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Bills sign CB Brian Allen


CNY315

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7 hours ago, Ethan in Portland said:

Nate Clements

Nate was a big CB but at 2 or 3 inches shorter and 15 lbs. Iighter I don't think he is all that close to Allen.  Big Nickel? Special athleticism and size, maybe these coaches can get the best from him.   He seems worthy of a spot on the PS at least.

 

 

 

 

 

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The NFL has gone the route of the NBA in some respects.  By limiting the ability of corners to play in contact with receivers, they've reduced the importance of physical strength at cornerback, and emphasized speed and quickness.  Just like eliminating handchecking and contact away from the basket in the NBA.   The result in both cases is that there is no great advantage in being big and strong playing defense on the edge of the offense - the corners in football and the guards in basketball.  Unless you're one of the world's most extraordinary athletes, extra height and weight at corner just tends to make you a little bit slower and a little less quick, so you can't play the position quite as well as the smaller guys.  

 

Of course, we see the speed and quickness think all over the defense.  Smaller edge rushers, faster safeties.  Edmunds is the real anomaly, with cover linebacker speed and enough bulk to play the middle.  Milano couldn't have played OLB in some earlier eras, when size was as important as speed.  In the earlier eras, when corners could hit the receivers all over the field, it was easier to play man-to-man, so teams needed less zone, so they didn't need cover linebackers so much, so the linebackers could be bigger and play the run more aggressively.   Now, with receivers free to roam the defensive backfield without fearing for their lives, defenses need cover linebackers to play the short or even deep zones, so the linebackers have gotten smaller and faster, which opens up the running game. 

 

Butch Byrd was 6', 211, and he was a monster in the 60s.  He was an outstanding punt returner, even though he carried 20-30 pounds more than the average punt return man.  He was a bit of freak at that size.  

 

 

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