Is Malik Hooker a problem?

[FatDT]

Next year at the very latest, Hooker and Wilson should be two cornerstones of our secondary. Hooker flashed as a rookie before his injury, but in year two it's Wilson who has finally strung together some good performances and seems to be growing into the role. We all saw the article so we know why that may be, we'll see if it sticks.

Then there's Hooker. He's healthy enough to play most of the season. But he's not evoking memories of Ed Reed or Earl Thomas yet. Or even Antoine Bethea. So far he's been slow, out of position, playing too deep, not making plays on the ball, and bad at tackling.

I'm not convinced that all of it is on him. I don't think this scheme knows how to feature a blue chip FS. The talent that he showed in college and in his rookie games didn't just disappear. It has taken some time to figure out how to best use Wilson (and I'm not even saying they're there yet), maybe it's also taking time for Hooker. I've said before I think maybe Eberflus could use some assistance with how to best scheme his secondary, as he seems like more of a front 7 guy.

Plus, he did have a season-ending injury. That may account for his perceived slowness.

I remember GBB saying in one of his weekly threads that this team would be in trouble without Hooker. GBB can you or others expand on that and say what Hooker is doing well this year? I am not trying to go after Hooker unnecessarily. I want him to succeed. If he and Wilson live up to their potential, we don't have to spend big draft capital on DBs and can use picks on the front 7. I just don't totally understand yet why he isn't making plays.

[Oldcolt]

Some people take a year or so to get back their explosiveness after an injury. Especially one as bad as Hookers. He came back quickly and he hasn't been a disaster this year. I'm hoping he get all the way back with a year under his belt to heal.

[VeveJones007]

We haven't seen him flash as much this year, but that doesn't mean he isn't having an impact. Colts are top 10 in the league in limiting explosive plays. Hooker patrolling the deep third is helping there.

[omahacolt]

I think it is very fair to expect him to play as well as bethea did. And he isn’t.


Watching the all 22, he does his job in coverage. He just has zero impact on anything in front of him. That is where I want to see some improvement. Can’t get much worse

[Racehorse]

Originally Posted by Oldcolt

Some people take a year or so to get back their explosiveness after an injury. Especially one as bad as Hookers. He came back quickly and he hasn't been a disaster this year. I'm hoping he get all the way back with a year under his belt to heal.

He has to learn to trust his body again. The psychology of an injury is often worse than the physical problems that they cause.

[Chromeburn]

I literally just commented on this. I think it's a combo of scheme, not throwing his way, and injury.

[rcubed]

Originally Posted by omahacolt

I think it is very fair to expect him to play as well as bethea did. And he isn’t.


Watching the all 22, he does his job in coverage. He just has zero impact on anything in front of him. That is where I want to see some improvement. Can’t get much worse

Is that what he is supposed to do though? I am actually asking as I dont watch the all 22 and am not super knowledgable on D schemes.

From my limited understanding what I see is he is decent/good in coverage. We have a tackling machine at LB and the other safety often plays up in support of the front 7. So if hooker isnt getting burned and maybe they arent really throwing his way then thats good, right?

[omahacolt]

Originally Posted by rcubed

Is that what he is supposed to do though? I am actually asking as I dont watch the all 22 and am not super knowledgable on D schemes.

From my limited understanding what I see is he is decent/good in coverage. We have a tackling machine at LB and the other safety often plays up in support of the front 7. So if hooker isnt getting burned and maybe they arent really throwing his way then thats good, right?

It is good. But wouldn’t you still like to see him diagnose plays and come up and get dirty. They do a lot of 2 deep just like bethea did with the colts and bethea looked better imo.

Geathers is a lot more instinctual from what I see. He will fly up and hit somebody

[albany ed]

Maybe he's inherited Wilson's laziness.

[DragonTails]

Originally Posted by FatDT

So far he's been slow, out of position, playing too deep, not making plays on the ball, and bad at tackling.

Yea, but besides that, he's golden.