Been reading a lot of positive tweets about this guy on Twitter.
Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool
I really like Martin, and don't disagree with what they said about Martin, but that article seemed over the top stupidity biased in burying the other options.
But now it looks like Kirksey is nearly a carbon copy of Martinez.
They really need to describe how, otherwise they look completely stupid saying this, as Kirksey at times has been absolutely great in coverage, including man coverage, something Martinez will never be, and Martinez has been healthy, stayed on the field and a freaking tackling machine despite that he lack elite athletic talent, they're far from carbon copies of each other.
All teams need either a coverage LB or a very physical S, and preferably both. Packers lead the NFL in 2019 with playing dime package 52% of the time because their only option for a coverage LB was Burks, whom seems to suck, and go ahead and bury Burks as much as you want...
But Kirksey potential gives the Packers a different, a better coverage LB option, if he can stay healthy *knocks on wood*. If healthy Kirksey can be a complete LB, and he's the only ILB on the roster we can say that about (Martin is second in possible being complete, but he's a rookie and I'm not sure about him in man coverage)
Summers has only played special teams, it's a big jump from the raw, world of special teams to diagnosing offensive schemes.
Yes it's a big jump, but if you take off the blinders you'll realize that Summers was a starter in college just like Martin and he has a full season of being in this defensive system and he MIGHT be better prepared for making the play calls on defense.
So basically the writer is completely dismissing Summer because Summers hasn't played in an NFL game on defense yet, while completely hyping Martin, whom also hasn't played in an NFL game at all yet. That's a bullshit argument.
Unless you don't have good options, I don't think you want Summers nor Martin in that coverage LB role... so their best bet to get on the field is if Kirksey can play the coverage LB role (or he unfortunately gets injured), and they play the physical run stopping LB role.
Going forward, I think Martin could be absolutely great in that physical LB role, but I don't know if they're going to think he's ready week 1 or not.
And Martin is closer to Martinez style than Kirksey... except Martin brings more power and explosion, and very few people, even in the NFL have Martinez forearm strength.
Where despite Martinez questionable athletic ability if he gets a good grip, it's almost a forgone conclusion the player is going down... not to say Martinez hasn't missed a few tackles, but I've also seen him make tackles that I promise, if it were anyone else on the Packers team (and most of the NFL) in that same situation, falling down, from a bad angle, one handed, they would of missed the tackle, and that, great instincts and staying healthy are why Martinez has done so well for himself.