I like Vilma a lot. I do not think he's a heavy impact linebacker though. He just does not hit hard enough to be a mainstay on the defense. He's more like an excellent stopgap. History tells us that the really hard hitters are what are valuable. The stopgaps are great to have as long as you have a hard hitter next to them.
It's hard to teach leadership, and Vilma already has that in a huge way. I know he's best suited for the 4-3, but what happens if we switch to a 4-3 down the line after trading him? We'll all be kicking ourselves. Vilma may not hit like a truck, but he has the smarts to add so much more than brute strength to a defense.
The funny thing is that everybody talks about Vilma gaining 10 pounds to be a better linebacker. What about losing 10 pounds and becoming a dominant strong safety? He's really out of position even in a 4-3.
Very smart thread. Agree completley. Lets hope a few more play-off games helps to keep Cotch honest and not look over the fence at pastures new.
Funny you should say that... I've been talking among fellow fans about Vilma moving to strong safety. He covers well, not brilliant by any means, but again I point to his IQ to help him make such a transition. Vilma and Rhodes at safety would be nice indeed, but that would open a gaping chest wound at LB. Tough call.
Sean, you are meddlesome. I like your posts normally even if you are from near Fenway but you are overstepping the mark here. These Guys are bringing home the bacon to New York this year or in the near future. Back off.
Vilmas a good player, and I think hes done well enough this year. The perception is that hes been a letdown, but Henderson's defense was basically designed to give Vilma all the stats... of course hes not going to equal his old tackle numbers and such. That doesnt mean hes not playing well. Sometimes he does get pushed around a bit more than youd like, but he brings a lot to the table in terms of pursuit and open field tackling ability, and those are things that are invaluable regardless of what defensive front you run. All of that being said, what worries me is that Vilma isnt worth as much to the Jets as I think he would be to, say, the Dolphins, who have to be starting to think about life after Zach Thomas. Vilma would give them basically the same exact player... theyd be willing to give him superstar cash, and I dont know that the Jets would. I believe Vilma signed a 5 year deal as a rookie, which gives him two more years here. My bet would be that if he doesnt show marked improvement in shedding blocks and dealing with interior runs by the end of next season, hell be traded.
Vilma is not and never will be Zach Thomas. Two completely different playstyles, starting off with the physicality of their play (Thomas is much more physical) and ending with their cover ability (Vilma can cover tailbacks and Thomas can't.) The Dolphins would never replace Thomas with Vilma because it would destroy the hard-hitting character of their defense, which has been a Dolphin characteristic since the 70's. They're also not going to sign him to a $35 million dollar contract to shift him to strong safety, so I think we're safe on the "Dolphin raid" angle. Of course the Dolphins could be about to fall off a cliff and become the Detroit Lions of the next decade. In that case, anything is possible.
