ProFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

[Rob0729]

From PFW:

Word out of New England is that the drafting of CBs Terrence Wheatley and Jonathan Wilhite puts to rest the notion that S Brandon Meriweather will be moved to cornerback.

http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/The+Way+We+Hear+It/Whispers/2008/whispers050308.htm

 

[BelichickFan]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

That gets a thumbs up from me. I love CB but I like the way Meriweather was looking at Safety and we have little behind Harrison and Sanders; I'd prefer Meriweather to start with Harrison and have Sanders back them up and replace Harrison when he's gone - probably next year is my guess.

 

[Rob0729]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

That gets a thumbs up from me. I love CB but I like the way Meriweather was looking at Safety and we have little behind Harrison and Sanders; I'd prefer Meriweather to start with Harrison and have Sanders back them up and replace Harrison when he's gone - probably next year is my guess.

Meriweather hasn't shown he is good enough to start over Sanders just yet. I am concerned that both of their coverage skills leave a little to be desired last year. He will need to win the job in the preseason to start.

Personally, I hope they still bring in Law. He could play FS in a lot of pass coverage situations at least until Meriweather gets better at it.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

That gets a thumbs up from me. I love CB but I like the way Meriweather was looking at Safety and we have little behind Harrison and Sanders; I'd prefer Meriweather to start with Harrison and have Sanders back them up and replace Harrison when he's gone - probably next year is my guess.

:agree:..........................................................................:yeahthat:

 

[IcyPatriot]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

Meriweather hasn't shown he is good enough to start over Sanders just yet. I am concerned that both of their coverage skills leave a little to be desired last year. He will need to win the job in the preseason to start.

Personally, I hope they still bring in Law. He could play FS in a lot of pass coverage situations at least until Meriweather gets better at it.

Best way to get better is to play IMO ... the more the better.

 

[BelichickFan]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

Meriweather hasn't shown he is good enough to start over Sanders just yet.

Sanders is clearly one of the players we (as a board, not you and I) have trouble agreeing on. Some think he's solid and quietly doing his job. Others (like me), barely notice him other than bad throws like the INT from Boller. Safeties usually show up if they're doing well and Sanders rarely is noticed. Without seeing the coaches tapes or knowing the assignments it's tough to gauge him completely but Meriweather looks more active and quick back there to me - with an offseason and another training camp behind him I expect Meriweather to leave Sanders behind soon.

 

[BionicPatriot]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

Sanders is SUPPOSED to be a SS, I believe. Merriweather would move everything back to its normal spot.

So were this the "same" sources that told them the Patriots were not happy with Merriweather last year? Screw PFW, it seems like they throw **** on the wall just to see if it sticks most of the time.

 

[Jimke]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

That gets a thumbs up from me. I love CB but I like the way Meriweather was looking at Safety and we have little behind Harrison and Sanders; I'd prefer Meriweather to start with Harrison and have Sanders back them up and replace Harrison when he's gone - probably next year is my guess.

Sanders contract is also up next year.

 

[patchick]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

Look at Wheatley and Wilhite's athletic attributes and strengths, then Meriweather's. Meriweather is clearly a completely different type of player. I'm looking forward to seeing Meriweather at FS and Wheately at CB for years to come.

But what the heck do I know?

 

[Rob0729]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

Sanders is clearly one of the players we (as a board, not you and I) have trouble agreeing on. Some think he's solid and quietly doing his job. Others (like me), barely notice him other than bad throws like the INT from Boller. Safeties usually show up if they're doing well and Sanders rarely is noticed. Without seeing the coaches tapes or knowing the assignments it's tough to gauge him completely but Meriweather looks more active and quick back there to me - with an offseason and another training camp behind him I expect Meriweather to leave Sanders behind soon.

I prefer Sanders at SS myself, but I still don't think Meriweather showed enough to supplant him at FS just yet. I still think coverage is both their deficiencies. That is why I advocate Law coming in and playing FS at least part of the time. Meriweather has more upside than Sanders in that area, but I would rather ease him in more than throw him out there.

 

[Lockdown06]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

I prefer Sanders at SS myself, but I still don't think Meriweather showed enough to supplant him at FS just yet. I still think coverage is both their deficiencies. That is why I advocate Law coming in and playing FS at least part of the time. Meriweather has more upside than Sanders in that area, but I would rather ease him in more than throw him out there.

I don't think Meriweather is bad at coverage, actually he batted down his fair share of balls last year (considering his amount of playing time) and when he did allow receptions he was right there to make the tackle. Hhis major problem imo was he had his hands on a lot of passes last year and couldn't come up with an INT.

Really I think Meriweather's main problem right now is lack of experience (not a big surprise considering he was a rookie) but I think he looked far more instinctive and comfortable in coverage than sanders, who i remember as giving up a few big plays in the FS spot (the javon walker TD when we played Denver at home in 06 stands out in my mind)

that being said, I do like Sanders as a player, he's just more suited to the SS role, as others have mentioned.

 

[d.finn.patsfan.]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

Sanders is clearly one of the players we (as a board, not you and I) have trouble agreeing on. Some think he's solid and quietly doing his job. Others (like me), barely notice him other than bad throws like the INT from Boller. Safeties usually show up if they're doing well and Sanders rarely is noticed. Without seeing the coaches tapes or knowing the assignments it's tough to gauge him completely but Meriweather looks more active and quick back there to me - with an offseason and another training camp behind him I expect Meriweather to leave Sanders behind soon.

I sorta agree, but Sanders is a SS playing FS, so i didn't expect him to set the world alight out of position. Plus our coverage against the deep ball was the best in the league (if i remember correctly), and he was a very important part of that.

I really hope Meriweather stays at FS. Yes he's athletic enough to move to CB and has the cover skills to do it, but at FS he's got more of a chance to rip some guys head off

 

[mgteich]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

BREAKING NEWS
Our likely starting free safety is not being converted to a corner. DUUUH! I do understand that Sanders (our backup SS in his contract year) could get more reps that Meriweather. Even if we re-sign Sanders, as we are likely to do, Sanders will probably start at strong safety in 2009 with Mereiweather at free safety.

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

It's weird since all this stuff is known ahead of time, they bother with all that trying stuff out and position battles in training camp. Huh. It's almost like the team goes by what happens on the field instead of what gets printed based on published stats and known game film from a different year at a different level.

I guess it's just habit.

 

[mcsully]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

BREAKING NEWS
Our likely starting free safety is not being converted to a corner. DUUUH! I do understand that Sanders (our backup SS in his contract year) could get more reps that Meriweather. Even if we re-sign Sanders, as we are likely to do, Sanders will probably start at strong safety in 2009 with Mereiweather at free safety.

OUch.. I hope we don't go that route.. Sanders has reached his level of play.. JAG..
I believe our SS for 2009 isn't even on the roster..

 

[sebman2112]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

I agree that Meriweather's most likely seeing the bulk of his minutes at FS, but I just have to ask one question...

Are these the same sources who told them NE wasn't happy with Brandon last year, he's a better fit at CB (they even made it seem like he's not a big hitter), and that NE would be moving him to CB this season? I'm not really going to argue with those who like their draft coverage, but PFW is a joke when it comes to these type of articles/reports, especially when NE's concerned.

 

[mgteich]

Re: PFW: Sources say that Meriweather will stay at safety

If Sanders does perform well this year at SS, he won't be re-signed for 2009. It really is that simple.

OUch.. I hope we don't go that route.. Sanders has reached his level of play.. JAG..
I believe our SS for 2009 isn't even on the roster..

 

[Rob0729]

Sanders is going to be a RFA. Odds are he will get at least the second round tender offer. Odds are that Sanders will be on the Patriots in 2009. 2010 is still in question, but there is little chance he won't be on the team in 2009.

 

[ALP]

From PFW:



http://www.profootballweekly.com/PFW/The+Way+We+Hear+It/Whispers/2008/whispers050308.htm

i could have told u that after the superbowl...

 

[Urgent]

Meriweather got a lot of reps at corner in training camp. He was on the field with the Ones and Twos, switching between corner and safety with the different groups.

I think all the work at corner took away from his focus on FS. Or, maybe, I hope that's what it was. Hard enough to learn an NFL defense as a rookie; harder still if you are trying to learn two.

If Meriweather can focus on FS (or weakside safety) all offseason, and more importantly through the preseason, hopefully his athletic skills will show better, and he will be more comfortable in that position.

I'd also like to see Meriweather and Harrison starting, with Sanders backing up more SS, but with the ability to rotate in for either.

Meriweather also offers a lot more speed in the middle than Sanders.