Former Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Bob Sutton has a new gig. The Atlanta Falcons announced Sutton as their new senior assistant via their official Twitter account on Monday.The Falcons fired Marquand Manuel from his defensive coordinator position this offseason Eric Fisher Jersey , and head coach Dan Quinn announced he would be filling the role himself. The 68-year-old Sutton has been hired to help.The statement also notes that the role had been given to former Falcons assistant Kyle Flood, but it became available again when Flood left Atlanta for the University of Alabama.Quinn worked under Sutton as the New York Jets defensive line coach from 2007-08. Sutton was the Jets defensive coordinator at the time. Many Chiefs fans grew tired of Sutton this past season as the defense mightily struggled while the team arguably boasted the best offense in the league. With the Chiefs making it all the way to the AFC title game, Sutton was fired late in the offseason hiring period, so most top roles had been filled. It is good to see him land on his feet, and here’s to hoping he finds success in Atlanta. Former first round pick turned potential bargain deal for the Kansas City Chiefs" />Skip to main contentclockmenumore-arrownoyesHorizontal - WhiteArrowhead PrideArrowhead Pride | Kansas City Chiefs Schedule, News, Roster and StatsLog In or Sign UpLog InSign UpSeriesLatest NewsFanpostsFanshotsCommunityAboutStubHubMoreAll 322 blogs on Horizontal - WhiteSeries Stagner ThingsLottery Tickets ’19Summer of SpagsDixon’s MailbagLatest News Fanposts Most recentMost activeFanshots Community Community GuidelinesContactAbout StubHub ✕AP Film Session: Darron Lee has a “rare feel for coverage”New,49commentsFormer first round pick turned potential bargain deal for the Kansas City ChiefsCDTShareTweetShareShareAP Film Session: Darron Lee has a “rare feel for coverage”Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY SportsLate Wednesday night, the Kansas City Chiefs reached a deal with the New York Jets to acquire Darron Lee for a sixth-round draft pick in 2020. Lee had been up and down regarding how he was perceived by the Jets, and it was almost a certainty he would be shipped out after the team fired Todd Bowles. Many fans and analyst alike pinned the Chiefs as a team to target a linebacker in the 2019 NFL Draft and came away surprised when all they did was bring in undrafted free agents. As it turned out, the Chiefs were attempting to address the position with a player considered a top-50 talent by most just a few years ago.Lee had his struggles adjusting to the NFL and the Jets’ 3-4 scheme but showed vast improvement last year before his suspension (violating the league’s substance abuse policy). Rather than just taking the hype around his improvement at face value, let’s head down go the AP Laboratory and work through some film. Don’t mind the empty coffee cups Demetrius Harris Jersey , Thai food containers and clutter; Craig Stout and I have begun the long, deep dive in Steve Spagnuolo’s defense, which means we have been locked down here for the last few days.LB Darron Lee (Ohio State)Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY SportsAthleticismAthleticism has slowly crept its way into a primary trait for an NFL linebacker. Whether it’s showcased in the passing game or the ability to get outside on running plays, speed and mental processing are valued pretty similarly at the linebacker position. Lee stands out as an athlete on the field given his size. Playing around 230 pounds, he’s still not a big linebacker, but he’s also not massively undersized for the NFL anymore and his movement skills easily make up for his lack of size.The ability to get out into the flats while not being behind on the play was something the Chiefs’ linebackers struggled with during 2018 (not specifically on screen plays but simply trying to read the play, then drive on flat/curl zones often resulted in lateness or having to take an extremely passive angle to get to the ball). Lee does not have that issue, as can be seen above. Even on a disguised screen that is designed to buy blockers time, it still results in him beating over half of the wall to the spot and knifing between them. Even the athleticism to make this tackle while moving full speed between players has to be applauded. That athleticism shows up beyond just closing on underneath passes but also in the running game. The 4.47 speed allows Lee not only to cross formations and get to wide gaps opposite of him but also react and match running backs working to the sideline. Working into the C-gap on this play, Lee approached the block with proper technique and can disengage and win the foot race to the edge.Run defenseWidely considered the worst part of his game, Lee took a big leap in his third year as a run defender. He’s always been capable as a back-side, chase defender Cameron Erving Jersey , but he improved his ability to read plays and attack blocks. Working from the back side of the formation, Lee can identify the zone run quickly and immediately attack. Lee has to mirror the running back all the way, making sure he doesn’t lose him on a back-side cut, but as soon as he sees the running back commit, he can attack. As soon as the running back is past the Jets’ 3-Tech (play-side defensive tackle) that back-side cut is no longer an option, and Lee can explode through the open gap. He closes on the running back before he can even attempt to put his foot in the ground and drive up the field.Working as the strong-side linebacker in the nickel on this play, Lee is again able to quickly identify the run play and attack. The Jets’ defensive linemen do a great job keeping their blockers, but Lee is occupying his gap by the time the running back even gets the ball. There is a slight hesitation from Lee due to the potential read option, and that does show up at times. Lee is an extremely athletic player that has made his college and pro career on being able to react and outperform other players thanks to athleticism. Sometimes, that still leaks out in his play, as he glances at eye candy that isn’t his direct responsibility. He showed improvement in this area during the 2018 season, but there are still some instances on film that bleed through. The other major area of improvement for Lee was his ability to handle blockers near the line of scrimmage (LoS). Lee still isn’t the biggest or strongest player Reggie Ragland Jersey , but he has shown the willingness to meet blocks head on successfully. On this play Lee slips the first climbing blocker, then engages the pulling offensive guard with his outside shoulder, allowing him to affect an inside cut. He then catches the second pulling player and is now occupying two blockers in the middle of the hole.Lee isn’t going to be a banger in the middle of a defense—he too often gets swallowed up by blocks when he’s still flat-footed or just starting to move, but he takes them on well in space. Lee’s speed to the edge is impressive, and he’s able to convert his speed to power and create separation from the block. CoverageLee’s bread and butter comes in coverage. It’s where his athleticism, mental processing and zone eyes meet.The ability to fluidly work through potential receivers working in Lee’s zone isn’t easy for a lot of linebackers to pull off, let alone to reroute the first receiver and still break underneath the second. He approaches the bunch set appropriately, works through the first receiver in his zone, and then can drive on the ball on the third route.Lee processes plays in front of him exceptionally well, and his ability to get to proper set points in his zone drops and feel receivers behind him are both equally as impressive. He can accomplish all of that without taking his eyes off the quarterback or cheating up on other routes. Lee does a good job feeling the seam route trying to bend in behind him and mirroring the quarterback’s eyes, which allows him to show off more ball skills.Lee is a combination of athleticism, zones eyes and general feel for routes all wrapped into one. After showing the A-gap pressure Jarvis Jenkins Jersey , pre- and post-snap, he’s got the speed to get on top of the tight end within 5 yards to bump him. Then, without having to eye the tight end, he just settles in underneath his in-cut. Teaching zone skills Lee routinely shows doesn’t happen.Pass rushTo briefly address the concept of Lee playing the base strong-side linebacker, or SAM—it’s just not what he does best. He’s not at his best playing at or near the line of scrimmage and dealing with blockers regulary. While Lee does offer some ability to rush off the edge, based upon his speed and flexibility, he doesn’t have a true rush plan. Lee is better as a blitzer than a true rusher, but his explosion and flexibility give him value there. Coming into a defense run by Spagnuolo, linebackers coach Matt House and defensive line coach Brendan Daly, the odds are he will be blitzing at a decent clip and in situations which highlight his athleticism.The bottom lineJust like any player that you can land with a day-three draft pick, Lee is far from a perfect player. He still has some mental processing issues that keep him from focusing on his assignment completely and isn’t built to bang between the tackles.That said, the upside is plentiful.Lee has a rare feel for coverage Daniel Sorensen Jersey , some from his time at Ohio State—when he was used, essentially, as a large slot defensive back—that allows him to be a major matchup weapon. Combining his athleticism and improving read-and-react skills makes him, at minimum, a quality coverage linebacker. There is a strong chance he pushes for starting reps given what the top-end play looks like and the ability to be such an impact player against the pass.House and Spagnuolo have both had unique and exotic schemes for their linebackers recently. Using them on blitzes, in coverage and putting them in the best spot for them to succeed is something they’ve been able to do routinely.Lee is a player whose strengths align very well with the modern NFL, so it’s exciting to think about what they will be able to work up for him in this new Chiefs defense.