Everything you say is correct - and a good CB is tougher to get than a good Safety - however Meriweather's quickness numbers at the combine, while not bad, weren't what Samuel and Hobbs put up (I don't have the numbers but I remember this from training camp when it was discussed) so I am skeptical he would be what we're looking for.
Well, we know about Beioli's opinion on combine numbers now, I hope, right?
I'm confused. Are you implying that a DB is a DB and he should be able to play either?
Flexibility is nice, but I think it's more exploitable with veterans who have already done 1 thing well.
From the perspective of learning, it's better to focus on one thing and doing it repeatedly to get really good at it. Dr. Atul Gawande's books are good at emphasizing how this works in medicine.
Once Meriweather gets really good at his first priority, I have no problem moving him around. But first things first.
Edit: to be clear, by "moving him around" I mean situationally or as dictated by need. Not permanently.
of course he does....he's not stupid...
meriweather DOES have a natural position...its FS
why? b/c he is fast, and he is better as a hitter then a man to man type of DB....
and yes, moving him to CB would be wrong, b/c it would bring him back to block 1
Both Sanders and Harrison are FAs after next year, so it's imperative Meriweather steps up this year. Chances are Sanders will get resigned and 2009 we'll have Meriweather and Sanders starting at safety for a long time coming.
A good CB might be harder to get than a good safety, but a phenomenal safety is worth more to a team than a phenomenal corner. I'd rather have Ed Reed than Champ Bailey, for instance.
Merriweather is a FS....alot of talk for him to CB i alot of bull...I never thought Merriweather would be CB.....Trust in Bill and he will show us the promiselandGO PATS!!!!
Scouts were big on how he's effective at the LOS in college, add his hitting capabilities plus athletiscm and BB talking about aggresive defence I'm struggling to find a reason why that kind of talent would be shunted to corner. He should be developed at Safety.
I just really am glad that Meriweather and has stepped up and filled the void left by Eugene Wilson.
It would not be the offseason without endless chatter about moving a safety to corner and Meriweather has jumped right in and filled that role.
Exactly the stuff I'm talking about. Thanks for getting me going:
I still don't understand why it's unequivocally the "stupid," "worse," or "dumb" choice to
KEEP (not MOVE, but KEEP -- Meriweather was the team's dimeback all of last season, whether you like it or not) Meriweather at cornerback.
Sorry, folks, but I've seen this for months now. Some people started it, and almost everyone caught on. The latest forum
taboo is to mention the words Meriweather and cornerback in the same sentence.
Why? I have NO IDEA! There's some strange sentiment that developed, perhaps solely due to the fact that Meriweather played safety in college, that he MUST be a safety in the NFL. "It is SAFETY where he will make Pro Bowls and help this team out the most!" or "It's his natural position! Keep him there!"
People are
downright AFRAID of any talk of Meriweather and cornerback. If there's a thread about a report saying Meriweather will stay at cornerback,
the majority of the responding posters dismiss it as rumors and a terrible decision if true. If there's another thread supporting Meriweather moving to safety,
Allejuah! Praise the Lord! Our dreams are finally happening!
I just don't know why this is. Can anyone fill me in? Am I the only person who
DIDN'T take Meriweather's college performance, STOP, and then CONCLUDE that "MUST" be a better safety than cornerback? Surely this cannot be.
Look, I have no clue where the notion that
"Belichick put Meriweather at corner in camp as a stop-gap solution to Samuel's absence" came from.
It's just not true..
I think that people need to stop seeing "Brandon Meriweather, Miami, 5'11", 200, 1 year pro, Safety" on rosters and pigeonholing him into the safety position.
Meriweather was NOT just a "stop-gap, emergency" solution at cornerback last year. He was there because he can play the damn position.
Just because he played safety at Miami does NOT mean that he'll necessarily be a better safety in the pros. WAY too many people automatically assume. Or, they'll look at Meriweather's skillset and draw expert conclusions themselves.
For as long Meriweather stays at cornerback, you see, he will be worse off, because you've already concluded for yourself that Meriweather "should" be a safety before he even stepped on a practice field. He could play cornerback for 15 years and because of that conclusion you drew waaaay back in April 2007, you'll still remain adamant that safety is "his position."
Meriweather is a first-round talent. Meriweather has the tools required to be a good defensive back in this league, as evidenced by the Patriots' decision to select him. Meriweather COULD be the next Champ Bailey. Meriweather COULD be the next Ed Reed. Meriweather could be a starting cornerback on the Patriots for the next 8 years. Meriweather could be a starting safety on the Patriots for the next 8 years. Meriweather could make 5 Pro Bowls as a cornerback. Meriweather could make 5 Pro Bowls as a safety. Meriweather could be the continuity and skill at cornerback the Patriots desperately need. Meriweather could replace Rodney Harrison and never look back.
But let's not pick one set of options and completely dismiss the other. There's a lot of that going on now on this forum and that's just ridiculous.
