Fixing the Secondary

[whistler]

Originally Posted by KI Skins Fan

So you want a collection of half-fast safeties battling one another in preseason to see which one can be the most adequate or, as I view it, suck the least?

No thanks! That's just no good enough. Our secondary needs a leader at FS. Someone with a record of success in the NFL, We need an intuitive FS with range, playmaking ability, and the smarts to "quarterback" the defensive backfield.

IMO, Jairus Byrd would be perfect for us. Chris Clemons (at FS) and Antoine Bethea would also help us.

The skins have a serious need to "grow their own" players. If you draft well, and identify talent correctly it can be done without breaking the bank. Seattle did a good job with that, and it paid off the last couple of years, however coaching helps a lot.

It seems as if there are no good players out there other than Byrd and Ward?

Good football players are never a step slow due to good football instincts. Good DBs don't have to run 4.4, low 4.5s isn't bad db speed. Football isn't a track meet. There are diamonds in the rough everywhere.

Bringing in highly touted FAs that are given a starting position can be a confidence killer to a young guy with potential.

Now, if your saying that you have no confidence in the skin's front office to identify talent or the coaches to "coach em up" that's a whole different discussion.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by whistler

The skins have a serious need to "grow their own" players. If you draft well, and identify talent correctly it can be done without breaking the bank. Seattle did a good job with that, and it paid off the last couple of years, however coaching helps a lot.

It seems as if there are no good players out there other than Byrd and Ward?

Good football players are never a step slow due to good football instincts. Good DBs don't have to run 4.4, low 4.5s isn't bad db speed. Football isn't a track meet. There are diamonds in the rough everywhere.

Bringing in highly touted FAs that are given a starting position can be a confidence killer to a young guy with potential.

Now, if your saying that you have no confidence in the skin's front office to identify talent or the coaches to "coach em up" that's a whole different discussion.

Exactly.

[Chico23231]

Originally Posted by whistler

The skins have a serious need to "grow their own" players. If you draft well, and identify talent correctly it can be done without breaking the bank. Seattle did a good job with that, and it paid off the last couple of years, however coaching helps a lot.It seems as if there are no good players out there other than Byrd and Ward?

Good football players are never a step slow due to good football instincts. Good DBs don't have to run 4.4, low 4.5s isn't bad db speed. Football isn't a track meet. There are diamonds in the rough everywhere.

Bringing in highly touted FAs that are given a starting position can be a confidence killer to a young guy with potential.

Now, if your saying that you have no confidence in the skin's front office to identify talent or the coaches to "coach em up" that's a whole different discussion.

So grow your own players but dont pay them in their prime. Got it, makes sense

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by whistler

This guy gets it! Add 2 free safeties this yr:
FA-inexpensive FS about 2-4 mil for 2 yrs + draft one in the 4th or 5th round

The FA must be a special teams guy, he could be a fourth year player that is done with his rookie contract who didn't get a chance with the current team due to injury, or just behind an established veteran, or a guy that bounced around a year of two one the D-squad, or even a late cut by a team.

The draft pick should be a player who didn't perform as well in the senior yr due to injury or system change, etc.

Let last yrs rookies compete with these guys and the hold overs. Hopefully the coaches do their jobs and put the players in position to be successful.

We tried this approach of cheap solutions and draft picks last season. We need to get a proven player back there at safety. Byrd and Ward are likely to get tagged, so we need to aim for the best FA available.

[whistler]

Originally Posted by Monkeydad

We tried this approach of cheap solutions and draft picks last season. We need to get a proven player back there at safety. Byrd and Ward are likely to get tagged, so we need to aim for the best FA available.

Patience "Rome wasn't built in a day". You can build through the draft and young free agents it would probably make a more cohesive secondary. You don't have to break the bank for secondary guys, you have to find the right ones and coach them through their learning curve.

[over the mountain]

Originally Posted by whistler

Patience "Rome wasn't built in a day". You can build through the draft and young free agents it would probably make a more cohesive secondary. You don't have to break the bank for secondary guys, you have to find the right ones and coach them through their learning curve.

i hear what you're saying whistler and maybe the majority seems too quick to not think thomas or rambo can be a legit safety (i agree w the majority) ... but given our secondary woes and the fact that we have relatively cheap corners ... id like to see us invest some dinero in an above average safety as I view merriweather as our only NFL caliber safety on the roster.

[REDSKINS4ever]

I'm not sold on Rambo.....I think last season was a learning experience and he was only a rookie.......but Thomas played well in that one preseason game......I hope they don't try to go after Byrd and give him a lot of money.....

[Jayroc24]

Originally Posted by REDSKINS4ever

I'm not sold on Rambo.....I think last season was a learning experience and he was only a rookie.......but Thomas played well in that one preseason game......I hope they don't try to go after Byrd and give him a lot of money.....

Speaking of Thomas, has anyone heard how he is doing on his rehab?

[artmonkforhallofamein07]

Originally Posted by Jayroc24

Speaking of Thomas, has anyone heard how he is doing on his rehab?

He had a lis Franc injury. I would imagine he will or could already be good to go. When it occurred in the summer I believe he could have made it back by the end of the year but the team decided to shut him down due to the length of the recovery and his lack of experience.

[WaldSkins]

Resign dhall cheap to play safety/nickel back. Sign a free agent cb

[Chico23231]

Whistler team building strategy seems to be let's just get a bunch of average joes and keep our fingers crossed. We have the cap space and we are in good cap position for the future as well, so why not interject some good talent in some need areas? Several players at Safety, Oline and WR could put this team back in the playoffs quickly.

[whistler]

Originally Posted by Chico23231

Whistler team building strategy seems to be let's just get a bunch of average joes and keep our fingers crossed. We have the cap space and we are in good cap position for the future as well, so why not interject some good talent in some need areas? Several players at Safety, Oline and WR could put this team back in the playoffs quickly.

What if it doesn't work? You'll have no cap space to fix it.

[Chico23231]

Originally Posted by whistler

What if it doesn't work? You'll have no cap space to fix it.

Bruce been good with the cap and not overspending, even when he has taken chances with guys(ie Morgan) he's left the skins with outs. I got zero problems with Bruce negotiating big player contracts

[whistler]

Originally Posted by Chico23231

Bruce been good with the cap and not overspending, even when he has taken chances with guys(ie Morgan) he's left the skins with outs. I got zero problems with Bruce negotiating big player contracts

Can't have it both ways, if you want to spend 30 mil on free agents in all areas, all of those contracts increase yearly and that binds everything up for the next 3 yrs.

Let's hope Bruce does the talent side as well as he's done the contract situation. if he can, then we don't have to worry about talented, committed players.

Please remember that the cap has been very reduced for 2 yrs, and they were up against that number for 2 years, asking players to restructure every yr.

[skinsfan69]

Originally Posted by Chico23231

Whistler team building strategy seems to be let's just get a bunch of average joes and keep our fingers crossed. We have the cap space and we are in good cap position for the future as well, so why not interject some good talent in some need areas? Several players at Safety, Oline and WR could put this team back in the playoffs quickly.

So when has this strategy worked in the past?