I don't get the preseason rumblings from Carroll and Bevel about Christine Michael being ready to break out.
Why?
Set up a trade?
Light a fire under Lynch?
Didn't know for sure until OTA's were complete?
I also don't understand how Arron Curry II (aka Bruce Irvin) is seeing so much action at LEO as he appears to be in the same category as Michael. After all, Clay Mathews was playing like he was shot out of a cannon from day one and hasn't stopped since (except for injury). If Irvin isn't getting it by now, he will never sniff the level of play, as a pure edge rusher, that Clemmons consistently delivered. The staff knows this, hence, the experiment at linebacker last season. Irvin, the highest selected player since Okung, has still not learned the basic techniques for an edge rusher. If you believe he needs more time to develop, it could have been done much cheaper with Mayowa. Projects aren't taken at pick 15.
The mantra used to be, "It doesn't matter where you were drafted, the best man plays." I'm just not seeing it in this instance.
Personally, I would slip Avril over to the right side to rotate with Schofield at Leo, play Bennett exclusively at left end (with Marsh rotating at that spot), and rotate Jordan, Mebane, and McDaniel inside based on down and distance. Irvin is a better suited at linebacker than LEO, but he still plays too upright for just about any defensive position as he just can't seem to get his pad level down. I would swap him for the Cowboy's Durant in a heartbeat.
About the only things that Irvin does competently are: 1) Seal the edge to turn running plays back inside toward pursuit. 2) He has the speed and athleticism to chase down running plays to the opposite side. A serviceable role player, he just uses lousy edge rushing technique as a LEO. He just can't seem to buy a sack at the designated sack position and it all has to do with his lack of technique.
The long rant about Irvin is my response to the lack of play by Michael. I would like to see for myself if he is a bust as I have seen with Irvin. From my vantage, Michael jumps off the screen when he carries the ball. He looks explosive to me. Watch him end up elsewhere and become Arian Foster II.