| Danno |
08-15-2016 07:14 PM |
I told you guys about Kasim, That guy is talented.
Nope, that wasn't me that said that, it was Cam Jordan
Quote:
"I told you guys about Kasim," Jordan said. "That guy is talented."
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. — The blue chip prospects the New Orleans Saints have been stockpiling to rebuild their pass rush have been hit hard by a run of bad injury luck this summer.
First, 2015 second-round pick Hau'oli Kikaha went down at the end of OTAs with a torn ACL. Then 2016's top pick, defensive tackle Sheldon Rankins, broke the fibula in his left leg on Monday during a goal-line drill, sidelining the rookie for up to six weeks.
Now, the Saints might find themselves leaning on the kind of developmental player the franchise has been famous for finding under Sean Payton to provide a consistent complement to Pro Bowler Cameron Jordan.
Kasim Edebali, a native of Germany who signed with the Saints as an undrafted free agent out of Boston College in 2014, piled up two sacks in 24 snaps against New England Patriots left tackle Nate Solder in Thursday's preseason game.
"I told you guys about Kasim," Jordan said. "That guy is talented."
Edebali's eruption against New England came as no surprise to the Saints.
Bulked up and installed at the "open" defensive end position opposite Jordan in Dennis Allen's defense, Edebali has turned into one of the breakout candidates of this Saints team.
“That’s a guy that’s made strides in this offseason," Saints left tackle Terron Armstead said. "He’s learning more about the game. He’s a more experienced rusher. He’s creating some challenges. He’s incorporated some power into his speed rush.”
Edebali has always shown some flashes as a pass rusher. Back in 2014, when he was still a rookie, Edebali took down Aaron Rodgers twice in a big win over Green Bay. Offered a permanent spot in the rotation last season, Edebali responded with five sacks in just 361 snaps, prompting predictions of a breakout year by Jordan, who believes Edebali's production will only rise with more time on the field.
Edebali spent the offseason making sure he'd get that extra playing time, even though he battled a lingering injury that kept him off the field for most of the Saints' summer practices.
For starters, Edebali dove into the tape, breaking down film of speed rushers, edge guys with a similar playing style.
"I tried to watch Von Miller a lot and the way he’s able to bend, and when he flips his hips," Edebali said. "I watched a lot of different guys, not just specific players. ... I watched their technique, how they use their hands, and how they get there."
Edebali also tapped into a deep resource within the Saints' organization.
Armstead has blossomed into one of the league's best left tackles, and Edebali frequently battles the emerging star in practice.
The questions he asks his counterpart are simple.
"I asked him what makes him uncomfortable," Edebali said. "He’s one of the best tackles in the league, so if he tells me it makes him uncomfortable, I know it can work against anybody in the league."
An improved Edebali has given the normally unbeatable Armstead some trouble in one-on-one rushes since the latter returned from injury, a sign of how far his protégé has come.
And it's not just as a pass rusher.
Always a powerful player for his size, Edebali has put a stranglehold on the starting end spot opposite Jordan with an improved all-around game.
"Obviously, he’s worked a lot on his pass rush in the offseason, he’s studied a lot of the top rushers and kind of expanded his repertoire of moves," defensive coordinator Dennis Allen said. "But I think, probably, when I look at it, his ability to play stout in the running game has been the most impressive thing to me."
Edge rushers don't always want to be great against the run.
Edebali, on the other hand, has been a high-effort guy from the start. That's what got him the opportunity he has now.
"That's his DNA," Armstead said.
Now, the Saints are counting on Edebali's improved tools to help fill some of the gaps injuries have created in their pass rush.
Defensive end Kasim Edebali is blossoming into promising pass rusher for Saints | Saints | theadvocate.com
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