Safeties

[jmt57]

Bruce Allen of Patriots Daily focuses on James Sanders:

Roster Watch – James Sanders | Patriots Daily

Solid and Steady

...

Sanders is also cited as a good leader, and someone who knows the defense inside and out, and does a good job communicating with his teammates about their positioning and assignments.

He may not blow your over with his coverage skills or blasting hits, but James Sanders is the type of solid veteran that the Patriots need to have around, and it seems a good bet that he will be around for the 2010 season.

 

[Ring 6]

I agree that what the Pats seem to lack is a Rodney sort of presence. Sanders has little in the way of 'head hunting' presence, IMO, even if he is a good system guy. Merriweather likes to act like a big hitter but ends up missing key plays and he seems like a nice guy, not an angry guy. McGowan has the attitude but not sure about his upside.

So for me that leaves Chung as the best hope for filling a head hunter role. One thing about Rodney however is that he was also situationally aware in coverage and a ball hawk, so Chung still has work ahead of him.

What made Rodney the player he was was that he played at 100mph.
We have had tons of safeties come through here with more natural skill than Rodney. But his all out play separated him. I see some of that in Meriwhether, dont see in Sanders and McGowan and I have a very, very good feeling that this is Chungs #1 quality. I read today that he wins every sprint WAY out in front of the group. Thats the intangible that makes a 215 lb DB a force.

 

[jmt57]

Bruce Allen of Patriots Daily on each of the the safeties in camp:

Positional Previews – Safeties | Patriots Daily

Between Rodney Harrison and Lawyer Milloy, the Patriots had an intimidating, hard-hitting safety patrolling the secondary and creeping up to the line of scrimmage to help out on the run during every season from 1996 to 2008. Last season, Brandon Meriweather was selected to the Pro Bowl at safety, but is not the hard-hitting type in the style of Milloy and Harrison. Could 2009 top pick Patrick Chung develop into that strong safety to carry on the tradition of the hard-hitters? It’s one of many things to watch for in this safety group in 2010.

These top four safeties might be as good top-to-bottom as any safety group in the NFL. They’re going to play a big role in this team’s success in 2010. If Chung can have a breakthrough year and emerge as that Harrison/Milloy type of presence, then this group can be very, very good for some time to come. Also keep an eye on Brown in the preseason to see if he is able to make a name for himself during those games.

 

[jmt57]

Before we hand Pat Chung the starting position ...

Eight observations on opening day of camp Sports EagleTribune.com, North Andover, MA

If I had to worry?

I would bring up the immortal Matt Slater running free from Pat Chung, who held the special-teamer and still couldn't stop a 15-yard completion.

Folks around this team are counting on Chung to step up in his second year at free safety. He's tough and smart, a testament to the fact that he is on the first-team goal-line unit.

But from Day 1, he hasn't been able to cover anyone.

 

[jmt57]

Patriots finding safety in numbers by Shalise Manza Young of the Boston Globe

All that is left now is the question of leadership. Sanders’s way is to lead by example, not to be vocal, something Meriweather has no problems with.


“What’s the definition of a leader?’’ Meriweather asked a reporter, who replied someone who takes charge and whom others follow. “I don’t know, I think James Sanders is a leader and he don’t say nothing. So just because you take charge that makes you a leader? Or that just makes you somebody who talks a lot?


“Personally I think a leader is somebody who goes out, don’t really say much, but does everything he’s supposed to, steps up when he’s supposed to, takes charge by his action, not by what he says. So [by] my definition of a leader, I think everyone on our team is a leader.’’


Meriweather, however, is the vocal sort, and his voice, which rises a bit when he gets excited — can usually be heard at the end of a successful play or unsuccessful one, giving props to teammates who have done well or imploring them to focus.


Four different candidates, two spots, but many opportunities to make an impact.

 

[jmt57]

Quick-hit thoughts around NFL and Pats by Mike Reiss for espnBoston.


Safety Josh Barrett, who the Patriots claimed on waivers from the Denver Broncos, is a bigger safety (6-2, 225) who could project to a Tank Williams- or Brandon McGowan-type safety/linebacker hybrid role in 2011. McGowan is in the final year of his contract. On the surface, this looks like a move in which the Patriots were thinking ahead to '11.

Part of the reason the Broncos put Barrett on waivers with the intention of placing him on season-ending injured reserve – instead of waiting until Aug. 31 when they wouldn’t have risked having another team claim him -- was that they’ve had a run of injuries early in camp that has left them short-handed. While the Patriots were within the rules to claim Barrett, some in the NFL believe there is a protocol that makes such a move off limits, similar to raiding another team’s practice squad.

 

[jmt57]

Patrick Chung says he still has a 'long way to go':

It Is What It Is Chung on D&H: ‘Long way to go’

“Last year I didn’t know anything,” he said. “I’ve still got a long way to go. I have not made it, so I’m still working. … I leave that to Bill [Belichick] to teach me all that stuff.”

Chung was most passionate when talking about special teams. “I love special teams,” he said. “That’s all on [assistant coach Scott O'Brien] — wherever he wants to put me, he can put me, I’ll play it. It’s a legalized 40-yard fistfight. … The person that crosses the line is trying to beat you and you’re trying to beat them. Any chance you get in a legalized fight, then that’s fine.”

Asked about fellow defensive back Brandon Meriweather, Chung said: “He’s intense, man. He’s very intense. But our whole secondary is intense. [Assistant coach] Corwin [Brown] puts that in us, also, He makes sure we’re on top of our stuff, and we make sure we’re on top of our stuff. We all communicate so we can play fast-paced and play intense and play good.”


The full audio interview can be found here: Dale and Holley

 

[mgteich]

I also think that Chung has a long way to go, but that's fine. He is developing well for a 4th rounder. We are well set at safety this year and next and even have Barrett to replace McGowan in 2011.

 

[jmt57]

Safety Squeeze: James Sanders in battle in secondary by Ian Rapoport for the Boston Herald:

In the secondary, James Sanders has all the answers. An intellectual six-year veteran, the safety is as well-versed in the Patriots' schemes as anyone.

No wonder that last season, when the defensive backfield struggled, coach Bill Belichick tabbed Sanders to serve as Mr. Fix-it. Yet coming off the field yesterday in training camp, Sanders was at a loss. He was asked the one question he simply can’t answer: What will be your role in 2010?

“I think that’s a question for Bill,” Sanders said. “We all have different roles on the team from various team drills we’ve done. Ultimately, it’s going to come down to him and what he decides for each individual.”

Will Sanders be the one to make an impact? Will he even be on the roster to do so? Budding star Patrick Chung, the 34th pick in 2009, has been on the field alongside Meriweather nearly the entire camp. He appears primed to make a leap in performance. Brandon McGowan, who emerged as a tight-end stopper, is a key special teamer and big hitter who figures to play. Does that leave Sanders, with his lofty price tag, out?

“We’re all competitors,” Sanders said. “All we ask is for an opportunity to go out there and compete and have an opportunity to win jobs. Nothing is given to you. You’ve got to go out and earn it. That’s all we ask.”

Sanders did his part in the offseason, earning a coveted parking spot for attendance during the conditioning program.

 

[jmt57]

Robert Lee of the Providence Journal on the Stiff competition for safety spot


The friendly competition between Sanders, McGowan and Chung is pushing each to get better.

“Yeah, we’re all competitors,” Sanders said. ”All we ask is for an opportunity to go out there and compete and have an opportunity to win jobs because nothing is given to you. You’ve got to go out and earn it.”

“We’re having fun,” Meriweather said. “Everybody is coming out to make each other better. We’re doing all the little things to help the team out, so whenever you’ve got competition in something, it brings out the best in each other.”

“I don’t think so,” Meriweather said when asked if he was going to be more of a leader. “I think everybody has their own position on the team and you just have to play your position to the best of your ability. I don’t think it’s taking ownership. I just think it’s everybody stepping up and playing their position the way they’re supposed to.”


Meriweather said that Sanders, who is entering his sixth NFL season, is the leader of the safeties.
“I think James Sanders is a leader and he doesn’t say anything,” Meriweather said. “By my definition of a leader, I think everybody on the team is a leader.”

 

[Patjew]

I was loving McGowan the first 1/4 of 2009. He was playing like a beast but then seemed to have disappeared for stretches. I hope he brings his hit stick with him again this year.

 

[jmt57]

I was loving McGowan the first 1/4 of 2009. He was playing like a beast but then seemed to have disappeared for stretches. I hope he brings his hit stick with him again this year.

McGowan seemed to be very good in coverage early in the season (e.g., against Tony Gonzalez in the Falcons game) and then was not as good later in the season (e.g., versus the Saints.) I don't know if that was perhaps due to an injury, opponents no longer being surprised with better preparation with some film on him, or for another reason, but whatever it was McGowan did not seem to be nearly as effective late in the year in comparison to the September games.

 

[patsfaninpittsburgh]

It's probably best to not get caught up in the "starter" concept. The starter is out there the first play.

Best guess is there will be many combinations varying by opponents/ situations.

All four will probably see significant time.

 

[makoute]

I also think that Chung has a long way to go, but that's fine. He is developing well for a 4th rounder. We are well set at safety this year and next and even have Barrett to replace McGowan in 2011.

Wasn't he drafted in the second round?

 

[patfanken]

My concern about the S position is size. Chung, Merriweather and Sanders are all sub 6'. Guys like Lockett and Butler will bring more size to the postion.... but that looks to be in the future. McGowan has size, but his disappearance in the last half of the season make me think his contribution will be limited to fewer sub packages like short yardage and GL D

 

[mgteich]

I put a smiley face on my post.

Chung is indeed developing well for a 4th round pick. When we picked with the second pick iof the second round, I was surprised to see Chung's name called. There were other safeties available later. At the time, many posted there were several safeties available late in the 2nd and in the 3rd and 4th that would be solid developmnetal safeties.

It is still my belief that Chung did NOT provide the best value at pick 34. However, I am not saying that Chung will not be a valuable contributer. I just think that we overpaid.

Wasn't he drafted in the second round?

 

[JackBauer]

I put a smiley face on my post.

Chung is indeed developing well for a 4th round pick. When we picked with the second pick iof the second round, I was surprised to see Chung's name called. There were other safeties available later. At the time, many posted there were several safeties available late in the 2nd and in the 3rd and 4th that would be solid developmnetal safeties.

It is still my belief that Chung did NOT provide the best value at pick 34. However, I am not saying that Chung will not be a valuable contributer. I just think that we overpaid.

Still, calling him a 4th round pick makes, oh, about zero sense.

 

[Spiral]

I think James Sanders will be a starter at some point this season--for the Kansas City Chiefs.

 

[JackBauer]

I think James Sanders will be a starter at some point this season--for the Kansas City Chiefs.

Highly unlikely they'll part with Sanders until they're sure Chung can ball, if ever.

 

[mgteich]

I said that Chung was developing well for a 4th rounder. I didn't think I even need the smiley face for folks to understand the point that Chung is NOT developing well for the 34th player in the draft.

How obvious does one need to get?

Chung was not a great value at 34, but he is a fine addition to the team. Since we had starters in place for 2009, 2010 and 2011, there certainly was no need to overpay for a developmental safety who MIGHT be an upgrade in his second year.

Delmas was picked at 33. He was considered by some to be a stid and a potential 2009 starter. Chung was picked one pick later with a much, much lower value.
======================

The BOTTOM LINE is that we had a great draft, one of our best ever. However, I still maintain that we could have done better at 34 and 40 than Chung and Brace. And this is NOT hindsight on my part or others. We were surprised with both picks at the time.

Personally, I would have drafted Butler at 34, an interior lineman at 41 (Levitre or Unger) and a Moore (my safety at 47, although waiting for a safety might have been right. Plus I would still have another couple of picks available at 124 and 199. That is where I would have look for backup NT's.

Still, calling him a 4th round pick makes, oh, about zero sense.