Packers' Mike Neal surprised by early move to OLB

MintBaconDrivel
Senior Member Topic Starter

10 years ago

Green Bay --- In year four, Mike Neal may be in the midst of a major position change.

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nerdmann
Premier Member

10 years ago

This is AWESOME!

At Tuesday's organized team activity practice, Neal worked at outside linebacker. The move back seemed to surprise Neal himself.

He has not had to cover as an outside linebacker before.

"No, but I’m comfortable with my athletic ability," Neal said. "I do believe our defensive linemen, not only do I have defensive linemen skills, but as far as being athletic, I can do that. Even if it’s dropping into coverage, I’ve never doubted my athletic abilities. I feel a lot more agile than I have in the past, a lot more confident in myself."

So now, he's learning a new position with outside linebackers coach Kevin Greene.

With Jones around, this may be a way for Neal to get onto the field. It likely depends how comfortable he looks at outside linebacker through OTA's, minicamp and, potentially, training camp.

“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”

beast
Select Member

10 years ago

I'm VERY VERY HAPPY about this.

First off I'm assuming they're showing him some of the sub package stuff, they're not asking him to make a full time switch to OLB. I'm guessing they'll be asking Neal to do what Perry was doing last year, which was line up across from the OT standing up and pass rush. While Perry was doing it, it was more like a DL thing than a LB thing, which is why they've never had Walden do it (also because he's not physical enough to handle it).

But basely Perry was playing the role of a power 4-3 DE... which fits Neal VERY well (IMO).

Also when in the nickel and dime packages, the Packers have two DTs which at like 4-3 DTs and both OLBers moved up to the line like stand up 4-3 DEs. As long as Neal doesn't have to go into coverage much and is playing a 4-3 DE like position I think this could be a very good move.

I believe there were rumors about the Packers thinking about maybe moving Neal to this OLB role two years ago.

texaspackerbacker
Veteran Member

10 years ago

It's almost like they're moving toward a 4-3 😄

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beast
Select Member

10 years ago

It's almost like they're moving toward a 4-3 😄

Originally Posted by: texaspackerbacker

The 3-4 nickel/dime packages are basically a 4-3 with the two OLB moved up on the OT like 4-3 DEs but standing up. But that's one of the nice things about the 3-4... you can play with a 3-4 look or a 4-2 look... heck with Collins, Capers even ran a 4-3 look with 3 CBs and 1 Safety. Collins was a 4-3 OLB in that with Burnett as the deep Safety.

But the Packers did something new last year with Perry... they had a nickel look with Perry lined up across from the RT/RG gap which is new because he didn't have the outside edge which is new. He was like a power pass rushing DL more than an outside edge guy. And it worked... they had someone on the outside to protect the edge but I don't remember how they handled that at the moment.

nerdmann
Premier Member

10 years ago

If Neal drops into coverage, he's probly not gonna be man up. He'll have a small zone to cover.

And yeah, I remember them talking about this a couple years ago. Anyone remember Neal's 40 time?

“Winning is not a sometime thing, it is an all the time thing. You don't do things right once in a while…you do them right all the time.”

beast
Select Member

10 years ago

If Neal drops into coverage, he's probly not gonna be man up. He'll have a small zone to cover.

And yeah, I remember them talking about this a couple years ago. Anyone remember Neal's 40 time?

Originally Posted by: nerdmann

No but not hard to look up...

Looks like Neal ran a good 40 yard time for his weight but slow for a LBer (4.87 at 294 Lbs.)

BUT like you said if they drop him in coverage it's going to be a zone and he's going to have help over the top. So what I find very interesting is looking at his 20 yard time... which ties Hawk's time and beats Bishop's time.

Pro-day numbers aren't always the best because you don't know what kind of surfaces they ran on, but the combine numbers are all on the same surface (I think).

Neal
40 Yrd Dash: 4.87
20 Yrd Dash: 2.72
10 Yrd Dash: 1.60

Hawk
40 Yrd Dash: 4.59 (at pro day he reran it and out 40 Yrd Dash: 4.47)
20 Yrd Dash: 2.72
10 Yrd Dash: 1.56

Bishop (combine)
40 Yrd Dash: Pulled muscle, didn't finish.
20 Yrd Dash: 2.75
10 Yrd Dash: 1.59

Bishop (pro-day)
40 Yrd Dash: 4.81
20 Yrd Dash: 2.78
10 Yrd Dash: 1.60

Neal
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=78271&draftyear=2010&genpos=DT

Hawk
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=10424&draftyear=2006&genpos=olb

Bishop
http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=56262&draftyear=2007&genpos=ILB

Mucky Tundra
Veteran Member

10 years ago

Can't say I saw this coming. It certainly helps clearing up the logjam of bodies at DL that the team had and gives more depth to OLB. Since Neal is more of a pass-rusher there's some logic to it.

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wpr
Preferred Member

10 years ago

This is a bit of a surprise. As a stand up LB on the line it makes sense. If he drops into coverage I hope it isn't much more than when a DL drops back into coverage.

warhawk
Senior Member

10 years ago

#10

Well, it's obvious McCarthy hasn't been laying on a beach somewhere during the offseason. He's shuffling the best players he has to the blind side of the Oline and now this.

I can see Neal collapsing the pocket opposite CM3 and Mathews and Jones getting some better shots on the QB. I cannot see him asked to cover much. I think MM's looking for the best results out of certain scheme's and I doubt putting Neal out there on anybody gets that done. Not saying he won't ever be asked to cover but see that happening very seldom.

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