mgteich

I don't see the need. I am all for bringing in free agent veterans and 4th round draft picks for competition, but I don't see the "need".

SAFETY
We're all set with Meriweather, Chung and Sanders.
Lockett and Sergio Brown should be in camp and are solid special teamers.
Page and/or McGowan should be re-signed to be the fourth safety.

CORNER
Arrington has played almost every rep and we are 10-2. Next year, he should be capable of being a solid backup to Bodden and McCourty.

NICKEL
Butler seems to be a reasonable nickel with Wilhite as his backup. Also, Arrington or one of the safeties are also available at nickel or dime back, as they have been there this year.

D-Money

I agree but i really thought that Butler would be more then a nickel CB.

patsinthesnow

Thanks for posting this MG, I've said the same a few times. 2nd year Mccourty and Bodden could be one of the best duos in the NFL. I even see potential in Kyle Arrington to become a quailty backup/borderline starter. Then you have Butler at nickel and Wilhite behind all of them. I wouldn't select a CB at all, I don't get the talk for one in the first two rounds.

Safety is deep as it can get.

SirApropos

It is and it isn't. There are only 4 Safeties signed for next year and only 2 beyond 2012. There are currently nine potential safeties for 2011 currently on the roster. If they expand rosters to 55-58. I can see them still keeping five safeties next year.

Sergio Brown SS
Patrick Chung SS
Brandon Meriweather FS
James Sanders FS
Jarrad Page SS (FA)
Josh Barrett SS (RFA - History of Shoulder Injuries)
Bret Lockett FS (ERFA - More of a ST guy, Injury concern)
Brandon McGowan FS (FA)
Ross Ventrone FS (Practice Squad)

I think they will try and move Meriweather during the 2011 draft to a team like Houston or San Fran since he only has one year left and they can't keep both him and Sanders beyond 2011. There's no guarantee that Page and McGowan are back next year if they find dollars elsewhere.

I think the 3rd-4th round they can find a good FS prospect like Quinton Carter from Oklahoma.

patchick

It is deep, but I think there's still room for a guy with a more classic free safety skill set. Or to put it another way, despite the depth I don't think that the 2012 starter opposite Chung is on the roster right now. Drafting him a year early would be nice, if the right player is available.

Marqui

What are you basing this on?

MaineMan

As before, I agree. We don't have another safety on the roster who has anywhere near Meriweather's coverage skills and there's a good chance that Meriweather prices himself off the roster when the time comes.

Also, with CB - Bodden isn't young, Arrington's particular skills have limited applicability, Neither Wilhite nor Butler appear to be, at this point, that "3rd good corner" that we need. Given the usual time required to develop a good corner, getting another solid prospect now would just be good planning for the inevitable (and nearer than you think) future.

Snake Eyes

I'm not a fan of Merriweather, I'd like to see us trade him for picks and grab Mark Barron from Alabama.

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MaineMan

I think Meriweather has actually been a very good deep centerfielder for us. He's good because of the bad things that don't happen with him back there - sort of in the same way that you rarely hear a good cover corner's number called.

Not saying he's great. He does have his flaws. But we don't have any other safety on the roster who'd be anywhere even close to as good at what he does well. So we need one. BEFORE Meriweather is gone, ideally.

mgteich

Sure we could bring in a 3rd or 4th rounder instead of Page or McGowan. I wouldn't.