Hello Geoff, I am real excited to see Joe Burrow and the rest of the offense this year. But even more excited about the new guys on defense. With such a deep defensive line what are the chances Carl Lawson see some snaps at linebacker? David Merola, Halfmoon, NY
DAVID: With a nod to Henry Hudson, let's take a look.
They've bulked up their depth at tackle. They like the end position with Carlos Dunlap, Sam Hubbard, and Lawson. They did add an interesting draft pick in Khalid Kareem, but the coaches value Lawson and he'll play a lot as a pass rusher. He's clearly at his best as an edge rusher going upfield and I believe that you'll see Lawson early and often. You need at least three of those guys and, the thing is, they do drop at times occasionally as a linebacker in this hybrid 3-4.
But that's not what they do best. By taking three linebackers in the draft and signing middle linebacker Josh Bynes, they've got plenty of talent to process there, too. The way it is shaping up is that Lawson is a defensive end and is going to count as one of the nine or 10 or ever how many linemen they'll keep.
know your not a fan of the FB but we need a bruiser on 4th and inches. Which TE will cover the 491 snaps Eifert had? Like to hear from Michael LaPlaca. Enjoy his articles and would like to see what his views are. Truth does hurt sometimes. Brad Schlueter, Florence, KY
BRAD: I forwarded your email to Michael and here is his answer:
This is a good question. What we saw last year in short yardage situations was guard Michael Jordan being utilized as an extra blocker. That won't happen this year because he has excelled at the starting left guard spot. In fact, Jordan is probably receiving the most praise for how he showed up at training camp. Look for him to have a good year.
Depending on the game situation, two candidates could fill your role. First would be tight end Drew Sample. Pro Football Focus back in 2019 had Sample earning the highest run-blocking grade in the nation (82.3) among draft-eligible tight ends. The coaches believe Sample uses his smarts and toughness to play with good technique and strong hand placement as run blocker. That's critical when fighting for a yard or a few inches.
The other option would be another offensive lineman, whoever is that sixth man could take a few snaps at fullback if needed. For instance, if he doesn't win a starting position coming out of camp, Fred Johnson has done nothing but catch people's eyes since he arrived here, and he can lead block or cut-off the backside. Fred usually wins one-on-one matchups, and the coaches will find a way to use him as a starter or role player.
As far as the pass catching side, an increased role for C.J. Uzomah appears natural. The easy comp came in 2018 when Eifert missed the final 12 games of the season. Uzomah stepped up and carved out a nice pass-catching role with 43 catches for 439 yards and three touchdowns. Uzomah's numbers dipped in 2019 to 27 receptions for 242 yards and two touchdowns with Eifert playing a full season. Uzomah's versatility as a blocker and pass catcher could make him a quiet X factor in the offense. Sample will play a role there, too. He's big (6045 & 255 pounds at the combine) and he ran well with a 4.70 in his Indy 40. This picture will come into focus better with time.
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