Wednesday, October 18, 2006 BY DAVE HUTCHINSON Star-Ledger Staff Defensive end/linebacker Bryan Thomas has gone from bust to boom and is positioning himself for a big payday after the season as an unrestricted free agent. After four nondescript seasons with the Jets highlighted by a dramatic weight loss and assault allegations by a former girlfriend, the former No. 1 pick seems to have found his niche in coach Eric Mangini's 3-4 scheme. In the alignment, Thomas' duties include rushing the passer, dropping back in pass coverage and giving Mangini the flexibility to line him up at several positions. With more teams playing a 3-4 defense, Thomas' ability to play that all-important position makes him a valuable commodity. He's in the final year of his contract. Last Sunday against Miami, Thomas, 6-4, 266 pounds, had a team-high 11 tackles, one quarterback hurry and was named by Mangini as the defensive player of the game. He was especially effective in the running game, repeatedly making plays on the edge. He has yet, however, to develop into the pass-rusher he was in college. "I really liked Bryan's game this week," Mangini said. "He made good plays in the running game. He did a real nice job against the tight ends and the (offensive) tackles. He just played good, solid football, playing within the scheme, being able to take advantage of his natural strength, his natural ability." This season, Thomas, drafted 22nd overall in 2002 out of Alabama-Birmingham, has 31 tackles, one sack, two pass defensed and one forced fumble. "This defense and my position, I love it," Thomas said. "It allows me to do a lot of things. I'm not just going upfield. I can drop back. I can do everything. ... It's very exciting. I love coach Mangini. He requires us to know a lot of stuff, but I love this defense." Early in his career, Thomas backed up former Jets DE John Abraham and current DE Shaun Ellis. Entering this season, Thomas had 19 starts, mostly in place of an injured Abraham, but never distinguished himself. He had just 6 1/2 sacks in 61 career games. "I never had the opportunity," Thomas insists. "Now, I'm having an opportunity to showcase what I'm about and that's what I'm doing. I've learned from two pretty good players. I'm just going to keep working hard every day and do my best." http://www.nj.com/jets/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1161149981158060.xml&coll=1&thispage=1
Should BT and Vilma be in the middle? BT's size (266lbs) and strength would allow him to fight off OLine Men and help stop the run up the middle until we can get a true NT. BT doesn't get many sacs, so there may not be much to give up by moving him to the middle with Vilma.
Don't make me laugh. Bryan Thomas has done nothing since the day we stupidly drafted him because of his college numbers and the rumors that the Patriots were high on taking him and the JETS fell for it, and he still has not done anything significant. It's funny how every football player thats just about to hit free agency always has a break out year. Bryan Thomas is no different. The least he can do this year which he hasn't done when presented the opportunity is get to the quarterback and sack him and put the game away like a defensive end we used to have would normally do when he was healthy.
KUDOS to some of the astute posters around here who said that thomas would be best suited for a 3-4....... looks like he is proving those cats right. now - he isn't the second coming of shawn merriman but this defense needs this kind of effort with consistent inprovement and effectiveness. trouble is - i do not see him getting much of a raise from the jets so he probably will move on. jil
To say that the guy hasn't done anything since we drafted him tells me that you really haven't watched many Jet games. Thomas has been improving considerably, and has certainly upped his game from prior years. Also consider the fact that unless the DL is doing their job, tying up blockers and freeing up the LB's, guys like Thomas and Vilma aren't going to get as many options to open up the pass rush. It's hard to rush to passer when you have a 320 lb tackle or guard staring you in the face...
The one big complaint I have with Thomas this year is his pass rush, or lack of it. He takes a straight line to the offensive tackle, and stops. No inside move, no outside move, no bull rush... he just hand fights with his blocker. Now, I suppose he may be getting told to hold ground there, so the QB can't roll out to the right, but if that isn't the case, he has no pass rush ability at all. OLB's in this scheme need to be able to pressure the QB, and Thomas rarely manages to do that. I was one of the people who thought he could come into his own as an OLB, but he's been OK,, not good IMO. If he is being told to simply contain on his side, then I'd be tempted to upgrade his performance to "good".
wow that's a soft ball article,I dont feel he's buring up anything or any defense as of yet! With abraham youd always see him flying around the edges and consistantly in a qb's face but not thomas! Its still early but i havent seen anything that would warrent a big contract.
You NEVER, EVER saw Abe in a QB's face. Rather, you saw him face to face with the outside shoulder of the opposing O-lineman, as Abe was pushed 10 yards away from the QB. Flying around the edges yes, in the face, no. What good is flying around the edges if you can't stay healthy and put up consistent #'s in every game, as opposed to racking up sacks against inferior teams?
yes abe had his injury issues(always at the wrong times) but he was our defense while he was the DE here! dont ever be confused about that . But as i said its early in the year to say brian thomas is not living up to the lofty expectations of jet fans and himself. This is an aggument that can be settled by comparing stat's;but brian has none! When your the player that the other teams game plan against that going to happen. (To abe)
I can't see Thomas coming back here. We'll offer him what he's worth, but he'll get more elsewhere from someone who hasn't been watching close enough.
Stats never tell the story by themselves. First off, JA was a 4-3 DE.... Thomas is a 3-4 OLB. Apples and oranges. Oh... if you are a stat hound, check BT's tackle numbers this week.... and take some time to learn how a 3-4 OLB plays in this scheme.
Quote: Originally Posted by JUNJOBX2199 yes abe had his injury issues(always at the wrong times) but he was our defense while he was the DE here! dont ever be confused about that . But as i said its early in the year to say brian thomas is not living up to the lofty expectations of jet fans and himself. This is an aggument that can be settled by comparing stat's;but brian has none! When your the player that the other teams game plan against that going to happen. (To abe) Stats never tell the story by themselves. First off, JA was a 4-3 DE.... Thomas is a 3-4 OLB. Apples and oranges. Oh... if you are a stat hound, check BT's tackle numbers this week.... and take some time to learn how a 3-4 OLB plays in this scheme. Im very aware of how in a 3-4 you have the DE/LB's either plugging hole on runs or sometimes dropping into coverage . in the 3-4 your defensive end is going to get more tackles them in a 4-3 my response was to KOZ saying abe was never in the qb's face and always being blown off down the field . If we can use abe as the yard stick regardless of the defensive skeem brian is not there yet and doesnt warrant a big contract .(as the article elludded to) that's all im saying.
Gil brandt today on Sirius thinks that Thomas is having a breakout year and is one of the best OLB in football. He is doing exactly what Mangini wants at this point which includes a lot of pass coverage. He is a big part of the reason we have shut down opposing teams TEs. Also, Brandt thinks that it takes a while to develop a rush in the 3-4 and that Thomas will do very well at that once we open that part of the defense up. He said it is very difficult to develop a rush in the 3-4 until the defense picks up the base defense and understands the assignments which the Jets have not done yet.
eh his game was ok. he made a few plays, the best of which was out of the 4-3 alignment. he's shown promise, but I still think he's a little soft. we need players with a mean streak.
he's playing the best since he's been here. Can't say that I'll miss Thomas, a guy that rarely gets at the quarterback, and averaged a sack a year as a first-round draft pick. It's funny, though, with people on the boards here. Everyone says that it's not a specific players assigment to rush the quarterback, wheter it's Ellis, Drob, Kimo, BThomas....so who the fuck, besides Rhodes, is our future pass rusher
