wilco_holland Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 A couple of times around here I have seen people who want to move cofield to maby DE, where he could be more productive. I even remember one guy saying ´´Cofield would be a great DE but Shanahan kinda loves him at NT, so...´´ I always disagreed with that. Cofield is maby not the prototype NT you would expect in a 3-4 (a huge mountain of a human) but he is very productive. I would even say he is one of our prime defenders. In my opinion he is one of the best moves Mike Shanahan made since he came to D.C. And I was very skeptic when we got the news that we signed him. I think Shanahan might be a better personal man than we give him credit for. Cofield - Bowen move tured out great. Here is a article on SI that shows the impact of Barry. Defensive Tackles: Barry Cofield, Washington Redskins/Jason Hatcher, Dallas Cowboys Robert Griffin received the lion’s share of recognition when people were talking about the Redskins last year, and justifiably so. But Cofield was one in a handful of players who put up surprising performances on defense. In 2013, Cofield had his best NFL season to date, .... http://nfl.si.com/2013/08/06/all-underrated-team-defense-jabaal-sheard/?sct=hp_t11_a2&eref=sihp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSO Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 I totally agree, he's powerful enough to occupy space and take up blockers so the LBs can make plays, but what makes him special is his quickness and hand skills that make him an excellent pass rusher, something rarely seen from the more traditional NTs in the league. I'm a big fan of his and I think he just looks so much more like a 3-4 DE that a lot of fans assume he'll do better there... But I think he's as effective as any true NT except he uses his shiftiness and hand swipes instead if brute force. And he doesn't get pushed back. The ONLY thing in my mind that would make him a better NT is a little more push up the middle on obvious passing downs so QBs can't step up, but it's not that big of a deal because more often than not he's a factor as a pass rusher but just at different angles than right up the middle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enforcer_FFX Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Agreed - so glad we picked him up! NT (unless they have some big blow-up sack or run stuff) is hard to really track while watching the course of the game. Cofield has been doing a great job. Other notes: -The article lists RK91 as being an underrated OLB -In the underrated offense article, http://nfl.si.com/2013/08/05/all-underrated-nfl-team-sam-bradford-cj-spiller/, they list Chris Chester at G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaGoonie55 Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Love this guy and all our boys that play in the trenches. I played NT in a 3-4 in high school. I was 6' 2" 270. Finesse player all the way. I wasn't blessed with the skill that Cofield has - it is a thing of beauty to watch. Dallas better hope that reach of a pick is ready to go - Cofield will eat him alive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrelgreenie Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 At least on my part I've always maintained that Cofield is a good NT. I believe he would be more valueable as a DE in this scheme. There isn't a direct analogy but I'm sure JJ Watt, Justin Smith, Haloti Ngata could play fulltime NT. But for me to have an effective 34 front you have to get upfield and generate pass rush; and if you can only have one or the other it is more important to have a DE that can penetrate then a NT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mahons21 Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 The issue with Cofield isn't his talent, it's whether his talent is being utilized in the best way possible. His best asset is his speed off the snap of the ball and ability to penetrate. However in a 2-gap scheme (which we supposedly run), the defender is forced to read and react, and then take on a couple of blocks. This minimizes the impact Cofield can have, because he isn't able to attack a point as soon as the ball is snapped. Furthermore, having watched him from endzone seats in a couple of games, he chooses the wrong gap a decent amount (if he's 2 gapping). Ideally he would play 5 tech DE, and we could run some stunts with him and some of our OLB, or let him attack upfield more. In addition to using him as a DT in our 2-4-5, where he could once again use his speed off the snap off the ball. 2-gapping NTs, need to be brute force guys, immovable objects that can take on 2 blocks and hold there ground if not push the blocks backward, look at a Wilfork/Hampton for this. If we were running a 34 scheme similar to Wade Phillip's, where the NT is not 2-gapping, and they can attack upfield immediately ie Jay Ratliff, then Barry would fit perfectly. But we don't run one of those schemes. Talent is there, just think it could be utilized better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbs Hog Heaven Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Totally disagree my Dutch friend. Barry's a smart as all heck football player. He's an athletic, solid lineman. But in this 34, he's undersized and under strengthened to play nose. He's fine in a containment role. Solid against the run. But he gets little to no push at all the vast majority of the time. Which along with Jenkins struggling to regain his power after the ACL, and the lack of Carriker; has cost not only the D front but whole XI. It starts and ends up front. If that's not working, then it falls down going back. I respect the heck out of Cofield. But until we get a true 34 beast of a NT; what could be a darn good top end D will remain frustratingly unfulfilled due in large part to the sum of its parts. Hail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrelgreenie Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 ^^Heck, I would prefer playing 'just a guy' at NT if that meant we moved Cofield to DE. I think there would be more net gain that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobGriffin Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 I think Coefield is awesome. He does everything pretty well except push the pocket back. If we had a NT that could do that on passing downs Rak and Kerrigan's lives would be much easier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MumboSauce Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 I agree with Gibbs and Bob. He'd be a better DE, he's doing what he can at nose and considering his size does pretty well, but the lack of push up the middle hurts. with a true nose and Barry at end...would be sooooo much better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dark Acre Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 On this topic, haven't we heard for years that a proto NT is a huge guy, Siragusa being the poster child? However, since the NFL has gone pass-heavy in recent years, has anyone reevaluated what you need in a proto NT? With the emphasis on passing, maybe a NT is more effective if he can beat the C or split the gap between the C and G? Sure, he needs to hold his own against the run, but who's running 50 gut with a 240# back these days? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
martytheman Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 At least on my part I've always maintained that Cofield is a good NT. I believe he would be more valueable as a DE in this scheme. There isn't a direct analogy but I'm sure JJ Watt, Justin Smith, Haloti Ngata could play fulltime NT. But for me to have an effective 34 front you have to get upfield and generate pass rush; and if you can only have one or the other it is more important to have a DE that can penetrate then a NT. Disagree. I don't know if Cofield has the speed of those other guys, I think he's right at home in the middle, with the shortest path to the qb. (through the OC/OG) I think the middle is where he belongs full time, with the ability to slide outside in a pinch. *eta If the majority here think he's best used at DE, and Baker at NT, then why is Baker getting reps at DE and Cofield staying put at NT? If what you guys were saying is true, the natural thing to do would for the defensive coaches to have him outside vs. Baker.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinny21 Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Correct me I'm wrong, but isn't a QB pressure the same as a hurry (or are only sacks and hits considered QB pressure?)? I ask because, according to the article, Cofield had 19 hurries and Jason Hatcher, with 20.5 pressures, was second in the league behind Watt (for interior linemen). If I'm right, it seems he's actually getting after the QB quite well. If I'm wrong (that a hurry=pressure), then I'll quietly back out of the conversation... Statistically, he had a great year in 2011, though if we're just talking about ensuring the QB can't step up in the pocket, then that's something I know little about. I will admit to being swayed a little by Has and Cofield's remarks about the potential to be one of the best in the league, but all I've got is a few stats to back it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrelgreenie Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 At least on my part I've always maintained that Cofield is a good NT. I believe he would be more valueable as a DE in this scheme. There isn't a direct analogy but I'm sure JJ Watt, Justin Smith, Haloti Ngata could play fulltime NT. But for me to have an effective 34 front you have to get upfield and generate pass rush; and if you can only have one or the other it is more important to have a DE that can penetrate then a NT. Disagree. I don't know if Cofield has the speed of those other guys, I think he's right at home in the middle, with the shortest path to the qb. (through the OC/OG) I think the middle is where he belongs full time, with the ability to slide outside in a pinch. NT is the shortest path to the QB. But, its also the easiest to account for and nullify with a double team. Typically speaking most team use their Center and LG on the opposing NT. Playing DE makes it harder to account for with a double team because a there is an OLB the offense also has to account b the OLB & DE can run combo plays stunts and rubs etc Other then having the shortest past to the QB why do you think Cofield is better at NT then DE? *eta If the majority here think he's best used at DE, and Baker at NT, then why is Baker getting reps at DE and Cofield staying put at NT? If what you guys were saying is true, the natural thing to do would for the defensive coaches to have him outside vs. Baker.... I don't know what you're talking about I was at practice and I saw Baker at NT with the second unit. Jenkins was still playing DE with the 1st unit. Also, an appeal to authority (the team playing Cofield at NT) doesn't prove you correct. There are countless players in this regime that were playing in the wrong position. Just because the team plays them there doesn't make the move correct nor does it render the move beyond discussion. But, to answer your question the obvious reason Cofield would stay at NT is to maintain continuity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Puma Kane Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 Barry might not be the prototypical NT, but taking two guys out of the play mentally, can be just as effectivective physically. But having him on the edges with the Rak or RK will have A Lot of Olines shifting, until they're blue in the face... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sean and Laron show Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 I like Cofield at NT. I would support the move to DE if we were getting gashed up the middle with the run, but that wasn't the case. We were a top 5 D against the run and that all starts with the NT. He's the tip of our spear on D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skinny21 Posted August 8, 2013 Share Posted August 8, 2013 I like Cofield at NT. I would support the move to DE if we were getting gashed up the middle with the run, but that wasn't the case. We were a top 5 D against the run and that all starts with the NT. He's the tip of our spear on D. To be more accurate though, we were middle of the pack in YPC against. However, I have a hunch this may have been in part due to trying to cover our ***es in the pass rush and coverage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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