IDP Analysis: Beasley MIA

The news of the past week has posed some repercussions for IDP projections, and this article rounds up those details.

Vic Beasley, OLB/EDGE, TEN

Beasley was a bit of an enigma for the duration of his NFL career to this point, and then he took things in a markedly weirder direction yet by failing to report to the Titans facilities until Friday. Whatever drama occurred in between him and the team remains undisclosed, and will hopefully prove resolved in any case.

Playing on a one-year, $9.5 million deal, Beasley could offer a noticeable pass rush boost to the Titans defense while running opposite standout edge defender Harold Landry. Landry might be better suited to the strong side between the two, making it easier for Landry to accumulate tackles but easier for Beasley to accumulate sacks. Beasley posted a shrieking 15.5 sacks on just 671 snaps as a second-year player in 2016, so he has a history of producing there despite only producing 18 sacks in the three years since. Particularly in ESPN's EDGE category, Beasley could be a bargain with considerable upside since his low tackle totals would matter less there than they would if he's classified as an LB.

Jatavis Brown, LB, PHI

Brown was expected to compete for as much as a three-down role in Philadelphia, but the 26-year-old former fifth-round pick from Akron elected to retire instead. The Eagles are quite thin at linebacker in light of Brown's exit.

T.J. Edwards (MLB) and Nate Gerry (OLB) have the most seniority after respectively logging 115 and 630 snaps last year, but both remain unproven. Their primary competition appears to be trade acquisition Duke Riley (Atlanta) and third-round rookie pick Davion Taylor from Colorado.

Edwards paradoxically might have the best odds of a starting job since Gerry, Riley and Taylor all profile as OLBs, yet Edwards isn't assured a three-down role for that fact. It's still theoretically possible for Edwards to start at MLB with the Eagles using their OLBs for nickel formations, but if Edwards does secure a nickel role than he could be quite productive for IDP purposes.

Gerry's 630 snaps from last year generally weren't productive, so it's unclear how much his seniority means in his bid for a third-down role. Riley isn't terribly threatening at a glance – the former third-round pick out of LSU has mostly been a special teams player in his four-year career – but Gerry might not be so good himself. Taylor is the most interesting if only because he's an unknown, but the rookie offers at least some tangible upside thanks to his athleticism at 6-0, 229 (4.49 40, 35-inch vertical, 127-inch broad jump). Unfortunately, the ball could bounce many different ways with this linebacker competition. A committee where no one emerges as useful is a real possibility.

Quinton Dunbar, CB, SEA

Dunbar apparently won't face charges for his involvement in the insane and depressing armed robbery attempt that somehow has Deandre Baker looking at a decade or more in jail. Dunbar's involvement in the story could invite an NFL-issued suspension even if charges never surface, but in the meantime the Seahawks clearly intend to get Dunbar on the field.

Traded for from Washington this offseason, Dunbar's boneheaded off-field activities can't erase his substantial talent as a cornerback. His arrival to Seattle could hold profound repercussions for the Seahawks defense, which was repeatedly undone by its poor corner play in 2019. Shaquill Griffin is very good at one corner spot, but offenses threw away from him to great success. If Dunbar is on the field, it becomes more of a pick-your-poison sort of situation.

Dunbar is the prototypical Pete Carroll cornerback – big at 6-2, 201, and with long arms (32 and 5/8 inches). A wide receiver at Florida in college, Dunbar only began his cornerback transformation upon arriving to the NFL as an undrafted free agent. With a 4.44 40 and 120-inch broad jump on this big frame, Dunbar should fit perfectly in Seattle's press-and-pressure approach. Dunbar was already producing as one of the NFL's top corners in Washington, where the system didn't suit him quite as well as Seattle's might. Dunbar could in any case become the uncommon IDP-relevant cornerback in Seattle, as in his last 944 snaps he has 76 tackles and six interceptions. Playing in an uptempo NFC West, Dunbar should be a busy player if he's allowed on the field.

Ross Cockrell, CB, NYG

Another aspect of the regrettable Deandre Baker fallout was the Giants signing Cockrell out of free agency – pending a negative COVID test, that is. If cleared, Cockrell likely will start at corner opposite James Bradberry. Not only are the Giants without Baker, but also former supplemental draft pick Sam Beal, who opted out of the 2020 season.

Cockrell is unlikely to turn into a great IDP playing for the Giants, but he also might be a free source of 70 or more tackles. He logged 743 snaps playing opposite Bradberry in Carolina last year, producing 62 tackles and two interceptions. Playing for a barren Giants corner rotation in 2020, Cockrell could push for 1,000 snaps over a 16-game sample, and he could pile up a good amount of empty-calorie tackles on a defense that might struggle to get off the field. If his 62-tackle pace over 743 snaps last year were projected over 950 snaps, you'd be looking at a base line of about 79 tackles.