I like the way he's lining up in this 3-4, and with his untapped potential, could become a monster on D for us. Teams will have to take notice of him, if he continues to display the ability to get into the backfield and stuff the run and sack like he did tonight. He could be primed for an all-pro season barring injury, and that could be the X factor in getting our D to an elite level.
I have been hating on BT since the day he was drafted, but if he keeps this up, I'll have to change my opinion of him. He was definetly a factor in blitzes and made a good play in run defense. Granted it's just preseason, but the loss of John Abraham may be slightly mitigated if BT can really step it up this year.
Absolutely, I felt the same way. Like he was this over-hyped waste. But he looks insane lining up on the left side with no defined position. He literally jumped over his man to make that sack.
come on guys, we went overboard with the criticism after the defeat last week. Lets not now do the same by over praising a guy after 1 pre-season game. I hope Thomas does start acting up to some level of his 1st round drafting even though he is in a new position. He seems to have the ability to play that role sot lets hope it continues.
I knew he would step up in a new scheme. He's the prototype 34 olb... I have a feeling he will put up good numbers.
Well, I was always in his corner. I have said before around here that I atrributed a lot of his struggles to 1) Ellis and Abe being better ends and 2) BT's early troubles with the weight thanks to his psycho girlfriend. He has the talent. Now, he has the position to use it. He is fairly big, but not big enough to be a good 4-3 end. Plus, he's fast. Definitely athletic for his size. He will be just fine in this D. It will be interesting to see. He looks like he is playing with a new intensity now too. Maybe we found the right spot for the player for once, instead of the other way around.
Been a bit since i have posted here, but this is a thread that I came to start, glad to see someone else giving him some recognition. He looks flat out great right now, yes its early but he shows he can bull rush and speed rush, and Mangini is really playing to his strengths. He is floating around the defense playing different areas and making plays. I look for him to have a breakout season. I have never hated on BT, and always thought he would have been a solid pick if he was taken in the 2nd or 3rd round, but maybe he can finally live up to his first round status. Good thread guys. RC
Just a thought; our front 7 in the 3-4 would be scary good if we still had Abe: LOLB Bryan Thomas LILB Eric Barton RILB Johnathan Vilma ROLB John Abraham LDE Shaun Ellis NT Dwayne Robertson RDE Kimo von Oelhoffen
Hunch? i had a hunch that the jets were the biggest bunch of A$$HOLES on planet earth when they drafted him instead of drafting the best safety in the word Ed Reed. I have a hunch he sucks and always will suck. Hunch, geez.
LOLB Bryan Thomas LILB Eric Barton RILB Jon Vilma ROLB Matt Kassel (JAbe sprained something and is week to week) LDE Shaun Ellis NT DeWayne Robertson RDE Kimo von Oelhoffen Seriously, JAbe is less superstar value than you will find anywhere in the NFL out of somebody with his rep. The only person close is Michael Vick. All of which leads me to believe that Atlanta has a real good shot at a downer season this year.
One question I have is why people claimed Abraham didn't fit at OLB in the 34. His rookie year he played that position and before he got hurt he was dominant. He has the size and speed to play OLB, and he played OLB in college... So I never bought the claim that he couldn't play 34 OLB. But either way he is gone and I'm happy with Thomas' progress.
Here's the problem: I recall this exact same thread this same time last year, as well as the year before that. Bryan Thomas plays great in preseason. Let's hope this time it sticks.
He made no impact at all. That's not saying he didn't hold his own from time to time, but Thomas has yet to show even a minute of plus play for the first round pick the Jets invested in him in 2002. NFL careers are measured over very few seasons and so far Thomas is way past due given what he has displayed.
