Super Mario the OLB

[czarleon09]

The Texans are moving Mario form DE to OLB. Personally I love this move, it make Mario one of the biggest (if not the biggest) OLB in the NFL. Now we just need him to make the transition smoothly.

[Kal El]

to me all that matters is the outcome, basically the finished product of this project and what he can do on the field. in theory yes we already know mario williams is a pro bowl defensive end. demarcus ware was similar except he went straight to outside linebacker and numbers don't lie. will he be comfortable standing up and rushing from the OLB position and will he be productive. that's all i care about.

[czarleon09]

I don't think he will be playing the OLB position like a normal player would. Personally I hope they will have him approaching the line before the snap so he can have a full head of steam when the play starts.

[Kal El]

well yeah that's wade phillips 3-4 defense OLB does. as you can see from demarcus ware's play its a pass rush/blitz every down, every play. its a much more aggressive approach on defense. im excited to see how everything translates on the field. hopefully we have the pieces to have a better defense. we still have a lot of missing pieces on defense but hopefully we will do a lot better this season on pass defense.

RE: JJ Watt/ Anderson
DT: Earl Mitchelle/Shaun Cody
LE: Antonio Smith/Connor Barwin

i really like the fact our d line has some depht but our DT position is very questionable. amobi okoye has been a bust so far and is not a 3-4 DT. im looking at 2nd year Earl Mitchelle to possbily a suprise at that position.

ROLB: Mario Williams
MLB: Demeco Ryans
ILB Brian Cushing
LOLB: Brooks Reed

Depht: Bentley, Diles, Adibi, Sharpton

our linebackers look solid. we have a depht and between our DE's and LB's that would be the strong point of our defense.
the back end still looks weak. a lot rely's of the development of Kareem Jackson. he didn't do too well in his rookie year and the 2nd year for DB's is usually the year when they make a big jump.

CB: Jason Allen
CB: Kareem Jackson/ Brandon Harris
FS: Glover Quin/ Troy Nolan
SS: ?/ Shiloh Keo

at least the pressure up front should be a lot better this season. but the back end will still struggle. hopefully we can pick up some good free agents but were also going to have to rely onto the next draft to solidify our defense. if we somehow are able to get Nnamdi Asomugha that would be a dream.

[czarleon09]

If the Texans manage to sign Asomugha a very weak secondary could become a fairly solid one over night. Kareem Jackson may no have had the stuff to keep up with a teams top receiver on his own but with a combination of a bit of experience and some development under both Wade and Asomugha I still think he could be a very good corner. As for the other LB positions I wouldn't be too surprised to see Zac Diles possibly work his way to a starting position or at least a prominent one off the bench, he's an extremely hard worker and I really like the versatility he offers.

[Kal El]

http://www.houstontexans.com/news/article-3/Phillips-clarifies-plans-for-Williams-in-%E2%80%9C5-2%E2%80%9D-front/22e614bb-8639-4cee-834c-ee09ee32910a

“They say ‘3-4’, ‘4-3’, all that,” Phillips said at the Texans' annual Charity Golf Classic. “We really play a 5-2. We play five defensive linemen that can rush the passer and two inside 'backers who can tackle people. And we think Mario certainly fits in there.”

In that 5-2 front, Williams will often be standing up on the right edge of the defensive line as the Will (weakside outside) linebacker.

Along the line to Williams’ left will likely be Antonio Smith at right end, Earl Mitchell or Shaun Cody at nose tackle, J.J. Watt at left end and Connor Barwin or Brooks Reed at Sam (strongside outside) linebacker. Standing behind them will be inside linebackers DeMeco Ryans and Brian Cushing.

“We have a lot of versatility,” Texans head coach Gary Kubiak said. “Cushing gives us a lot of versatility. Connor Barwin gives us a lot of versatility. If Mark Anderson… ends up being ours throughout this (free agency) process, he gives us versatility.

“We’re not going to drop him,” Phillips said. “We’re going to rush him. That’s why I say we’re more of a 5-2, in that those five guys are coming a lot of the time, especially the position Mario plays. DeMarcus Ware played that position, Bryce Paup – on and on, guys that have led the league. They didn’t lead the league in sacks by dropping a whole lot.”