Sando: What Rams Get With Veteran Linebacker

What Rams get with veteran linebacker

By Mike Sando | ESPN.com
May 15, 2012


Mario Haggan started 32 consecutive games for the Denver Broncos over the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

Then Von Miller showed up.

A scheme change in Denver also marginalized the 32-year-old Haggan, who landed in St. Louis and could start for the Rams at strong-side linebacker. James Laurinaitis returns as the starter in the middle, with Jo-Lonn Dunbar penciled in as the starter on the weak side.

Linebacker was one position of great need for St. Louis that went largely unaddressed in the draft. The team used a seventh-round choice for Hawaii's Aaron Brown.

Haggan provides veteran depth, a short-term starting candidate and, potentially, veteran leadership.

The Scouts Inc. report for Haggan heading into last season read, "Haggan is much more effective coming forward than he is when dropping into space and may struggle in Denver's new defensive scheme. He shows good acceleration upfield as a pass-rusher and flashes a decent burst to close on the pocket. He needs work on his hand use as he tries to control and shed blockers. He can be inconsistent reading blocking schemes and locating the level of the ball."

Good addition I think. Is Haggan some kind of specialist -- he's over 270 lbs., rather big for a LB!

Age: 31
Born: 03/03/1980, in Clarksdale, MS
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 274 lbs.
College: Mississippi State
Rookie Year: 2003
NFL Experience: 9 years

http://a.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=...ng&w=350&h=254

Put him at fullback. Not kidding.

Special teams ace

I am bewildered by this signing. He played well as a 3-4 OLB, but in a 4-3 defense he has not done much of anything his entire career.

Just a head scratcher to me.

Good to have a little depth, hope he can help, but out linebacker corp still seems very weak. I can't say I'm pinning my hopes on him.

The Rams need depth, experience, and insurance at LB. Haggan provides that.

We're thin at the OLB position and this may simply be a depth signing. If he's worth anything we'll learn that in training camp, if not then we'll find an OLB during the roster cuts in Aug/Sept. Something we need to keep in mind, in the 4-3 defense OLB is not as critical as in the 3-4, so we should maintain our perspective and hope for the best. After the past few days of rookie minicamp it appears we have a lot to look forward to. I am trusting Les and Jeff to lead us to the upper echelons of the NFL.

Go Rams!

I agree, Hub, that he's done very little in a 4-3 offense. He's also kinda hefty for a 4-3 OLB, but could maybe lose some weight between now and the season. On the other hand, at this weight, he could play SLB on the occasions that we actually play a base defense and not a nickel, and when we're on 3rd down, he could play DE while Long or Quinn move inside. Or he could blitz from OLB and take the path that Long gives him. There's ways to use him, even if he doesn't specifically fit what we were looking for.

With all the passing, how many three linebacker sets do we really think we'll be playing?

274lbs is actually enough for a legit 4-3 DE. If I remember correctly, Chris Long only weighs around ~265lbs?

Maybe they are going to come up with some complicated and exotic pass rush plays.

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With all the passing, how many three linebacker sets do we really think we'll be playing?

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But why pass if they can run? I think Haggan will do fine on running downs. I just don't think he will be much use on passing downs, as I don't think he's ever put his hand down at any point in his career, and the report is he's a liability dropping into coverage.

I'm sure there's a reason they signed him. I'm not doubting that. I'm just saying I don't currently see it.