Is Bennett's role strictly that of a pass-rusher?

I've been reading quite extensively on the board that most Seahawks' fans expect that Red Bryant's role won't change and that he's firmly entrenched at LDE as that massive and immovable run-stopping, lineman-occupying, 5-tech DE in Seattle's "elephant" scheme. And I've also been reading that Michael Bennett will play the Jason Jones' role, which implies that he won't start and he'll strictly play in passing downs- because I've also been reading that many Seahawks' fans expect Seattle to still do something significant at 3-tech DT alongside Brandon Mebane, either by re-signing Alan Branch or using a late-2nd on the position.

Anyway, I only bring this up to mention what an extraordinary run-stopping DE Bennett actually is. Pro Football Focus, an analytical football website which dissects each and every player and play (and has really gained in popularity and reputability), has given out phenomenal grades to Bennett each of the last two years for his work against the run, actually suggesting that his play has been borderline elite in this regard. Even people who believe that Bennett is a "one-year wonder" because they exclusively look at sack totals fail to realize that in 2011, despite "just" 4 sacks from him that season, that he was absolutely dominant against the run.

I know that Red Bryant's role is unique and that he really doesn't offer a lot of versatility along the defensive line (hence why most Seahawks' fans seem so convinced he's locked in at LDE). But I really think that Seattle would be wasting quite a bit of Bennett's talent if they restrict him purely to passing downs- he's really incredibly well-rounded.

What do you think? Does Bennett have to pigeon-holed into purely passing the passer even when he offers so much else?

I definatly see him playing some DE on run downs as well as DT on passing downs.

Will definatly be interesting to see what our starting 4 looks like.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2 ... defenders/

No way. He will be prominently pass rush. Either at a DT or DE. He did great last year in both. Was this year's beat all aroundfew agent DE

Until Clemons is 100%My guess is on 1st and 2nd down we will line up Bennett, Mebane, (Branch/drafted/FA), Red

On passing downs Irvin, Mebane, Bennet, Avril

It's starting to fell like our personel is better suited for a 3-4 minus our lack of NT.

LB's Avril, Irvin, KJ, Wagner

DL Bennet, Mebane, Bryant

AWESOM-O.

First of all, this is my favorite .net name, ever. And I've seen maybe 3 episodes of Aqua Teen Hunger Force in my life.

Second, best 1st post ever. Loved the insight you brought with regards to Bennett's run defense.

we're going to mix things up on D so much next year, especially if we can get a quicker dude to play safety and let Earl play slot sometimes - the combinations are mind bottling

OneLofaTatupu":2753y932 said:

the combinations are mind bottling

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it's like when your thoughts are so messed up that you feel like your mind's in a bottle... (will ferrell/blades of glory quote, anyone???)

I don't think Bennett is a one year wonder becuase if he performs against the run as well as he has the last few years + pass rush ability then i could see him getting an extension and replacing big Red who i really like but is getting paid more than he is producing on the field. Bennett should be able to fill the jason jones role also but if he shines when he is on the field Pete won't sit him for long.

AWESOM-O, Nice post.

I fully expect Pete to take a look at Bennett as the LDE or Elephant (Competition right?). Bennett offers much more than simply a 3rd down pass rusher. Actually some of the numbers from both Pro Football Focus and Football Outsiders suggest Bennett could be better than Red Bryant as a run stuffing Elephant. Plus he could give you some pass rush there without having to substitute all the time (which becomes important when playing a good offense that will go to the no huddle and keep you from subbing).

However the LDE and RDT spots (ones on either side of Mebane) are pretty similar on 1st and 2nd down depending on which scheme they are using. So you could leave Red at LDE and play Bennett majority of the time at RDT in a similar role and do pretty much the same thing. Either way I think Bennett's role will be more than a "situational pass rusher".

I think the opening day base D-line will look like this: Bryant - Mebane - Bennett - Avril

And pass rush D-line (Before Clemons is back): Irvin - Mebane - Bennett - Avril

Pete loves versatility. If he can do more, Pete will find a way to use him more. If he's as good against the run as you're saying, maybe Branch won't be needed back?

(BTW, I'm not sure that "reputablity" is actually a word. )

kearly":3c1dfsi5 said:

AWESOM-O.

First of all, this is my favorite .net name, ever. And I've seen maybe 3 episodes of Aqua Teen Hunger Force in my life.

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Not to be a nit-picker, but AWESOM-O is from South Park, not Aqua Teen.

Otherwise I agree with you wholeheartedly.

kearly":2rbr0fwy said:

AWESOM-O.

First of all, this is my favorite .net name, ever. And I've seen maybe 3 episodes of Aqua Teen Hunger Force in my life.

Second, best 1st post ever. Loved the insight you brought with regards to Bennett's run defense.

Click to expand...

Yeah, like DaveyP said, AWESOM-O is actually from South Park, specifically a hilarious episode from season 8. I actually took the name Butters "Leopold" Stotch from SP first was but was informed that it exceeded the allotted length, LOL.

Anyway, thanks for all the responses. I should (should have) prefaced my comments by admitting that I'm actually not a Seahawks' fan- I'm more of an increasing admirer. I actually have the awful luck of being a Bills' fan. You know, the only team that's failed to make the Playoffs this millennium, hasn't made it for a league-high 13-year straight years (with absolutely no end in sight), and who's also failed to make the postseason since the Clinton Administration- that last point really punctuates the Bills' prolonged and perpetual awfulness.

But I can't help it- even though I wish to God I could change it (being a Bills' fan)... I can't. At least the last 13 years has completely desensitized me to weekly losses and I'm pretty dispassionate about the Bills; obviously I'd love it if they win, but I can't even get upset anymore and DON'T even get upset when they lose. My love for the NFL supersedes my love of the Bills, though, so I found things to root for during the last baker's dozen years (Peyton's Colts in the Playoffs, for example, and my "fandom" of Russell Wilson has given me more of an interest in the Seahawks).

I live in Des Moines, IA (in "Big 10" country), and I was able to watch quite a bit of Wilson in 2011, his one and only season at Wisconsin. And without having to use revisionist history of being a MMQB... and also getting to know this player and person through interviews... I knew that he had that ineffable 'it.' I really knew this guy had both the skills (arm strength, accuracy, touch, intelligence, decision-making, etc.) and the intangibles (maturity, leadership, etc.) to be a star, and I was really hoping that the Bills wouldn't be so characteristically short-sighted and be unable to see past, well, how "short" Wilson is. Specifically I was hoping they'd at least take him as far down as the early 3rd. But Buffalo predictably foolishly and unnecessarily traded up one spot for a projected fringe draft pick, WR T.J. Graham, and Wilson slipped six more spots where Seattle unbelievably smartly snatched him up.

But screw the Bills- just because they can't make smart and prescient moves, too, doesn't move that I still can't root for Wilson... from afar. That doesn't make me a Seahawks' fan, I admit, but I still love to see such an incredible person and player succeed- and I really believe he's on the verge of authentic stardom.

So anyway... that's my story (sorry it turned into a novel). But I also have a pretty deep and comprehensive knowledge of the NFL (I iike to think so, anyway, haha), and I just wanted Seahawks' fans to know that how effective and stout against the run Michael Bennett really is. You're really getting yourselves a very versatile and well-rounded player- and I think it'd be somewhat of a shame if he didn't get a chance to show it and was strictly made an interior pass-rusher on passing downs.

Nice post. I have a feeling we are going to be very flexible with the Dline this year as long as we resign Branch and/or draft a future 3T early in the draft. When you look at the potential line ups I could see something like this:

Run downs when playing a power team:
LDE-Red
1T-Mebane
3T-Branch or whoever we draft/sign
LEO-Avril or Clemons or Irvin

Pass downs against a power team:
LDE-Avril or Clemons or Irvin
1T-Mebane
3T-Bennett
LEO-Avril or Clemons or Irvin

Run downs against a more wide open passing team(Green Bay, NE, NO type teams)
LDE-Bennett
1T-Mebane
3T-Branch or whoever we sign/draft
LEO-Avril or Clemons or Irvin

Pass downs against a more wide open passing team
LDE-Avril or Clemons or Irvin
1T-Mebane
3T-Bennett
LEO-Avril or Clemons or Irvin

Point being, no matter what type of team we are playing if we swap out one guy from our base defensive line we can go from a tough run defense to a stellar pass defense that can get pressure on the QB. It would also be interesting if in some 3rd and long time situations they went with a lineup like:

LDE-Avril
1T-MEbane
3T-Bennett
LEO-Clemons
LB-Irvin
LB-Bwags
LB-KJ

In that case you could blitz Irvin and you have 4 above average pass rushers rushing the passer plus Mebane. Maybe in that lineup you would pull Kam and insert the nickel CB so you have 4 DB's who can cover the pass catchers tightly. There is no way that rushing those 5 would not get pressure on the QB quickly.

I wouldn't take any sites opinion as worth as much as table salt with Pete and his crew.

They seem to do what they do and ignore what everyone else says/does.

That's the main reason he's badmouthed by the general coaching/media people. Cause he tells them nothing about what his thoughts are and does everything wrong according to them.

:roll:

AWESOM-O":3ux5vqpk said:

Yeah, like DaveyP said, AWESOM-O is actually from South Park, specifically a hilarious episode from season 8.

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And here I was thinking that AWESOM-O was definitely a Hawks fan... because I viewed the name as a tribute to the Hawks offense, especially since we traded for Percy Harvin.

Michael Bennett... One of the guys I wasn't happy to see put on our practice squad because I knew he was going to be snatched up off our practice squad when Rusky and Holmy put him on the PS. Bennett's an every down DE in the 4-3 and I do not expect him to be used as, primarily, a rotation guy. He will, likely, start at DE. He's better against the run than Avril in my opinion. If anything... Avril is more of a pass rushing specialist than Bennett is.

These are the basic terms for how I think we'll use the personnel we have right now.

1st downs, 2nd and 5-10
RDE - Michael Bennett or Cliff Avril
RDT - Alan Branch or Brandon Mebane
LDT - Brandon Mebane, Jaye Howard, Scruggs or acquisition
LDE - Red Bryant or Michael Bennett

2nd or 3rd and less than 5 (Short yardage situations)
RDE - Michael Bennett
RDT - Alan Branch
LDT - Brandon Mebane
LDE - Red Bryant

2nd or 3rd and long (Passing situations)
RDE - Cliff Avril or Bruce Irvin
RDT - Brandon Mebane or Alan Branch
LDT - Red Bryant or Jaye Howard (Don't count out Scruggs)
LDE - Michael Bennett or Bruce Irvin

I see us reverting Irvin back to his initial role as a hybrid edge rusher that'll be brought in on passing situations to spell Avril or Bennett at DE or compliment them as an additional pass rushing OLB on the outside. I think PC and JS are trying to minimize the usage of Irvin until he develops better technique and leverage to hold at the point of attack along with better backfield recognition. Irvin has a ton of upside, but his shortcomings were exposed when he had to step in for Clemons as an every down DE last year.

I think Bryant and Bennett will most likely be comPETEing for the starting LDE position. Should Big Mike prove to be a better fit than Bigger Red; Bryant may have to prove his versatility by moving inside or restructure his contract more in line to a back-up’s roll.

At the very least it will make for an interesting preseason…

Lynch Mob":3cqch3iy said:

I don't think Bennett is a one year wonder becuase if he performs against the run as well as he has the last few years + pass rush ability then i could see him getting an extension and replacing big Red who i really like but is getting paid more than he is producing on the field. Bennett should be able to fill the jason jones role also but if he shines when he is on the field Pete won't sit him for long.

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This. If he's as good against the run at DE at well as profootballfocus says he is; then I don't see how he doesn't replace Red due to his ability to also bring a little pass rush from that side during base formation. He also could probably chase down a scrambling QB better than Red also.

I love Red just as much as anyone, but he's getting paid way too much for his contribution to the DL if last year was any indication. Until we find a clear starting 3Tech I see Bennett playing DT with Red staying at 5Tech. However, once we find our DT I don't see how Bennett doesn't end up challenging Red for his starting spot at 5Tech.

Camp is going to be really interesting this season.

The Radish":3qp1osmz said:

I wouldn't take any sites opinion as worth as much as table salt with Pete and his crew.

They seem to do what they do and ignore what everyone else says/does.

That's the main reason he's badmouthed by the general coaching/media people. Cause he tells them nothing about what his thoughts are and does everything wrong according to them.

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That's not quite true. Much of the time he tells them exactly what his thoughts are. It's not his fault of they don't believe him or think he's crazy.

DJrmb":fkkp3euu said:

AWESOM-O, Nice post.

I fully expect Pete to take a look at Bennett as the LDE or Elephant (Competition right?). Bennett offers much more than simply a 3rd down pass rusher. Actually some of the numbers from both Pro Football Focus and Football Outsiders suggest Bennett could be better than Red Bryant as a run stuffing Elephant. Plus he could give you some pass rush there without having to substitute all the time (which becomes important when playing a good offense that will go to the no huddle and keep you from subbing).

However the LDE and RDT spots (ones on either side of Mebane) are pretty similar on 1st and 2nd down depending on which scheme they are using. So you could leave Red at LDE and play Bennett majority of the time at RDT in a similar role and do pretty much the same thing. Either way I think Bennett's role will be more than a "situational pass rusher".

I think the opening day base D-line will look like this: Bryant - Mebane - Bennett - Avril

And pass rush D-line (Before Clemons is back): Irvin - Mebane - Bennett - Avril

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The elephant and the Leo are the same thing. Earlier versions of our scheme used the name elephant. It refers to the hybrid nature of the position as a hybrid end and linebacker. EL or LE . Bryant isn't the elephant.