Why Ayanbedejo has become so Important

**JimZipCode** · 10-07-2011, 07:49 PM

Originally Posted by brown2RAVEN

Ayanbandejo has been one of the biggest surprises this year for me. He seems to have a nose for the action. Pagano is getting a lot from him.

This is the way Ayanbadejo played before the big injury. The surprise is that he was able to get back to that form, no that he could play that well at all.

**psuasskicker** · 10-07-2011, 08:03 PM

I met his cousin during the draft weekend last year when we took Kindle...it was at a poker table in Vegas. Guy was really nice. I asked him if players like Ayanbedejo get concerned about drafts like these since when we take a guy like Kindle it could mean a guy like Ayanbedejo doesn't have a job anymore. He confirmed that they basically don't like when those guys get drafted cause it does worry them about job security.

I'm glad to see it didn't impact him...

- C -

**Filmstudy** · 10-07-2011, 09:40 PM

Originally Posted by GOTA

You don't need to be a team full of them. What you need is 1 player who can work the inside. You're outside linebackers now have to be a little larger because of all the edge rushing plays. That's exactly what we have in JJ and Suggs.

If a Wes Welker is going to take the safety away the ILB is the one who now has to deal with the that guy running behind Welker, usually a TE, RB or H-back. Ellerbe and McClain aren't the guys who can do that. 225 pound Ayabedejo is which is why he's on defense a lot more.

I'd take another high-quality dime back in the mold of Harris, Williams, or Sapp. Those guys could hit and would cover better than virtually any linebacker.

Ayanbadejo now plays almost exclusively on 3rd down and when the Ravens keep a pass defense on the field with the lead or at the end of the half. Here's the rub...most teams in that situation put in a 3rd safety (to go with 3 corners), but the Ravens continue to play nickel with Ayanbadejo as a 2nd linebacker. It's a departure from past Ravens' defenses. I would contend it's much easier to find a quality dime safety than it is to find a linebacker that excels in coverage.

If you are talking about wanting a linebacker that can cover for times when the standard 4 DBs are on the field, I completely agree that's valuable, but Ayanbadejo isn't the right guy for that with his troubles against the run.

What Ayanbadejo is providing right now is another opportunistic pass rusher who is good at working off the manner in which the opposing linemen have blocked him teammates. That has incresed the havoc and you might or might not get that from a physical safety.

**blacknpurplepain** · 10-08-2011, 04:26 AM

Originally Posted by mommathurgoesthatman

We do need more pass coverage linebackers. Ayanbadejo and Ellebre is the only two. So i expect us to address this in the draft or FA. I thought we was going to pick one up this yr in the draft but they went else where. I still say we need another MLB that can spell Ray Lewis sometimes in passing situations.

I think they gonna blitz Ray Ray more

**blacknpurplepain** · 10-08-2011, 04:31 AM

I think more dime coverage with an extra safety

**GOTA** · 10-08-2011, 09:03 AM

Originally Posted by Filmstudy

I'd take another high-quality dime back in the mold of Harris, Williams, or Sapp. Those guys could hit and would cover better than virtually any linebacker.

Ayanbadejo now plays almost exclusively on 3rd down and when the Ravens keep a pass defense on the field with the lead or at the end of the half. Here's the rub...most teams in that situation put in a 3rd safety (to go with 3 corners), but the Ravens continue to play nickel with Ayanbadejo as a 2nd linebacker. It's a departure from past Ravens' defenses. I would contend it's much easier to find a quality dime safety than it is to find a linebacker that excels in coverage.

If you are talking about wanting a linebacker that can cover for times when the standard 4 DBs are on the field, I completely agree that's valuable, but Ayanbadejo isn't the right guy for that with his troubles against the run.

What Ayanbadejo is providing right now is another opportunistic pass rusher who is good at working off the manner in which the opposing linemen have blocked him teammates. That has incresed the havoc and you might or might not get that from a physical safety.

The issue Pettine was talking about is when an offense comes out in 12 personnel, 1 RB 2 TE. A defense looking at that grouping has to worry about a run. The offense then goes no huddle. They take those same tight ends and now line them up as wide receivers. It's still 12 personnel but now it's run as 10 personnel. The defense hasn't been able to substitute. The defense now has to use the same personnel to stop a formation that they would normally be in nickel or even dime.

With offensive players becoming more and more versatile defenses need to get their own do everything kind of players. That really hasn't happened yet and it's part of the reason why offenses are able to put up such crazy passing numbers this year.

**Jsmoove** · 10-08-2011, 09:14 AM

I remember when the Ravens let AD walk I brought up this same point with some friends, I told them that Adalius was no doubt a one of a kind freak of player but when we signed ayenbedajo he had the same exact skill set he's big enough to stop the run but his speed is what got him to be a special teams ace and of course his blocking skills too. Bottom line what Gota said.

**Rxdoxx** · 10-08-2011, 11:31 AM

I was really hoping for Adrian Moten to end up here, seeing him as a SS.
What I think we are talking about here that hasn't really been defined, is a tweener.

We were one of the teams that mined gold with tweeners in the DE/LB area (Boulware for starters), not so much now because the copycat league has caught up.

But I now see a new area for tweeners, a shift from DE/LB... the hybrid SS/OLB. A player who must have solid LB skills, but we are willing to sacrifice a little of the physical requirements if they can play SS .... not exactly a Corey Ivy/Haruki but a little bigger just not a normal nickelback, one who looks more like a LB.

**GOTA** · 10-08-2011, 11:59 AM

I see it more of a SS/ILB position, at least for the 3-4 teams. In the 4-3 it could be the Will side or the Mike. One thing for sure is that defenses are going to have to evolve to deal with the pass happy offenses that have been created because of rule changes.

**houstonravensfan** · 10-08-2011, 01:35 PM

I don't see any of our LB -- ILB or OLB (EXCEPT Ayenbadejo) -- fitting the mold of an LB who can defend well against the pass. Gooden had the speed, but not the durability. Phillips was way too slow. We certainly need an LB or two in next year's draft, given the questionable status of Ray and JJ. Maybe a big SS who is proven in the box would be an intriguing pick.