DMN Blog: Can Zach Thomas play on third down?
by Albert Breer
It's a question worth asking, I think.
When I was talking to people about Thomas shortly after he signed here, one thing that constantly came up was this -- the guy's ability to cover is underrated. And I can remember some of that from my days covering the AFC East.
I can tell you that he was playing Roy Williams' place, as the linebacker next to Kevin Burnett, in nickel and dime packages during the Cowboys OTAs this week. At this point, that's not that significant. But it would be if he proves that, at his age, he can still keep up with offensive players and play the ball.
"What we got to do is go out and keep playing and keep installing and see, as he picks things up, if he's a guy who can be in the dime package or sub packages, or if his contribution is going to be on first and second down," defensive coordinator Brian Stewart said. "We really don't know. That's something to be determined now."
But is was hard not to notice that Stewart drew some comparisons from Thomas to Donnie Edwards, who Stew and Wade had in San Diego, and a guy who is probably one of the premier cover linebackers of this decade. That's not to say that Thomas will be as good as Edwards in the passing game -- that's too much to ask -- but it did seem apparent that the new Cowboys' understanding of that facet of football will help.
"Zach's doing well because he studies, he picks up things and he knows how to say, 'This is kinda of like such and such that we did in Miami,'" Stewart said. "He does a good job of putting himself in position where he can understand and if he doesn't understand, he doesn't leave the meeting room without knowing and being clear about what's going on.
It's a question worth asking, I think.
When I was talking to people about Thomas shortly after he signed here, one thing that constantly came up was this -- the guy's ability to cover is underrated. And I can remember some of that from my days covering the AFC East.
I can tell you that he was playing Roy Williams' place, as the linebacker next to Kevin Burnett, in nickel and dime packages during the Cowboys OTAs this week. At this point, that's not that significant. But it would be if he proves that, at his age, he can still keep up with offensive players and play the ball.
"What we got to do is go out and keep playing and keep installing and see, as he picks things up, if he's a guy who can be in the dime package or sub packages, or if his contribution is going to be on first and second down," defensive coordinator Brian Stewart said. "We really don't know. That's something to be determined now."
But is was hard not to notice that Stewart drew some comparisons from Thomas to Donnie Edwards, who Stew and Wade had in San Diego, and a guy who is probably one of the premier cover linebackers of this decade. That's not to say that Thomas will be as good as Edwards in the passing game -- that's too much to ask -- but it did seem apparent that the new Cowboys' understanding of that facet of football will help.
"Zach's doing well because he studies, he picks up things and he knows how to say, 'This is kinda of like such and such that we did in Miami,'" Stewart said. "He does a good job of putting himself in position where he can understand and if he doesn't understand, he doesn't leave the meeting room without knowing and being clear about what's going on.
posted by The Gryphon at 9:44 AM
<< Home