It feels like we've been saying the same things about Redskins linebacker Brian Orakpo for the best part of 18 months now. He's one big step away from joining the elite group of pass-rushers in the NFL, while still missing that something special from his game. So I went back and looked at all of his sacks, along with his games against some of the tougher left tackles in the league this year and put together this video of his strengths; what he can improve on, and where to go from here. Enjoy.
Let us know your thoughts on Orakpo. Should we move him to the other side to match him up against right tackles, or force him to learn how to beat left tackles? I personally feel that it would benefit the Redskins if they forced Orakpo to learn some new 'moves' to help him beat left tackles, rather than just moving him to the other side to face right tackles.
Related: Charles Mann Explains What's Wrong with Orakpo and Offers Help (2010)
Moving him allows Orakpo to rest on his athletic ability, and while we may benefit from it in the short term, it means Orakpo would never live up to his full potential. If he learns some different moves, then he would become a more well-rounder player. And in the long run, once his athleticism drops as he gets older, he'll need to use different moves to stay effective.