Will Eugene Wilson be a starting safety in Week 1?

[brdmaverick]

Barring injury, will Eugene Wilson be the starting safety for week 1 of the 2007 season?

After a promising start to his career, it seems that many have been disappointed with Eugene Wilson's play over the past two seasons. Many claimed that he looked lost without Rodney Harrison's presence during the 2005 season. Wilson had a quiet 2006 season until finally succumbing to injury.

With the injuries to both Harrison and Wilson over the past few seasons, other guys such as Artrell Hawkins and James Sanders have gotten quality playing time.

Wilson is also intriguing in that he can be shifted over to the cornerback position.

So going into Week 1 of the season, do you expect Eugene Wilson to be a starting safety for the Patriots?

 

[Keegs]

Barring injury, will Eugene Wilson be the starting safety for week 1 of the 2007 season?

After a promising start to his career, it seems that many have been disappointed with Eugene Wilson's play over the past two seasons. Many claimed that he looked lost without Rodney Harrison's presence during the 2005 season. Wilson had a quiet 2006 season until finally succumbing to injury.

With the injuries to both Harrison and Wilson over the past few seasons, other guys such as Artrell Hawkins and James Sanders have gotten quality playing time.

Wilson is also intriguing in that he can be shifted over to the cornerback position.

So going into Week 1 of the season, do you expect Eugene Wilson to be a starting safety for the Patriots?

I do.

Yes i do.

I do.

Yes i do.

 

[signbabybrady]

yes he will be.

and to add to your thought many think secondary is a big need on this team yet we have starterst in Wilson Rodney Samuel and Hobbs backups in Gay Scott Sanders and Hawkins. That is pretty good. IMO we dont have a single position with a glaring need and anything could be drafted.

 

[zippo59]

Yeah Wilson will be the starter.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Seems the most likely scenerio.

 

[zippo59]

Sorta random but my favorite Wilson memory was when we were playing the Cardinals in 2004 and EW got an interception but it was undone by a penalty and on the very next play he just intercepts it again and it stands. What was funny was that the interceptions occured in the same area on the field IIRC.

One of the commentators made the comment that is was like a JV team playing an all-world team because the Cards were so overmatched.

 

[patsfan55]

im not so sure
hawkins was starting to get favored over geno before he even got hurt
and hawk wasnt exactly a ball hawk
if we draft a safety high, i wouldnt be all that surprised to see him the starter (reggie nelson, please oh please oh please), as geno started at safety his rookie yr

 

[zippo59]

im not so sure
hawkins was starting to get favored over geno before he even got hurt
and hawk wasnt exactly a ball hawk
if we draft a safety high, i wouldnt be all that surprised to see him the starter (reggie nelson, please oh please oh please), as geno started at safety his rookie yr

Geno started in his rookie year out of necessity because Milloy was released. Even if we draft a safety high I still think Geno would start over him at the beginning of the year.

 

[patsfan55]

Geno started in his rookie year out of necessity because Milloy was released. Even if we draft a safety high I still think Geno would start over him at the beginning of the year.

actually geno didnt start the yr as the starter
antwan harris did
and he was awful, so geno the rook beat him out
i know its hard for a rookie to start, and i used to love geno, and he still is decent, but if a rook comes in and lights it up in practice and on the field in the preseason, i see no reason for geno to not be benched

 

[solman]

So going into Week 1 of the season, do you expect Eugene Wilson to be a starting safety for the Patriots?

At even odds, I'd pick against him.

First, the Patriots could draft a safety in the first round. If so, I'd like to see him earn a starting sport.

If not Eugene could still get injured or beaten out during the preseason.

I don't think any of those scenarios are likely. But in combination, I give Eugene a 45% chance of starting week 1.

 

[patsfan55]

At even odds, I'd pick against him.

First, the Patriots could draft a safety in the first round. If so, I'd like to see him earn a starting sport.

If not Eugene could still get injured or beaten out during the preseason.

I don't think any of those scenarios are likely. But in combination, I give Eugene a 45% chance of starting week 1.

good point
this question puts it as geno vs the field
its not like its just geno vs hawkins or somthin like that

 

[Phokus]

I wonder if EW would be better suited at CB or NB where it doesn't take that much in the way of brains to play.

 

[patpatriot]

Wilson has plenty of talent to play either FS (the centerfielder kind) or CB. He originally was a CB but his superior size/speed ratio ( and AS's presence) made BB project him to be a great cover FS with the size to come up and drill a RB. Actually, I think it's time for him to go back to CB and get off ST coverage where he has been hurt a couple of times.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

im not so sure
hawkins was starting to get favored over geno before he even got hurt
and hawk wasnt exactly a ball hawk
if we draft a safety high, i wouldnt be all that surprised to see him the starter (reggie nelson, please oh please oh please), as geno started at safety his rookie yr

Hawkins was "starting" to get favored by a handful of people who watched the Cotchery TD in the Meadowlands and formed an instant one play assessment. Wilson drew the start over Hawk because he was the better choice at FS. Geno's health is going to be the issue, not his play making ability when healthy and lined up with the Pats' veteran secondary.

 

[patsfan55]

Hawkins was "starting" to get favored by a handful of people who watched the Cotchery TD in the Meadowlands and formed an instant one play assessment. Wilson drew the start over Hawk because he was the better choice at FS. Geno's health is going to be the issue, not his play making ability when healthy and lined up with the Pats' veteran secondary.

oh hes def better than hawk
ur preaching to the choir there
i just havent seen enough big play out of him for a couple yrs to feel great with him startin back there

 

[SWelker]

Hopefully this offseason Geno decides to work on his conditioning some more and come into camp in the best shape of his career. I think theres a good chance he has a very good season, being a contract year for him and all and looking for that payday.

 

[patsfan55]

Hopefully this offseason Geno decides to work on his conditioning some more and come into camp in the best shape of his career. I think theres a good chance he has a very good season, being a contract year for him and all and looking for that payday.

def, could very well come in and have a huge yr a la asante
i think a lot of ppl forget that ellis was drawing number one wrs at the very beginning of the yr, and a lot in here were calling asante a nickleback, pretty funny

so yeah, geno could pull an asante
lets just hope neither pulls a mark blount (career yr in his contract yr, given long term contract, then decides to absolutely suck-i doubt it though honestly, basketball players are a much more unpredictable bunch, plus they can really decide to dog it, i mean i just dont ever see a Patriot dogging it, unless ur name is doug gabriel)

 

[mcsully]

We'll if I was a betting man.> I would put money that he is starting week 1. But I think that could quickly change, especially if they draft a Safety early..

Wilsons play has gone down hill ever since the last SB.. Maybe the wear and tear of playing physical over the middle is to much for him.
Could he switch back to corner.. Who really knows.. BB might not even know.. But one thing is for sure... The future is else where for our safety spot.. EW is not the answer long term..

 

[mgcolby]

I was a proponent of moving Geno to CB (his natural position) with Hobbs and relegating Samuel to Nickel during TC last year. I have a soft spot for Hawk because he actually does this thing called TACKLING! Its amazing what you can acomplish when you wrap your arms around someone rather than just throwing a shoulder at him, hoping to take his legs out.

I still think he would be a better CB than Safety with all things equal (I understand that I am in the minority on this one). But, he is a very effective FS when he his paired with a very good SS, because he essentially becomes a CB that covers the middle of the field. But when he is asked to be effective against the run and cover from the safety spot he is weak.

 

[hwc]

Wilsons play has gone down hill ever since the last SB.. Maybe the wear and tear of playing physical over the middle is to much for him.

Or, it might be the Chinese firedrill of personell in the secondary that the Pats have been forced to use due to injury over the last two years. They really haven't been a position to play real aggressive in the secondary.