Is it time to grow concerned about Greg Rousseau?

[FireChans]

I liked Greg a lot coming out of college. Great physical traits with a lot of room to grow or low floor/high ceiling has been the Beane MO and I think it’s the right one. Josh, Edmunds, Rousseau, Elam have all fit that mold and when those players do hit, the benefit is that they are supposed to hit big.

 

But obviously we have been hit or miss in that first round. And perhaps even more bothersome, they have not hit “big” except for Josh. Edmunds is an NFL player but he wasn’t the defensive All-Pro they thought he was going to be. And Rousseau seems to be going that same road. 
 

I have this debate all the time on here about players “who can be 8-10 sack guys.” 8-10 sack guys are INCREDIBLY rare. It’s not very common for 6 sack guys to just become double digit sack guys because they play more or anything else. And Greg is that perfect example. He played 3 more games than last season and had 3 less sacks. He played more defensive snaps than he ever has in his career and a higher percentage of snaps. And his year was just… alright.
 

But anyway, besides that, we are running into the Edmunds problem where the fifth year option decision is coming. I would assume Greg is going to play on it, but based on his production, are we sure he is going to get an extension? Or is he going to be an Edmunds, where we let a solid player get overpaid by a bum franchise because the juice isn’t worth the squeeze?

Edited February 19 by FireChans

[LeGOATski]

I'm not concerned. He's just a good player. Late first rounders usually become just good players.

[Buffalo_Stampede]

He’s a very good player. What’s the concern? He defends everything. Good vs run and pass. He’s just not elite at anything yet.

Edited February 19 by Buffalo_Stampede

[uticaclub]

He’s fine, not elite, not a liability.

[BuffaloBillyG]

The biggest issue I have had with him is that the last 2 seasons he starts out the season on an absolute heater. Then seems to have a foot/ankle issue that slow him up for the rest of the year.

 

This season I believe it was a broken bone in the foot that they said wouldn't be further injured by playing on it...but it did play into his burst I believe.

 

I'd like to see if he can stay relatively healthy this year or is there is something more chronic that plays into the lower leg issues. I do believe that if relatively healthy he has the tools to be that 8-10 sack a year guy. 

[DrDawkinstein]

What's the concern? Dude is playing exactly how you'd expect a #30 1st round pick to play.

 

Yes, you pick up the option, and extend him. No brainer. This is nothing like Edmunds.

[The Cincinnati Kid]

[FireChans]

5 minutes ago, LeGOATski said:

I'm not concerned. He's just a good player. Late first rounders usually become just good players.

 

3 minutes ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

He’s a very good player. What’s the concern? He defends everything. Good vs run and pass. He’s just not elite at anything yet.

The concern is what “good players” cost. Greg’s fifth year option is going to cost $13M. Danielle Hunter (a more productive but older player) is projected to get $20M AAV. What will Greg get the year after?
 

Do we pay Rousseau $20M a season to be a “good player?” 

[Augie]

We are in this for the comp picks.    😋

 

I’m not worried. He’s not a quick twitch kind of player, but he does a good job imo. If we had one stud, like a younger/healthy Von, it would make it a lot easier on everybody. 

[gotme365]

I’d treat this exactly like Edmunds. Pick up the option but I’m not extending. He’s a great run defender but is a subpar pass rusher. I wouldn’t want to pay big money for that

[Buffalo_Stampede]

4 minutes ago, FireChans said:

 

The concern is what “good players” cost. Greg’s fifth year option is going to cost $13M. Danielle Hunter (a more productive but older player) is projected to get $20M AAV. What will Greg get the year after?
 

Do we pay Rousseau $20M a season to be a “good player?” 

Yes, you pay Rousseau. He checks all the boxes for someone you extend. Production, potential, and position.

His pressure rate is better than his sack rate. Plus he defends the run. He also has untapped potential. Very young player. He plays an important position that’s not easily filled.

 

Edited February 19 by Buffalo_Stampede

[LabattBlue]

1 minute ago, Buffalo_Stampede said:

Yes, you pay Rousseau. He checks all the boxes for someone you extend. Production, potential, and position.

His pressure rate is better than his sack rate. Plus he defends the run. He also has untapped potential. Very young player. He plays an important position that’s not easily filled.

 

What $$$ contract are you signing him for?

[Success]

He's already very good, and he's 23.

 

We've seen so many players here take a leap - Oliver, Epenesa, Bernard.  I don't think we have seen Rousseau's best yet.  But he's already very good.

 

[H2o]

We have Rousseau for two more years at the least, as they certainly will pick up the 5th year option. He's been a good player against both the run and getting after the QB. He also has some positional flexibility because they can kick him inside on pass rushing downs. I don't really see any concern with that. See how the next two years play out and we can move based off of that. 

[UConn James]

I’d like to see how he does with a new DL coach. Eric Washington was given a lot of prime resources and we saw little return until Ed came on this year.

[Process]

2 minutes ago, Success said:

He's already very good, and he's 23.

 

We've seen so many players here take a leap - Oliver, Epenesa, Bernard.  I don't think we have seen Rousseau's best yet.  But he's already very good.

 

I didn't believe you when I saw this but looked it up and wow yea still just 23yo. 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

4 minutes ago, LabattBlue said:

What $$$ contract are you signing him for?

Montez Sweat deal.

4 minutes ago, H2o said:

We have Rousseau for two more years at the least, as they certainly will pick up the 5th year option. He's been a good player against both the run and getting after the QB. He also has some positional flexibility because they can kick him inside on pass rushing downs. I don't really see any concern with that. See how the next two years play out and we can move based off of that. 

Yes. Position flexibility is another plus with Rousseau.

 

 

[BBFL]

Like Rousseau, think he’s a solid player and is still pretty raw. I wonder how much of a hinderance the whole rotation thing on the DLine is to his development…

 

Look at the rest of the league in terms of snap counts, and I’m not putting him on par with these guys it’s just a playing percentage, where guys who make the biggest differences and most plays in terms of TFL’s, forced fumbles and Sacks; Maxx Crosby, Khalil Mack, Micah Parsons, Danielle Hunter, Myles Garrett, Nick Bosa, Aaron Donald, TJ Watt, Trey Hendrickson and Josh Allen.

All of them play around the 80% or more mark with Garrett, Bosa and Donald at 76%+. 
 

Hendrickson is the only outlier but still remains at 68%. 
 

Rousseau has played 49%, 44% and 55% of the snaps in his first 3 years. I’d like to see him on the field a lot more this year so you know whether he’s absolutely worth an extension and/or the 5th year option (which he is). 
 

Essentially, I feel he’d be a better and more impactful player the more he’s on the field. Just needs that chance to. 75% of the snaps is reasonable for a first rounder going into year 4 when you still have massive question marks at that area of the defense. 

 

[Buffalo_Stampede]

1 minute ago, BBFL said:

Like Rousseau, think he’s a solid player and is still pretty raw. I wonder how much of a hinderance the whole rotation thing on the DLine is to his development…

 

Look at the rest of the league in terms of snap counts, and I’m not putting him on par with these guys it’s just a playing percentage, where guys who make the biggest differences and most plays in terms of TFL’s, forced fumbles and Sacks; Maxx Crosby, Khalil Mack, Micah Parsons, Danielle Hunter, Myles Garrett, Nick Bosa, Aaron Donald, TJ Watt, Trey Hendrickson and Josh Allen.

All of them play around the 80% or more mark with Garrett, Bosa and Donald at 76%+. 
 

Hendrickson is the only outlier but still remains at 68%. 
 

Rousseau has played 49%, 44% and 55% of the snaps in his first 3 years. I’d like to see him on the field a lot more this year so you know whether he’s absolutely worth an extension and/or the 5th year option (which he is). 
 

Essentially, I feel he’d be a better and more impactful player the more he’s on the field. Just needs that chance to. 75% of the snaps is reasonable for a first rounder going into year 4 when you still have massive question marks at that area of the defense. 

 

I think it’s possible this will be a change moving forward next year out of need. We won’t have the depth along the DL.

[LeGOATski]

24 minutes ago, FireChans said:

 

The concern is what “good players” cost. Greg’s fifth year option is going to cost $13M. Danielle Hunter (a more productive but older player) is projected to get $20M AAV. What will Greg get the year after?
 

Do we pay Rousseau $20M a season to be a “good player?” 

That's not a concern to me. If they don't think he's good enough, then don't pay him. Groot himself is the only one who should be concerned. For the FO and fans, it seems pretty simple.