Who starts at OLB now?

jets82

Curious George
Jet Fanatics
Assuming they stay in the 3-4 now, that was rumor when they hired G. Williams. Now with the drafting of Q. Williams and J. Polite, this will seem even more to hold true now. Or do they go to the 4-3? Either way, who will start at OLB? Assuming they stay in the 3-4, we all know Mosely and Williamson are the ILBs but who’s on the outside? Does Polite start if he earns it or do they have him come off the bench as more of a spot rusher for now? Will it be Jenkins and Lee? Is Luvu and Copeland going to get some love now?

If they go to the 4-3, the OLB question might be even more complicated. Mosely stays in the inside ofcourse and Williamson moves to the weak side LB? Does Polite play the strong side or does Jenkins or Lee or Luvu or Copeland? This LB room is pretty thick now, so do they keep them all or do they trade one or two of them? Having depth is always a great thing but isn’t this ridiculous at this point?
 
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maxmet

Pro Bowl 1st Team
Jet Fanatics
ya gotta hope it is Polite - kid - you have a big chance here - we've got the big dogs up front - they will occupy the OL - come to camp in shape, read the playbook, watch the video, the opportunity is huge if you love to play football at the highest level
 

SackExchange

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The Mod Squad
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I would think Polite plays blindside, Jenkins starts at the other OLB. I like Luvu and Copeland for depth.

As for Lee, I would not trade him at this point for this draft. It's too far into it. But I'd deal him for a 2020 pick.
 

ReallyBigfan

How Big is Too Big?
Jet Fanatics
Man, he is lightning off the edge. If that is the version of Polite the Jets are getting, it could be huge. According to Mac, Polite tried to put on weight before the combine to show that he could, and it backfired. If the Jets can get him back to his playing shape, with his speed and quickness, he looks like he could be the ER we have lacked for years. Also, we've heard about the negative character reports after the combine interviews, so I find this response from him encouraging:

"It was all my fault," Polite said. "And I learned from it."

So what exactly did Polite learn through the whole process?

"How to take care of business, because I was kind of blinded before, being young and immature," he said. "But I’ve accepted all my flaws and I’ve just been working on that this offseason."

"I have a lot of people to prove wrong," he said. "I'm ready to work."

To prove the doubters wrong, Polite will have to maintain his composure — which seemed to be the problem at the combine.

He specifically called out the Packers and 49ers during his interview session, when he seemed less than pleased that they asked him questions about his weaknesses and showed him game tape of his poor plays.

"I regret saying anything about them bashing me, because they weren’t really bashing me," Polite said. "They were just trying to interview a guy to come play for their team. They wanted to see how I was, how I react."
 

BlindsideD'Brick

Franchise Tagged
Jet Fanatics
Man, he is lightning off the edge. If that is the version of Polite the Jets are getting, it could be huge. According to Mac, Polite tried to put on weight before the combine to show that he could, and it backfired. If the Jets can get him back to his playing shape, with his speed and quickness, he looks like he could be the ER we have lacked for years. Also, we've heard about the negative character reports after the combine interviews, so I find this response from him encouraging:

"It was all my fault," Polite said. "And I learned from it."

So what exactly did Polite learn through the whole process?

"How to take care of business, because I was kind of blinded before, being young and immature," he said. "But I’ve accepted all my flaws and I’ve just been working on that this offseason."

"I have a lot of people to prove wrong," he said. "I'm ready to work."

To prove the doubters wrong, Polite will have to maintain his composure — which seemed to be the problem at the combine.

He specifically called out the Packers and 49ers during his interview session, when he seemed less than pleased that they asked him questions about his weaknesses and showed him game tape of his poor plays.

"I regret saying anything about them bashing me, because they weren’t really bashing me," Polite said. "They were just trying to interview a guy to come play for their team. They wanted to see how I was, how I react."

He owned it. That’s the first step in maturing. The sky’s the limit for this guy if he follows through.
 

DonMaynard

5th Year Team Option
Jet Fanatics
I would think Polite plays blindside, Jenkins starts at the other OLB. I like Luvu and Copeland for depth.

As for Lee, I would not trade him at this point for this draft. It's too far into it. But I'd deal him for a 2020 pick.

If I were Lee, I’d do everything I could to keep focus and be the best player I could be. It’s not like teams were falling over themselves to trade a pick for him during the draft process.
 

BlindsideD'Brick

Franchise Tagged
Jet Fanatics
If I were Lee, I’d do everything I could to keep focus and be the best player I could be. It’s not like teams were falling over themselves to trade a pick for him during the draft process.

The speculation about Lee getting traded has been media driven. I wouldn’t be surprised if G.Williams has a plan for Lee on the outside.
 

mykcuz

Franchise Tagged
Jet Fanatics
The speculation about Lee getting traded has been media driven. I wouldn’t be surprised if G.Williams has a plan for Lee on the outside.
I'd love him as a floater. If you have q and Leonard up front, with Anderson and polite, rushing, with moseley and avery splitting the linebacker position, darron Lee could decide to play free safety, lb, or rush blindside. This is exactly the position he was drafted to play. No pattern, but instinct, mid field roaming chaos maker.

You essentially would line up as a 4-2-5 nickel, and Lee could stay back, stuff a wr at the line, cb blitz, float back to a 4-3, move off the blindside wr to a 5-2-4. Most QBs can't set protection for a guy like that.

This is what Lee was born to do, but because of personnel, he had to take on other roles.

I loved the rex defenses that would just wander in a senseless mob, then hit their positions at the snap. QBs didn't know what was coming.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
 

Old#15

Old Wise Tale
Jet Fanatics
I'm in the "keep Lee" camp as well. First I hear he has a $3.2 million cap hit for 2019 which is cheap for a starting caliber player. Second, he possesses an asset that no other LB on the team has other than the newly drafted Cashman, and that is speed. You absolutely need that at the LB position in today's NFL. Third, he improved as a pass defender in his 3rd year, intercepting 3 passes and 5 PDs. Is he a great player, no but he gives G Williams great flexibility either in sub packages or as a WILB. If he has a decent year, then maybe you get a decent compensatory pick. This all assumes that he isn't a complete turd in the locker room and Gase wants him out.

Back to the question about starters at OLB; I have to say ideally it would be Jenkins and Polite. Polite in combination with Williams X 2, has the ability to transform this defense. My fingers are crossed.
 
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SackExchange

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The Mod Squad
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It looks like Lee won't get the fifth year option. So my sense is the Jets try to deal him, but if they can't, they find a way to use him. He's a tweener, which may work some in Williams' defenses. I could see him getting some snaps off the edge opposite Polite. I don't see him getting major time inside.
 

jets82

Curious George
Jet Fanatics
Damn. Hope he keeps his head on straight. He is lightning fast coming off that edge.

Yeah, I mentioned it on another thread that his highlights look monstrous. So hopefully he can translate this and be this guy with the Jets. His problem is he’s a boom or bust player because head case issues. That may cost him and the team if he doesn’t get his shit together. There are a lot of vet and young leaders on the team especially on defense. So hopefully they help him get his mind right and focused on the right things.
 
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BlindsideD'Brick

Franchise Tagged
Jet Fanatics
Yeah, I mentioned it on another thread that his highlights look monstrous. So hopefully he can translate this and be this guy with the Jets. His problem is he’s a boom or bust player because head case issues. That may cost him and the team if he doesn’t get his shit together. There are a lot of vet and young leaders on the team especially on defense. So hopefully they help him get his mind right and focused on the right things.

Not sure “head case” is the appropriate description. That implies that he’s short fused, got anger management issues, etc. His problem was immaturity if you listen to most observers. He showed up out of shape at the combine, injured a hammy, ran a terrible 40, and wasn’t coached up very well on interviews (ie getting defensive with a few teams who questioned bad plays in college).

He’s got a few things to fix from a maturity standpoint, but there’s no denying the ability. He could be Justin Houston 2.0.
 

jets82

Curious George
Jet Fanatics
I’m too old and I’m not into playing Madden anymore but I think this may help solve this answer to this topic, to a MUCH lower and unrealistic extent obviously. All the Madden lovers will appreciate this. For all you others, you won’t understand and care about this. You might even think this is an asinine and insane statement and that’s cool. I mentioned this on the comments of a YouTube video that I believe the overall ratings of our linebackers will go like this in the new Madden:

C.J. Mosely: 95
Williamson: 85
Lee: 78
Polite: 75
Jenkins: 75
Copeland: 73
Luvu: 70

This ofcourse contributes nothing and will mean nothing for the real thing but it’s a thought of mine I felt was something worth mentioning. I like most others believe Lee will get traded before season starts but if they keep Lee and play him as an OLB, it obviously makes a unbelievable amount of riches at the LB spot. Who knows, maybe the Jets CS will rate the LBs like this in real life.
 
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