I dont know… probably. If i recall correctly, he was mostly healthy as a rookie playing corner… then not so much after
I could be off. And I do love him as a niche player. The things he does well he is exceptional at. I think his deficiencies would be exposed over a longer period of time but if we think he can be trusted to stay on the field then I’d be all for a team friendly resigning.
That being said my hope was always that he’d play well enough to get a contract that factors into the comp pick formula and we could start getting that train rolling. I do believe that is Brad’s long term plan as I always felt Baltimore was the model.
3 Likes
Which is exactly what I said brother. The point I was making is being a “Starter” doesn’t mean much. Snap counts are far more important when it comes to overall value a player offers.
Definitely hasn’t been available much in his career… Same issue his brother had.
Depends on how grateful Jamo is for his paychecks the first two years.
The Lions didn’t get their money’s worth.
If he’s going to hold the organization up, let him walk.
Iffy, Barnes, Amik, Rakestraw are the 11th-14th guys on the defense to make our “package” players.
JRM also.
Levi as a rotational 3T allowing Paschal to be the early down “spell” DE for Hutchinson & Davenport.
1 Like
Was interesting how in the biggest games in the playoffs JRM’s snaps counts on defense increased compared to the regular season. He can really cover on 3rd downs. I wonder if we will see that again?
Last time we played the Rams…
Alex Anzalone: 54 (93%) — 1 (4%)
Derrick Barnes: 32 (55%) — 6 (24%)
Jack Campbell: 22 (38%) — 14 (56%)
Jalen Reeves-Maybin: 11 (19%) — 20 (80%)
Anthony Pittman: 0 (0%) — 20 (80%)
Malcolm Rodriguez: 0 (0%) — 15 (60%)
The Lions used a lot of two-linebacker sets in the playoff game.
2 Likes
JRM played more because branch was taking more snaps at Safety because we were thin at safety and really didn’t have a back up slot guy because we was thin at CB too.
The Lions in turn strengthened the slot and CB room this offseason. With 3 guys capable of play the slot this year I doubt JRM plays as many snaps.
Against the Rams I suspect we will run two high safeties and a slot CB the most but I’m expecting to see some cover 3 too.
Point being I doubt JRM gets a lot of snaps at LBer this game.
JRM played because Campbell and Barnes were not good coverage LBers.
CJGJ was back to go along with Iffy, and Kirby and were in a rotation.
Lions actually had an excess at the position.
I see us in a similar position this year, Robinson, Branch, and “The Saw”
That’s not true.
If you look at the packages and when JRM played it was usually when the Lions ran a 2 LBer set and Branch was at safety. Usually when we run a two LBer set it’s Branch up in the Slot playing as a LBer next to Anzalone.
JRM played in some snaps where we used 3 LBer sets. Barnes was usually in the MLB in those sets.
While it’s true that Campbell struggled in coverage that’s not why JRM was getting snaps. It had to do with Branch playing Safety. He was filling in for Branches role more so than he was Campbells or Barnes role.
I think it also had to do with needing a SAM on the line playing contain and them moving Campbell up there sometimes.
You are making my point.
If JRM was playing LB in a 2 LB defense it was because he was better in coverage than the LBers he was replacing.
If Branch was at Safety they needed a LBer that was good in coverage down low.
Something Campbell was not good at.
JRM was not replacing Branch in the Slot.
CJGJ is an excellent slot CB and was available in the playoffs.
JRM was in because they needed a LB that could cover.
1 Like
That’s pretty much what I saw too. They didn’t trust Jack in coverage in a playoff game and the Rams passing game was their best chance to win. So we had Jack on the sidelines for 2/3rds of the game. We weren’t scared of the Rams running game at all.
Will be very interesting to see Jack’s snap count this time around with a full offseason under his belt.
But he wasn’t filling in for the Cambell or Barnes role. He was filling in for the Branch role. You were claiming he was filling in for Barnes or Campbell because they can’t cover. They play a different role.
That’s like saying when Skipper filled in on our OL as an OG it was because Decker and Sewell can’t block at OG. Ummm they play a different role on the OL and have a different skillset.
The roles are different is my point.
Branch took 98% of snaps in the playoffs
Iffy took 72%
CJ took 66%
Barnes took 55%
Campbell took 38%
JRM took 19%
Campbell and Barnes rarely take snaps when the Lions go to a two LBer set. In the two LBer set those snaps were split between Branch, CJ and JRM.
Usually when JRM was in it was when Branch was playing safety.
While it’s true he’s in because they wanted someone who can cover. It’s false he was subbing in for Barnes and Campbell. They have different roles.
What are you talking about.
JRM is a LB. Branch is a Slot/Safety.
When JRM comes in the 2 LB personnel group there are only 2 LBers on the field. Him and Anzalone. Branch is still on the field.
Barnes and Campbell, the other LBers are taken off the field.
So JRM is replacing either Barnes or Campbell (the LBers) when he enters the game.
On early downs when in 4-2-5 defense the 2 LBers were usually Anzalone and Barnes or Campbell.
When they had a Sam LB in it was usually Anzalone, Barnes, and Campbell.
Once again, JRM doesn’t play slot or Safety. When Branch moved to Safety it was either CJGJ playing slot or it was a 4 DB defense.
JRM was not replacing Branch as the Slot. He was one of the 2 LBers.
Personnel groups and role responsibilities.
You’re clearly not understanding the position he’s playing and role responsibilities. You’re focused solely on his roster designation of LBer.
If your claim was he’s playing nickel and were subbing him, branch, or iffy in place of a LBer that would be a true statement but that’s not what you’re saying. …. When his playing time went up it was because he was playing a nickel role not a LBer role.
This is what I mean by my above statement.
Your claim is we’re replacing a LBer role with another LBer role because the other LBers can’t cover. Thats not what was going on.
Last season when Barnes and Campbell were in they playing a MLB role or stack LBer role. Barnes also played some at SLB. Thats not a 4-2-5 alignment / sub package.
When JRM took 19% of the snaps. He did that mainly in sub packages, playing a nickel sub package role. Which is the same role Branch plays in sub packages.
What his responsibilities are have nothing to do with his roster label. He’s playing a nickel position. Which we used JRM, Iffy, and Branch to play. It’s a totally different position than what Barnes and Campbell played last year. They were playing mainly an inside LBer role.
That brings me back to my original point. Last year we were thin at safety and at CB. We were forced to use our Nickels to play DB roles and this opened up more playing time for JRM in the Nickel.
This year we have an abundance of Nickel options. Dan C. Has also stated he wants to give Iffy more playing time in the Nickel. We have Branch, Iffy, Rakestraw, Amik and JRM who all have experience playing in sub packages. JRM won’t be used in a Cover 2, Cover 3 or an MOD role. He’s mainly a Nickel LBer. But all those other guys have the ability to play in multiple coverage packages. This means they will get more playing time over JRM. This will allow us to disguise those packages far more than JRM can…… which is why I stated I doubt JRM gets a lot of snaps this game.
Hope that clears it up.
Believe me, I understand football position, roles and responsibilities. That’s what I do every day.
As good of a cover LB JRM is, he is not being used as a nickel when AG has Branch, CJGJ, or even Will Harris that can all play it better.
When JRM is in the game he is not playing Nickel.
Yes, there are sub-packages that JRM played in but not the same role as Branch.
There are LB roles in those sub-packages.
Anzalone and JRM would be on the field in those roles along with the DB’s.
I think this is the main area of disagreement.
How you categorize Nickel.
Nickel is a DB Role.
All of the players that occupy that role on the Lions are DB’s.
There are players that come in and play in a Nickel package that aren’t DB’s but they play their position in that package.
When JRM is in a Nickel personnel package he is still the LB in that package, just like Hutch is the Rush DE in that package. There is a 5th DB in that package playing the Nickel / Slot CB position.
You even state it yourself here:
So as I stated to begin:
JRM was inserted to replace Campbell and Barnes because of superior coverage ability.
As a Nickel LB he replaced another LB and joined Anzalone as the 2 LBers in the defense along with 5 other DB’s.
I would love to see who else was on the field and if his snaps were with AA or Jack playing up on the line.
Of course, I have the game recorded but that might take too much effort.
You recognized and stated that he mainly played in a 2 LBer set. That’s a nickel sub package. Usually Branch or Iffy is playing that second LBer spot in our Nickel package. When Branch was at Safety JRM was in at the Big Nickel LBer spot.
4-2-5 is a Nickel package - Campbell and Barnes (play MLB) are subbed out for a Nickel DB/LB. All NFL teams sub out their MLB for a nickel in a 4-2-5 package.
You stated yourself he’s is being subbed in on our 4-2-5… that’s a nickel position he’s playing.
JRM was playing the BIG nickel role.
Maybe this will help you. The definition of a nickel package.
I’ll just leave it at that and agree to disagree with you on this one.