Safeties

[tatepatsfan]

Falcons are re-signing Decoud. Falcons agree to contract with Thomas DeCoud | ProFootballTalk

Not that I think Decoud is a great player, or that we'd even be interested in him, but the safety market is getting progressively thinner. Goldson, Griffin and Branch were all franchised and there are rumors that the Titans and Babineaux have made good progress towards a deal. Is there anyone else out in free agency worth pursuing?

I've read that this year's group of safeties in the draft is considered weak, although there are surely other posters on this board that know more on that than I do.

What do you all think the plan for the position should be? Does moving McCourty there full time and then pursuing a CB in either the draft/free agency make more sense?

 

[BradyManny]

It certainly needs a lot of work. More than any position on the roster.

- Ihedigbo should not be the full time S on a team competing for a title.
- Chung plays well, when healthy.
- McCourty showed some flashes of potential at S, but obviously that deprives CB of some young talent. Will he be a hybrid player, playing CB in the base, and S in the nickel?

There isn't a lot of safety talent on the market. If Belichick has one regret from last year, I bet it was letting go of all the safeties. Sanders, Meriweather, McGowan, Page all had their deficiencies and each transaction made sense at the time - but the cumulative result was one of the worst safety corps in recent memory. All four played better than Ihedigbo.

The draft pool for safety sucks. So I'm not sure what they are going to do, but they have to do something.

 

[Deus Irae]

...Is there anyone else out in free agency worth pursuing?..

Landry's probably the best available:

2012 NFL Free Agents: DB

 

[JackBauer]

Landry's probably the best available:

2012 NFL Free Agents: DB

I'm not sure if you're being positive or normative, but I assume you're not in favor of the Patriots signing Landry.

 

[Deus Irae]

I'm not sure if you're being positive or normative, but I assume you're not in favor of the Patriots signing Landry.

Given the alternatives in both free agency and the draft, I'd have no problem if I heard that the Patriots wanted to bring him in to take a good look at his achilles, but my post was about giving the link to a list of the remaining available free agent safeties.

 

[billdog3484]

Landry to me comes off as more of thumper at safety, comprable to chung. I think we need more of a roamer than a thumper

 

[JackBauer]

Given the alternatives in both free agency and the draft, I'd have no problem if I heard that the Patriots wanted to bring him in to take a good look at his achilles, but my post was about giving the link to a list of the remaining available free agent safeties.

I hear you. I just don't think Landry is going to be able to cover any better than the safeties already on the roster.

 

[Deus Irae]

I hear you. I just don't think Landry is going to be able to cover any better than the safeties already on the roster.

Let's just say that I think you rate the team's current safeties more highly than I rate them.

 

[Sciz]

The way the NFL is heading, I'm a strong supporter of moving McCourty to safety full time. Teams have to be able to play man coverage against elite QBs, and McCourty struggled with that. And it's way easier to find a man CB than a center field FS this offseason. None of the other options really excited me, even before Branch, Goldson, and Griffin were tagged. The correct move was to get Weddle last offseason, but it's too late for that now.

 

[Rob0729]

I think the two best options are Dwight Lowrey who went from a crappy CB to a pretty good FS or Richard Marshall, a good CB who played really well at FS when he replaced an injured Kerry Rhodes plus he gives a lot flexibility. The added bonus about Lowrey is it will peiss off Jets fans if he came here and did well after they traded him for next to nothing and safety is one of the Jets' biggest needs.

 

[patsderoer]

If the safeties market is so thin, Patriots could look at undrafted safeties from 1 or 2 years ago. Welker was also undrafted and went out and became a star.

Matt O'Hanlon top 12 safety 2010 draft class - YouTube

Matt O'Hanlon - Huskers.com - Nebraska Athletics Official Web Site

O'Hanlon ranked as the team leader in interceptions and among the top five Blackshirt tacklers in 2009.

O'Hanlon totaled 69 tackles, including 39 solo stops and a pair of tackles for loss. He had at least four tackles in 13 of 14 games during his senior season, helping the Huskers lead the nation in scoring defense and pass efficiency defense, while also ranking in the top 10 in rushing and total defense. His play earned O'Hanlon honorable-mention All-Big 12 honors.

O'Hanlon's six interceptions led the team and were the most by a Husker since 2003. He also ranked second in the Big 12, and among the top 20 nationally in interceptions. His ball-hawking skills helped Nebraska to 20 interceptions, good for seventh nationally. In addition to the interception total Nebraska held 10 opponents to 50 percent or less in the passing game and allowed just seven passing touchdowns.

The Pats could bring O'Hanlon to the training camp to get a look at him.

 

[JackBauer]

Let's just say that I think you rate the team's current safeties more highly than I rate them.

Not necessarily. If you can point me to a good cover safety, somewhat recent past or present, with a physique like this: LaRon Landry is looking quite large - DC Sports Bog - The Washington Post

...I'll happily stand corrected. Further, I don't see what appears to be clear PED use enhancing his already suspect durability.

I see Richard Marshall was mentioned. Would be a solid pickup, IMO.

 

[Gronkandez]

The way the NFL is heading, I'm a strong supporter of moving McCourty to safety full time. Teams have to be able to play man coverage against elite QBs, and McCourty struggled with that. And it's way easier to find a man CB than a center field FS this offseason. None of the other options really excited me, even before Branch, Goldson, and Griffin were tagged. The correct move was to get Weddle or Goldson IMO last offseason, but it's too late for that now.

I agree. I'd prefer it if McCourty could regain his rookie form at CB but I think that's wishful thinking.

 

[zimmy]

I'm not too worried. The fact we have given McCourty some time there gives us some flexibility. There are a few different possibilities in the draft that would be available to us in the 1st or early 2nd round - Barron, Smith, Gilmore. They could all possibly play there. As much as people say Bill doesn't draft for need, we have done on occasion.

Ideally, McCourty stays at corner and we draft a safety and pick up a veteran. We have Dowling and Barrett coming back too. With a season under their belts they expect to be better (not necessarily healthier).

 

[Deus Irae]

Not necessarily. If you can point me to a good cover safety, somewhat recent past or present, with a physique like this: LaRon Landry is looking quite large - DC Sports Bog - The Washington Post

...I'll happily stand corrected. Further, I don't see what appears to be clear PED use enhancing his already suspect durability.

I see Richard Marshall was mentioned. Would be a solid pickup, IMO.

I'd be a lot more worried about the physique if the Patriots had any safety besides Chung who was worth a damn. Since you could probably cover better than the current Patriots safeties, though, I've got no issue with Landry in comparison.

Landry isn't my binkie, or anything like that but, if healthy, he looks mighty good in comparison to the stiffs currently on the roster.

 

[SeymourTrophies]

The McCourty move to safety later on in the season was not a testament to his know-how at the position as much as it was that he couldn't get out of the slump he was in and the incompetence next to Chung. Ideally, we get a cover safety, as Chung is better suited to play close to the line of scrimmage, etc., but I don't think we can afford to be that picky this offseason. If you get a guy whose pedigree is not the play center field, so be it as long as he knows which end is up.

Landry's supposed link to PED's along with injuries indicative of a PED freak makes me skeptical, but the worst that happens is he snaps an achilles tripping over the lines on the field in training camp and we have some time to adjust.

As Deus said, anyone who's worth a damn.

 

[mgteich]

We are unlikely to get any 2012 safety help in this draft. I expect that we will consider developmental prospects.

There is little in free agency. I expect that we will bring in a JAG or two.

The picture isn't pretty at safety for 2012. We will need to use our resources elsewhere.

STARTERS
Chung
McCourty

BACKUPS
Ihedigbo
Barrett
JAG free agent

POSSIBILITY
Moore

 

[JackBauer]

I don't watch much of Arizona, but why wouldn't we bring Marshall in? He can either transition to FS with McCourty at CB, or vice versa.

 

[patsinthesnow]

FS Possibilities:

1. Sign Dwight Lowery

2. Sign Richard Marshall and move him to FS.

3. Move Moore to FS.

4. Move Mccourty to FS.

I'm against #4, #3 has the most risk but could be most reward, #1 is safe, #2 is somewhat risky and he won't be that cheap.

 

[Bertil]

STARTERS
Chung
McCourty

BACKUPS
Ihedigbo
Barrett
JAG free agent

POSSIBILITY
Moore

Wasn't this what we were left with when the Defense failed in the SB again? I hope BB has a better plan than this. Even if it consists of signing and drafting Safeties that he can subsequently convert on the fly so that they're proficient or even excellent by Seasons end.