Quick take on the Ryans trade
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Quick take on the Ryans trade
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
The Eagles got their middle linebacker Tuesday evening, sending a fourth-round pick to the Texans for DeMeco Ryans.
The two teams also swapped third-round picks, with the Eagles giving up No. 77 overall for No. 89.
My immediate reaction was: Why would Houston give up a 27 year old linebacker whose made a pair of Pro Bowls for such a low price?
It seems the answer rests in the scheme the Texans switched to in 2011. Wade Phillips took over land implemented a 3-4. He had a lot of success doing so too. In fact, after the wild-card weekend, I compared Houston's situation to the Eagles'. Both teams hired new defensive coordinators, brought in new personnel and dealt with a shortened offseason, but the Texans improved dramatically, while the Eagles did not.
With the new scheme came a limited role for Ryans, who played only 58.4 percent of the team's defensive snaps, per Pro Football Focus. In other words, he wasn't an every-down linebacker, but more of a situational player.
Here's what long-time football writer John McClain, who covers the Texans for the Houston Chronicle Tweeted about the deal:
Ryans is a 4-3 MLB and not a weak-side ILB in a 3-4. The Eagles will be an ideal situation for him.
Ryans traded cause he's a true mike LB. He was wasted as a one-down inside player in their 3-4. Cushing never came off the field.
In 2010, Ryans was a three-down player. He only played in six games after suffering a torn Achilles tendon on Oct. 17. But Ryans was on the field for about 91.9 percent of the team's defensive snaps that year.
And in 2009, when he made the Pro Bowl, Ryans stayed on the field for 99.8 percent of the Texans' defensive snaps.
It's also interesting to see how they used him that season. Ryans blitzed 121 times in 2009, per PFF. As a point of reference, Jamar Chaney blitzed 44 times last season for the Eagles, more than any other linebacker.
Of course, the Eagles are not bringing Ryans on board to rush the quarterback. They traded for him to solidify the run defense behind the wide-nine. I plan on going back and watching some Texans games from the past few seasons to get a better sense of what Ryans brings to the table, but on the surface, this looks like a great move for the Birds.
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It's OK to be optimistic- the haters can hate, but hope is not a dirty word— brock- This is an intriguing move and may prove to be brilliant. However, the following sentences from the article, make little sense:
In 2010, Ryans was a three-down player. He only played in six games after suffering a torn Achilles tendon on Oct. 17. But Ryans was on the field for about 91.9 percent of the team's defensive snaps that year.
Interpreting: Until injured, he was on the field for almost every defensive play. Post injury, not so much.
— DHowardisdaman - They switched to a 3-4 and he was left a square peg in a round hole. That's why he didn't play as much, and presumably why they traded him rather than pay him a decent salary.
Hopefully if there is anything really wrong with him they'll find out in the physical and nix the deal. 
Comment removed.- What does this mean? That he gets concussions every time he falls down? — fmMD
- I just read they're gonna move Chaney to the SAM position.— soulman386
- Gasp!! Start him at his natural position? Maybe one he played in College before the geniuses moved him to the middle? This appears to be a great trade by the eagles front office and have to give them credit. Now PAY SHADY! — xlGmanlx
- Hes undersized! Oh wait nevermind he's gained more than 10 lbs since he was drafted. Strange how that happens. What to these organizations do have their players lift heavy weights and eat right?— Murrayman
- suprised the naysayers not online crying about not getting tulloch or the end of the road skins lb .....good move they didnt give up much to add a starter to the position and they still have the draft to add depth but its tough to ask a rookie to come play mike lb and ryan has done it rookie of the year pro bowler hope he solves the issue of mlb and we can sort out the rest .....— positive eagle
- It's a can't lose deal because it's only a 4th rounder we're giving up. And the Eagles have 2 of them.— ej610
- Good job Sheil, that makes a lot of sense. I saw the reaction of his teammates on NFL Total Access, they were shocked he is gone. I think this is great. We know the haters will be posting soon, again great job.— Blessed8251
- Sheil, they used him to run blitz
- Great move. Ryans is a good player and he tackles well. I am still on board with the idea of drafting Kuechly if he is available at 15. I believe Kuechly played weak side his first year. Drafting Kuechly to play weak would leave Ryans and Chaney for middle and strong. All 3 give us flexibility to play middle in case of injury.— fact_finder
- Agreed they can't stop there. Now that they got their leader in the middle I'm lovin Zach Brown from UNC
- Reid will draft a DT with the #1. He loves those linemen and always drafts them high. Hopefully a safety with the 2nd pick.
— ej610 - Also Houston had to see how the LB market was playing out and sensed they had to get something done
- just watched two former Texan teammates on NFL network comment on the trade. They were not happy!— TXEaglesFan
- Ryans has never played a down for the Eagles and he is already my favorite defensive player. Bravo Howie...don't know how you did it but bravo again. DT in draft is next move.— tpizza
The best thing about the Ryans trade is the immediate LEADERSHIP he will bring to a defense and a team in dire need of true leaders. Ryans is a former captain and as a 27 yr old General of the Defense we will have a strong and influential voice in the locker room for years to come...great move by EFO— lib4- Theres no doubt Wade Phillips can coach defense and last year he turned that defense around. The fact that he was willing to trade this guy makes me wonder a little bit. I hope it was just that he switched to a 3-4 defense and not the injury. Time will tell.— Geno D
- Since Ryans wasn't a 3-down player, they were only using him as a run-stopper in Houston.
You don't pay $5M/year for a 2-down "run stopper". You can get that for league minimum.— fmMD - Who cares if we gave up a draft pick. We can't draft to save our lives anyway. This is a Win Win— mikedog44
- I would love to see them grab Fletcher Cox at 15 then move up in the second round and grab Zach Brown. If used properly, that guy could be a weapon on defense. I still believe they'll bring in a veteran FA at safety, Bell from Miami or Otogwe from the Rams. Why not.— beegal99
- Ditto on Fletcher Cox. He loves the game and it shows on the field....I'm thinking Harrison Smith in Round 2. — bearsfriend
- Comment removed.
- Now that we don't need to draft a linebacker with a high pick, Reid will almost certainly draft a DT with the #1. Then a safety with the 2nd pick.— ej610
- A bit of a reach on the Houston/Eagles comparison, which ended for me at Wade Phillips has been running defenses for 29 years. Houston made a change to a style Phillips has coached for 29 years. The Eagles changed to a coach that never coached defense and forced the wide-9 on him. Not really the same thing.— del_sj
- Eagles will trade out of 1st round.— TVGuy22
- Sheil: "took over land implemented" . . .
Note: Torn achilles injuries are surgically repaired and usually take two years to fully recover from for pro athletes. It's actually better to tear it than to strain it, since the strain is chronic and the tear, once repaired, is generally good to go after physical therapy.— Leegles - Now I'm interested in the battle at the SAM between Chaney and Matthews...And will they bring in another WILL to compete with Rolle?(Lavonte David?)...Is this the end for Clayton and Fokou? Either way, the backers will be much improved this season.— MrMiles1
- Actually, Keenan Clayton SHOULD be in the mix at the weakside...His ability to cover has been exemplary, he just needs the prctice habits amped up to impress...He's always been productive in games...Fokou and Jordan I believe are goners. — bearsfriend
- Another injured 2 down LB.If he is so good why trade him for only a 4th rounder.Why is it you fools think the FO is always stealing guys and all the the other teams got outsmarted.The Texans went to the playoffs without this guy playing much and the eagles went 8-8 and out of the playoffs because ALL of the LBs suck not just MLB.Lets see what this guys 40 dash is before you idiots declare him the next Butkus.Morons.— sewell guy
- Hey Sewell, learn how to read before you start calling people fools, idiots and morons. The Texans didn't want to pay him for the role he played in their 3-4 scheme. His teammates are all torn up that he's gone. The Houston sportswriters think he is still a player. But you know more than the people who scouted him, watched the film, and read the medical reports. You must have a crystal ball there in your mommy's basement? You are a dolt. Go look it up.— Section 730
- @sewell you're hilarious dude. Guys get their 40 clocked at the combine and that's about it. But you're right, we won't ever really know if he can play linebacker until he gets into some shorts and runs 40 yards as fast as he can
- love the trade. and do hope they take a LB early, but this most likely means they will draft another DL in the 1st round. book it.— The Boston Strangler
- Boy,this looks like a very good move! Kind of the reverse of last season's mistake of trying to avoid paying for an established MLB, reaching for a kid in the fourth round, changing his position, and annointing him the start, and expecting to get decent production from the position.
...This year they're using the fourth round pick to land an established veteran player that somebody else was forced to play out of position.
I've disagreed with a lot of the dumb moves the Eagles have made, but I like this one, ...in fact I like it a lot more than signing a less talented free agent, or having to draft for "need" in the first round.
Now the Eagles have plugged the biggest hole in their defense with their fourth round pick, and take the best player available in the first round, and have avoided adding another mercenary to the mix.
The fact that the guy brings leadership, and is so highly though of by his former team-mates is a nice bonus.
It really hurts to say it, but it looks like Howie got one right.— andyd - "He only played in six games after suffering a torn Achilles tendon on Oct. 17"
Amazing!— GraySafford - @section730,to prove your a moron show me in the article,paragraph and sentence,where it says "the Texans didn't want to pay him".Your the one who needs to "learn how to read".Maybe it was the "scheme" as it was SUGGESTED in the article but you would have to "READ" that to understand.You,idiot that you are,can look this up-16 games played only 64 tackles-0 sacks-0 INTs-1 forced fumble-0 fumble recoveries-4 passes defended.why is he getting a physical today if the eagles read all the "medical reports".You don't get all pros for 4th rounders and I don't need a "crystal ball" to know that.So you go up to sec 730 and get pukin drunk with the other 700 level "dolts" and when you get back home after taking the frankford el go down in the basement and wait for mommy to call you upstairs to the basement door to get your cheese sandwich.Get back to me when you got something.Pathetic sucker.— sewell guy
- @stikobaloni,every team clocks their players at the beginning of camp.They all try to have some kind of baseline to work off of at the start.It's routine but is certainly not like the combines when rooks are trying to impress.I think it's probably more medical than anything else.— sewell guy
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