S Jermaine Phillips: worth a look?

[jmt57]

Apparently Tampa Bay has made little or no effort to re-sign him yet; perhaps Jermaine Phillips would be worth considering as a replacement for Rodney Harrison's roster spot?


Jermaine Phillips, UFA, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Phillips has been around for seven seasons now and has made a name for himself as a capable safety. He has eleven career interceptions, including four in ’07 and three this season. The safety made a career-high 109 total tackles in ’06 and has the ability to create turnovers from time to time with seven forced fumbles in the past three seasons. Phillips will provide a team with a quality run-support type safety that can provide adequate help in coverage. He missed five games due to injury this year, which could hurt his contract offers.


A 30 year old guy coming off a season with injuries is a negative, but it may also keep his price low. More suited to playing in the box than coverage - i.e., somebody to take Rodney's place. More of a run defense type of guy, but can handle a TE or RB in coverage. Pure speculation on my part, but thought it was worth consideration after I saw the pats as a possible destination on another board.

 

[Terry Glenn is a cowgirl]

maybe a looky-loo... but, I dunno much about him.

 

[Kontradiction]

Eh, all of Tampa Bay's defense looked old and tired at the end of last season... especially the secondary. Beware castoff Bucs players.

 

[NE39]

Eh, all of Tampa Bay's defense looked old and tired at the end of last season... especially the secondary. Beware castoff Bucs players.

Part of the reason they looked that way was because Phillips got hurt at mid-season. He returned for their last 3 games and made a bunch of tackles, but was playing hurt.

Phillips is a real good player. He is a big, physical guy who still is around the ball in the passing game. He basically took over the John Lynch role in that defense in recent years and performed very well.

I think the big problem with signing him is he will probably gather a lot of interest and make good money. I doubt the Pats will want to invest big FA dollars in a S, even if he is a good player. Phillips is probably the top FA S available out there, with the only other guy rated with him being Brian Dawkins, who is older.

 

[signbabybrady]

I'ld be happy to get him...IMO our biggest need is DBs and the CB market is thin so Safety is a position we should get a vet at becuase we may have some real young CBs next year.