RI: Orakpo Starts Out at Linebacker

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Lotus

This begs the question...why? Why does it work in some cases and why not in others? Why can't it work for us?

In Denver's case, I would argue that the answer to "Why?" is: lack of performance by the DE's, not the setup itself. Jarvis Moss is a bust. It doesn't matter what defensive strategy you pursue when you have a bust executing it.

Personally I see no reason, once Rak bulks up a bit, why we can't make Rak at LDE and Carter at RDE work. In fact, I look forward to this!

My answer to this at least, is that "it works, so long as both ends are better than the guys they are going up against." Jarvis Moss. Not better than most RTs in this league. Elvis Dumerville is only better than a handful of LTs.

The way I see it, by the time Orakpo has enough of a move arsenal to be a factor from the left side (remember that everything he did in college came from the right), Carter's best years (arguably 2007 and 2008), will be so far in the rear view mirror, that we will be searching for his replacement. By 2011, I see Orakpo as our full-time right end.

In the mean time, I caution against taking Orakpo out of his comfort zone. I like moving him around to get him mismatches as a rookie. But moving him around to exploit offensive weaknesses, and moving him around just for the sake of having him learn multiple moves from multiple positions are very different ideas.