Grading our players: T. Whitehead

[lionstop1]

Tahir Whitehead saw his first full time action, replacing Tully and did a nice job. Where does he rank coming into the season?

Use the grading scale I've provided below and from there, I will get the average score for each player after a day or two.

Rank 1-10 with 10 being the highest. Include percentages (.1.2.3.4.5) if you believe player is between certain levels.

1- Bad player. Should not be on a NFL roster.
2- Tackling dummy or jock carrier.
3- Nothing more than a practice squad player.
4- Low level backup player.
5- Quality backup or role player with no starting potential.*
6- Starter but easily upgradeable.
7- Mid level starter, with potential as a high level starter.
8- High level starter, with All-Pro potential.
9- Consistent All-Pro player.
10- Potential Hall of Fame player.

 

[TwoCents22]

6.0

 

[Rollingthndr]

5.8

 

[Quackerjacked]

6.0

He was serviceable and could get better, but he doesn't bring anything great to the table.

 

[Old Lion]

6.3 He was starter quality but not consistently mid level. He is also not easily upgradable, but he could improve the mental part of his game. We may need him to step up as Bynes is not under contract and could get scooped up by another team and Tully might be done.

 

[Dr. Evil-er]

Not sure that he is easily upgradable if only given a 6. Certainly not by anyone on the roster.

It was his first action as a starter and he seemed to fit the lower end of the 7 range.

Hard to say that I've seen enough to put him in either the 6's or the 7's yet.

He gets an INCOMPLETE.

 

[broncosmitty]

6.15

He stepped up in a big way last year. Hopefully he can step back, into the rotation and be part of a very dynamic group of linebackers. But we could easily be worse off than to have him start.

He's getting a much later start to being out there on D, but I would have given Levy a similar number a few years ago.

 

[gandydancer]

?.?
Played good in first time starting role. Hoping to see s'more steps in development. With that in mind he gets a incomplete.

 

[tpaulus_2]

I'll go with a 6.6 just because he's only showed a small sample size so far. His play was probably closer to a 7/7.5, but I think we'll need to see it sustained for another season before anyone will grade him at that level...

 

[lionstop1]

Is he worth starting again?

 

[gandydancer]

Is he worth starting again?

Does it keep Palmer on sidelines? Then hell yes!

 

[tpaulus_2]

Is he worth starting again?

Yes. I'm a big Tulloch fan, and I'd love to have him back at a much cheaper rate, which would limit Whitehead's snaps some, but I wouldn't be surprised at all to see us start using some 4 LB packages with Tully and Whitehead in the middle and Levy and Van Noy on the outsides. Levy and Whitehead could also flip inside/outside spots to get a better match-up, as well.

Austin favors the 3-4 (or at least, he came up as a 3-4 guy and is thought to favor it), and if we wind up keeping Tulloch and have 4 starting-caliber LBs, I feel confidant that Austin will put them to good use. We won't be "switching" to a 3-4 by any means, but we have the personnel to run a hybrid defense, and we saw the beginnings of that last year. Imo, I'd love to get to the level where we can play like New England and run a full-on 4-3 or full-on 3-4, and anything in between, depending on the match-up.

With 4 "starting" linebackers, and an abundance of talent on the D-line we have the guys to be very multiple up front, even within the same sub packages. Guys like J. Jones, Taylor, Fluellen, and of course Suh can line up at DE or DT. Ansah, Tapp, and Van Noy can rush with a hand in the dirt or as a stand-up OLB in a 3-4 look. Van Noy and Whitehead can play 3-4 and 4-3 OLB. Whitehead and Levy can play 4-3 OLB or MLB (Basically Whitehead can play any LB position in either defense). All-in-all we have the personnel to run any look we want and the versatility of a lot of these guys gives us the ability to change fronts without making any substitutions if the offense goes no huddle.

Call it a Chameleon Defense- it changes and adapts as needed...

 

[broncosmitty]

Is he worth starting again?

Not if Suh leaves.