Redskins trade for Free Safety Dashon Goldson

[Defensewins]

Originally Posted by Ruhskins

I really hope someone out of this group of safeties that we have (or someone we draft) comes out to be a solid pure free safety. It seems that we have a lot of guys that are good at tackling and help against the run game. But we need a pure free safety that can cover the top of the field and provide help to the CBs.

I don't like this attitude that our team has about having guys that can play either position. It seems that every year we cannot get a safety, I hear this line from the coaches. I know it is good to have versatile players that can play either position, but this whole approach of having safeties that can play either position continues to not work.

Maybe an improved pass rush can help the secondary, but I hope McC can find longtime FS in the draft.

I don't mean to sound like Captain Obvious, but we have had very little to no investment in drafting a FS high in the draft or success in finding one in the lower rounds. You can't polish a turd.
So the problem is not the approach of wanting our safeties to be interchangeable. The problem has been the lack of talent and the inability to find or develop a good FS period.

In terms of a solution for next season, I feel IMO it would be wise in long obvious passing downs (dime defense) we should probably have D. Hall in the deep safety role, Culliver & Breeland & Amerson at CB and Goldson closer to the line protecting against the run. After adding a top OLB with the #5, our pass rush should be much improved, so our DB's should have an easier time.

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by Defensewins

I don't mean to sound like Captain Obvious, but we have had very little to no investment in drafting a FS high in the draft or success in finding one in the lower rounds. You can't polish a turd.
So the problem is not the approach of wanting our safeties to be interchangeable. The problem has been the lack of talent and the inability to find or develop a good FS period.

In terms of a solution for next season, I feel IMO it would be wise in long obvious passing downs (dime defense) we should probably have D. Hall in the deep safety role, Culliver & Breeland & Amerson at CB and Goldson closer to the line protecting against the run. After adding a top OLB with the #5, our pass rush should be much improved, so our DB's should have an easier time.

Yeah, I am okay with D.Hall being the deep cover on occasion (though even then I am not confident in his ability to take the right angles or recognize where he needs to provide help; essentially, he would just be an extra CB handling the deep zone). Just don't think he is a real "solution" to the safety issue.

[Defensewins]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

Yeah, I am okay with D.Hall being the deep cover on occasion (though even then I am not confident in his ability to take the right angles or recognize where he needs to provide help; essentially, he would just be an extra CB handling the deep zone). Just don't think he is a real "solution" to the safety issue.

D. Hall is a pretty smart and experienced veteran DB. There ain't much he has not seen or cannot handle scheme wise, other then having to be extremely physical.
In terms of a solution, I meant it just for next season until we draft/develop a young FS center fielder. Depending on what Goldson can do in our scheme, we may not have a legit ball hawk FS at this time. I have a feeling our new GM will address this need of a young FS somewhere. We just need a quick, cheap, temporary plug at FS at this season, even if it is two or three guys (Goldson & D. Hall) for the short term.
We are miles ahead talent wise to where we have been the last few years, where we were devoid of talent.

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by Defensewins

D. Hall is a pretty smart and experienced veteran DB. There ain't much he has not seen or cannot handle scheme wise, other then having to be extremely physical. In terms of a solution, I meant it just for next season until we draft/develop a young FS center fielder. Depending on what Goldson can do in our scheme, we may not have a legit ball hawk FS at this time. I have a feeling our new GM will address this need of a young FS somewhere. We just need a quick, cheap, temporary plug at FS at this season, even if it is two or three guys (Goldson & D. Hall) for the short term.
We are miles ahead talent wise to where we have been the last few years, where we were devoid of talent.

I absolutely agree that he is a smart and experienced as a corner. As Goldson demonstrates, and as FRPLG indicates, safety is very scheme/skill specific and Hall may or may not be capable of being the last line of defense. Hall may recognize all sorts things, but his ability to recognize where he - as the safety - should provide help is a very different type of scheme experience.

Look, I like Hall - a lot. I think he is a rock solid CB even as he slows down. Hell, he may actually improve as a CB as he relies less on his physical abilities and perfects his technique. In the past, he has taken a lot of risks b/c he had the physical ability to recover. Not so much anymore. Watching him the last couple years, it seemed to me he became more technically sound in both on and off man coverage. Still, he has the instincts and mentality of a CB and being on the island. I just think asking him to be the ball-hawking, last line of defense, centerfielder - even w/out expecting physicality - is not something he is either familiar with or likely to be successful doing except in spot duty.

I think you have nailed the perfect time to use D. Hall as a spot-safety, to provide deep cover. At the same time, not sure you play Goldson close to the line in any situation which may require him to drop into coverage - if you do, then you are scheming failure as T.Bay did.