There was a small amount of buzz floating around last year that he was working with some MMA type guys on some hand-swatting techniques, and even more buzz surrounding the fact that Kerrigan would be a great book-end for him, but he was still just kind of invisible a lot of the time. He’s not a huge playmaker, just kind of a guy who will get you the occasional sack(s). He’s also a huge liability against the run. Teams run directly at him and absolutely do not fear him in that regard. Pretty awful in coverage as well.

I guess my point is that this is his year to really step up and he wants to be one considered one of the better players at his position. Guys like Pierre-Paul and Aldon Smith are already more explosive and create more momentum-changing plays than Orakpo and they’re 2-3 seasons younger. If he continues to just kind of coast at an OK-to-decent level of production and wants to demand huge $$$, unfortunately, I’d say we have to let him walk.

Still holding out hope, though. The talent is certainly there.

One of the reasons Shanahan wanted to use the 3-4 is that is gave more rushing options but Haslett’s scheme almost exclusively had Orakpo line up wide right and rush outside the LT.

It was only in the last few games of last year that they started to stunt Orakpo inside, rush him from them left or do anything remotely creative. Strangely enough Orakpo suddenly looked like a much better player, particularly in the Eagles game (until he was knocked out by the injury).

Up until those last few games Haslett had run an incredibly vanilla 3-4. It shouldn’t be a surprise, I have no idea why he was brought in a as 3-4 coach. He didn’t spend that long defensive co-ordinator in Pittsburgh and once he left he spent a decade coaching 4-3 defenses. Including his term as a head coach.

I also think having a healthy Jarvis Jenkins on dline might help as well. The front 7 is looking solid.