Fixing the Secondary

[whistler]

Originally Posted by Bucket

I think the two safeties we drafted last year could do well if given more then one year to prove it.

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.

[KI Skins Fan]

Originally Posted by whistler

This guy gets it! Add 2 free safeties this yr:
FA-inexpensive FS about 3-6 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 a done with his rookie contract that didn't get a chance with the current team.

The draft pick should be a player who did 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.

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?

Absolutely not! That's just not good enough. We don't need a band-aid - we need a compress. Our secondary must have a leader at FS. Someone with a record of success in the NFL, We need a FS with range, playmaking ability, and the smarts to "quarterback" the defensive backfield.

IMO, Jairus Byrd would be perfect for us. Mike Mitchell or Chris Clemons (at FS) could also help us.

Byrd may cost way too much but Mitchell could be a very good signing since he will be more affordable and he is young, productive, and has upside. We could probably get a few good years from Clemons, without the upside of Mitchell, at a reasonable price, as well.

A Mitchell signing would please me because it would remind me of the Garcon signing where we get a young player who is about to take a step up to the next level on a good contract.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[SirLK26]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

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.

Don't let NC Skins hear you say that.

I think Thomas can be an impact NFL starter, but Rambo is a little more questionable. I wish he and Gumbs would at least contribute on Special Teams.

[Lotus]

Rambo, Thomas, and Gumbs are all strong safety types. I know Rambo played some FS last year...and we saw the results. They can duke it out for the SS starter's role.

But we don't have a bona fide free safety. Unless we move up to draft someone like Calvin Pryor (unlikely), we need to sign a good-quality FA free safety.

[Bucket]

Originally Posted by Lotus

Rambo, Thomas, and Gumbs are all strong safety types. I know Rambo played some FS last year...and we saw the results. They can duke it out for the SS starter's role.

But we don't have a bona fide free safety. Unless we move up to draft someone like Calvin Pryor (unlikely), we need to sign a good-quality FA free safety.

Calvin looks like a SS at the pro level

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by Lotus

Rambo, Thomas, and Gumbs are all strong safety types. I know Rambo played some FS last year...and we saw the results. They can duke it out for the SS starter's role.

But we don't have a bona fide free safety. Unless we move up to draft someone like Calvin Pryor (unlikely), we need to sign a good-quality FA free safety.

Mike Mitchell.

[Gary84Clark]

Mike Mitchell is very good. I think Carolina will try to sign him but they have alot of people to sign and no O-line depth. I think we can get him.