John Johnson III or Troy Reader?

[LARAMSinFeb.]

JJ3 is better depth at LB than Reeder.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

JJ easy decision.

 

[Tumak61]

Well I don't think we need either in the starting lineup, so the question then becomes who helps more on special teams. I don't think Reeder or Johnson really helps very much overall.

 

[shovelpass]

Chicken or egg?

Are they playing the safeties more because Reeder is out? The increase in safety snaps did dramatically increase around the time Reeder went down.

Possibly, but it could also be a young defense figuring out what works. They have but I wouldn't say dramatic. All season long they've used a 3rd safety a good amount. Week 1 Johnson played 62% as the 3rd safety. Week 3 a 4th safety starts getting some playing time.

The backend of the defense has done a lot of shuffling throughout the season to figure out the best lineup(s). Add in the emergence of McCollough, and Kinchens after some early struggles. Even when Reeder was playing they started pulling him off of the field more and more on passing downs.

And if they are playing this way because of Reeder's absence, are they going to change back if he's activated?

 

[shovelpass]

This could just come down to who is healthy? Both are "week to week". Johnson has been out since week 3.

 

[RamWoodie]

This is a no brainer as I see it. The LB play has gotten notably better with Reeder out. The secondary needs the help, so you bring up JJ .

THIS AIN'T HARD FOLKS!!!

 

[thirteen28]

I would go with JJ, he adds more.

And the ILBs have actually played *better* since Reeder went down. Speights is starting to get a handle and Rozeboom seems to do better without Reeder in their.

I get the concern about depth, but there are two designations if we can make the playoffs, and Reeder is less likely than JJ to be a difference maker that gets us there.

 

[DzRams]

Possibly, but it could also be a young defense figuring out what works. They have but I wouldn't say dramatic. All season long they've used a 3rd safety a good amount. Week 1 Johnson played 62% as the 3rd safety. Week 3 a 4th safety starts getting some playing time.

The backend of the defense has done a lot of shuffling throughout the season to figure out the best lineup(s). Add in the emergence of McCollough, and Kinchens after some early struggles. Even when Reeder was playing they started pulling him off of the field more and more on passing downs.

And if they are playing this way because of Reeder's absence, are they going to change back if he's activated?

Yeah, Reeder's snaps had decreased from 100% in early weeks to 90% his last game in week 7.

What was consistent in all of the first 7 weeks is that Shula was playing two ILB sets most of the time. I've mentioned before in another thread but that was my huge issue with Shula. The ILBs are not our best talent. I kinda feel he was forced to adapt to losing a guy who was playing 90% of the snaps. And we're better for it!

But just like they reverted to the original plan in playing Jonah Jackson over Limmer, I fear they may go back to a lot of two ILB sets and Reeder snaps if he's activated. I'm seriously hoping not.

 

[PARAM]

Rozeboom played 64% of the snaps vs New England, Speights played 55%, Hummel played 4%. So they played together some in that game.

 

[Tano]

Is this even a question?

JJ without a doubt.

I don't want to see Reeder with a Ram jersey on the sideline again.