The Real 53, For Now…And Analysis…

by Derek Stephens on September 5th, 2011

Posted In: Analysis

Here’s a look at the 53 man roster as of today…see analysis at the bottom.

QBs

Charlie Whitehurst

Tarvaris Jackson

Josh Portis

RBs

Marshawn Lynch

Justin Forsett

Leon Washington

Michael Robinson

WRs

Sidney Rice

Mike Williams

Ben Obomanu

Kris Durham

Golden Tate

Doug Baldwin

TEs

Zach Miller

Anthony McCoy

Dominique Byrd

Russell Okung

Robert Gallery

Max Unger

John Moffitt

James Carpenter

Tyler Polumbus

Breno Giocamini

Paul McQuistan

Lemeul Jeanpierre

Jarriel King – claimed off waivers (NYG)

Alan Branch

Brandon Mebane

Chris Clemons

Red Bryant

Raheem Brock

Clinton McDonald

Dexter Davis

Al Woods – claimed off waivers (TB)

Landon Cohen - claimed off waivers (NE)

LBs

David Hawthorne

Leroy Hill

Aaron Curry

KJ Wright

Malcolm Smith

Matt McCoy

CBs

Marcus Trufant

Walter Thurmond

Brandon Browner

Richard Sherman

Byron Maxwell

Earl Thomas

Kam Chancellor

Atari Bigby

Jeron Johnson

Steve Hauschka - claimed off waivers (DEN)

Jon Ryan

Clint Gresham

Injured Reserve – Jimmy Wilkerson (DE), Isaiah Stanback (WR), John Carlson (TE)

Notable Cuts - Mike Gibson (OG), Colin Cole (DT), Josh Pinkard (SS)

Practice Squad – Jameson Konz (DE/OLB), Owen Spencer (WR), Ricardo Lockette (WR), Maurice Fountain (DE), Brent Osborne (OG), Josh Pinkard (SS)

PUP – CB Roy Lewis, WR Deon Butler, TE Cameron Morrah

Thoughts…

First off, the Colin Cole cut shouldn’t come as a surprise. The fact that he was going to eat $3.75 million in cap space this year to sit out nearly half the season was sufficient to suggest he would probably be gone. The acquisition of Clinton McDonald was even further confirmation that the ‘Hawks wanted younger depth there, and the fact that Mebane had been moved back to the nose was a clear indication that Cole, if and when healthy, would have been a rotational nose tackle, certainly not worth the $3.75 million he was scheduled to make.

The acquisitions of McDonald and later, Al Woods and Landon Cohen make it clear that the ‘Hawks are aiming to get younger and more versatile in the middle of the defensive line. Woods, Cohen and McDonald all have the capability of playing either of the two interior spots on the D-line and Woods may also contribute at the 5 Technique spot on the strong side (end).

I had suggested earlier that Lemuel Jeanpierre had a substantial shot of making the team. He’s athletic and can play center as well as either of the two guard spots, and he’d shown adequate throughout the preseason. Gibson is a tough competitor but he struggles blocking downfield in a zone scheme, and thus was let go. Jarriel King brings athleticism and some real upside as a tackle or guard. I actually scouted him for Lindy’s and NFLDraftScout.com this year. Here’s the not-so-quick and dirty:

Jarriel King

OT/OG

South Carolina Gamecocks

#76

6050 324 5.23

North Charleston, South Carolina

North Charleston (S.C.) High School

POSITIVES

Ideal body type to play offensive tackle at the next level – long, solid frame, broad shoulders, long arms, a tight lower body. A raw athlete with upside and significant room to develop as an offensive lineman after being converted from a junior college defensive end. When able to get off the line quickly and extend his arms, King shows “shutdown” type flashes in pass protection. Showed some versatility at South Carolina, starting two games at left guard in 2009. Possesses the athleticism to be an effective blocker in the run game with the ability to get downfield ahead of the run and engage defenders at the second level.

NEGATIVES

An alarming list of off-the-field struggles and run-ins with the law including a tresspassing conviction, a theft charge, and an assault and battery charge stemming from an altercation with a former girlfriend.

Inconsistent timing of first step off the line often leaves him beat to the edge by opposing defensive ends, resulting in poor footwork and inability to establish proper position. Has a tendency to over-anticipate and “reach” for the defender off the line rather than slide-stepping into a solid stance, extending his arms and allowing the defender to approach him. This over-pursuit often results in a bent waist and loss of balance, forcing him to have to “chase” down defenders who have beat him to the edge and are closing on his quarterback. Absorbs too much of defender’s initial punch by bending his back rather than bending his knees, forcing him to rely too heavily on arm and upper body strength for proper extension. Lack of quickness off the line leads to inconsistent hand placement inside the shoulders of opposing pass-rusher, making him vulnerable to strong initial punch and bullrush by defender. Lacks consistent footwork and slide-step technique to handle change-of-direction, fake and spin moves by pass rushers at the next level.

Struggles to get leverage against opposing d-linemen when runblocking, often coming off the line too upright and getting pushed into the backfield. Similar problems when runblocking downfield, not getting low enough to properly use his legs and drive defenders backward.

IN OUR VIEW

Jarriel King’s versatility, athleticism and strong upside could merit late-round consideration by NFL teams. However, an array of technical flaws combined with a handful of red flags off the field may leave him off draft boards completely. Scouts may project King as a guard at the next level due to his inconsistent footwork and tendency to get beat off the edge as a tackle. Again though, the athleticism is undeniable, and if he can pull his act together, could be a late round steal.

Congratulations. You now know how NFL draft publications want their reports written. Your life is changed, I’m sure.

Mark LeGree was a gamble when the ‘Hawks picked him in the 5th round this year. The speed of an FCS game compared to that of the NFL is so vastly different that scouts are always projecting blindly. You have to be able to evaluate a guy in a vacuum so to speak, rather than in relation to what is going on around him. You have to isolate his athleticism and instincts and then project how that will translate to a speedier game. LeGree looked, more than anything, timid. Until the last game of the preseason when he seemingly turned it up a notch and looked a bit more comfortable…but….too little too late. He’s a good athlete and smart, high-character guy, but in the end, Jeron Johnson’s aggressiveness and instincts projected the Pete Carroll/John Schneider/Gus Bradley toughness to a much higher degree than LeGree (I love to rhyme on accident).

I thought Josh Pinkard had earned a final-53 spot, and was pretty surprised when he was cut. His versatility is much needed, but he did make some mistakes in the vertical game (see Vincent Jackson catch in first quarter of SD preseason game) that exposed some of his vulnerability in coverage. If he would have made some plays on the ball in the air, he would have stuck around. Otherwise, he’s a tough competitor who can tackle, cover and blitz…something you have in Johnson and Bigby already, both of whom can cover better (as of now).

Jeff Reed did nothing special, and Hauschka, if nothing else, provides a younger version of the one time Steeler, and probably has a bigger leg. ’Nuff said there. We’ll see how it pans out. Something tells me there could be another change or two at this position, this season.

Brandon Browner probably starts week one in SF at the RCB spot, opposite Trufant. He was the most consistent and his CFL experience makes PC a bit more comfortable than throwing a rookie (Sherman) in there who isn’t as battle tested. Walter Thurmond is clearly raw right now, so expect to see him more in the slot than out on the edge. If he starts at RCB, I’ll be surprised. Byron Maxwell should see a few snaps in the slot as well after a hugely impressive preseason. I saw a few journalists projecting him as a cut and quickly realized that not everyone pays attention. Granted, it’s not always easy to see what’s going on in the defensive backfield. He has flashed some shutdown capability and his speed/agility have been a pleasant surprise downfield in the preseason.

It remains to be seen whether David Hawthorne is ready week one, but if not, KJ Wright will continue his crash course at MLB, and will most certainly share time with somewhat-surprise keep Matt McCoy. It’s McCoy’s elite special teams play that won him the job over David Vobora, and his experience in the middle will prove valuable if Heater sits week one.

James Carpenter, I feel, earned a starting role at right tackle, but Breno Giacomini should prove a serviceable backup. He’s got the nasty streak and he’s been in a zone system before. He’ll challenge Carpenter, and if there is a slip up or two, don’t be surprised to see Giacomini “spell” the youngster for a few snaps.

John Moffitt (and Carpenter) blocked much better in PS week 4, particularly in pass protection, and he’s definitely your starter at RG. He’s improved each week, and he’s NFL ready from a run-blocking standpoint. That’s not to say he doesn’t have a long way to go still, but he’s an upgrade over Stacy Andrews from last season.

Max Unger could have a great year at center. He’s playing well and looks to have fully rebounded from the injury last season.

Gallery is injured and may sit, so you may see McQuistan (previously with Tom Cable in OAK) and/or Polumbus line up there (LG) to start against SF on Sunday. Don’t expect Gallery’s injury to last beyond a week or two.

Anthony McCoy had the best preseason (in games) of any tight end and he’ll most definitely see balls thrown his way on Sunday. He’s the best blocking TE on the roster right now, so as you can imagine, his services will be required in order to get the running game going.

Speaking of the running game…Marshawn Lynch will start but you’ll definitely see more Leon Washington as a running back than you did last season. He’s explosive, fast and a perfect fit for a cut-and-go system like the one Tom Cable is implementing. He may out-carry Forsett.

T-Jack is your starting QB. K?

If given time (as we saw on Saturday), and if he plays conservatively within the system he’s been given, he’s capable of managing this squad to a win. He’ll need the running game though, as play-action tends to be his friend, and will only work if there’s something of a running threat.

I’m excited to see what Kris Durham will provide. The leaping red zone catch he made on Saturday pretty much summed up why Seattle went after him in the 4th round of this year’s draft. He can jump, pluck and secure the ball with impressive body control and smart route running. He should get a few reps on Sunday from the slot, and in red zone situations.

What else?

Discuss it…

More to come.

The Blue Bird Herd