the LBs?

[barrett]

Maybe someone thinks he can't play the WLB. Maybe they just like him where he is because he is a great MLB. Either way he is not going to play WLB.

But to your point, Demeco's speed has nothing to do with Diles trying to play there. Like I said, I am sure Diles is being tried there because he can't get on the field at MLB or SLB, so they'll see if he's better than Adibi, June, and anyone else we have in camp. He is not being tried there in relation to his speed compared to Demeco.

[Keith]

Not sure that Diles is quick enough to be the prototypical WLB for this defense -- looking up his pro day #s elsewhere, it looks like he has a 4.75 forty but a decent 4.22 in the shuttle and 7.16 in the cone (compared to Adibi's 4.62/4.18/6.91), but I especially like the ability he showed in racking up tackles before his injury last year. I could definitely see a rotation at the position depending on the down and distance.

Since the Texans seem to be poised to commit more to a one gap defense, I think the tackling ability of the LBs is more important now than ever before. That should play into Diles' favor. That said, if Adibi makes a sharp improvement this offseason, it ought to be really hard to keep him off the field.

For reference, here are some quotes from the Pete Carroll discussion of the 4-3 under defensive philosophy specific to the WLB. Just something to keep in mind.

This alignment leaves open the strong side B Gap and the weak side A gap which are played by the Mike and Will linebackers. The Mike linebacker is in an inside-foot to out-side foot alignment on the offensive guard on his side of the field. The Will linebacker is aligned against the offensive guard to his side of the field. He is basically a protected player in this alignment and should make a lot of tackles. He has to control his weak-side A gap and play relative to the Mike linebacker and the Free Safety. ...

The Will seems kinda like the junior Mike in this scheme. It probably helps here again that Diles is more of an ILB by trade.

The Mike Linebacker plays the first back out of the back field to the strong side. The Free Safety plays the first back out of the back field to the weak side. The Will linebacker plays the short middle. The gives us a man in the hole in the short middle area of the field. If we get a full flow by the backs to the strong side the Mike linebacker takes the first back and the Will linebacker takes the second back out of the backfield. The Free Safety becomes the short middle player.

If it is a full flow weak side play the Free Safety has the first back and the Will linebacker has the second man to the weak side. ...

Need a tackler for sure.

The Will linebacker can be a smaller player. He is generally protected in the defensive schemes and will not see as many blocks. All you want him to do most plays is flow and chase the football. We want our fastest linebacker at this position.

I think Diles showed some last year that he flows to the football, he just isn't the fastest option. So take him off the field in obvious passing downs (or maybe when Chris Johnson is in the backfield for the Titans instead of FatDale?). His ILB instincts should really help him be effective at the Will though and account for whatever speed he may be missing. Plus, it isn't like Diles was some hulking Sam... I think before last year a lot of us considered him to be quite small by normal Sam standards.

More from Diles from the official:

6. Is it going to be difficult to switch to the WILL? You've already played a couple of linebacker positions on this team.

"Yeah, I’ve been all throughout the defense, so why not play WILL this year? I played MIKE my first year, SAM last year, so not really. SAM and WILL pretty much correlate with each other; it’s just on the other side of the ball. I mean, it’s the same drop, same read, pretty much. It’s just on the other side of the ball and I just don’t have to be up on the tight end any more."

Again, it sounds like Diles' experience as an ILB will be an asset to him in this scheme.

[Roy P]

I really think that Cato June will be the Will this season as a stop gap. Cushing and Ryans are pretty much locks, I'd imagine at Sam and Mike. Adibi has to step up because he's a WILL only and if he's not the starter, he may find himself expendable. If he can't unseat June as the starter by December, I imagine we'll be drafting a WILL next season (Weatherspoon, please?).

As for Diles, he's a backup LB at perhaps all 3 positions. That's valuable to the team because injuries do happen. It is fair to give him a shot at the WILL since that is position that is up in the air. I just don't imagine that he'll beat out June. However, he could cause Adibi's departure to happen sooner. That would allow Chaun Thompson to stay on the roster as a pass-rushing LB.

[nunusguy]

Originally Posted by Roy P

we'll be drafting a WILL next season (Weatherspoon, please?).

I'm a huge Weatherspoon fan. I think he and not McClin was Mizzous best player and would have been the first Mizzou guy drafted this year had he
come out. He and not Cushing almost surely would have been the second 4-3 LB drafted this year and he may regret not coming out, especially given how weak the Draft was in '09.

[papabear]

Originally Posted by Roy P

I really think that Cato June will be the Will this season as a stop gap. Cushing and Ryans are pretty much locks, I'd imagine at Sam and Mike. Adibi has to step up because he's a WILL only and if he's not the starter, he may find himself expendable. If he can't unseat June as the starter by December, I imagine we'll be drafting a WILL next season (Weatherspoon, please?).

As for Diles, he's a backup LB at perhaps all 3 positions. That's valuable to the team because injuries do happen. It is fair to give him a shot at the WILL since that is position that is up in the air. I just don't imagine that he'll beat out June. However, he could cause Adibi's departure to happen sooner. That would allow Chaun Thompson to stay on the roster as a pass-rushing LB.

I think it's June who will have to unseat Adibi. That very well could happen, but you would have to think the Texans preference is for Adibi to be able to win that job. I would think that Adibi is penciled in as the starter right now.

[Roy P]

Originally Posted by papabear

you would have to think the Texans preference is for Adibi to be able to win that job. I would think that Adibi is penciled in as the starter right now.

I don't argue that the Texans would prefer Adibi to be able to win that job. It would be nice if he were able to do just that and make the Cato June signing a moot point. However, I don't think the Texans have penciled him in at the starter, it's up to Adibi's offseason performance to show he deserves that position. June has proven what he can do in this league, and Xavier has not.

[NBT]

June can hold his weight a little better than Xavier, but he is 29 going on long in the tooth. Xavier on the other hand, has a tough time holding his weight above 220 during the year. Diles has probably improved his 40 speed, but I still think it is between June & Adibi for the starter position at the WILL.