michael89156
Hall of Famer
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« : November 02, 2012, 03:03:16 AM »
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Cap Hit: Bad Value For Money
Khaled Elsayed | 2012/11/01
ProFootballFocus
4-3 Defensive End: Kyle Vanden Bosch (DET) – $7.5m
There comes a time when regardless of how much respect you have for one of your defensive leaders, you start to evaluate him purely on performance. Clearly that’s not going on in Detroit because if it was then there’s no way KVB would be on the field nearly as much as he is. Poor in the run game and generating pressure on just 8.2% of pass rushes, the end is surely near for Vanden Bosch.
Dishonorable Mentions: Julius Peppers (CHI) – $12.1m and Mario Williams, BUF ($10m)
4-3 Defensive Tackle: Tommy Kelly (OAK) – $9m
The Raiders have a lot of money invested in their defensive tackles, and while Richard Seymour is always good for some splash plays (and more), this hasn’t been a year where Kelly has excelled. The four penalties he has given up haven’t helped but there’s been a noticeable drop off in his penetration up the gut, with only his display against the Chiefs resembling his displays from yesteryear.
Dishonorable Mentions: Vince Wilfork (NE) – $8.5m and Sedrick Ellis (NO) – $7.5m
3-4 Defensive End: Tyson Jackson (KC) – $9.5m
However you want to spin it, Jackson was a bad draft pick. Not because he’s a bad player, but because you don’t spend a third overall pick on a two down run stuffing end. That’s what the Chiefs did and they’re having to live with the consequences of his astronomical salary. His work in the run game has been decent this year (though nowhere near as good as 2011), but he’s yet to pick up any pressure. In fact throughout his career he has 19 quarterback disruptions. Through 8 weeks of the NFL season 43 defenders have more this season alone.
Dishonorable Mentions: Brett Keisel (PIT) – $5m and Marcus Spears (DAL) – $2.5m
Nose Tackle: Casey Hampton (PIT) – $5m
It’s safe to say that Hampton is coming to the end of the road of a long and successful NFL career. Often regarding as the prototypical zero technique in the game, he’s no longer the player he once was and the league has changed to leave his role less and less meaningful. He’s been on the field for 45% of the Steelers defensive snaps.
Dishonorable Mentions: B.J. Raji – $5.5m and Ryan Pickett – $5.5m of Green Bay. Depending on the match up both men rotate between defensive end and nose tackle without either justifying the cost.
3-4 Outside Linebacker: Dwight Freeney (IND) – $12m
Pretty easy selection, no? You can blame this on Freeney having to transition to outside linebacker but that would be ignoring the problem. He just hasn’t look like the terror he once was. Meanwhile he’s only dropped into coverage on 10 plays and still spends 72.3% of his time rushing with his hand in the ground. All that for 10 quarterback disruptions, a number 23 other outside linebackers have bettered including names like Erik Walden and Jerry Hughes.
Dishonorable Mentions: Tamba Hali (KC) – $15m and Calvin Pace (NYJ) – $7m
3-4 Inside Linebacker: David Harris (NYJ) – $9m
We’ve always held the belief that Harris has been a little bit overrated. While Bart Scott has done a lot of hard lifting clearing blockers out the way, Harris was there to sweep in unblocked and make a tackle to a degree. He’s still making tackles but still struggling to get off blocks, while his usual good work in coverage has been missing. Symptomatic of a disappointing Jets season.
Dishonorable Mentions: London Fletcher (WAS) – $5.5m and Bart Scott (NYJ) – $6m
4-3 Outside Linebacker: Quincy Black (TB) – $5.5m
Seriously, what were the Bucs thinking when they handed Black so much money? He was coming off a good year but that was a huge deal to give a player who had never coped with an every down role. It didn’t work out and now Black finds himself a slightly below average two down player who has played 47% of Tampa Bay defensive snaps.
Dishonorable Mentions: Michael Boley (NYG) – $5.5m and Mathias Kiwanuka (NYG) – $4.5m
4-3 Middle Linebacker: Brian Urlacher (CHI) – $10m
Maybe it’s lingering effects of injury, or maybe it’s father time catching up, but Urlacher is not playing like the player we’ve become accustomed to seeing. In fact only Rey Maualuga and Chase Blackburn rank lower in our middle linebacker grades with nobody grading more poorly against the run. It’s not that he is missing tackles but that he’s not in position to make them.
Dishonorable Mentions: Curtis Lofton (NO) – $5.5m and D’Qwell Jackson (CLV) – $6m
Cornerback: Corey Webster (NYG) – $9m
There was a time where Webster could lay claim to being one of the best cornerbacks around. Now, and yes he has had to deal with an injury, he’s given up 486 yards and three touchdowns. He’s been inconsistent over the past couple of years but the flashes of his talent have been all too few and far between this year with Prince Amukamara outplaying him.
Dishonorable Mentions: DeAngelo Hall (WAS) – $6.5m and Nnamdi Asomugha (PHI) – $11m
Safety: Eric Berry (KC) – $8m
I didn’t give Brian Urlacher a pass and I can’t give Berry one. He looks a step slower than he was pre-injury, and the Chiefs will be hoping it just takes him a bit longer to get back to his best. As it is he looks out of his depth in coverage.
Dishonorable Mentions: Michael Griffin (TEN) – $4.3m
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