Dowling as starting safety talk -- anything behind it?

[Triumph]

Yeah that's what I mean... he's barely even been seeing practice time there (from all accounts). And I mean I'm sure his job as a CB is to know quite a bit about what the rest of the DBs should be doing at any given time as well, but there's a big jump from immersing yourself in the CB playbook to moving over to safety and having to know your duties (and quite thoroughly, if you want to be a starter).

Agreed

Geno Wilson was able to make the leap because the Pats had 2 HOF DBs on the field in Law and Harrison. Any mistakes he made could be covered up quickly. Putting Dowling out there is worse than keeping Meriweather.

I believe BB will make a move on Darren Sharper if the current Saftey line up struggles. He likes a Vet out there and for all we know Sharper may have left Foxboro with a playbook and was told to stay near the phone.

 

[RayClay]

Some people have been projecting him as a safety from at least as far back as when he was drafted.

Hello......

 

[ausbacker]

If he turns out to be an Ed Reed type then yes.. I'm all for it.

 

[Ring 6]

Agreed

Geno Wilson was able to make the leap because the Pats had 2 HOF DBs on the field in Law and Harrison. Any mistakes he made could be covered up quickly. Putting Dowling out there is worse than keeping Meriweather.

I believe BB will make a move on Darren Sharper if the current Saftey line up struggles. He likes a Vet out there and for all we know Sharper may have left Foxboro with a playbook and was told to stay near the phone.

Why isnt Sharper here then?

 

[jays52]

There was significant chatter in the draft forum of Dowling as a safety before the draft. The always brilliant Patchick was pounding the table pretty hard, leading to some trickledown and justly so. Size, ballskills, physicality, and measurables that looked like a safety lead to the theory.

That said, I'm a huge fan of Dowling at corner in keeping with the man corner initiative. I'm sick of DB's who can "run with anyone" and want DB's who will mug receivers at the line. I think Belichick hit a "F this" inflection point as well before drafting McCourty. As a minor aside, with the emphasis on the spread offense, the denial of clean releases in conjunction with disruption and polymorphic coverages provides three levels of what kills the spread. The spread relies upon quickness. Ball in, ball out. Read option or full on h wheel type stuff, the spread lives and dies on immediacy. If you press the outside, you reject the quick read, you disrupt the quick blocking scheme you put the qb on the run in the direction you want, you morph the coverage the read is not static. For the next two months at least there's only one QB who can process dynamic reads through multiple levels in three to four seconds, and he runs your offense. That's the theme this year; three levels of disruption.

But yeah, I like Dowling at corner.

 

[Water Boy]

There was significant chatter in the draft forum of Dowling as a safety before the draft. The always brilliant Patchick was pounding the table pretty hard, leading to some trickledown and justly so. Size, ballskills, physicality, and measurables that looked like a safety lead to the theory.

That said, I'm a huge fan of Dowling at corner in keeping with the man corner initiative. I'm sick of DB's who can "run with anyone" and want DB's who will mug receivers at the line. I think Belichick hit a "F this" inflection point as well before drafting McCourty. As a minor aside, with the emphasis on the spread offense, the denial of clean releases in conjunction with disruption and polymorphic coverages provides three levels of what kills the spread. The spread relies upon quickness. Ball in, ball out. Read option or full on h wheel type stuff, the spread lives and dies on immediacy. If you press the outside, you reject the quick read, you disrupt the quick blocking scheme you put the qb on the run in the direction you want, you morph the coverage the read is not static. For the next two months at least there's only one QB who can process dynamic reads through multiple levels in three to four seconds, and he runs your offense. That's the theme this year; three levels of disruption.

But yeah, I like Dowling at corner.

Do you think we have what it takes at safety now ? Can Chung and Brown provide the cover skills necessary in the pass happy NFL? Who is the slot corner?

 

[jays52]

Right now that's impossible to answer, man. I'll need to see a lot more reps at the NFL level, and even then it's most likely to be at corner. It'd be purely speculative at best. There's certainly things to glean from corner tape, but that's limited from TV, and I'll need a bunch more time looking at him to accurately tell 65% of what I'd need to see.

I like Arrington in the slot. I think he's got good footspeed, is strong enough to press, and has experience rushing from last season. If I have slot corners I want them to be able to blitz. I like Arrington inside and a rotation of Bodden and Dowling on the outside opposite McCourty.

 

[Patspsycho]

There was significant chatter in the draft forum of Dowling as a safety before the draft. The always brilliant Patchick was pounding the table pretty hard, leading to some trickledown and justly so. Size, ballskills, physicality, and measurables that looked like a safety lead to the theory.

That said, I'm a huge fan of Dowling at corner in keeping with the man corner initiative. I'm sick of DB's who can "run with anyone" and want DB's who will mug receivers at the line. I think Belichick hit a "F this" inflection point as well before drafting McCourty. As a minor aside, with the emphasis on the spread offense, the denial of clean releases in conjunction with disruption and polymorphic coverages provides three levels of what kills the spread. The spread relies upon quickness. Ball in, ball out. Read option or full on h wheel type stuff, the spread lives and dies on immediacy. If you press the outside, you reject the quick read, you disrupt the quick blocking scheme you put the qb on the run in the direction you want, you morph the coverage the read is not static. For the next two months at least there's only one QB who can process dynamic reads through multiple levels in three to four seconds, and he runs your offense. That's the theme this year; three levels of disruption.

But yeah, I like Dowling at corner.

I'm in your corner!

 

[Triumph]

Why isnt Sharper here then?

I believe BB will make a move on Darren Sharper if the current Saftey line up struggles.

To access what he has @ Saftey when the real bullets begin to fly. You really cannot tell for sure during pre season. Just like he did with Butler last season. After game 2, BB knew a change had to be made.

If the Saftey play is horrid, I expect changes more than ever this year. BB is not screwing around.

 

[jdk19]

Tarpinian is going to be be a strong safety.
At least in certain packages.
He played safety in college and his workout numbers are better than most SS.
I believe we will see him spend some time there.
This versatility may explain his roster spot. LB,SS, ST.

 

[Ring 6]

To access what he has @ Saftey when the real bullets begin to fly. You really cannot tell for sure during pre season. Just like he did with Butler last season. After game 2, BB knew a change had to be made.

If the Saftey play is horrid, I expect changes more than ever this year. BB is not screwing around.

I don't think Sharper is the answer, and if BB felt he could help he would have been signed instead of Ihedegbo.
BB is never screwing around, this year is no different than any other.

 

[Ring 6]

Tarpinian is going to be be a strong safety.
At least in certain packages.
He played safety in college and his workout numbers are better than most SS.
I believe we will see him spend some time there.
This versatility may explain his roster spot. LB,SS, ST.

Did he play S in college? I could not find anything saying that. Every report I read said he was a LB only. Well part time LB parttime injured

 

[Joker]

I have a hard time believing the safety play will be horrid if Belichick likes what he has so much he cut a two time pro bowl safety like he was pulling weeds.I imagine Brown and Barrett have done more than enough to impress the head coach that they are ready and will carry out the game plan, stick to their assignments and tackle the ball.Chung is in his second season and looks very comfortable in his position. Who really knows until the first game is played, but at this point one has to have confidence that BB knows what he's seeing from these defensive players. I do, I know that.

 

[Triumph]

I don't think Sharper is the answer, and if BB felt he could help he would have been signed instead of Ihedegbo.
BB is never screwing around, this year is no different than any other.

Comparing Ihedegbo to Sharper is like comparing "Ripple" to "Pinot Noir." Ihedegbo has been nothing more than a Special Teamer and DB depth.

There is clearly a sense of urgency this season the way the axe had fallen on some NE players. Butler didnt even get 3 seasons when other free loaders like Moroney hung around four seasons.

 

[Ring 6]

Comparing Ihedegbo to Sharper is like comparing "Ripple" to "Pinot Noir." Ihedegbo has been nothing more than a Special Teamer and DB depth.

Yet BB worked out Ihedigbo and Sharper and signed Ihedigbo and noty Sharper. Your comments are conflicting with themselves. Sharper didnt get signed because we are waiting to see if we need a safety, yet Ihedogbo did get signed, and he isn't anywhere near as good. That makes no sense.

There is clearly a sense of urgency this season the way the axe had fallen on some NE players. Butler didnt even get 3 seasons when other free loaders like Moroney hung around four seasons.

An urgency to leave Sharper and home and wait to see if he needs him so he could come in and start from scratch a few games into the season?
BB has urgency every season, this one is no different. He doesnt 'give players time' he assesses them, and each player is on his own timetable. Your Butler argument is wiped out by Chad Jackson, for example.
Maroney was the #1 RB on the team, not 'hanging around'.

 

[Rob0729]

As one of the guys who believe Dowling will/may be moved to safety, there has been nothing but speculation at this point (well, he did play safety in the red zone vs. the Giants for a play or two). I still think it is the position where he would excel more.

 

[Ring 6]

As one of the guys who believe Dowling will/may be moved to safety, there has been nothing but speculation at this point (well, he did play safety in the red zone vs. the Giants for a play or two). I still think it is the position where he would excel more.

I dont think we know enough about him yet.
I think that there are more players keeping him on the bench at corner than safety.
I think that the way the NFL has turned into a passing league, a safety with conrer skills is valuable.
Jay posted about defending the spread. If there are multiple WRs on the field safeties need to play like corners.
PArt of BBs commentary when making the move with Wilson was that there was a lot of value in a safery who can play like a corner when the other team lines up 3 wides, or a TE like Clark. Meriwhether was an extension of that philopsohy.
It seems to make sense to have a guy who can cover like a corner but is stout enough to play safety.
I agree that if he is going to play as a corner, in the base, leave him there, but if he is behind McC, Bodden, and maybe even Arrington, he should be competing for pt at S.

 

[PatsFan37]

Tarpinian is going to be be a strong safety.
At least in certain packages.
He played safety in college and his workout numbers are better than most SS.
I believe we will see him spend some time there.
This versatility may explain his roster spot. LB,SS, ST.

I dont think we know enough about [Dowling] yet. ... I think that the way the NFL has turned into a passing league, a safety with conrer skills is valuable.

Interesting trend here, with guys who can run like a corner and hit like a safety, and other guys who can run like a safety and hit like a LB. That makes for a nice nickel/dime package, when the big guys are off the field and the little guys better not be too little. I forget the name of that safety/LB tweener a few years ago who injured himself during camp, but Tarp falls into that category and it feels to me like BB has been trying to find a player to fit that role.

As for Dowling, I'll wait and see. Corner is an easier position to learn, particularly man-to-man on the outside.