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OLB Calvin Pace, New York Jets

HT: 6-4, WT: 262, Born: 10-28-1980, College: Wake Forest, Drafted: Round 1, Pick 18

2008 Projections

Best Case

After looking like a bust as a former 1st round pick at DE, Pace salvaged his career with a successful transition to OLB. He really only spent one year as a full-time starter at his new position, but what a year it was and it couldn't have come at a better time. With 79 solo tackles, 5.5 sacks, and an INT, Pace was one of the leagues most productive OLBs and he cashed in by signing a huge free agent contract with the Jets. He's a versatile player who can stack against the run, rush the passer, and also has enough quickness and athleticism to drop into coverage when necessary.

Worst Case

Pace wound up being one of the biggest surprises for the Cardinals last year. He hadn't really shown any signs of being that good during his first 4 years in the league so there's an obvious risk that his breakout season was a fluke and primarily due to the contract year. Now that he's received a large signing bonus, perhaps he won't work as hard as he did last year. Or, there's also a chance that the change in defensive schemes could hurt him, and that playing next to a tackling machine like David Harris won't provide enough opportunities for Pace to remain a viable fantasy option.

Outlook

Pace should be a good fit for the Jets, who were desperate to improve their pass rush and put more pressure on opposing QBs this year. The Jets figure to spend more time playing out of a 3-4 front than the Cardinals did last year, so look for Pace to see a significant drop in tackles combined with a slight bump in his sack numbers. In sack-heavy scoring systems, he could potentially be a LB3 but he'll probably be a backup-quality player in most leagues this year.

Writeups last modified: 2008-06-14 17:05:54