Terrance Knighton is 9th Highest Rated Interior Defenseman
By Luke Sims
An example of Knighton being not-so-dominant. Source: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
Pro Football Focus continues their ranking of 2013 free agents and Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Terrance Knighton has finally made a list. While he behind names like Richard Seymour, Desmond Bryant, and Jason Jones, Knighton has proven that he can be just as dominant as those above him. Just not consistently.
That’s the primary problem for PFF as well:
"He’s a defender who at times in his career has looked like one of the top emerging run stuffers in the NFL, while at others he has looked borderline disinterested. At his best Knighton is more than just a big lump who plugs running lanes — he can diagnose runs and shed blocks to shutdown the opposition running game, even if they aren’t running directly at him."
Knighton has struggled with weight and he has struggled to consistently play at a premier level. Though, if a team can get him to be consistently productive, he could be a good pick up. For the Jags, it could be a smart play to re-sign him. He could flourish in a new defensive scheme that may help free up some more space for Knighton on the inside.
The inconsistency may pay off for the Jaguars as they look to re-sign important defensive pieces like Knighton, cornerback Derek Cox, and outside linebacker Daryl Smith.
As the Jags take a second and third look at Knighton, they should be asking themselves the same question that PFF is: “How can a player look so dominant one week and so utterly ineffective the next?”
– Luke N. Sims
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