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broncofaninfla
04-21-2009, 08:24 AM
Denver Post
Linebacker outlook.
Two of the starting linebackers from 2008 — veterans Boss Bailey and D.J. Williams — are still out while recovering from surgeries, but the team's plan for its linebacking corps became slightly more clear after the first mini-camp.
Free-agent acquisitions Darrell Reid and Andra Davis joined Wesley Woodyard and Elvis Dumervil with the first team in the new-look four-linebacker package. Davis and Woodyard played inside, with Reid and Dumervil, who played at defensive end his first three seasons, lined up outside.
Williams, who played all three linebacker positions in the 4-3 scheme in recent years for the Broncos, will likely join Davis inside, sending Woodyard back to the second team. Williams had shoulder surgery after last season. Bailey, who had knee surgery in November, seems to fit as an outside linebacker, especially because of his ability to drop into pass coverage.

Dirk
04-21-2009, 09:45 AM
I sure hope they can fill the needs! But unfortunately, I don't think that Boss is going to be the answer for anything. That lad can't stay healthy!

broncofaninfla
04-21-2009, 11:14 AM
Though he isn't mentioned, I still expect Spencer Larsen to be in the mix this year at ILB. I imagine we'll see his name once the pads are put on.

bcbronc
04-21-2009, 11:44 AM
I don't know a whole lot about Darrell Reid, but what I have been able to find is promising. Drafted as a DT, now playing OLB.

Found this good article:

http://www.colts.com/sub.cfm?page=article7&news_id=68ebffeb-3a64-46a3-9f22-310ed391432c


A SPECIAL LEADER
By John Oehser - Colts.com

Reid’s Leadership a Reason for Special Teams Improvement, Dungy Says

INDIANAPOLIS – For Darrell Reid, it wasn’t a big deal, what he did.
He said it was more just a matter of pride – that, and doing his job, really.
Mostly, the Colts’ fourth-year defensive tackle said this week, what he did early this season was about not having the Colts’ kickoff coverage unit – a unit he felt a huge part of – be a weakness anymore.
As Reid saw it, he’d been through that already.

And this year, he wanted it to stop.

“It’s important to this team,” Reid said this week as the Colts (8-4) prepared to play the Cincinnati Bengals (1-10-1) at Lucas Oil Stadium in downtown Indianapolis Sunday at 1 p.m. “There have been past times where the special teams have been the downfall of this team.

“I just said to myself coming into this season, ‘I don’t want this to be the Achilles Heel of this team, for that to be an issue all year and every time we kick the ball everybody being scared of what’s going to happen.’ ”

Reid, who signed with the Colts as a rookie free agent in 2005, in four seasons has emerged as a seasoned veteran, especially in terms of special teams experience. He has been one of the team’s top special teams tacklers each of the last two seasons, in the process earning a reputation for memorable, momentum-changing hits on kickoff coverage.

In December of last season, he was named the AFC’s Special Teams Player of the Week after a game in which he delivered one of the team’s biggest hits of the season.

Early this season, teammates said Reid put that special-teams credibility to use.

Along with two other four-year veterans who played extensively on kickoff coverage – outside linebacker Tyjuan Hagler and safety Matt Giordano – Reid began calling extra meetings each week for the unit.

“Darrell and I have been here for four years now, and with those four years of experience, we understand how valuable special teams are,” Giordano said.
The meetings last for about 10 or 15 minutes, but in those minutes, Giordano and Reid said much is accomplished. Still, Giordano said with a smile this week that there was one small problem with the meeting plan:
Timing.

The only time, really, to have extra meetings was on Friday afternoon after practice, a time when players are typically done with their work day in the early afternoon.

“Darrell brought it up and he asked a few of us,” Giordano said. “It is on Friday, so some people want to get out of here and go home, because it’s that half day, but you know what? I really feel like those 10-to-15 minutes go a long way, especially on game day. Everyone kind of tightens the screws right before the game. We see what we have to do and we see what kind of returner the returner is.
“It gets us that much more ready for the game on Sunday.”
Not that Reid said everyone was keen to work extra. Not immediately, anyway.

“When we first started, all the guys didn’t come, but now all the guys come,” Reid said with a smile. “We knock it out fast. It’s only 10 or 15 minutes. We changed the system a little bit. We tried to set a time and now we go right after practice, knock it out and get it done. . . .
“It’s a credit to those guys . . . now they see the value in the meeting. It’s turning over into consistency on the field. It’s a credit to the guys. They’re the ones who have to show up. It’s not mandatory or anything.”

The Colts, after ranking 20th in the NFL last season – when opponents averaged starting on their 29-yard line when Indianapolis kicked off – are ninth in the category this season. Opponents have averaged starting on their own 25.6-yard line.


And while that focus has helped the special teams, Giordano and Colts Head Coach Tony Dungy each said it also speaks volumes about the person who originally thought of asking teammates to stay a few extra minutes on what is normally a half day.

(edited for space)

and this youtube clip suggests he has the athleticism to play SOLB (BIG ST hit).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_0YAhpcrCLg

could be Niko V2.0 but who knows at this point.

Nature Boy
04-21-2009, 01:00 PM
aQmkSvZ4y18

Draft this guy!

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