How do you feel about the CB depth?

[FreeTedWilliams]

Dial has played 60 snaps of defense in the NFL, 55 were against a team trying to lose.
We are one injury away from Austin being a starter and whoever is next playing up to 30 snaps a game.

Jinxed him! Dial just got carted off

 

[n1997y]

Not adding more CB depth, considering the guys available and their unused cap space, is the most questionable part of their offseason for me.

More questionable than the OL especially LT?

I suspect you’re alone in that evaluation.

 

[mgteich]

c'mon, we all want to see more of the powerful depth of Austin, James, Dial and Bolden.

Of course, we expect that we have a new training regime and the top three won't get injured, as they have so often in the past (the top 3, Austin and Bolden all have injury histories).

 

[Hugepatsfan]

More questionable than the OL especially LT?

I suspect you’re alone in that evaluation.

Absolutely 100%. And to clarify, I mean from an offseason approach standpoint, not necessarily the talent they have. They pursued the top FAs at LT who were truly upgrades, struck out, drafted someone they liked enough to take #4 overall. No issue with that approach. Pursued some top interior options (Will Fries, Drew Dalman) but didn't overspend for a low value position where they actually have some projectable guys IMO including one they drafted. Did get a stop gap center in Bradbury which makes sense. Moses was a logical signing at RT.

Everything makes sense to me from a process standpoint there, even if there's still a lot to be answered there (mainly how good Campbell is as an NFL LT). Unlike at CB, where there were and still are starting caliber players available and we have a shallow position group where all the depth behind the starters are late round draft pick that's mostly looked like roster fodder. That approach doesn't make sense to me.

 

[n1997y]

c'mon, we all want to see more of the powerful depth of Austin, James, Dial and Bolden.

Of course, we expect that we have a new training regime and the top three won't get injured, as they have so often in the past (the top 3, Austin and Bolden all have injury histories).

Now Dial is injured. No deets but I thought one report suggested knee.

DJ James is making a strong push. From the reports today there’s no vet backup going to do any better.

 

[rkarp1]

I expect DB to be an area the team is looking at the waiver wire at the end of the month

 

[signbabybrady]

I expect DB to be an area the team is looking at the waiver wire at the end of the month

They've actually been playing well even without Davis and Gonzo. James had another good today and Marcus seems to be having a good camp. Austin, Dial, and Bolden have each had their moments too. Unfortunately looks like Dial is out for an extended amount of time possibly the year.

 

[mgteich]

They've actually been playing well even without Davis and Gonzo. James had another good today and Marcus seems to be having a good camp. Austin, Dial, and Bolden have each had their moments too. Unfortunately looks like Dial is out for an extended amount of time possibly the year

Congrats to the staff for coaching up the backups, especially James.

Should we really believe that we are fine for the season with Austin, James and Bolden as our backups? I had wanted to compete with Austin for reps. James has done that. So, we have an active 9 position defensive backs (5 corners and 4 safeties).

I also wanted an upgrade to Bolden/Dial. I guess that this is a Special Teams issue. We could simply keep Pettus.

 

[signbabybrady]

Congrats to the staff for coaching up the backups, especially James.

Should we really believe that we are fine for the season with Austin, James and Bolden as our backups? I had wanted to compete with Austin for reps. James has done that. So, we have an active 9 position defensive backs (5 corners and 4 safeties).

I also wanted an upgrade to Bolden/Dial. I guess that this is a Special Teams issue. We could simply keep Pettus.
.

First) Yes that's likely going to be our group for the season and you should believe we are fine that's about as good as any group in the league. I'd have used stronger words than fine.

Second) Gonzo, Davis, Marcus, Double A, and James are going to be better than anything we find on the waiver wire which was what the post I responded to was suggesting.

 

[mgteich]

Second) Gonzo, Davis, Marcus, Double A, and James are going to be better than anything we find on the waiver wire which was what the post I responded to was suggesting.

1) I agree that this group of FIVE can't be improved with a waiver wire signing.

2) James has been the key. He is at least competitive with Austin and can be a backup nickel. I have given congrats to staff for choosing and developing him (and to a lesser degree developing Austin a bit).

3) Some of us have wanted to add another to the mix for at least a couple of years. If that player is James, then I would still like an upgrade to Dial/Bolden as the #6. Of course, it is heresy on this board to suggest that we have a corner who could step in at CB if there are multiple injuries. [This is not farfetched since all but James is injured fairly often (I guess I don't know his injury history).

 

[TheRainMaker]

Not good. But the good news is that most NFL teams don't have good CB's.

 

[mike_usagisan]

I've been really happy with the reports out of camp about our CB depth.

 

[stinkypete]

The depth isn't great and it's a big concern for me because this defense is built on a lot of position groups compensating for others. Extreme position group wide strengths and weaknesses.

Our interior DL is poor vs. run but great rushing. Tonga as a rotational piece doesn't fix that.

Our EDGE defenders are strong vs. the run, but weak pass rushers. Again, Chaisson as a specialist doesn't fix that.

Our LBs and Safeties are strong vs. the run but weak in coverage.

The ability to play strong coverage on the outside with the Gonzo/Davis duo is one of the few snap to snap, game to game strengths they're going to be able to rely on. It will open up a lot of schematic compensation for those weaknesses in the front that other teams have personnel to exploit weak to week. But one injury and that's gone and sets the defense up to struggle IMO.

Not adding more CB depth, considering the guys available and their unused cap space, is the most questionable part of their offseason for me.

Poster makes a strong case here.

 

[captain stone]

I've been really happy with the reports out of camp about our CB depth.

From whom, the usual dark jock-sniffing shills like Kyles?

 

[captain stone]

I expect DB to be an area the team is looking at the waiver wire at the end of the month

I certainly hope so; because our current CB depth is Non-Existent, as some of us have been saying All Off-Season Long.

 

[mike_usagisan]

I certainly hope so; because our current CB depth is Non-Existent, as some of us have been saying All Off-Season Long.

Probably, but I haven't seen a ton of reports from others that are down on the backup CBs.

Gonzo and Davis are the starters plus Marcus. That's a pretty solid group. Austin and James seem to be about as good as you're going to get for backups, otherwise they'd be starters elsewhere. That's five. Dial is a disappointment due to injury. Maybe we get another young developmental CB off the waiver wires, but it seems like a solid group. I have much bigger concerns about the depth at other positions.

 

[signbabybrady]

From whom, the usual dark jock-sniffing shills like Kyles?

Go down and watch for yourself. They've been holding their own vs a good young QB all camp despite being without Davis and Gonzo. If they continue to perform in preseason I wouldn't expect anything better on the waivers.

 

[Joey007]

Update: I am feeling better about the young guys.

 

[TommyD4207]

Update: I am feeling better about the young guys.

I came here to say this.

 

[Joey007]

I came here to say this.

James especially is catching my eye. Austin has had his ups and downs, but definitely competitive and more than fine to be a 5th CB.