Will Aaron Kampman adjust to the 3-4?

[Chris Raiden]

Aaron Kampman, productive pass rusher of the last few years, is switching from defensive end to outside linebacker in a 3-4 alignment.

Will his productivity increase, decrease, or remain level at the new position?

[Hawkeye]

I think he will maintain his sack level or slightly increase it. Ends like Greg Ellis and Jason Taylor have had success transitioning to OLB. Kampmann also played LB at Iowa, so it isn't a foreign position.

[Chris Raiden]

I think he will maintain his sack level or slightly increase it. Ends like Greg Ellis and Jason Taylor have had success transitioning to OLB. Kampmann also played LB at Iowa, so it isn't a foreign position.
There's the kind of inside info you don't find many places, I was unaware Kampman played linebacker in college!

So I guess the question here really is, does he have the speed to play it in the NFL? I think this is really the key to whether or not this transition has early results for the Packers, and their season largely rests on an improved defense, with Kampman, the corners, and B.J. Raji being the key pieces.

[Hawkeye]

Yeah, he came to Iowa as a LB and played there his first year or two. Iowa was really low on quality DEs though, so they moved him to DE to improve the pass rush.

[Whit Prowdy]

From what I've heard he's not too happy about the change, so I don't know if his disdain will carry over and translate to a dropoff in production. I sure hope not.

[wootah]

From what I've heard he's not too happy about the change, so I don't know if his disdain will carry over and translate to a dropoff in production. I sure hope not.

He is not happy about it and understandably so; going from pro bowl LDE in a contract year to an unproven OLB in a new scheme in a contract year could lose him some significant $. However, Kampy has been the consumate professional in this matter, doing everything he is asked of doing. If he doesn't play well it won't be a matter of disdain, just that he isn't capable of making the switch.

If he does perform well, I expect hem to receive a nice extension pretty soon. If not, it will be out with the old, in with the new...

[Whit Prowdy]

Yeah, he came to Iowa as a LB and played there his first year or two. Iowa was really low on quality DEs though, so they moved him to DE to improve the pass rush.

How was he as a LB? Scale of 1-10.

[wootah]

How was he as a LB? Scale of 1-10.

Not using the 1-10 scale; here's his resumé as a LB. Pretty impressive if you ask me. The question is whether he can still play it 10 years later.


HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Aplington/Parkerburg (Kelsey, Ia.) High...USA Today Elite 25 player, adding CNN/SI All-American Dream Team, Super Prep national top 50, Tom Lemming All-American, Gatorade Central Region Player-of-the Year, USA Today second-team All-American, Parade Magazine All-American, All-Midlands Defensive Player of the Year and Class 2A Player of the Year honors...District MVP as a junior and senior...All-State pick as a junior and senior and Elite All-State choice as a senior...Earned team MVP honors in the Iowa Shrine all-star game following his senior season, leading his team with 13 tackles... Set school records for tackles in a game (26 as a senior), season (188 as a junior) and career (447)...Had eight career interceptions and six fumble recoveries...Made 167 tackles and three interceptions in 10 games as a senior...Had 188 tackles as a junior and 92 as a sophomore...Team MVP in final two years and captain as a senior...Helped the team to three straight playoff appearances, including a second place finish as a junior, and a three-year record of 26-7...Lettered three times in football and basketball and four times in track...Earned All-State honors in basketball as a senior...Third in the shot put at the state meet as a junior and senior, while also competing on the 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams.

IOWA
1999 SEASON
Academic All-Big Ten Conference pick...Earned the Coaches Appreciation Award on defense...Started eleven games at middle linebacker...Second on the team with a career-high 103 tackles (64 solos), including one for a 2-yard loss...Also deflected a pass.
*
Nebraska...Made 8 tackles (5 solos) with a stop for a 2-yard loss.
Iowa State...Added 8 tackles.
Michigan State...Posted 12 tackles (10 solos).
Northwestern...Had another 12-tackle (7 solos) performance.
Wisconsin...Credited with 15 tackles (8 solos).
Minnesota...Deflected a pass and registered 12 hits (7 solos).

1998 SEASON
One of four true freshmen to letter, making his debut in the third game vs. Arizona...
Defensive scout team MVP vs. Iowa State...Won the Defensive Hustle award vs. Northwestern, Wisconsin and Purdue...Started the final two games at weakside outside linebacker...Recorded 49 tackles (32 solos) with six sacks for minus 46 yards and eight stops for losses of 53 yards...Caused two fumbles and deflected a pass.
*
Illinois...Made 4 tackles with a sack and caused a fumble.
Northwestern...Registered 9 tackles (8 solos) with a sack and a pair of stops behind the line of scrimmage.
Purdue...Deflected a pass and was in on 6 tackles (5 solos) with a stop for a loss.
Minnesota...Collected 6 tackles (5 solos), including a pair of stops behind the line of scrimmage.
Ohio State...Credited with an 11-tackle (7 solos) performance.
Wisconsin...Made 7 tackles (4 solos).

AGILITY TESTS
4.87 in the 40-yard dash...32-inch vertical jump...420-pound bench press...385-pound power clean...530-pound squat...33-inch vertical jump...9 3/8-inch hands... Ambidextrous.

Source (http://www.packers.com/draft/2002/kampman_bio/).

[|(evin|(olb|(ritik]

I'm not so optimistic about his prospects at OLB. 6'4" 260+ and at 30 years old they're asking a guy who's been playing with his hand in the dirt for the past 7 years to stand up and drop into coverage. I dunno, color me skeptical, this isn't some 23 year old undersized DE fresh out of college who runs a 4.4. He's done it in college but that was a long time ago and this isn't college.

My prediction is he makes a mediocre 3-4 OLB at best, is replaced after a seson or two and the experience combined with his age hurts his stock and his contract status with his next team.

[Hawkeye]

How was he as a LB? Scale of 1-10.

If Chad Greenway was a 10, AK was an 8.5.



I'm not so optimistic about his prospects at OLB. 6'4" 260+ and at 30 years old they're asking a guy who's been playing with his hand in the dirt for the past 7 years to stand up and drop into coverage. I dunno, color me skeptical, this isn't some 23 year old undersized DE fresh out of college who runs a 4.4. He's done it in college but that was a long time ago and this isn't college.

My prediction is he makes a mediocre 3-4 OLB at best, is replaced after a seson or two and the experience combined with his age hurts his stock and his contract status with his next team.

It didn’t seem to hurt Greg Ellis. He wasn’t thrilled at moving to OLB and he had his best year sack-wise in his first year playing the position. He was 270, 31 years old and had played DE for nine years at that point. That doesn’t guarantee Kampman will convert well, but at least he has played the position before, so it won’t be completely foreign.