1) Introduction: Packers outside linebacker Dezman Moses was another of General Manager Ted Thompson’s undrafted free agent gems. He was signed in spring of 2012 and immediately impressed during the team’s organized team activities. He was invited to training camp where he continued his surgre and earned a roster spot both with his solid play and when veteran linebacker Frank Zombo was placed on the physically unable to perform list.
2) Profile:
Dezman Mirrill Moses
- Age: 24
- Born: 1/4/1989 in Mount Holly, NJ
- Height: 6’02”
- Weight: 249
- College: Tulane
- Rookie Year: 2012
- NFL Experience: 1 year
3) Expectations coming into the season: Moses was expected to provide depth and outside linebacker and contribute on special teams. The team hoped he could provide a spark while spelling the team’s starters. Moses’ solid work ethic and high motor provided hope that the team would finally have a solid rotation of pass rushers and run stoppers at the outside backer position.
4) Player’s highlights/low-lights: Moses played sparingly and had his best games in week seven at St. Louis and in the team’s wild card playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings. In the St. Louis game, Moses had a jarring hit in pass coverage on the ball carrier that was ruled a hit on a defenseless receiver. Replay showed the call was questionable but left everyone realizing that Moses could bring the wood when needed. During the wild card playoff game, Moses had three quarterback hurries and kept Joe Webb scrambling for options most of the evening. Unfortunately, Moses lived in anonymity most of the season and was very average during this time on the field. His worst statistical game of the season came against the Detroit Lions in week 14 when Moses posted a terrible -7.8 rating by Pro Football Focus.
5) Player’s contribution to the overall team success: Moses did help the team win a playoff game and he was able to spell Clay Matthews, Erik Walden and Nick Perry. But beyond that, he was just a body on the field. The team will surely have their eye on him this offseason to see if he can develop into more of what they had hoped he would be after a strong 2012 offseason.
6) Player’s contributions in the playoffs: As good as Moses was in the wild card round against the Vikings, he was equally as ineffective in the divisional round at San Francisco. The upside is that he showed that he can play well in pressure situations as he did in the win over the Vikes.
Season Report Card:
(C) Level of expectations met during the season
(C-) Contributions to team’s overall success.
(C) Contributions to team during the playoffs
Overall Grade: C
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Jason Perone is an independent sports blogger writing about the Packers on AllGreenBayPackers.com
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Expectations – nothing – he was an UDFA. After a fistful of starters, the Packers are loaded with low round or UDFA. Your grading and the overwhelming “C”s are a waste of time. Sorry, enjoy the Super Bowl and forget about the exercise in C.
So being an UDFA relieves him of any expectations or need to perform? Got it! With that mentality, they wouldn’t be called the Packers. They’d be the Jacksonville Jaguars or Tennessee Titans.
No need to apologize, I’ll C you next season;)
Yup, the UDFAs pretty much come in with a clean slate and the anything they contribute is gravy tag.
His expectations for the season rose during OTAs and training camp. As a player who makes the cut to the 53-man roster, you have to at least have the expectations of proving that worth.
BTW, in case you haven’t noticed, Jason wrote this report card. (He’s got the OLBs.) Thomas did the D-line.
You might also want to consider reading the material written instead of just the grade, that way you can provide some intelligent conversation. A “C” is average, according to standard grading scales. Did Moses, across the season, really show anything above average?
Jury’s out on Moses till next season…He did enough to impress & make the team but as MM preaches, year two is usually when you find out what you really have in a player…..If he doesn’t make a marked improvement, he’ll have a tough time making the team….Liked what I saw though & I thimk he’s got what it takes to be a solid contributor. The C grade is right on for what he did this year.
Here is another example of a college DE making the move to NFL 3-4 OLB. 6-2 249#, in his Pro day testing he ran a 4.90 40 time, which is IMO one of the reasons he is a UDFA. But he had a decent 1.61 ten yard time and showed a poor short shuttle time of 4.52 but a decent 7.03 3 cone drill. 36.5″ vertical and 9’9″ long jump.
He shows good timing and quickness at the snap. Drops into coverage better then you would expect a DE making the move to OLB, has some moves in pass rush.
He is very limited against the run and has little to no bull rush. Those things can be fixed to some degree with
a full off season of NFL strength training for the OLB position, and coaching from Kevin Greene.
A player that showed enough to take the time to develop further.
Best thing that can happen is he gets additional competition in the draft this year.
If Moses wants it, the coaching staff will get it out of him.
Before Moses was at Tulane, he was a college LB at Iowa, and a good one at that. So his ability in coverage shouldn’t surprise, he wasn’t just a college DE, he also played as much LB. His 10 dasg time is what gives him a shot. The rest of his combine numbers don’t show great potential, but he has the explosive get off to win vs some weaker OT in the NFL, but not against the good ones. He has a place as a backup. If he could get to 260 and keep the explosivenss he might have a chance to become a starter, otherwise he’ll be a good backup.