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Cowboys' signing analysis: Andrew Gachkar
March, 18, 2015
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas – Here’s an All-22 look at newly signed linebacker Andrew Gachkar.
Games watched: Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Weeks 8, 15 vs. Denver Broncos.
Contract: Two years, $5.2 million, including $1.2 million base salary. He has base salaries of $1 million and $3 million. He can earn another $2 million in not likely to be earned incentives.
What I saw: Gachkar has a reputation for being an excellent special teams player, but he will have a chance to earn a regular role on the defense based on how he will be paid by the Cowboys. I wanted to see his first start and then how he fared against Peyton Manning in two games.
He relies more on his athletic ability to make plays than he does his brute strength. Against the Jaguars he had some troubles in coverage, especially early in the game. Maybe it had a little something to do with being overanxious in his first start of the year, but he was all over the place early. It looked like he was responsible for a touchdown by a tight end dragging across the middle. Later he did a nice job of reading a screen and turning the play back inside to his help. In fact, his work in the screen game was pretty good the entire game.
He did a lot of spot dropping in coverage, but the coaches weren’t afraid to have him bring some pressure, mostly off the edge. He showed some wiggle to get by the bigger offensive linemen, earning two pressures in the three games I saw.
The two games against the Broncos were interesting -- and he was much better in the second meeting -- but one scenario in the first meeting caught my eye. Filling the hole on a Ronnie Hillman run, he was run over by the back. Eight plays later on the same action, he met Hillman in the hole and put him on his back.
In the second meeting, he took on linemen and was able to shed them for a tackle and he also brought some A gap pressure.
One thing I noticed was how he got other defenders lined up before the snap. That says something for a part-time player having regulars look his way for help.
How he fits: While the plan might be for him to play the weak-side first, he has the attributes to play all three linebacker spots. The Cowboys had that in Justin Durant, but he left for the Atlanta Falcons. At times he got out of whack with his reads, but he mostly did a good job with his eyes and was able to drop to the curl/flat areas without issues. He did a nice job carrying the tight ends and backs on occasion but that’s not something he looked to be asked a lot of in San Diego.
Good move: At 26, he remains an ascending player. He showed enough in his time as a part-time starter to think he can handle more of a role on defense if necessary. The Cowboys like to cross train their linebackers, and he has good instincts. His history with linebackers coach Matt Eberflus at Missouri and Rich Bisaccia for the Chargers shows the coaches are confident he can do every task.
If he is just a special teamer then the Cowboys are paying a lot of money for a guy to be a core player. If he turns into a starter he could be a bargain.
March, 18, 2015
By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com
IRVING, Texas – Here’s an All-22 look at newly signed linebacker Andrew Gachkar.
Games watched: Week 4 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Weeks 8, 15 vs. Denver Broncos.
Contract: Two years, $5.2 million, including $1.2 million base salary. He has base salaries of $1 million and $3 million. He can earn another $2 million in not likely to be earned incentives.
What I saw: Gachkar has a reputation for being an excellent special teams player, but he will have a chance to earn a regular role on the defense based on how he will be paid by the Cowboys. I wanted to see his first start and then how he fared against Peyton Manning in two games.
He relies more on his athletic ability to make plays than he does his brute strength. Against the Jaguars he had some troubles in coverage, especially early in the game. Maybe it had a little something to do with being overanxious in his first start of the year, but he was all over the place early. It looked like he was responsible for a touchdown by a tight end dragging across the middle. Later he did a nice job of reading a screen and turning the play back inside to his help. In fact, his work in the screen game was pretty good the entire game.
He did a lot of spot dropping in coverage, but the coaches weren’t afraid to have him bring some pressure, mostly off the edge. He showed some wiggle to get by the bigger offensive linemen, earning two pressures in the three games I saw.
The two games against the Broncos were interesting -- and he was much better in the second meeting -- but one scenario in the first meeting caught my eye. Filling the hole on a Ronnie Hillman run, he was run over by the back. Eight plays later on the same action, he met Hillman in the hole and put him on his back.
In the second meeting, he took on linemen and was able to shed them for a tackle and he also brought some A gap pressure.
One thing I noticed was how he got other defenders lined up before the snap. That says something for a part-time player having regulars look his way for help.
How he fits: While the plan might be for him to play the weak-side first, he has the attributes to play all three linebacker spots. The Cowboys had that in Justin Durant, but he left for the Atlanta Falcons. At times he got out of whack with his reads, but he mostly did a good job with his eyes and was able to drop to the curl/flat areas without issues. He did a nice job carrying the tight ends and backs on occasion but that’s not something he looked to be asked a lot of in San Diego.
Good move: At 26, he remains an ascending player. He showed enough in his time as a part-time starter to think he can handle more of a role on defense if necessary. The Cowboys like to cross train their linebackers, and he has good instincts. His history with linebackers coach Matt Eberflus at Missouri and Rich Bisaccia for the Chargers shows the coaches are confident he can do every task.
If he is just a special teamer then the Cowboys are paying a lot of money for a guy to be a core player. If he turns into a starter he could be a bargain.
