2018 Free Agency -- Part 2

[Bourne Again Christian]

Predicting Manziel signing
Before camp starts

 

[Uptown]

A huge chunk of the country, obviously.

They’ll survive.

 

[Deus Irae]

They’ll survive.

 

[Uptown]

You will too.

 

[Deus Irae]

You will too.

It was a big enough issue that the league was calling group meetings with the players. You feel free to keep posting on the subject, if that works for you. I'm not going to keep going down this rabbit hole in this thread.

 

[long distance]

DB Channing Stribling waived by SF could be interesting option for TC

 

[maineman209]

Who cares ?

Dez?

 

[jah]

It was a big enough issue that the league was calling group meetings with the players. You feel free to keep posting on the subject, if that works for you. I'm not going to keep going down this rabbit hole in this thread.

Just pointing out that the thread was derailed because someone felt the need to say Reid "wouldn't be in charge of the pledge of allegiance" or whatever. Which side can't let it go, again?

 

[Deus Irae]

Just pointing out that the thread was derailed because someone felt the need to say Reid "wouldn't be in charge of the pledge of allegiance" or whatever. Which side can't let it go, again?

Yours, mostly, though both sides have people who still feel the need to worry it like a dog on a bone.

 

[TomPatriot]

How much should we play Reid to play social teams and have almost no reps in the regular defense, unless there is an injury to our top 3 safeties?

You don't know that he won't get a lot of reps. He can play money and there aren't a lot to of guys that can. Pay him whatever the two sides can agree upon.

 

[maineman209]

Apparently, Fish Smithson wasn't available.

 

[maineman209]

You don't know that he won't get a lot of reps. He can play money and there aren't a lot to of guys that can. Pay him whatever the two sides can agree upon.

Hmm...

Just thinking (perhaps overthinking), maybe the safeties are the "coverage LBs". I've always thought of defensive alignments as 3-layered ... 4-2-5, 3-2-6, etc. But, what if BB actually conceives of them as 4-layered? ... 4-2-3-2, 3-2-3-3?

 

[supafly]

The numbers are misleading because Chung has essentially become a combination in the box safety and coverage LB. The safety position wouldn't need that 4th safety to get playing time if the team had LBs and slot CBs that could cover.

But, until such LBs and/or CBs are found, the team will continue to need 4 legitimate safeties to pick up the slack.

Agreed. I’d also like to add the fact that they’ve been fairly lucky lately, in terms of injuries at the position. As we know, that could change at any point, where all of the sudden that “4th safety” becomes an immediate starter. I mean...Chung has taken some punishment and there’s been many times where it looked like he’d be missing some reps. Harmon could serve a 1-2 game suspension to start the season.

My concern is that Belichick doesn’t see the need to even take a flier in the draft, let alone shell out much money for a FA prospect worth anything, although there are certainly more variables that would come into play when making a decision.

 

[Deus Irae]

Agreed. I’d also like to add the fact that they’ve been fairly lucky lately, in terms of injuries at the position. As we know, that could change at any point, where all of the sudden that “4th safety” becomes an immediate starter. I mean...Chung has taken some punishment and there’s been many times where it looked like he’d be missing some reps. Harmon could serve a 1-2 game suspension to start the season.

My concern is that Belichick doesn’t see the need to even take a flier in the draft, let alone shell out much money for a FA prospect worth anything, although there are certainly more variables that would come into play when making a decision.

I think he's going to work the phones and wire hard for more defensive help. He knows he ended last season with a lot of holes in the defense, and I don't expect that he's going to rely on late round draft picks and self-improvement to address them.

 

[mihap]

We have one of the very best sets of safeties in the NFL. They play very, very well together. I would not disturb that for a free agent signing.

Chung goes down and you have Jordan Richards, Ebner or King. Super set of safeties.

 

[Deus Irae]

Chung goes down and you have Jordan Richards, Ebner or King. Super set of safeties.

Indeed. The problem with playing a 3 safety system is that you need to have more than 3 capable safeties.

 

[maineman209]

Agreed. I’d also like to add the fact that they’ve been fairly lucky lately, in terms of injuries at the position. As we know, that could change at any point, where all of the sudden that “4th safety” becomes an immediate starter. I mean...Chung has taken some punishment and there’s been many times where it looked like he’d be missing some reps. Harmon could serve a 1-2 game suspension to start the season.

My concern is that Belichick doesn’t see the need to even take a flier in the draft, let alone shell out much money for a FA prospect worth anything, although there are certainly more variables that would come into play when making a decision.

Not only did BB not select any safeties in the draft, he didn't sign any UDFA candidates (although they may have tried). This could mean that the coaches have more confidence in David Jones and/or Damarius Travis than we know. Alternatively, it could mean that the Pats already have Reid or Vacarro lined up to sign after May 8th.

 

[Sciz]

Reid is now suing the NFL for collusion, so it looks like he can be crossed off any lists in this thread.

Source: Former 49ers safety Eric Reid has filed a collusion grievance against the NFL. Reid's attorney is Mark Geragos, who's also represented Colin Kaepernick.

 

[mgteich]

Chung goes down and you have Jordan Richards, Ebner or King. Super set of safeties.

If Chung goes down, you have McCourty and Harmon playing safety, with a corner playing nickel (as we have had for at least 20 years that I remember).

 

[mgteich]

Indeed. The problem with playing a 3 safety system is that you need to have more than 3 capable safeties.

One solution is to play a 2 safety system when one of the 3 goes down. IMHO, a 3 safety "system" only makes sense when you have 3 quality safeties. Otherwise, the more traditional 2 safety system is just fine, since it puts the best defenders on the field.