Tag: Mike Zimmer

Mike Zimmer’s coverage philosophy just isn’t working for the 2024 Cowboys

Cowboys coverage calls are much different than 2023, and the results haven’t been good. Causation or correlation? | From @KDDrummondNFL

It’s always tough to make a one-to-one comparison between coaching staffs in the NFL. From year to year, so much changes about team personnel that it’s sometimes tough to pinpoint what changed philosophically or what changed out of necessity.

Take the Dallas Cowboys for instance. Last year’s starting cornerback tandem of Stephon Gilmore and Daron Bland have played zero snaps for the team in 2024. Can a change in the way the secondary schemes be tethered to a necessary change with Trevon Diggs return and a fifth-round rookie in Caelen Carson playing opposite him? Or is it more about Mike Zimmer implementing what has always been a much different philosophy when it comes to coverages than his predecessor Dan Quinn?

So far in 2024, there’s been a major difference between the way the secondaries have been deployed. And while it was expected for their to be a learning curve for the secondary players as Zimmer’s coverages are notoriously complicated, it’s been a dramatic shift in results.

Last season, the Cowboys were equally as likely to deploy their secondary in Cover 1, man-to-man with a centerfield deep safety, as they were in Cover 3, where the two corners play zone along with said deep safety.

This year though, Zimmer greatly cut back on the man-to-man philosophies. Cover 1 calls have dropped from 34% of snaps in 2023 to just 17% through the first four weeks of 2024. 2-Man calls, man-to-man corners with two deep safeties, have disappeared completely, going from 3% to 0% accotding to data colleted by Football Insights.

Cover 3 calls have risen from 30% of all defensive calls to 38%, but the biggest riser has been the use of Cover 6. That’s where half the field plays quarters coverage (four-deep zone) and the other half of the field is in an underneath zone.

Are the changes working?

Last year the Cowboys ranked fifth in defensive dropback EPA (expected points added) at -0.06 and seventh in defensive passing VOA (value over average). EPA measures on a per play basis how well a defense does in preventing the expectation of a score for the offense at -3.3%.

VOA is a metric that takes into account game situation and opponent strength to measure how well a unit is doing. A negative rating means the opponent is seeing less success than the average opponent.

In 2024 those numbers have plummeted. Dallas currently ranks 18th in defensive dropback EPA, allowing opponents to increase their chances of scoring with each pass at 0.041. They’re also 21st in pass-defense VOA at 12.3%.

Things have gotten decidedly worse, but the question is are these issues due to other factors, or the philosophy? Everything about the Dallas defense is worse than it was a year ago, from their run stopping ability to their pass rush. So is the coverage calling a result of trying to compensate for what’s happening in the front seven or a symptom of the same core issue?

Attitudes, lack of effort likely highlight Cowboys systemic issues that rain from top down

The Cowboys issues the past few games may go beyond just X’s and O’s, says @ReidDHanson

Following Dallas’ loss to the Ravens in Week 3, the Cowboys are at an extreme low point in their storied history. Three of their last four games played (dating back to last postseason) have qualified as nothing short of embarrassing. Their 1-2 record has them tied for last in the NFC East and key areas of their performance are even falling into the history books (in a bad way).

According to ESPN Research, the 557 yards Dallas has allowed on the ground this season are the most allowed since 1963. During the same stretch their defense has set a record in rushing touchdowns allowed while allowing the highest yards per carry against since the 1970s.

With the Cowboys run defense playing this poorly the problems extend beyond scheme or select members of personnel. To fall this flat takes a group effort and probably something deeper rooted.

Scanning the sideline mid-game, it was impossible not to notice visibly deflated body language and the many forlorn faces amongst the team. The impressions given on the sideline bled into the game with Cowboys players appearing dejected and even exhibiting suspect effort in plays in which they were actively involved.

Calling into question someone’s effort is dangerous business in sports. To say someone isn’t trying or has given up is one of the most damning things you can say about a competitor. With that said, it’s hard to argue the issue doesn’t exist in the Dallas these days.

The Cowboys had a handful of landslide losses in 2023 where players appeared to be done playing by halftime. The scheme change this offseason didn’t change that nor did the move from Dan Quinn to Mike Zimmer. The Cowboys even churned the bottom of the roster, rolling out new players and new roles in their defensive front-seven. It offered up the same optics as before with the same poor results as before.

To say the issue is systemic is to say the issue is engrained in the culture of the team. Several members of the offense even seemed to fall victim to it this time around.

Only after a handful of role players like Brandan Aubrey, Hunter Luepke, KaVonate Turpin and Jalen Tobert stepped up and got the Cowboys back in the game did some of the attitudes and effort appear to return, but even then, effort and attitude looked suspect.

Play calling and schemes certainly bear massive responsibility in the loss and those suspect gameplans very likely contributed to players’ attitudes in the huddle and on the sideline, but that doesn’t excuse questionable effort.

There might be a culture issue in Dallas and that’s far more damaging than just losing two games in a row and an even harder issue to fix. The Cowboys have issues in scheme and in personnel but it’s time effort and attitude also get called into question.

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False Positives? Cowboys defense tested by Saints early and often in Week 2

The Saints continue their torrid start to the season, leaving the Cowboys’ defense trying to catch their breath. | From @KDDrummondNFL

There was always a concern that Mike Zimmer’s complicated defense was going to take some time to take hold in Dallas. After Week 1’s total shutdown of the Cleveland Browns, there was a ton of optimism the amount of talent in the Cowboys’ locker room would prevent that from being the case. Early on in Week 2 it appears that was nothing but a Deshaun Watson mirage.

Derek Carr, Rashid Shaheed and the New Orleans Saints have stormed into AT&T Stadium for Dallas’ home opener and completely abused the passing defense of the star-laden lads.

On the opening drive of the game, QB Derek Carr connected on a short third down to Shaheed on a crosser, gaining 17 yards. A few plays later Shaheed broke free from Trevon Diggs and raced towards the right sideline to gain 39 yards, setting up an Alvin Kamara five-yard score.

After the Cowboys cut the lead to four on a Brandon Aubrey field goal, it took exactly one play for the duo to go back to work. With no pressure in his face, Carr stepped into a throw and launched a deep bomb to Shaheed, who split and beat the two safeties, Malik Hooker and Donovan Wilson, for a 70-yard score.

The score put the Saints up 14-3 and was the 11th-consecutive drive they’ve scored with Carr at quarterback.

Dallas’ defense seems to have their work cut out for them through one quarter.

Drew Brees previews Saints-Cowboys with Jon Gruden

Drew Brees previewed this week’s Saints-Cowboys game with ex-NFL coach Jon Gruden. He doesn’t envy Derek Carr having to prepare for Mike Zimmer’s defense:

Jon Gruden has been out of the NFL for a few years now after being fired by the Las Vegas Raiders in the wake of a scandal centering on his extensive use of hateful language, and he’s keeping busy these days by talking shop with current and former players when the New Orleans Saints aren’t inviting him to observe practice and sitting down with him for team meals in Tampa.

Gruden still has a lot of connections and fans around the league. His old quarterback Derek Carr is one of them. Another Saints quarterback, Drew Brees, is another. Brees joined Gruden on his YouTube channel to discuss a wide range of topics including youth football, fatherhood, and this week’s matchup with the Dallas Cowboys.

Brees visited the Saints at their training camp in Southern California, and he’s eager to see more of their offense with Klint Kubiak calling plays into Carr’s headset: “I love what that offense brings, both in the run game and I think the mentality, the way it shapes up the play action the passing game as well. I think there’s a renewed enthusiasm there. I think Derek’s about to have some of his best years. He’s got some explosive weapons around him.”

Interestingly, Brees pointed to what the Saints are doing now in comparison to what he and Sean Payton did back in 2006. Just like Payton learned much from Gruden as a coaching mentor in adapting the West Coast offense for his own designs, Kubiak is making Kyle Shanahan’s system his own in New Orleans. “It came from the same source, right?” Brees added.

As to this matchup in Dallas? Brees is hoping Carr can build on his strong performance: “That’ll be a heck of a matchup. I’ll be glued to the TV for that one.”

One wrinkle to this year’s game Gruden pointed out? Mike Zimmer’s return to Dallas. He’s once again the Cowboys defensive coordinator after a couple of seasons out of the league, running the defense where he first rose to prominence as Payton’s coworker so many years ago. And Brees doesn’t envy Carr and Kubiak having to outwit a defensive coach he has a ton of respect for.

“I’ll say this, we played against Zim a bunch. And there was never a week I expended more mental energy preparing for a defense than a Zimmer defense,” Brees said. “Because just like you said, the minute they walk those two linebackers up in the A gaps, even if they’re just bluffing them, it gets you thinking so much about, ‘Where can I get the ball out? What coverage are they potentially rolling to?'”

That sounds exhausting just from the description. What’s really intriguing about the Kubiak-Zimmer chess match is that Kubiak last worked as an offensive coordinator calling plays under Zimmer on the Minnesota Vikings. But the offense he’s running now is more heavily derived from Shanahan’s San Francisco 49ers system than what Kubiak used in Minnesota, so it’s not like either coach has an inside track on what the other is planning. It’s all going to come to a head on Sunday. Like Brees (and Gruden), we’ll be watching.

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Mike Zimmer to get first Cowboys test against dreaded Shanahan offense Week 2

Mike Zimmer was brought to the Cowboys to stop Shanahan offenses like the Saints bring in Week 2, says @ReidDHanson

The Shanahan offense. For years it’s been a thorn in the Cowboys’ side. Popularized in San Francisco, coach Kyle Shanahan has created a schematic juggernaut that’s elevated numerous offenses across the league to be far greater than the sum of their parts. Its branches extend from coast to coast and its many spinoffs have traditionally given the Cowboys absolute fits.

In Week 2 the Cowboys welcome New Orleans to take on the latest Shanahan spinoff, Klint Kubiak’s Saints. This will mark the first big test of the Mike Zimmer era and will go a long way into making fans and media believe this year might be different in Dallas.

Zimmer’s predecessor, Dan Quinn, enjoyed enormous success during his three years with the Cowboys. But despite building a one of the best defenses in the NFL, Quinn couldn’t get over the Shanahan hump.

Quinn’s unit was often exposed going up against a Shanahan offense. All three postseasons under Quinn, two of which were at home, abruptly ended at the hands of a Shanahan offense. As John Owning of PFF pointed out over the winter, in the Quinn era the Cowboys gave up an EPA of 0.045 against Shanahan offenses compared to -0.094 EPA against non-Shanahan offenses. That’s a +0.139 swing which, to put it bluntly, is nothing short of radical.

Kubiak’s ties to the Shanahan offense extend beyond his one-year stint in San Francisco last season but go to his roots as the son of Gary Kubiak. Gary Kubiak worked for years under Mike Shanahan, Kyle Shanahan’s father, and as many recall this is where the original conception of the Shanahan offense began. The wide zone scheme held a legendary status even before Kyle Shanahan evolved it into what it is today. Therefore, it’s safe to say the younger Kubiak has a pretty firm grasp on this Cowboys killing scheme even if he only had one year of tutelage in San Francisco.

In the Saints Week 1 win over Carolina, Kubiak hit the ground running, putting up 47 points on the hapless Panthers. They were among league leaders in play-action, condensed formations and motion which are all staples of a Shanahan offense.

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Historically, this scheme has caused fits for the Dallas defense. In the past Cowboys’ defenders have been lacking gap discipline, often allowing big gains on the ground. They’ve also been eager to bite on play fakes allowing exaggerated separation on routes downfield.

The 2024 Cowboys defense returns many of the same players guilty of these lapses in discipline, but the hope is under the leadership of Zimmer, the issues get corrected. It’s not just that Zimmer is a renowned disciplinarian as a coach, it’s that Zimmer’s defenses historically do very well against Shanahan offenses.

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Pass coverage specifically has made Zimmer a standout coordinator against these types of offenses. Since the run typically exists to set up the more fruitful gains downfield through the air, both elements need to work harmoniously to stop an offense such as Kubiak’s. It’s what made Zimmer the most optimal defensive coach to replace Quinn this past winter. He’s a decisive upgrade against the offenses that have been proven Cowboys killers.

Week 2 is Zimmer’s first test in proving 2024 will be different.

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Former Vikings RB signs with Cowboys, reunites with former HC

Former Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook is back in the NFL after signing with the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday.

Former Minnesota Vikings running back Dalvin Cook is back in the NFL after signing with the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday. The former Viking heads to Dallas after playing for the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets during the 2023 season.

Cook signs with the Cowboys as the team looks to find its footing at the running back position. The team also has Deuce Vaughn and Ezekiel Elliott on the roster. Who will earn what role is yet to be determined with Cook’s arrival.

Cook spent the previous six years with the Vikings after being drafted by the team in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft.

Cook is the third all-time leading rusher for the Vikings in franchise history with 5,993 yards. Since his departure, the team has struggled to find a new starting running back with a rotation of Alexander Mattison, Ty Chandler, Kene Nwangwu, and now Aaron Jones.

They hope the former Green Bay Packer can serve as a long-term solution.

Cowboys’ newest addition fits defensive puzzle in multiple ways

Adding Linval Joseph, even at 35, gives Dallas a unique interior rotation on paper. If it works, things could get intriguing for Dallas’ defense. | From @KDDrummondNFL

The Cowboys must’ve really been impressed with the opposition when they got their lunch handed to them last December. On December 17, Dallas sent their representatives up north to Buffalo for a cool, rainy road trip riding a five-game winning streak, boasting a 10-3 record. In all honesty, the 31-10 shellacking they took at the hands of the Bills was the start of the unraveling of their promising season.

A close, 22-20 loss to Miami the following week made it a losing streak and they escaped by the skin of their teeth at home against Detroit in the now infamous, OL substitution foot shooting by Dan Campbell. Dallas’ lessened ceiling wasn’t masked in a blowout road finale against inept Washington, and the Green Bay Packers marched into AT&T Stadium and jigsawed the Cowboys hopes and dreams in front of the world.

That was the final shot, but the loss to Buffalo was the beginning of the end. And if the two of the three recent DL additions are any indication, that had a profound impact on the way the front office wanted to put the puzzle pieces together for 2024. On Wednesday, Dallas acquired a second Bills defensive lineman from that day, inking free agent Linval Joseph.

“Breaking: I’m told the #Cowboys are signing DT Linval Joseph, per source. – Josina Anderson

Dallas will have recently acquired two veteran interior defenders to rotate with 3T Osa Odighizuwa, and 1T Mazi Smith.

Last week, Dallas traded for Jordan Phillips, who had signed with the New York Giants this offseason after being with the Bills for the previous two campaigns.

Phillips, 6-foot-6, 349 pounds, is the bigger of the linemen, but he’s primarily been a 3T his entire career who also is a run stuffer. Joseph is a former second-round pick of the Giants… from 2010. He’s going to enter his 15th season in the league and will be the Cowboys’ second oldest player at 35, four days younger than punter Bryan Anger.

Joseph played for Mike Zimmer in Minnesota from 2014 through 2019, and has also spent time in LA with the Chargers (2 seasons) and Philadelphia (one season) before landing in Buffalo last season.

He played in seven games and had 12 tackles and one sack.

Zimmer must be reminiscing somewhat about the days of old when he had the No. 1 defense in yards and points with Joseph making the Pro Bowl.

Joseph will rotate with Smith, and possibly could see starter snaps as the first-round pick from 2023 continues to try to acclimate himself to the league and the rigors of the NFL. It hasn’t been a smooth beginning for Smith, who has made progress from last season and has likely changed targets for what would be considered short-term success in his second season.

Smith played behind another elder statesman, Johnathan Hankins, last season. Hankins was allowed to leave the club and signed with the Seattle Seahawks in free agency.

Zimmer will now be able to deploy a rotation of three functional 320-to-340 pound interior defenders, along with Odighizuwa at 285 pounds as the pass-rush specialist. It gives him numerous intriguing possibilities along with defensive ends DeMarcus Lawrence, Marshawn Kneeland and Chauncey Golston who can rotate inside as well.

Combined with the chess piece of Micah Parsons and what might be the league’s deepest secondary, things could quickly come together.

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Window Dressing: Cowboys Parsons’ position isn’t nearly as important as his role

Moving Micah Parsons around doesn’t have to be a bad thing as long as he’s still rushing the passer. | From @ReidDHanson

Micah Parsons has established himself as one of, if not the, best pass rusher(s) on the planet. Posting 13-plus sacks in each of his first three seasons, Parsons is on a historic pace with the Cowboys. It’s hard to believe the two-time First-Team All-Pro, three-time Pro Bowler is still relatively green in his position on the defensive line, and despite massive success already, still has room to grow.

The league leader in pressure rate, Parsons stubbled into his position on the defensive line with the Cowboys. In 2021 the former off-ball linebacker from Penn State was forced into an edge role after Dallas suffered a rash of injuries to their pass-rushing ranks early in his rookie season. Filling in on the edge, Parsons wasted no time carving out a new role on the Cowboys as chief pass-rusher and general game-wrecker extraordinaire.

Since making the move to edge early in his rookie season Parsons has been a fixture on the defensive line for the Cowboys; until now.

Mike Zimmer, the Cowboys first-year defensive coordinator, has plans for Parsons and it doesn’t appear to be setting up at left edge every snap. Zimmer has Parsons on the move. Playing him in multiple spots, including that familiar off-ball role he played with the Nittany Lions.

The idea of Micah Parsons moving to an off-ball linebacker position is understandably met with a certain level of resistance. The value of a linebacker pales in comparison to that of an edge. LBs are often treated as replaceable parts, similar to that of a running back. Compared to other positions on the field, LB is one of the easiest to fill, making it somewhat of a waste for a blue-chip player like Parsons to play. So then why on earth is Zimmer giving Parsons reps at a position that’s so indisputably less impactful?

To keep defenses guessing.

755 of Parsons’ 863 snaps were taken on the defensive line last season and the vast majority of those were taken from the left side. As the most feared player on the Cowboys defense, it should be no surprise opposing coordinators schemed to neutralize Parsons each week. He finished the season as the most double-team edge player in the NFL, which was partially made possible by his consistent presence at left edge each week.

Zimmer has no desire to make things easy on opposing coordinators, as such, he plans to move the young All-Pro across the defense and attack from different places. Parsons proved in limited action at LB last season, he’s amongst the best blitzing the A-gap. The double A-gap blitz just happens to be a staple of Zimmer’s defense and a perfect role for an explosive player like Parsons.

In many ways, not using a player like Parsons in this role would be defensive malfeasance by Zimmer. The position is technically off-ball, but the role is that of a pass-rusher. This is where the real value is found.

Whether Parsons is playing off-ball LB or on-ball edge, he’s going to be rushing the passer more often than not. The role of pass-rusher is what’s important, not where he lines up before the snap. If anything, his movement around the defense will help facilitate that pass-rushing role.

Hemming and hawing about Parsons playing the same position as someone like Damone Clark is ill-founded. Parsons will be playing his own role even if he takes snaps off-ball from time to time.

If the situation arises where Parsons is taking more snaps in a traditional LB role than he is rushing the passer, then it’s an issue that needs to be addressed. But Zimmer isn’t foolish. He knows what he has with Parsons and he’s looking for ways to maximize it. Moving Parsons prevents coordinators from scheming his way and that could pay massive dividends, even if he takes more snaps as an off-ball LB.

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First-Curl Problems: Cowboys have issue converting pressures into sacks

The Cowboys defense has been lights out applying pressure but fallen short in turning those pressures into sacks. | From @ReidDHanson

One of the most polarizing arguments in football is the value of a pressure versus the value of a sack. Sacks are the goal and a pressure without a sack is just a failed attempt at reaching said goal. The other side argues sacks are more a byproduct of quarterback play than a show of defensive execution. And that a pressure has hidden value, not as easily measured as a sack.

According to the second side of the argument, a pressured quarterback may rush a pass for an incompletion, throw it away, or even toss an interception. Pressures often lead to very good things for the defense, even if the quarterback keeps avoiding sacks. It should by no means be seen as a failure for the defense.

A missed opportunity? Sure, but not a failure.

The Cowboys are coming off a season where, per PFF tracking, they had the highest pressure rate in the NFL. Unfortunately, their pressure-to-sack conversion rate fell well below league average, causing them to finish 14th overall in sacks. They appear to be the poster children for missed opportunities.

Sacks have significant value. Based on 12 years of NFL data, Eric Eager concluded the average sack has an EPA/play value of -1.856. That’s considerably more than plays with simple pressures which averaged only -0.074. Keep in mind, that EPA number includes the interceptions and incompletions caused by the pressure. Pressures are great, but they pale in comparison to sacks.

So, it’s understandable many want to blame the Cowboys defense for these missed opportunities. Even though sacks are notoriously unstable year-to-year, the best pressure team in the NFL should surely finish above 14th in overall in sacks (46).

Interior pressure has been a noticeable issue for the Cowboys in recent seasons and unless Mike Zimmer schemes something to correct it, it could be an issue again in 2024. With the exception of Osa Odighizuwa, no one has been able to offer consistent pressure inside. That’s inexcusable on a team that features someone like Micah Parsons, a player who commands double and even triple teams on passing downs.

At 59% as a unit, the Cowboys lead the NFL in Pass-rush-win-rate (PRWR). Each outlet measures pressure their own way. ESPN’s PRWR speaks to the speed in which pressure is applied rather than the quality or the likelihood it can result in a sack. In other words, it has faults. Regardless, speed pressure creates ample opportunity for cleanup sacks, which is an area the Cowboys often fall short of expectations.

Luckily turnovers have been a beneficial byproduct of the pressure the Cowboys have been bringing. Dallas finished with 17 interceptions last season, just squeezing into the top-10. They had 16 the season before and a league-leading 26 the season before that (2021). Pressure certainly had a hand in that.

It’s not out of bounds to say the Cowboys have an issue converting pressures into sacks. There’s no question the Cowboys have left some meat on the bone when hunting for passers. The missed opportunities are undeniable, and EPA data shows it’s to a rather significant degree.

Since sacks are unstable year to year, this could all change in a blink. Yet the Cowboys have consistently ranked near the top of the NFL in pressures over the last three seasons but only ranked above 14th in sacks, once (2022).

It’s an issue worth monitoring and something that should be at the top of Mike Zimmer’s list in training camp this summer.

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How rookie Marshawn Kneeland can tie the Cowboys’ defensive line together

Rookie Marshawn Kneeland could tie the Cowboys’ defensive line together — he’s already got a lot of the skills Mike Zimmer prefers.

The Dallas Cowboys have perhaps the NFL’s most incendiary pass-rusher in Micah Parsons. That much, we know. What we don’t know at this point is what the rest of that Dallas pass rush will look like in 2024 and beyond, and that uncertainty has multiple sources.

First, there’s the switch in defensive coordinators from Dan Quinn to Mike Zimmer. Zimmer is a familiar face to longtime Cowboys fans of course; he was the team’s DC from 2000 through 2006, and his return to the team is an interesting wrinkle.

Then, there’s the talent around Parsons. Last season, Parsons led the team with 16 sacks and 106 total pressures. Behind that, there are veterans who still have some juice, like Demarcus Lawrence and his four sacks and 48 total pressures in 2023, and newer ascending players like Osa Odighizuwa and his three sacks and 44 total pressures in 2023.

Then, there’s Western Michigan rookie Marshawn Kneeland, one of the most disruptive defenders in this draft class. Dallas took Kneeland with the 56th overall pick in the second round after Kneeland totaled six sacks and 37 pressures in just 288 pass-rushing snaps for the Broncos in 2023. After a Senior Bowl week in which he proved to be just as dominant, Kneeland saw his profile moving up to match his tape.

“The number one thing about him is the high effort and motor that he plays with,” Cowboys Vice President of Player Personnel Will McClay said of Kneeland. “Then to be talented, physically talented enough to play at this level. We noticed him early on. [Brett] Maxie is the area scout who brought him to our attention early, and the more you watch him, the more you see NFL traits and the traits that we are looking for on the defensive side; playing hard all the time and having the ability to rush the passer outside and inside. We’ve talked about it before, as hard as DLaw [DeMarcus Lawrence] played at Boise State, there are some similarities there. That is what we thought about him.”

So, how will Kneeland fit into Zimmer’s defense, as different as it will be? Quinn was a big believer in heavy stunts and a lot of big nickel (three-safety) defenses, while Zimmer, at least through his last stop as the Minnesota Vikings’ head coach through 2021, was more about a 4-2-5 nickel base defense, some interesting looks in three-linebacker sets, and not quite as much stunting and gaming at the line of scrimmage.

One way Zimmer uses his linebackers is to mug them up on either side of the center, and blitz through the middle. That was the case throughout his career, and with Parsons and now Kneeland on his defense, Zimmer could really muck opposing passing games up something fierce.

Zimmer also has a knack for using gap-versatile players to their best advantages. Back with the Vikings, he had pass-rusher D.J. Wonnum, selected in the fourth round of the 2020 draft out of South Carolina. Like Kneeland, Wonnum is a hybrid-built player (6-foot-5, 258 pounds) who could win from more than one alignment, and had all kinds of ways of getting it done. In 2021, Zimmer’s last season, Wonnum had a career-high 42 total pressures, and when you look at the two players and their primary attributes, it’s easy to make the connection, giving us some idea of how Kneeland might be deployed.

It’s entirely possible that Zimmer learned and will employ new concepts in his return to the NFL — it’s common for coaches to do that after sabbaticals, whether voluntary or not. But it’s nice for the coach to have a new guy who fits the concepts he’s already known for so well.