between a Run Defense of 4 and a Run Defense of 25? Is there a huge difference? I don't think so. He'll still come up with tackles (although they may be past a first down marker). Also, he's in his ninth year. I would think that he would be the perfect guy to shut down a TE. Any switch to Safety will kill this guy and he doesn't have enough years left to develop into a decent safety.

Other than that, his contract doesn't look to be too bad to take a risk on him if he doesn't screw up your chemistry.

[Vinatieri for Prez]

With FOF2K7, I found it interesting to note he has zero endurance (as was pointed out above). Based on what Jim says about endurance, it seems no matter what, he can only be a situational player anyways even if you wanted to use him more. His best spot is obviously a passing downs defender/rusher (whether at LB or at DE). However, if the chemistry issue is a big deal (as you seem to think), then I would just cut him/trade him and move on. I don't think he'll do anything at safety.