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Subtle position changes not so subtle Posted: Friday May 10, 2002 6:40 PM
It may seem like a little thing to move a player from one position to another -- especially if he stays on the same side of the ball. But there's usually a reason why a guy made it to the pros at a particular position. Last year the Jets wanted Shaun Ellis to move from defensive end to defensive tackle, to play the same position that made Warren Sapp a Pro Bowler for the Bucs. The switch didn't work , and now the Jets have finally moved Ellis back outside where he is more comfortable. There will be other position changes this year, some that appear just as subtle. But there's no guarantee they'll work any better. Denver has decided to shift linebacker John Mobley from the weak side to the strong side in order to get Ian Gold on the field. I agree with the notion of getting your best 11 players out there, but this will not be an easy transition for Mobley. Sure, Mobley has said all the right things, noting that he already plays over the tight end in nickel defenses, but being there in a base defense is totally different. Mobley is the perfect size weakside backer -- 6-1, 225 pounds -- and he's fast. He's used to lining up behind the defensive tackle where no one can block him. Now, he's going to be on the line of scrimmage against a 260-pound tight end who can be all over him in a blink of an eye. Unless Mobley is blitzing all the time he will struggle to disengage blockers and find the ball in the running game. The Broncos are also switching Mike Anderson from tailback to fullback. Sounds easy enough, but Anderson will go from being a 1,000-yard rusher to being an extra guard on the field. The fullback is in there to lead the way for the ball carrier. Howard Griffith was great at it, Anderson may not like this job after too long. Cincinnati is moving cornerback Mark Roman to safety. The view of the field and the closeness to the running game will change drastically for Roman now. Some have successfully made this switch like Rod Woodson and Ronnie Lott. But many have failed as well.
Getting older to get youngerThe Raiders were an old football team last year. This offseason they got older everywhere -- even at the head coaching position. Oakland has at least 11 starters over 30 years old, including Rich Gannon, Charlie Garner, Tim Brown, Jerry Rice, Lincoln Kennedy, Greg Biekert, Eric Allen and Trace Armstrong.Plus, they've added Bill Romanowski, Gerald Dixon, Rod Woodson and John Parrella since the end of last season. Ironically, the Raiders are now poised to start getting younger. With all the extra draft picks they received from Tampa Bay in exchange for Jon Gruden, Oakland can go from the oldest team in the league next season to one of the youngest in 2003.
Hot coaching commoditiesEvery season a handful of coordinators emerge to become the "hot" candidates for open head jobs. Three coaches poised to make their move in 2002 are Philadelphia offensive coordinator Brad Childress, Green Bay defensive coordinator Ed Donatell, and long-shot Johnny Lynn, who just replaced John Fox as defensive coordinator of the Giants. These guys are talented, will benefit from working for successful teams and have the blessing of some of the most important power brokers in the NFL.Remember , last year no one mentioned the head coaching prospects of offensive line coaches Mike Tice and Bill Callahan. Now they're both running teams. So it's not that uncommon for guys to rise obscurity today to become the head coaches of tomorrow. Pat Kirwan, who spent 12 years as a pro football coach, scout and personnel administrator, is an NFL analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated and CNNSI.com.
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