Detroit's take on Sims
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Detroit's take on Sims
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
Looking for some perspective on Ernie Sims, the Eagles' latest acquisition, I spoke to a few people who would know best what kind of linebacker the Eagles were getting. One was a Detroit area writer who covers the Lions and another was a NFL scout that regularly scouts the NFC North.
The writer had nice things to say about Sims the person and his devotion to football. But he said there was a reason why the Lions had given up on their 2006 first-round draft pick. Some of it had to do with timing -- Sims is in the last year of his contract -- some of it had to do with never reaching one's potential and some if it had to do with just moving on.
The scout thought the trade was a good one for the Eagles, not only because they would be getting a player with a "high motor," but because Sims would flourish in a system that was predicated on its linebackers playing downhill. The scout did say that Sims had trouble playing in space.
The Eagles view Sims as a starter, either at weak-side or strong-side linebacker. His size would imply that he's better suited to play WIL, but the Eagles need a SAM linebacker that can run with a tight end and Sims has done that, although not much of it.
As much as I appreciated the reports I received from the writer and the scout, I thought the e-mail I received from a Lions fan this morning was just as useful. Take it for what it's worth, but I could imagine an Eagles fan writing the same thing to another team's beat writer about a player that looked great to the outside world but not so great to those who watched him week after week, year after year (think: McNabb). Here's the unedited e-mail:
Here is some Detroit perception for you ...
Sims is 5-10, 230 lbs., not 6-0.
He is quick, but he continuously overruns plays, even when in the scheme he was drafted for. Perhaps part of this is his maturing as a player.
I think he's a high character, high intensity guy who is always working hard, but he's not really big enough to play linebacker. If he were smart enough to make the position change, I think he could make a good strong saftey, if he played better in space, because he is a hitter.
Given the observation that he continues to overrun plays at linebacker which is a position he already has a lot of time at, expecting him to play well in MORE space as a strong saftey would be a stretch.
Finally, as a Matt Millen high draft pick, you have to be a little skeptical. He started here because the Lions spent a high pick and a lot of money on him and kept hope that he would pan out. As bad as our defense in Detroit was the past couple of years (one of the worst in history), if he were REALLY a catalyst, wouldn't Gun Cunningham (who really knows what he is doing) have kept him around? The Lions don't even have a replacement, yet traded him ANYWAY.
I wish Sims and the Eagles well, but honestly, I'm GLAD we got rid of him.
Good luck in Philly.
ouch— phatknot- if Detroit's coaching staff did a better job reaching the players and communicating the schemes, maybe they'd have more than 2 wins over the last 2 seasons. I'm not putting Sims on the All-Pro roster just yet, but I'll reserve judgement until he's had a chance to be a part of a winning atmospher and play in a downhill scheme
- Have to evaluate this deal ways: Is Sims better than Gocong? Is a four year starting LB, even with team like Detroit, a better option than an unproven 5th round rookie? The correct answers are yes and yes. Solid upside as weakside LB option, little downside if he isn't.— Z-Force
- Mark Simoneau is listed as 6', 240 by the Saints web site. Sims is better of course, but it's an intersting comparison.— Bob1
- Call me a cynic. However, the Detroit Lions are Brutal with a capital B. They can absolutely not afford to give up any talent that they have because they have very little. The fact that this guy was the ninth pick taken overall in the 2006 NFL draft and can be had four years later for a late 5th round pick has to say something. It either says that the Eagles organization judges defensive talent better than everyone else in the NFL or the Detroit Lions are cleaning out Matt Millen's mistakes for whatever they can get. It is more likely the latter than the former.— syddan26
- Call me a cynic. However, the Detroit Lions are Brutal with a capital B. They can absolutely not afford to give up any talent that they have because they have very little. The fact that this guy was the ninth pick taken overall in the 2006 NFL draft and can be had four years later for a late 5th round pick has to say something. It either says that the Eagles organization judges defensive talent better than everyone else in the NFL or the Detroit Lions are cleaning out Matt Millen's mistakes for whatever they can get. It is more likely the latter than the former.— syddan26
- I have a hard time imagining so civil a slam by an Eagles fan.— john_in_dc
- The pick they traded was a 5th...not a 1-4...which is not a bad deal. As far as how he played in Detroit. Look at the team and the coaching.— skins
- I hope that is a bitter loins fan.— mrgjf45
- z-force nailed. we basically traded gocong for sims. This is a no-brainer. gocong did not fit this system and its yet to be seen if he fits any nfl system. this is a major upgrade over gocong. that's all that really matters. This is a good move. And do you you really care what some fan from detroit says...he's probably bitter that there is one less talent on that joke of a team.— TheCaptain18
- Look at it this way7 . . when Sims clobbers someone . . you think that player is gonna care whether he's 5' 10 or 6 ' ?? All he's gonna know is . . he just got clobbered and by a guy weighing 230 . . .— ingy9
Comment removed.- Is this Detroit's take? Where's a comment from the coaching staff or organization? You've got a beat writer and, if Detroit beat writers are anything like Philly beat writers, than there's more than a 50% chance the guy doesn't even know much about football. Then, you've got a scout for another team but he's probably seen a lot of Sims and thinks he's a good fit for our system. Finally, you've got some random moron fan who doesn't even know what system the Lions play on defense. The fan says "even when in the scheme he was drafted for" but the Lions aren't playing in the scheme that Sims was drafted for as several commentators have pointed out. Makes you wonder how much this guy even follows his team but the comment about moving him to safety pretty much assures us that this guy is clueless about football. Too small to play LB? Mike Singletary and Sam Mills were supposedly too small to play LB too and they were both perennial Pro Bowl MLBs, not even weak side LBs like Sims. Sims is the same size as Jordan and had more tackles in each of his first 3 seasons than the Eagles have had by any LB in awhile. This guy was well worth a 5th round pick or a swap of Gocong (who was traded for that 5th round pick), whichever way you look at it. Gocong fell out of a favor and the LB experiment didn't work with him (although he could be productive as a 3-4 DE) and a 5th round pick is somebody you're hoping even makes your roster. All in all, I'll take Sims. He's only 25, has a high motor, has speed and is a good teammate/leader.— JimG
- From Philly, live in Detroit. Great move by the Eagles, this kid is a Killer. Destroys whatever he hits, plus, has a mean streak. Detroit has been terrible forever, and this kid averaged 130+ tackles a season during his tour with that terrible team. Now that he is away from a terrible team, if he is coached right, he will be something special. Eags got a steal!!— I See
- Sims is goiing to bring the last place with him to Philly. I really can not see this team winning more then 6 games next year. Can't wait for it!— BirdsSuck
