Bruce Irvin: I couldn't reach my potential in Seattle

Like I said, Seattle kind of limited me in that defense -- and I did the best that I could do -- but I haven't scratched my surface. I'm far from it. I still have a lot more great years, and a lot more things that I have to prove.

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http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300000 ... in-seattle

This is the dude who said he'd take a sack over a pick six, IIRC.

But he's right, if it's stats he's interested in then of course he's better off elsewhere. Can't begrudge him that.

Good luck to him, here's hoping he puts up 20 sacks and gets an all-pro nod. Turn that 4th round comp into a 3rd.

LOL . . . he was a part of four straight #1 scoring defenses, seven playoff wins, two Super Bowls, and a Super Bowl Championship.

But, oh, he didn't get enough sacks.

He is right. He didn't live up to being a first round pick or his contract.

The NFL is about "bang for the buck". Considering his pay scale, there wasn't great value in Irvin.

Astute observers can understand that a player can be really good, yet be of poor value relative to the cost of acquisition as well as the cost relative to the salary cap.

Mick063":ic4rjh5y said:

He is right. He didn't live up to being a first round pick or his contract.

The NFL is about "bang for the buck". Considering his pay scale, there wasn't great value in Irvin.

Astute observers can understand that a player can be really good, yet be of poor value relative to the cost of acquisition as well as the cost relative to the salary cap.

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Pay scale? He made less than 2.5m per year for 4 years. We now see his value was well over $9m per year. So I would say he definitely lived up to his pay scale. He may not have lived up to his draft position but if you look at the 1st rounders taken that year there aren't many who performed better, in particular at DE/OLB.

At the hot game in San Diego I remember his stupid hit on Rivers way out of bounds that contributed heavily to the loss and n that game.

He isn't a hawk anymore.

Plus he may be right

I really like Bruce, but he needs to realize he'll be 29 half way through next season, it's not about potential anymore. He is the player he is going to be.

He's just talking about how he wants to be a pass rusher and not a SAM. It's what he likes to do. Nothing wrong with that.

I'm pretty sure this all boils down to the fact that Ken Norton Jr (Raiders DC and former Hawks LB coach) probably sold him the moon when recruiting him to come to Oakland. I wouldn't be shocked if Norton pointed out that Irvin would have had x amount of sacks if he played in his defense, apposed to what Seattle runs. Which, as we all know Bruce probably shat the bed as soon as he saw numbers like that thrown around, with the guarantee of much more money. I don't hate Norton for selling on Oakland, as that is his job now. Nor do I hate Irvin for leaving, you would be crazy to not take the money when it's offered in a game where you are literally one play away from major injury or never playing again.

I guess what I don't personally understand is, why would he fell the need to take any kind of shots when leaving? Even if you really think and/or know that you will put up better numbers in Oakland than you did in Seattle, why say anything at all? It seems like some players, no matter how many wins they have while on a team or how successful they are, they still seem to be all about themselves. Maybe he's upset that Seattle couldn't give him a proper offer so he's going to take shots on the way out, that's really the only thing I could think of. Perhaps players still don't realize that no matter how much the team wants to keep a player, the cap will never allow it, ever. For a league were players always seem to say "it's just a business", a lot of them sure seem get their feelings hurt and feel the need to say something on the way out, although, I may just be looking in to this too much.

Maelstrom787":2rg4jc95 said:

He's just talking about how he wants to be a pass rusher and not a SAM. It's what he likes to do. Nothing wrong with that.

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Yep. I thint the Raiders run a 34 defense and Bruce will be a pass rusher. It's what he always wanted. He was a team player here, so I can't hold it against him. He did everything g we asked him to do, even if it wasn't what he wanted.

Didn't we give Bruce almost two full years to "reach his potential" as a straight up DE?

The very reason he started doing the hybrid DE cover LB was because he was too wildly inconsistent as an every down DE.

I wish Bruce the best in Oakland, but I'm not buying the potential. You're a 28 year old veteran, your "potential" should have been reached 2-3 years ago.

This isn't a shot at all and playing SLB for the Hawks doesn't get all that much action outside of run fits on run downs and a zone in the flat when in coverage. You don't get to blitz much at all.

The better question is why do some of you apparently take this personally? He might as well have said that the grass is green or that ice is cold.

drrew":3vvlqita said:

I really like Bruce, but he needs to realize he'll be 29 half way through next season, it's not about potential anymore. He is the player he is going to be.

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He is smart for taking the contract he got - his prime will be 29-33 barring injury. Prime earning years too. Barring injury, I don't doubt he will be a pro-bowler. His football education was the last four years with the Seahawks, now we can see what he does with it. Glad he is in the AFC, wish him luck.

vin.couve12":jgdatd73 said:

This isn't a shot at all and playing SLB for the Hawks doesn't get all that much action outside of run fits on run downs and a zone in the flat when in coverage. You don't get to blitz much at all.

The better question is why do some of you apparently take this personally? He might as well have said that the grass is green or that ice is cold.

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I'm not taking it personally, I'm just pointing out that Bruce was drafted and had plenty of opportunity to "reach his potential" here. HE'S the one that forced Pete to find a better way to use his skills because he wasn't consistent enough to be an every down pass rushing DE like he was drafted and coached up to be.

So for him to say this isn't a correct statement IMO.

Sgt. Largent":1cwebsne said:

vin.couve12":1cwebsne said:

This isn't a shot at all and playing SLB for the Hawks doesn't get all that much action outside of run fits on run downs and a zone in the flat when in coverage. You don't get to blitz much at all.

The better question is why do some of you apparently take this personally? He might as well have said that the grass is green or that ice is cold.

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I'm not taking it personally, I'm just pointing out that Bruce was drafted and had plenty of opportunity to "reach his potential" here. HE'S the one that forced Pete to find a better way to use his skills because he wasn't consistent enough to be an every down pass rushing DE like he was drafted and coached up to be.

So for him to say this isn't a correct statement IMO.

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I don't agree with that at all. He had one year as the backup LEO and only started one game in that position; an away playoff game against Atlanta because Clemmons tore his ACL. The next year they moved him to SAM and his athleticism made him a very strong fit that role. He was always touted as a developmental project, but the the FO only chose to develop him for one year at LEO.

Had he played two years at LEO i'd be more inclined to agree with you.

I'm not predicting that Irvin will have a ton of sacks next year, but it's pretty common for pass rushers to suddenly figure things out in their late 20s and early 30s. Chris Clemons had his breakout season at age 29 after a change of scenery.

Largent80":zoctmhg5 said:

At the hot game in San Diego I remember his stupid hit on Rivers way out of bounds that contributed heavily to the loss and n that game.

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:roll:

- I remember when Russell Wilson threw the INT to lose Super Bowl 49

- I remember when Richard Sherman was beat deep by Kenny Britt to help us lose to the Rams

- I remember when Michael Bennett jumped offsides against the Packers to help gift wrap them points

There are 100 other examples. Its almost like players are human and sometimes make mistakes in this sport. Crazy idea I know.

Nothing Bruce said is wrong.

I figure Bruce is just following human nature. Before FA he admitted that he wanted very badly to come back. Most likely the fear of the unknown. After hitting the market, he realized that new opportunities had been offered and now he is just reflecting on why he made the move.

Part of it was the money, but he has always longed to have a role in a defense like Aldon Smith had with the 9ers. There were tweets where he was amazed at the sacks Smith was getting in one MNF or national broadcast.

He did the good soldier role while here but in his heart he wants to be thought of as a Lawrence Taylor level sack artist. Man can dream. He has never denied how he felt about wanting to be a sack artist. Now he gets a chance to prove that he can do it.

Even if you still have a flame for an old lover, you aren't going to pine about the love lost but the new loves to be had. Wish him luck unless he is playing the Seahawks.

Seems to me that Ken Norton figures prominently in Irvin's immediate future. One has to assume Norton brought Irvin in with a plan in mind that will facilitate the evolution of Bruce Irvin's game. Bruce should have his best career year in 2016. It's no wonder Irving's stoked.