Your thoughts on Hughes as a 3-4 olb vs 4-3 de

[NoSaint]

Hughes played just fine under Pettine, and last year. He was just interviewed recently and stated he preferred to be standing up as an OLB.

 

HE's one of the last person's I would worry about.

Wasn't he also one of the ones that said he wasn't up to speed like he should be last year? I'll admit I have little desire to rewatching a lot of last year so I haven't keyed on him as much

 

And to the pettine season I'll say he played very well moving forward but when Lawson was hurt and he was given extra coverage reps vs the saints he gave up like 3 tds (stills long one and 1 if not both graham).

 

As I originally said though- I think he can do it but I also think it doesn't maximize his impact like another role could

[Kemp2Warlick]

Buffalo News Sports ‏@TBNSports 20h20 hours ago

.@VicCarucci's 3 #Bills thoughts: Silent treatment, preaching patience & Hughes at OLB: http://bit.ly/1ZajDT7 ......................

>Jerry Hughes wasn't right last season, thanks in part to playing with a chipped bone in his left wrist.

[ROONDOGG55]

As a 3-4 OLB he will mostly be covering the flat, which isn't that big of a deal, and when that does happen there will most likely be a blitzer on the other side of the ball. My only concern is when the blitz gets picked up and Hughes is left trying to cover a speedy RB or TE. Either way, as long as the blitz is disguised pre snap it will leave the QB scrambling rather than knowing exactly where to throw the ball. So essentially the success of Hughes on coverage plays falls on the design of the play and if the players conceal their first movements during the QB's pre snap reads.

[Over 29 years of fanhood]

 

But it helps make the offseason fun, drink some koolaid and pretend it will be awesome, we have all season to complain if things go south again. And there is the possibility we could be good.

It's really the only choice we have. Rex is the coach and will be till he's not. Every team is a Super Bowl contender every draft pick a possibly canton bound and once the games start we will have plenty of time for reality to sink in. Edited June 1, 2016 by over 20 years of fanhood

[boyst]

You started this after my bedtime. Now I have to wait until free time to write an epic reply.

 

But I'm not as concerned as I should be wrt to him

[Not at the table Karlos]

A 34 OLB is pretty much a 43 DE. He was behind freeney and Mathis in indy and took time to develop like a lot of players(why they say you can't judge a draft class for 3 years). His last year in indy he started to show signs of becoming the pass rusher he is today. Also jerry played OLB/DE under Pettine and his similar defense and was a terror. Jerry will be fine.

[eball]

A 34 OLB is pretty much a 43 DE. He was behind freeney and Mathis in indy and took time to develop like a lot of players(why they say you can't judge a draft class for 3 years). His last year in indy he started to show signs of becoming the pass rusher he is today. Also jerry played OLB/DE under Pettine and his similar defense and was a terror. Jerry will be fine.

 

This is what I'm thinking as well, and Jerry seems stoked about his role if you take his comments even half-seriously. He knows he's not a hand in the dirt player and doesn't want to be.

[YoloinOhio]

A 34 OLB is pretty much a 43 DE. He was behind freeney and Mathis in indy and took time to develop like a lot of players(why they say you can't judge a draft class for 3 years). His last year in indy he started to show signs of becoming the pass rusher he is today. Also jerry played OLB/DE under Pettine and his similar defense and was a terror. Jerry will be fine.

this

[Saxum]

In Rex's defense the LBs are often the ones blitzing and this is not how Marone implemented it so having in as a 3-4 OLB will mean a lot of opportunities for blitzing where he may be facing a RB or TE when opposing OL double teams DL if he is also as willing to drop into coverage in the plays when they do zone blitzing.

[Dopey]

You started this after my bedtime. Now I have to wait until free time to write an epic reply.

 

But I'm not as concerned as I should be wrt to him

Sorry, couldn't sleep last night. Can't wait for the epic reply though.

 

This is what I'm thinking as well, and Jerry seems stoked about his role if you take his comments even half-seriously. He knows he's not a hand in the dirt player and doesn't want to be.

I do like his comments. Seems like he wants to do this. Hope it's not half serious, cuz, you know Rex wants "all-in" this year. I really hope everyone is "all-in". This way Rex and Rob can show what they are made of. We'll see.

[Beef Jerky]

I'm not "only thinking about stats." That's just flippantly dismissive. I believe Hughs can be an effective OLB. But. I certainly don't think he was played to his strengths last season, and he was far less productive than the previous season. The fact that the stats just happen to bear that out is incidental.

Everyone was far less productive b.c of injuries and when your "best" player decides to give up in a defense where everyone needs to do their job for it to succeed it gets hard. When Hughes was in Mario's spot he was unstoppable, analysts agree Hughes was very good last year. Yes though keep being wrong about how well Hughes played his position.

Edited June 1, 2016 by Beef Jerky

[NoSaint]

Everyone was far less productive b.c of injuries and when your "best" player decides to give up in a defense where everyone needs to do their job for it to succeed it gets hard. When Hughes was in Mario's spot he was unstoppable, analysts agree Hughes was very good last year. Yes though keep being wrong about how well Hughes played his position.

I dont think anyones slamming hughes play but i think that generally most experts point out that his pass rushing was down a bit. I remember late in the year MMQB did an article, and worked with PFF, about the bills pressure and noted similar, as an example of experts saying it was a good but down year.

[Rocky Landing]

Everyone was far less productive b.c of injuries and when your "best" player decides to give up in a defense where everyone needs to do their job for it to succeed it gets hard. When Hughes was in Mario's spot he was unstoppable, analysts agree Hughes was very good last year. Yes though keep being wrong about how well Hughes played his position.

I'm not knocking Hughs, or his play at all. That has not been anyone's point, near as I can tell, although it seems you would like to make it out to be.

Edited June 1, 2016 by Rocky Landing

[iinii]

Football players play. Posers..... JH is a player. My only problem with him is the penalty issue he had last year.

[BillsBytheBay]

As far as I can tell, he's always played a hybrid for us. Even when we played as a 43 under Schwartz he played in a 2point stance off the ball a bit. I'm no football expert but I noticed him ply that way a lot.

 

Let us not forget he played all year with a broken bone in his wrist.

Edited June 1, 2016 by JaxBills

[Beef Jerky]

http://www.wkbw.com/sports/bills/joe-b-7-observations-from-bills-otas-61

 

2) Hughes takes no prisoners

 

- Whether it was Jordan Mills, today's second-team right tackle T.J. Barnes, or whichever player drew the assignment to try and block him, Jerry Hughes dominated the practice off the edge on Wednesday. Lining up at left outside linebacker for a portion of practice, Hughes was against the right tackle -- which is usually a position that doesn't boast the most athletic players. The first step from Hughes was on display all practice long, often breaking into the backfield and collecting a would-be sack. Granted, these are "non-contact" and non-padded practices, but no one even stood a chance against Hughes today. Hughes mostly lined up against the left tackle over the last two seasons, but with Mario Williams now out of the picture, perhaps the Bills know the best place for the quick edge rusher to make an impact could be coming off the left side of the defense. Time will tell on that front, but Hughes looked the part on Wednesday. ...

Looking good.

[Chilly]

Most 3-4 teams still line up in a lot of 4-3 concepts and will have one guy that rushes the passer the majority of the time, which will be Hughes. I think the difference between the two is being overstated in this thread.

[boyst]

Hughes is going to be able to get up the field with speed as his advantage due to his attributes. what he will offer this position is huge, but worrisome. he can easily be chipped and knocked out of balance - as seen before. he can be double teamed - if necessary - not done last year (in fact, very few of our dl were double teamed). he will offer the ability to do this and should do so rather well as he will be forgotten at times and able to provide pressure during games at reasonable rates. as far as getting to the quarterback i would hope to see a sack number as high as 11 or 12 but feel that is way too high and unreasonable. i believe a number around 8 or 9 would be his ceiling.

 

he will be an asset against the run, as he has improved his game a lot. i see speed as an issue in stopping the run and believe that hughes could be part of an issue stopping the run and a part of the increased ability to stop the run. a liability by over pursuing and letting runners break edges and beat him on jukes. and his inability to line up against the runners hips to make a sure tackle. his assets are the speed and aggressiveness he brings to the table.

[Agent 91]

Im cool with it because he was one of our better cover guys last year AND we know he cant be blocked on the edge. I say give it a go. I would like to see him moving forward way more than backwards though

[Rocky Landing]

Most 3-4 teams still line up in a lot of 4-3 concepts and will have one guy that rushes the passer the majority of the time, which will be Hughes. I think the difference between the two is being overstated in this thread.

I agree with this.