Who takes SAM linebacker?

[Polk738]

After reading up on the first two preseason games, I'm not too confident in Bruce Irvin's replacement, what do you guys think? KPL, Pinkins and Morgan aren't exactly impressing me.

 

[Maelstrom787]

Looking like a position that's an early favorite to be drafted high in 2017.

 

[Hawk-Lock]

What about Cassius?

 

[Thepeelsessions]

What about Cassius?

It's no secret that that's who I'm pulling for. I haven't been able to watch the games yet, but everyone I've talked to says he's looked really good there so far. What have you seen?

 

[hawknation2016]

Mike Morgan has looked very good. I may add some GIFs to this thread later.

 

[Cyrus12]

not sure anyone of them have looked good out there. KPL looks lost out there. Never been a fan of Marsh. Seems to be a special teams only type..

 

[hawkfan68]

Marsh is terrible at SAM. Not sure why anyone thinks he looks good there, he doesn't. The hole left by Bruce Irvin is big. Maybe they move KJ Wright to SAM and let KPL work at WLB. That is if Morgan doesn't pan out or keeps getting hurt.

 

[Erebus]

Marsh and Pinkins both have serious limitations. Marsh can't cover and Pinkins can't stop the run. Morgan is more well-rounded, but below average for a starting linebacker. He's at least partially proficient at everything and isn't really a liability out there, so I'm hoping he wins the job. I wouldn't be surprised if someone else gets added after being cut from another team.

 

[hawknation2016]

THIS is how you set the edge.

First play from scrimmage: Morgan blows up the Vikings starting FB, sheds the block and takes a perfect angle to stop the run short. That's a grown ass man.

 

[Coug_Hawk08]

Concur it will be Morgan, he looks exactly as advertised. Knows the scheme, makes less mistakes than the other guys. Competition has been incredibly underwhelming.

Pinkins flat out doesn't even look like an LB. Cant contain to save his roster spot.
Marsh flashes at DE, not LB.
KPL, I don't know. It just seems like the lightbulb has never turned on for him. We know he is fast and strong, but it rarely shows as a positive on th field. Maybe an Aaron curry type.

 

[hawknation2016]

I haven't seen any bad plays from Morgan. Even when he's not the one in position to make a play on the ball, he's doing a good job keeping outside contain to force the run inside.

 

[dogorama]

Marsh and Pinkins both have serious limitations. Marsh can't cover and Pinkins can't stop the run. Morgan is more well-rounded, but below average for a starting linebacker. He's at least partially proficient at everything and isn't really a liability out there, so I'm hoping he wins the job. I wouldn't be surprised if someone else gets added after being cut from another team.

I think you make a very good assessment and why personally, I think this is going to be a position by committee where the coaches try to sub situational.

 

[hawknation2016]

This is what kind can happen when you lose outside contain, as Pinkins does here by not squaring up his body. There have been a couple other plays like this from Pinkins.

 

[hawknation2016]

This happened a few times to Marsh, as well, just not as obviously. Marsh just seems to get pushed off his mark a little bit more than Morgan does, and he doesn't seem to play the run as effectively. He looks more quick than powerful.

Looking at the body of work, I think Morgan plays the position competently and Marsh is an adequate backup. I don't think Pinkins makes the 53.

 

[Bobblehead]

I wouldn't be surprised if we pick someone up after the first rounds of cuts.

 

[TheRealDTM]

Myles Jack would have been nice....

 

[kearly]

At this point I view Morgan through the same lens that I would view any other starter. We've seen so much of KJ Wright and Bobby Wagner over the years that even if they looked bad in the preseason we'd assume they'd be just fine because we know exactly what these players are in games that count. Similarly, we've seen enough of Morgan in real games to know that he's a player we can depend on in a pinch.

Morgan is to me the DeShawn Shead of the LB group. Ideally you'd like someone with more innate talent starting for you, but he's been dependable for so long that it's easy to trust him in a larger role, especially if it's only on a temporary basis.

Seattle probably would have kept Irvin if not for 2016 free agency being completely insane. And they probably would have drafted his replacement this spring if it weren't the least athletic draft in years. The early reports suggest that next year's draft will be more athletic, so we might see Seattle look at a fast linebacker next year in rounds 2-4 and use Morgan/Marsh/Clark to bridge the position until then.

Pinkins flashed last preseason but has been a total dud in the first two games. KPL has been bleck as usual.

 

[Largent80]

This was the position I was and still am most concerned for on D.

KPL looks terrible so far. Morgan has been the best of the group so far.

 

[hawknation2016]

This was the position I was and still am most concerned for on D.

KPL looks terrible so far. Morgan has been the best of the group so far.

KPL hasn't played any SLB. As a backup WLB, he's looked good against the run, as usual, but has been exposed in coverage. I think he would be better at covering the flat as a SLB.

 

[Polk738]

not too veer too much off the subject but how has Browner looked in the hybrid role? I've barely heard anything about him over the first two games