Mays at WIL?

[GreenDragon]

Line him up as OLB for pass rushing? Not all the time but occasionally.

[oldschoolomen]

Interesting idea. I wonder if anyone else has thought of the possibility.

[Au165]

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

I think there was a thread like this before, or maybe a conversation inside an LB thread. Mays isn't big enough and if he bulks up, he won't be fast enough. Strong safeties and outside backers usually cover the TE or the RB out of the backfield. If he couldn't cover them at safety, how is moving him to backer going to help? Leave him at strong and find a DB coach to help him get better in coverage. Or move him to free so he's not responsible for any one receiver. He has the speed to cover sideline to sideline.

Bigger than Arthur Brown and Kasheem Greene who everyone seems to love now.

[Willminus2]

Yeah he's bigger than some of those rookie LB's. I'd just hate to cut his talent and physical skill.

[Carolinabengalfanguy]

Trust me I posted a thread for this in the preseason and I saw one during the season and one after we were out of the playoffs.

I agree though I don't see why he can't bulk up and still be fast I mean he runs a 4.3 at 230 he can't run a 4.5 at 250?

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

I think there was a thread like this before, or maybe a conversation inside an LB thread. Mays isn't big enough and if he bulks up, he won't be fast enough. Strong safeties and outside backers usually cover the TE or the RB out of the backfield. If he couldn't cover them at safety, how is moving him to backer going to help? Leave him at strong and find a DB coach to help him get better in coverage. Or move him to free so he's not responsible for any one receiver. He has the speed to cover sideline to sideline.

But he Could cover them @ Saftey.. or didnt you watch when he was on the field.

Coverting him to a MLB that can drop back for coverage like the bears to with urlacher is a possiblility... But probly not the direction we go.

[Au165]

Originally Posted by Carolinabengalfanguy

Trust me I posted a thread for this in the preseason and I saw one during the season and one after we were out of the playoffs.

I agree though I don't see why he can't bulk up and still be fast I mean he runs a 4.3 at 230 he can't run a 4.5 at 250?

There are many good starting LBs in the NFl between 225-240 so i don't get the bulking up thing..

[Bull Durham]

Good lord please make the stupidity stop!

[Carolinabengalfanguy]

Originally Posted by Au165

There are many good starting LBs in the NFl between 225-240 so i don't get the bulking up thing..

Oh idk I was responding to Jabberwocky talking about Mays too small and not strong enough too big not fast enough. I mean he's 6'3" 230 lbs. 4.3 and from what I've heard covers the TE well enough when he needs to. Think he would make a good backup/situational/special teams guy.

[oldschoolomen]

I just went on YouTube to find video evidence of Taylor Mays wrapping and tackling. There are a lot of Mays highlights where he leads with his head a blows up a defensless receiver or his own teammate. A lot of highlights.

Mays' highlights, especially in the running game, come from his safety spot where he has a full head of steam and knocks the running back over. To be an effective linebacker, he needs to wrap and tackle, and he won't have 20 yards of space.

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

Good lord please make the stupidity stop!

But you keep coming back....

[Sideline Tweeting 101]

Originally Posted by Bull Durham

Good lord please make the stupidity stop!

Just curious as to why you think this is stupidity? Mays hits like a LB, could instantly be one of the better coverage guys at LB, and there is not a TE in the league that could outrun him. Everyone is so enamored with the concept of Moch coming off the edge with his speed but yet you think it is stupid to consider Mays at LB? I understand that it probably wont happen, but the thought of moving a talent like Mays to a position where he could instantly be a playmaker is what off-season threads consist of. There is nothing wrong with unconventional thinking if you ask me. I for one think it would be a great idea, but I am not a coach and maybe this is why.

[XenoMorph]

Originally Posted by Sideline Tweeting 101

Just curious as to why you think this is stupidity? Mays hits like a LB, could instantly be one of the better coverage guys at LB, and there is not a TE in the league that could outrun him. Everyone is so enamored with the concept of Moch coming off the edge with his speed but yet you think it is stupid to consider Mays at LB? I understand that it probably wont happen, but the thought of moving a talent like Mays to a position where he could instantly be a playmaker is what off-season threads consist of. There is nothing wrong with unconventional thinking if you ask me. I for one think it would be a great idea, but I am not a coach and maybe this is why.

Ignore him doesnt add anything insightful to the conversation such as why he believes its a bad idea instead just puts out an insult and runs away.

[Shake n Blake]

Been following the NFL for 20+ years now. Can't think of a single time where a team converted an NFL safety into a LB.

And please stop bringing up Urlacher. He wasn't truly a safety in college.

He played a made up position called "Lobo-back" where he was sort of a LB/Safety hybrid. He also didn't play any safety in the NFL.

It's ridiculous to discuss such a major position change this late in a guys development. He's probably been playing safety since high school.

You guys are starting to sound like Mike Brown. That dude thinks all football players are interchangeable.

[Sideline Tweeting 101]

Originally Posted by Shake n Blake

Been following the NFL for 20+ years now. Can't think of a single time where a team converted an NFL safety into a LB.

And please stop bringing up Urlacher. He wasn't truly a safety in college.

He played a made up position called "Lobo-back" where he was sort of a LB/Safety hybrid. He also didn't play any safety in the NFL.

It's ridiculous to discuss such a major position change this late in a guys development. He's probably been playing safety since high school.

You guys are starting to sound like Mike Brown. That dude thinks all football players are interchangeable.

This is true, I cannot remember one either, but will add that Mike Zimmer used Roy Williams as a safety in the box the majority of the time and he essentially played LB. I think this is the reason Mays was signed in the first place, he reminded Zim of Williams and he thought he may be able to use him in this fashion. Is it far fetched, no, is it likely that Mays will take over this roll, probably not but the concept of a hybrid safety/LB that can cover TE's (which is a glaring weakness for this team) is something that I for one find intriguing.

[Paul from Dayton]

Originally Posted by Shake n Blake

Been following the NFL for 20+ years now. Can't think of a single time where a team converted an NFL safety into a LB.

And please stop bringing up Urlacher. He wasn't truly a safety in college.

He played a made up position called "Lobo-back" where he was sort of a LB/Safety hybrid. He also didn't play any safety in the NFL.

It's ridiculous to discuss such a major position change this late in a guys development. He's probably been playing safety since high school.

You guys are starting to sound like Mike Brown. That dude thinks all football players are interchangeable.

Originally Posted by Sideline Tweeting 101

This is true, I cannot remember one either, but will add that Mike Zimmer used Roy Williams as a safety in the box the majority of the time and he essentially played LB. I think this is the reason Mays was signed in the first place, he reminded Zim of Williams and he thought he may be able to use him in this fashion. Is it far fetched, no, is it likely that Mays will take over this roll, probably not but the concept of a hybrid safety/LB that can cover TE's (which is a glaring weakness for this team) is something that I for one find intriguing.

Thomas Davis was drafted as a safety out of Georgia in 2005 and converted to linebacker for the Panthers

[old man]

Originally Posted by oldschoolomen

I just went on YouTube to find video evidence of Taylor Mays wrapping and tackling. There are a lot of Mays highlights where he leads with his head a blows up a defensless receiver or his own teammate. A lot of highlights.

Mays' highlights, especially in the running game, come from his safety spot where he has a full head of steam and knocks the running back over. To be an effective linebacker, he needs to wrap and tackle, and he won't have 20 yards of space.

You said he leads with his head. I've seen him do it as well. The big problem with that style of tackleing, is one to many and he'll be the next Jr. Seau

[Rattler]

Originally Posted by Joelist

I'd be better about such a move if Mays displayed more intelligence than a slug - which he has yet to do.

Exactly, he'd be Rey Jr. in coverage...he can't hit what he can't catch.

[Sideline Tweeting 101]

Originally Posted by Rattler

Exactly, he'd be Rey Jr. in coverage...he can't hit what he can't catch.

Define "catch" in this statement, because there is not a TE in the league that can outrun Taylor Mays and probably only a handful of WR's...

[Rattler]

Originally Posted by Sideline Tweeting 101

Define "catch" in this statement, because there is not a TE in the league that can outrun Taylor Mays and probably only a handful of WR's...

Overplaying and out of position for starters and plenty of TE's who would bowl him over.

[berserkerone88]

Originally Posted by Paul from Dayton

Thomas Davis was drafted as a safety out of Georgia in 2005 and converted to linebacker for the Panthers

As a rookie.

[berserkerone88]

Originally Posted by Sideline Tweeting 101

Define "catch" in this statement, because there is not a TE in the league that can outrun Taylor Mays and probably only a handful of WR's...

His speed rarely translates to the field.

[Shake n Blake]

Originally Posted by Paul from Dayton

Thomas Davis was drafted as a safety out of Georgia in 2005 and converted to linebacker for the Panthers

Thomas Davis also played LB in college, so he wasn't starting the position from scratch.

He only filled in at safety because of injuries. He was drafted to be a LB.

http://forums.chargers.com/archive/i...p/t-19382.html

http://www.panthers.com/team/roster/...-e9310799aefa/