Thoughts on Fred Davis and Run Blocking

Mattyk

Good breakdown. He's definitely a liability more often than not in blocking it seems.

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NC_Skins

I still think Niles Paul is the better blocker out of the 3. Fred's horrible blocking has been a issue from day 1.

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Chico23231

Its a problem, but Shanny stated when he came in he prefered a pass catching TE as well as a blocking TE. With Cooley questionable to be on the roster this year, who steps up to fill the void as blocking TE, Niles or Paulson possibly?

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skinsguy

The upside with Chris Cooley is that he's winning to do just about anything and everything it takes to stay with the Redskins, and he's traditionally been a pretty good run blocker. I think you find some way of keeping Cooley on the team. I'm hoping that preseason game #2 will yield some catches for CC #47 and remind us why Chris is a valuable addition to the team.

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imaskin4life

The only way I let go of Cooley is if I am satisfied with Davis' run blocking. For me, it is not enough to be a receiving tight end and a below average run blocker. Tight ends do more blocking than receiving during the course of a game. I suppose you could substitute TE's in passing/running situations but I would prefer not to have to show the defense my hand.

If we do end up letting go of Cooley and Davis continues to suck at run blocking I am hoping Niles Paul emerges as a decent run blocker since in the past he has been a decent receiver. He is CERTAINLY going to have to step up his receiving game from last week though - too many drops last week.

T.O.Killa

I think who really benefits here is Logan Paulson. I think he may be a lock in Shannahan's mind. Who knows maybe a reciever gets cut and they keep four tight ends, because of Niles Pauls flexibilty.

SmootSmack

Yeah Paulsen is the sleeper in all of this, for sure

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FRPLG

I never understand why basic technique is so hard in situations like this. I mean I am sure they keep telling him to stay lower and he consistently doesn't. I surely have no experience with it but if my coach told me to stay low I'd stay low. I mean it's a fundamental principle of what he is trying to do. Is it legit difficult to do? Just don't stand straight up when the ball is snapped right?

Defensewins

Yes, Davis is not a good blocker, but Cooley has never been the second coming of Mark Bavaro either. I have never been impressed with Cooley's blocking. Cooley is an ok blocker, but I would not say his blocking is THE reason why he makes the squad.
More importantly IF Cooley continues to shows can not stay healthy, that would be a major reason to replace him in the coming year or two. We can not continue to hold hostage roster spots for guys like T Jammal Brown who can not stay healthy for more than a handful of games. Time to move on with youth.

SmootSmack

People at the practices have been telling me all Cooley does is block. He's not being targeted at all by the QBs, just sit back and block. What does that all mean? I don't know, interesting though

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30gut

Articles like that are my sports/media pet peeve.
They push the part for the whole fallacy.
This small part of Davis as a blocker is not the sum total of Davis as a blocker.

Some points that jump out at me:

o The Bills have a good front 7

o The OL as unit stunk against them are we gonna jump to conclusions about every member of the OL that played poorly?

o How many good receiving TEs are also very good blockers?

o How many teams by design ask their TE to block the edge without help?

o Notice on the one play where Davis does set the edge (against lol Mario Williams) he has help and is able to spring Royster to the outside

o I'm not sure how much of a carry over there is from TE pass blocking to run blocking but if there is then the notion that Chris Cooley is a better blocker then Davis is wrong to the point of being absurd:

Three Years of Pass Blocking Efficiency: Tight Ends
A Quarterbacks Worst Friend:
Rank Name Current Team Pass Protects Total Pressure PBE
1 Brandon Manumaleuna CHI 264 31 90.63
2 Greg Olsen CAR 198 20 91.67
3 Jeff King ARZ 236 25 91.74
4 Brody Eldridge SL 106 11 91.98
5 Chris Cooley WAS 106 11 91.98
6 Matt Spaeth CHI 180 18 92.08
7 Vernon Davis SF 182 17 92.31
8 John Carlson MIN 169 17 92.31
9 Matthew Mulligan SL 115 10 92.83
10 Jeremy Shockey FA 178 16 93.26


Davis needs to be more consistent with his blocking.
But, for my money/to my eye he's the second best blocking TE on the team behind Paulsen and he's on par if not better then most of the other receiving TEs.

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That Guy

in the alex gibbs zone scheme, the TE is often the seal blocker. it sucks that we don't really have that guy, but it is what it is.

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RGIII

I just noticed both Davis and Cooley was were lined up across from Idonije on the sack fumble by Griffin.

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