Mack Wilson Jr. a Good Fit at MIKE inside linebacker?
Early on at the Cardinals' training camp this week, Mack Wilson Sr. revealed that he will be wearing the green dot as the MIKE inside linebacker. Last season, Wilson started 16 games at the weak inside linebacker position. His PFF grades were as such:
* Overall: 63.8;
* Run Defense: 68.5;
* Tackling: 60.0;
* Pass Rush: 61.4;
* Pass Coverage: 56.8.
It's yet another curious move by Jonathan Gannon and Nick Rallis. Wilson admitted that he hasn't played the MIKE position since his college days in Alabama. And while Wilson was solid against the run last season, his weakness was in pass coverage where he gave up 30 receptions on 35 targets for 237 yards, 188 of which were RACs, while recording 1 pass breakup, 1 interception and giving up 1 TD and a QB/RTG of 92.5.
The reason why the team did not re-sign Kyzir White was that despite Kyzir being good versus the run last season (73.0) he struggled mightily in pass coverage (29.0). The supposed thinking going into this season was that the Cardinals were now going to try to play inside linebackers who are equally as strong versus the run and as in pass coverage. Their new inside linebackers' coach, Cristian Garcia, was an assistant defensive backs coach for the Cowboys last season.
When one looks at Mack Wilson's physical measurables, he's 6-1, 240, runs a 4.71 40, 7.20 3-cone and has a 33" vertical --- those numbers would suggest that Wilson would have a difficult time in pass coverage because he lacks the preferred speed, agility, short-area quickness and vertical jumping span to be in a consistently strong position to make plays.
Mack Wilson's strongest value to the team, in my opinion, is as base and sub package blitzer from a variety of different angles, the way the Patriots used him in 2023, when Wilson, in 305 snaps, had his best PFF season grade of his career with an impressive 81.5.
Mack is on the 2nd year of a 3-year $12.75M contract with $6.45M guaranteed.
A number of Cardinals' fans have been hoping that 2025 4th round pick, ILB Cody Simon of Ohio St. --- who was the defensive MVP of the Buckeyes' 34-23 National Championship victory over Notre Dame --- would be a natural fit at the MIKE from day one. Simon has similar measurables as Wilson, except he's an inch taller, 11 pounds lighter and runs an impressive 4.59.
Some fans have expected the Cardinals to start UFA signee Akeem Davis-Gaither whom they signed to 2-year $10M deal with $5M guaranteed. Davis-Gaither started 6 games down the stretch for the Bengals last season, and recorded 76 combined tackles (56 solo), but gave up 38 receptions in 47 targets (80.1%) for 363 yards (245 RAC yards) and 1 TD, while notching 1 interception and 2 pass breakups for a QB/RTG of 97.1. ADG is 6-1 1/2, 229 pounds and ran a 4.50 at his Pro Day at Appalachian St.
Why do JG and NR keep moving veteran weak side linebackers who lack coverage speed into the MIKE position?
Do you think the coaches want Mack Wilson Sr. to start until they feel Cody Simon has assimilated well enough into the MIKE role? Or do the coaches expect Mack Wilson Sr. to be the mainstay at MIKE for this season and perhaps beyond?
What is your reaction to the move?
Great first post. Like you, I'm scratching my head why this FO and staff have nothing to show for this group after spending so much $ and draft capital on the DL. Plenty of capable FA were available besides a relatively untested ADG and they're just setting up Mack to fail.
ReplyDeleteThanks for being the first to comment, 61! Great to see you here, my friend! What's kind of crazy is that Nick Rallis was JG's LB coach in PHI. JG's/NR's ILB play in ARI has been way below par with them starting veteran players who wouldn't start at MIKE (Kyzir, Mack) or WILB (Josh Woods) anywhere else in the NFL.
DeleteGood to hear you're always gonna be accessible here. Hate to say it, but sadly, ALL the young bucks, from Seth to Jess to Johnny-- less Bo, the one seeming exception-- and even the long-in-the-tooth Darren, who cover the Cards, feel like journalists first-- before football journalists-- who may be less capable of seeing and expressing football nuance. We need your voice to be heard, one with your/our particular understanding of the game. When we play the ever fun roster construction game, it's good to know where one's biases are. Yours I know are always rookie and East Coast biased, but always football informed. Everyone else seems to be copy and pasting from National sources who checked in for five minutes. Refreshing! Thank you, Walter
ReplyDeleteThank you, Jas. What college teams do you watch the most? What is your football background? You're right, I am East Coast biased because of all the college teams I watch here in ACC (BC, SYR) and Big Ten (PSU, RUT) territory. I'll tell you what, if the Cardinals' coaches give Elijah Jones an honest chance, having seen every one of his games at BC, this kid has the physical traits to be special.
DeleteGood luck with the new blog, Walt, I'm always waiting on the new Podcast episode to drop and will be following your articles here. I think JG is confident that he can generate good ILB play from any player on the Cards' roster due to his history of getting good play from lesser personnel during his time with the Eagles. I agree with you that Mack would be better used as a situational rusher, I would personally like to see Owen Pappoe get on the field more due to his athleticism, and think that Cody Simon has a legit chance to become a starter in Week 1. Can't wait to see what this defense looks like this year with a much needed pass-rush upgrade.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Galan. I think OP as the players call him has a very good chance to win the WILB job. And like you, I am hoping to see Cody Smith emerge as the bell cow MIKE ILB.
DeleteI guess we'll keep shuffling to we find the right formula.
ReplyDeleteHey hevchv, per reports from yesterday's first full day of pads, Zaven Collins was playing ILB. I will write about this today.
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