K.C. Joyner: linebacker Karlos Dansby might not be a major upgrade

For $22 million in guaranteed money, new inside linebacker Karlos Dansby will be expected to be a game-changer and the centerpiece of the Dolphins’ rebuilt defense. It would seem to be a given he’ll be a huge upgrade on Akin Ayodele. K.C. Joyner, a.k.a. The Football Scientist, wonders. Joyner has graded every snap of both players and concludes Dansby will be an improvement on Ayodele … just how much remains to be seen. Dansby is a superior athlete, who’s bigger (6-4, 250) and younger (28) than the 30-year-old Ayodele, who is 6-2, 245. But in an article last Friday in ESPN.com’s Insider section (here’s the link , but you may not be able to read it), Joyner wrote that Dansby historically is only a bit better than Ayodele at stopping the run. Dansby wins his match-ups at the point of attack at a rate of just 5 percent higher than Ayodele, who won 21-percent of his POA battles in 2009 – a solid number, Joyner

said. The difference might translate to five to eight stops a season. As Joyner noted in an e-mail exchange, “there is just so much impact an ILB can have on things.” But Dansby also has 25.5 sacks and 10 interceptions in six seasons, compared with 5.5 sacks (none the past three seasons) and four picks for Ayodele in that span. Meanwhile, Channing Crowder has one interception and 2.5 sacks in five NFL seasons. Plus, Dansby is sure to get better coaching with the Dolphins than he did with the Cardinals. New defensive cooradinator Mike Nolan is known for developing linebackers, while new inside linebackers coach Bill Sheridan is respected as a position coach. All signs point to Dansby being just what the Dolphins need – a proven player who’s in his prime, as well as a “pro’s pro,” as Joyner calls him. Sometimes the numbers do lie.

Read the original post: 
K.C. Joyner: linebacker Karlos Dansby might not be a major upgrade

Leave a comment

Name (required)

E-mail (required)

URI

Your Message