I don't know what they injected CJ Okoye with but he's developed pretty damn well as a run stuffer since preseason. Felt like it was all muscle keeping him afloat, because the technique was not great. Now he's out here stacking and shedding like he's been doing it for 20 years. They've done some really good work with him. Not a lot of fast twitch or pass rush ability obviously, but it seems he grew fast and there's room for a guy like him on this roster.
Also like how they deployed Trenton Simpson this week and hope that unlocks what he can be. Looked like a lot more SLB responsibilities which lets him play faster.
with CJ Okoye it was endurance and technique holding him back
but you saw flashes of explosive technique
he's so new to the game that any live reps was always going to help him develop at an exponential rate
him getting live reps is one of the few positives for this team - especially because you're creating cheap depth with contractual control with legit traits at the position
and as you say, he's really developing as a run-stuffing nose - still need to get better with the disengaging which is what prevents him being a good pass rusher right now too (so late to try and get hands off him) - if he could develop a chop or a swim he could become a factor on passing downs more than just a pocket integrity guy
the other huge positive for me, is that even though he's clearly not 100%, Travis Jones is awesome - and it's really a shame that he and beeks didn't get to play together this year that much because you basically have to double-team both of those guys because they both absolutely murder guys 1v1 - just makes me so sad that beeks is out for the year because i think watching the all-22 from sunday, this defence really is so close to clicking (which is not something i thought i'd be saying)
he's skyrocketed to the top of my free agent rankings of guys i'd want to retain
Probably goes:
Travis Jones
Tyler Linderbaum
Pat Ricard
---Gap---
Isaiah Likely
---Gap---
Everyone else
a lot of young guys are growing up in this front 7:
Teddye Buchanan continues to show a lot of promise
Trenton Simpson had his best game for a while as a raven while being deployed more in space
Mike Green looked good setting the EDGE - used his long arm well - his big problem right now is he's not firing off the ball on obvious passing downs, he's slow-playing the get-off and it's reducing his ability to win high-side rushes or threaten to bend the edge - obviously level of competition is a factor (as is offensive scheme not giving you obvious passing downs to tee off) but he looks like a different rusher than he did in preseason - on the plus side, the run game stuff has proved he's got pro level power and anchor... technique will improve but i think that's why they were clearly ok letting oweh go, because green's been outplaying him as an edge setter the whole season - i do think he's being hindered by not having a lot of opportunities to line up in a wide-9 and just get after it but it's not necessarily been earned tbh
CJ Okoye, as discussed above, has taken huge strides the last couple of weeks
