by: Chris Sullivan
Eric Williams has an excellent piece speculating on how Colin Cole will fit in with the Seahawks. Williams argues that with Cole clearly filling up an enormous amount of space (6'1", 330 lbs) he is the natural fit for a one-tech tackle. Cole is not freakishly fast or athletic, which is also typical of a one-tech, and his main skill is likely to be filling space and stopping running backs.
Williams speculates that Brandon Mebane (Seahawk Addicts' team MVP 2008) will move over to the three-tech position. Mebane has proven that he is fast and disruptive when given the opportunity; he led the team in sacks last year with 5.5 with practically no help from the rest of the defense. Mebane has a very quick first step and long arms that help him keep blockers off him, despite being somewhat short for a DT (between 6'1" and 6'3" depending on who you listen to).
When Mebane was entering the draft, he was scouted as being capable of playing nose tackle in a 3-4 or either position in a 4-3. His strong suit, however? Three-technique tackle.
This makes it very clear to me why the Hawks would go after Cole, who comes at a small price (relatively speaking). With only $5 million guaranteed, he's a very low-risk acquisition. With Canty out of the fold, I imagine Cole / Bryant + Mebane in the middle is fairly close to what we'll see for a few years to come. Brandon Mebane has proven that he can be the centerpiece of our defense, and using him in a three-tech should allow him to flex his muscle, speed and talent best.
And, in a related note, excellent work by Eric Williams, who has reinvigorated the Seahawks Insider since taking over for Frank Hughes. END
|