SB Nation - Lorenzo Booker

Giants do the roster shuffle

Ed Valentine — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:30:24 -0000

Since I know some of you guys are dying to get these, here are your New York Giants' roster moves today. Here is the scoop Ralph Vacchiano of the NY Daily News.

The Giants added a running back today, but it wasn’t the one that was expected.

Rather than promote Allen Patrick from the practice squad, the Giants claimed Gartrell Johnson off waivers from the San Diego Chargers. The 5-11, 218-pound Johnson was the Chargers’ fourth-round draft pick out of Miami. He is considered a powerful inside runner who was could be good in short yardage.

Patrick, meanwhile, didn’t even get to stick around at all. He was cut from the practice squad earlier today.

Johnson, who rushed for 176 yards on 43 preseason carries, clearly must have caught the Giants’ attention because they decided to go with him over a couple of promising players with more experience. The Giants had what one NFL source said was a "sizeable" workout of running backs today, that included Lorenzo Booker and may have included T.J. Duckett, too.

The Giants also cut CB DeAndre Wright and TE Kareem Brown from the practice squad. They replaced them with TE Bear Pascoe (Fresno State) and DB Michael Coe (Alabama State).

To make room for Johnson and linebacker Michael Boley on the active roster, the Giants cut veteran offensive lineman Tutan Reyes and defensive tackle Leger Douzable. Boley was added to the roster after spending opening week on the suspended list.

My take: Typical Jerry Reese to find a player like Johnson, who might have a future, instead of going to a player like Duckett, who has a past. Also, I am very surprised to see Reyes get released. During pre-season I thought of him as the first lineman off the bench. Guess I was wrong!

Options to replace injured Rams

VanRam — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 12:03:35 -0000

More photos » by Al Behrman - AP

St. Louis Rams running back Samkon Gado has a rib injury. How will it impact the Rams backup RB situation?

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It's a big day today for the St. Louis Rams as they shave 21 players off their roster to meet the league's deadline for finalizing their 53-man roster before the start of the regular season. Overlapping that imposing deadline is the news that DT Adam Carriker could be out for a while with a shoulder injury and Samkon Gado, the backup runner, is nursing a cartilage damage in his rib cage. Rams GM Billy Devaney and Co. are going to be very busy today.

First, Gado. There's possibly some good news there as the official Rams site says that it's mostly a pain tolerance issue for Gado. Of course, for a running back, pain in the rib cage could be pretty dicey. I'm not convinced enough by Gado to minimize anything that could slow him down. Roster cuts always carry a potential solution or two at running back, so keep an eye on what names emerge this weekend. Gado is going to test it out in practice this week, which means a move on this front might not happen immediately. The free agent scrap pile doesn't have much left on it at the moment - Shuan Alexander anyone? - outside of some oldsters and guys who once shined in Denver's infamous system. Here's a report from Scout.com looking at some names that might be job hunting after cuts today. Running backs of interest on that list include: Jamal Lewis, Justin Fargas, Chris Henry (TEN), and Lorenzo Booker.

Fargas is the most complete, and a reduced role would cut down on the injury risk. Henry is fast and could do special teams work.

As far as Carriker goes, they could stick him on IR and go with the four DTs we mentioned yesterday. That looks kind of like an expansion team list of DTs. From that same Scout.com report, Oakland's Terdell Sands could be a roster cut, and would be an upgrade in the run stopper role. The Browns might be looking to trade Corey Williams who doesn't have a place in their new 3-4. He'd be more of the gap shooting type DT. Former Jets and Broncos DT Dewayne Robertson is still out there, sitting by his phone waiting for a call from some team desperate at DT.

One thing that helps the Rams at DT is the fact that Spags and Flajole like to use DEs in those spots on blitz packages. That could have an impact on roster decisions.

Stay tuned. We've got you covered.

Eagles drop preseason finale to Jets

JasonB — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:28:54 -0000

More photos » by Bill Kostroun - AP

3 months ago: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kevin Kolb (4) is sacked by New York Jets safety Eric Smith (33) during the first quarter of an NFL preseason football game at Giants Stadium, Thursday, Sept. 3, 2009, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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If I had to invent a word to describe tonight, I would call it "preseasony." No name guys coming out of nowhere for big games, sloppy coverage, missed blocks, penalties... all the stuff you'd expect from a game played entirely by second, third, and fourth stringers.

There's really no point in talking about the game itself, so after the jump I have some thoughts on specific players and some position battles. The good news is that preseason is over, roster cuts come this weekend, and we've got the real thing to look forward to in a little over a week's time.

First off, see ya Lorenzo Booker. Eldra Buckley will make the team as the 3rd RB on his special teams play alone.

Michael Vick... I suppose you could say this game was more about him than maybe any other player and Vick looked like a guy who hadn't played QB in two years. He made a few decent plays with his legs including converting a third and short, a TD from the wildcat on the goal line, and a 16 yard scramble. Athletically he's not at his peak right now, but he doesn't look that far off.

As for plays with his arm, again he looked he hadn't played in two years. The game seemed to be moving too quickly for him, but that's to be expected at this point. It certainly didn't help that the blocking in front of him was absolutely terrible. He's rusty and if you didn't expect that to be the case... then you should have.

I will say... could the WildVick formation be the answer to our short yardage woes? It worked tonight?

Kevin Kolb needs to play more. His problems are all the things guys develop by playing. Sensing when the blitz is coming, knowing where to go with it when you see pressure, having that mental "clock." That's all stuff that guys get by being in games. Problem is, he may not play again until next preseason. He was under pressure all night as well, which also made it tougher to evaluate. He does need to learn to deal with that pressure better, especially learning to not run backwards!

Yes, it was somewhat satisfying to watch Jeremy Maclin draw a big PI penalty on Lito Sheppard...

Jack Ikegwuonu... Up and down for him tonight. He had a pick and a nice return afterward, but got absolutely smoked by a guy for a TD late in the game.

Brandon Gibson. I don't know exactly who's spot he's competing for(Baskett or Brown) but he's done pretty much everything he could to make the team.

Babin had a sack. There's another guy who's done pretty much everything he could to earn a roster spot.

These backup o-lineman really struggled. The Jets did blitz quite a bit for preseason, but the second and third stringers certainly didn't handle it. Kolb and Vick were under pressure all night. The backs also did a pretty bad job picking up rushers.

Tony Curtis caught a TD pass in his Eagles debut. He had 4 catches for 40 yards.

Danny Amendola looked like a guy willing to do anything to win a job out there. He did a nice job on those sweep pitch plays they ran with Vick, he was aggressive on returns, and made two catches.

I'd be remiss is I didn't mention how bad Sav Rocca was tonight. He must have shanked two or three punts tonight. Not sure what happened with him, but he struggled.

Finally, way to go Danny Woodhead of the Jets. That guy worked his tail of tonight and had a great game. Ran for 158 yards and 2 TDs. Hopefully he wins himself a job.

Questions to Ask Tonight as the Eagles Face the Jets

Bob_Q — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 19:52:13 -0000

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So here we are, mere hours away from the kickoff of the final preseason game and the storylines continue to swirl around the Eagles organization. Will Vick be able to play before week six? Who wins the starting free safety position? Will certain Eagles entice the Jets into a trade? The list goes on, and the game is sure to keep fans' eyes glued to the screen. Here is a brief rundown of what to look for at each position.

Quarterback: How will Kevin Kolb perform in his first preseason start this year? Also, will Michael Vick get a chance to showcase his superstar moves with a big play or two?

Running Back: In his last chance to make the team over Lorenzo Booker, will Eldra Buckley sink or swim?

Fullback: Can RFA Marcus Mailei build upon last game's touchdown and crack the final roster?

Tight End: Will the newly acquired Tony Curtis garner enough playing time to give the coaching staff a decent look at his ability?

Wide Receiver: In the intense battle between Reggie Brown, Hank Baskett, and Brandon Gibson for the final two receiver slots, who will emerge victorious?

More after the jump...

Left Tackle: Can King Dunlap use his immense size to effectively protect Kolb's blindside?

Left Guard: With Todd Herremans still out, will rookie Fenuki Tupou be able to make a significant push for a roster spot?

Center: Will RFA Dallas Reynolds impress in what could very well be his last game as an Eagle?

Right Guard: Can Mike Gibson or Paul Fanaika convince the coaches they're worth keeping on the active roster?

Right Tackle: Will Winston Justice make the most of his significant playing time?

Left Defensive End: Can Jason Babin continue his impressive performance and crack the final roster?

Defensive Tackle: Not much has bee heard out of Josh Gaines since his interception during Flight Night. Will he make some noise tonight?

Right Defensive End: Can second-year man Bryan Smith build on his first ever interception during last week's game?

Weakside Linebacker: Will Tracy White return from his injury and continue his good special teams play, or perhaps nab another interception?

Middle Linebacker: Will this be the last time Matt Wilhelm is seen in an Eagles uniform?

Strongside Linebacker: Can rookie Moise Fokou really go from seventh-round pick to number two SAM?

Left Cornerback: Will Dimitri Patterson shore up his position as the fifth CB with good coverage against the Jets' receiving corps?

Right Cornerback: This is the last chance for Jack Ikegwunou to make the active roster. Will he be "redshirted" on IR for another year if he can't produce?

Strong Safety: Will Reshard Langford play well enough to earn a spot on the practice squad?

Free Safety: With the free safety spot up for grabs, can Sean Jones become an NFL starter once again?

Kicker: Can David Akers raise his fantasy stock with a few good long field goals?

Punter: Will Sav Rocca and the punt unit be able to contain talented return man Leon Washington?

Eagles lose 23-15 to Colts in preseason game two

JasonB — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 03:49:45 -0000

More photos » by AJ MAST - AP

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For a while there, it actually looked as though the Phillies would outscore the Eagles tonight...

The Eagles first teams continued to struggle in preseason game #2 on the road against the Colts. The first team offenses' struggles started up front with the patchwork offensive line. Only one starter on the Eagles' O-line played tonight, which made it pretty difficult to evaluate the skill players. When the QB doesn't have time and the RB doesn't have holes, there's not much to see.

This certainly isn't an excuse, because the injuries to the offensive line are very real and if we're forced to enter the season with this group starting things won't be pretty. The lone bright spot on offense was a perfectly thrown 23 yard TD pass to Desean Jackson, who had burnt two Colts defenders.

The first team defense was arguably worse than the offense giving up 14 points in the first quarter. The low point was a 76 yard TD to Reggie Wayne where either Ellis Hobbs got massively burnt or the team just blew the coverage. Either way, it wasn't pretty. The defense was missing both Sheldon Brown and Trent Cole, but their absences don't excuse how flat the defense looked tonight.

The team did start to show some life in the 4th quarter under the leadership of Temple product Adam DiMichele. The game was well over, but DiMichele did lead them on a couple good drives including one that culminated in a 21 yard TD to rookie WR Brandon Gibson.

Some player highlights and low lights after the jump.

Although King Dunlap generally did hold his own for most of the game, he was absolutely embarrassed on a play in the red where Dwight Freeney put a wicked spin move on him and stripped McNabb of the football.

The Eagles averaged less than a yard and half per rush tonight. The offense line was held together with tape but still... a yard and a half?

Jason Babin made a name for himself. A good portion of the nearly 1,300 comments in the game threads were suggestions for Babin nicknames. My favorite was Philly's Babin-Back Ribs. Babin had a sack and forced fumble from Manning early in the game. He spent most of the night in the Indy backfield and certainly earned the start he was given tonight.

Jeremy Maclin struggled tonight. Not only did he have another fumble on a return(that's 2 in 2 games) but he never really looked in the flow of the offense. To be fair, no one did... but still. He finished the night with 4 catches.

Another rookie WR who also caught 4 passes did manage to impress tonight. Brandon Gibson averaged twice as many yards per catch as Maclin and caught himself a TD. BTW, did anyone else constantly find themselves confusing Maclin and Gibson? They look very similar on the field and their numbers (18 & 19) are hard to differentiate. I actually yelled out Maclin's name on Gibsons' TD catch.

Temple product Adam DiMichele did a nice job out there and got himself a TD pass in what is likely his final game with the Eagles and maybe his NFL career. It would nice to see him get a shot somewhere, because I don't think he looked totally out of place playing in an NFL game. He completed 14 of his 22 passes for 130 yards and a TD.

While we're on QBs, I have to give a wag of the finger to A.J. Feeley. How do you a throw a pass to a back in the middle of the field with 11 seconds left in the first half and no timeouts? That's just poor clock management/decision making on his part. That ball needs to go directly to the sidelines or get thrown away. The last thing you want to do with it is to throw it directly to the middle of the field. As a veteran, he should know better.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention Lorenzo Booker, who really struggled tonight. Again, I recognize how poor the offensive line was... but Booker had 8 yards on 7 carries. The next tackle he breaks will probably be his first... He just never seems to get that extra yard he needs. With Eldra Buckley showing some good things(although he did fumble tonight) Booker's roster spot is looking more and more unlikely.

Leonard Weaver left the game with what Andy Reid called a "sprained MCL." Reid said he should be ok.

Next up is the always important 3rd preseason game at home against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The starters will likely play into the second half and the game will feature the return of Mike Vick.

Patriots 27 Eagles 25 - Oh yeah, there was a football game tonight

JasonB — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 02:56:41 -0000

More photos » by Michael Perez - AP

3 months ago: New England Patriots cornerback Jonathan Wilhite, lower, blocks a pass intended for Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jeremy Maclin in the second quarter of an NFL preseason football game, Thursday, Aug. 13, 2009, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Michael Perez)

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The Eagles lost a close preseason game tonight to the Patriots. It was a game of two halves that saw the Patriots starters outplay the Eagles' starters, but the Bird's backups clearly outplay the Pats' scrubs.

Obviously, you'd prefer the former...

But does anyone care? I have to make a confession, I barely watched the game after the Vick news broke. I have a feeling I'm not the only one. The biggest local sports story of this year has and will completely overshadow this game.

Still I have a few quick thoughts after the jump.

[Note by JasonB, 08/13/09 11:06 PM EDT ] Injury update

Andy Reid just said Brent Celek had an AC sprain in his shoulder and will be "ok in a couple of days." Also, Jason Peters strained his quad.

The first team offensive line struggled in pass protection. I thought they were very strong in the run game, but McNabb got sacked twice and had to run around far too much. That said, this is a group that has been banged up and hasn't played together much. I'm not panicking yet, but we need to see improvement as the preseason rolls on.

LeSean McCoy was probably the player of the game from an Eagles perspective. The rookie ran for 55 yards on 10 carries and generally looked very confident and poised out there. You could have never guessed that was a rookie in his first NFL game.

Speaking of RBs, we saw a nice contribution from Eldra Buckley tonight. Buckley ran for one TD and caught another. Buckley had 6 catches including a 24 yarder. He may have taken the lead in the fight for the 3rd RB spot, that said... Lorenzo Booker's 25 yard one handed grab down the sideline was probably the play of the game.

I think it's safe to say we've got ourselves a fullback. Not only did Leonard Weaver do a nice job lead blocking for McCoy, he caught passes, he got a first down on short yardage... He was everything he was advertised to be.

Jeremy Maclin really settled into the game. He muffed a punt early on, but we can hopefully chalk that up to rookie nerves. He went on to have a really nice punt return, caught 2 passes for 44 yards, drew a big pass interefence penalty after burning the corner, and averaged 25 yards per kick return. Overall, I thought it was a promising showing from the rookie.

I recorded the game and I'll be back Monday with a more in depth film review. In the meantime, I have a feeling we won't have any trouble finding things to discuss...

NFC West Position-by-Position: Safeties

Hawkwind — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:06:30 -0000

More photos » by Matt York - AP

Arizona Cardinals safety Antrel Rolle runs drills during an NFL football training camp. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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Our divisional preview is winding down but there are still a couple of positions to cover including the defensive backfield. First up are the safeties and this is a young and talented group inside the division. The Arizona Cardinals are certainly content with their starting duo but how do Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle match up with the rest of the West?

Arizona Cardinals

The Arizona Cardinals safeties are a talented and accomplished group led by two time Pro Bowler, yet still under appreciated, Adrian Wilson. While guys like Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu and Bob Sanders get all the glory, Wilson has been in the desert doing dirty work. Since he came into the league (2001) no other safety has combined for more tackles (612) or sacks (18.5) and yet most fans are still more familiar with his you tube jump than with his play on the field. Wilson's work and loyalty to the organization was rewarded this off season with a five year, $39 million dollar contract that should keep him in the organization for the rest of his career. Wilson's strength is at the line of scrimmage where he's a force against the run and even better rushing the passer, but he's not incapable of covering tight ends or the occasional receiver. In six of his eight seasons he's recorded multiple interceptions and with another full season he should enter the 20 sack/20 interception club. The best thing you can say about A-dub is that the defense simply isn't the same when he isn't on the field.

Wilson's counterpart for the second consecutive season will be converted corner back Antrel Rolle. Rolle got off to a slow start last year after a high ankle sprain robbed him of valuable time in camp to learn the position. For the first half of the season he was often out of position or took terrible angles to the ball but as the season wore on, his play steadied. He began to understand the position and by season's end (and the playoff run) he was a reliable center fielder and a decent last line of defense. Rolle's athleticism sets him apart from most free safeties and many are expecting him to have a breakout year now that he's fully acclimated to the position.

The primary thing that makes Wilson and Rolle unique is that neither of them play a 'true safety' role on passing downs. Wilson becomes almost a nickel linebacker and Rolle often slides to play the corner against a slot receiver. Their versatility allows the Cardinals to throw different looks at opposing offenses but it also means that the Cardinals expect much more from their third and fourth safeties. After watching Aaron Francisco and Matt Ware struggle with the increase in playing time the Red Birds spent a third round pick on Alabama free safety Rashad Johnson. RJ isn't a great athlete but he has a nose for the ball and is a natural center fielder. He's expected to immediately step into the 'third safety' spot and see quite a bit of playing time on passing downs. His presence will allow Francisco, Ware and free agent acquisition Keith Lewis to battle for the backup strong safety spot, which better suits each of their skill sets. No one in that trio is considered to be much more than a glorified special teamer but as long as they're not forced into significant playing time, they can hold their own. Another depth option is second year UDFA Dennis Keyes, a free safety out of UCLA, who some consider a dark horse to make the team as a fifth safety.

The Cardinals safeties as a whole are talented, accomplished and have the potential to be even better than they were last year. Adrian Wilson is an A+ and no one else on the depth chart is bad enough to drop this group any lower than a solid A.

San Francisco 49ers - Niners Nation

The 49ers safeties are a mix of production and potential. On the one hand you've got Michael Lewis and Mark Roman backing up at free safety. A pair of veterans who have done some good things in the past (for Roman a bit further in the past). On the other hand you've got the likes of Dashon Goldson, Reggie Smith and Curtis Taylor. Players teeming with potential, but nothing proven yet.

Barring injury (a very real possibility), the starters will be Dashon Goldson at free safety and Michael Lewis at strong safety. Goldson has as much unproven potential as anybody on this roster. He was an absolute ball hawk in training camp last year, but could not get past Mark Roman on the depth chart. Injuries throughout the season (as with the previous season) have kept him from making his mark. This season he was named the starting free safety shortly after the season ended and has had yet another impressive training camp performance. The 49ers have lacked a great free safety for quite some time and Goldson has the potential to be that turnover machine in center field. The question remains whether he can stay healthy.

At strong safety, the 49ers role out the extremely underrated Michael Lewis. Lewis signed as a free agent in 2007 and has been in the top 2 or 3 in tackles both seasons. While he does not force turnovers, he provides excellent run support. Lewis is 29 but is as established a veteran as any on this defense. Lewis won't be going anywhere anytime soon and will be an excellent role model in the defensive backfield for Goldson.

The primary backups at safety will be Mark Roman and Reggie Smith. At 32, Mark Roman has clearly come to the end of the road as a starter. The 49ers told him Goldson would be starting and let him speak with other teams about a trade. Nobody wanted him. So, Roman is back to provide a continued veteran presence for the team. His problem is that he can't force turnovers anymore. The last time he forced a turnover was in 2006. Reggie Smith was originally drafted by the 49ers to be a corner back, but most thought he'd end up at safety, which appears to have happened. It will be interesting to see how much playing time Smith actually gets. Even though he got banged up, Michael Lewis has managed to stay on the field. Smith will have to battle for playing time. The final backup at this point is Curtis Taylor. Taylor was a 7th round pick this year out of LSU. He was highly touted out of high school but was quite the under performer. Right now he's a practice squad candidate hoping to squeeze onto the roster.

The easiest grade for the safeties would be a C. Lewis is a very solid performer (certainly not spectacular), while Goldson is almost all potential. However, I'm gonna roll the dice on a healthy Goldson and give the team a B.

St. Louis Rams - Turf Show Times

The Rams have a really nice situation at both starting safety positions this season. At free safety, playing under a one-year franchise deal, Oshiomogho Atogwe is a former Pro Bowler with 13 INTs in his last two seasons. Obviously, he's what the kids like to call a "ball hawk." Rawwk, rawwwk! Last season he singlehandedly gave the Rams a faint glimmer of hope when he picked off Jason Campbell for a difference making touch down that started the Rams on a two game winning streak, their only two wins of the season. As he starts his age-28 season, the Rams are counting on him to become a more complete player. For that, he needs to get more consistent in coverage; of course, come of his problems in coverage over the last couple years have much to do with confusion among some of the weaker corner backs the Rams have employed, blowing assignments and leaving Atogwe to try and do two jobs. The new coaching staff should really benefit Atogwe's development, as Spagnuolo is a former defensive backs coach himself, having worked with someone names Brian Dawkins in Philly.

Corey Chavous was a good man and a team leader, but in his twilight years, he was a liability at strong safety. That contributed the Rams porous run defense last year...and the year before...and the year before that. He retired, and the Rams brought in James Butler as a free agent. Butler was a Spag's stable guy. Like Harry Carey, Jr. in the John Ford cavalry pictures, Butler's name isn't on the marquee, but he's essential in a supporting role. Much of the time, you'll Butler playing up, more like a LB, similar to his role with the Giants. His work against the run merits more praise than his ability in coverage, but he's more than adequate there too. This is a big upgrade that should make the front seven better as well as the backfield. Sorry, Rams opponents can't count on easy, highlight reel gains of 20, 30 and 40 yards for their running backs and receivers like they used to.

Behind Bulter and Atogwe, the Rams have very capable backup in Todd Johnson, also a special teams regular. He can play both safety positions. He's a true backup, i.e. you don't want to count on him as a starter for 16 games, though the supporting cast around him is improved enough that such as scenario wouldn't be a make or break deal. Next on the list is Eric Bassey, though a camp injury on Friday night may have changed that. Bassey is a special teams guy, pure and simple, who can play some backup work. Craig Dahl was another Spagnuolo discovery, undrafted like Butler, who filled in admirably for Butler a few times in 2007, before he tore his ACL in the regular season finale and got waived after the Super Bowl. Spagnuolo thought enough of him to resign him prior to the 2008 season, but that didn't pan out since the G-men drafted Kenny Phillips in the first round of 2008.

The Rams have lots of question marks on the roster, but safety is not one of them. They've got an straight A in that department.

Seattle Seahawks - Field Gulls

For the eighth consecutive season, Deon Grant started all 16 games. On a superficial statistical level, Grant's season looked like his every other: 79 total tackles, eight passes defended and two interceptions. He was played in the box or walked up to the line for much of the season following the Giant's 254 yard rushing assault in week five.
Grant was a leader in the real sense of the word making reads in the secondary and positioning Seattle's young and less aware defensive backs in place to make the play. When allowed to play deep safety, Grant again showed the recognition, quickness and ball skills that made him so valuable last season. His execution - especially his timing - on safety blitzes is remarkable.

"
Quintessential Game: Eagles at Seahawks
Philadelphia 17 - Seattle 7
3-4-SEA 4 (Qtr: 2:09)
Eagles break 2 WR, TE, Split Backs with McNabb in shotgun. Seattle in a 4-1 dime. Before the snap, Deon Grant directs Jordan Babineaux over right split back Lorenzo Booker. Brian Westbrook motions into the right slot. Grant gives Wilson a come here gesture and points him towards a spot opposite Westbrook. Grant looks back towards the endz--

McNabb snaps, Brent Celek shoots out wide right attempting a block, Westbrook quick-curls towards McNabb, McNabb delivers a perfect pass into his numbers and almost as soon as Grant can see the play has started Wilson is in Westbrook's frame finishing the no-doubt-about-it tackle for a loss of three.
"

What went wrong: Grant wasn't a good in-the-box safety in 2007 and removed all doubt in 2008. He's better against the run as a support tackler or a finisher. If a run is channeled to him or strung wide, he can put on a body on the rusher and record the stop. He's not a reliable open-field tackler and wont to bad angles and broken arm tackles.
Grant is uneven breaking from the line and engaging in man cover.

In week six, Grant collided with Packers' fullback Cory Hall on the first play from scrimmage. After the game he said, "I heard a pop, so it must be an MCL," and added, "Something happened with it. I didn't get any tests. I just put a brace on and went back out there."

Quintessential Game: Seahawks at 49ers

"
Deon Grant makes a wonderful free safety: Four plays after pick two, Niners at the two. Both teams are in classic goal line formations. Grant is wide-right playing contain. At the snap, Frank Gore runs into an impenetrable pile but escapes, breaks right and runs unabated for the score. Grant is 100% to blame. At the snap, Frank Gore runs into an impenetrable pile, but when he begins breaking right, Grant can be seen staring into the pile, at the center of the field, away from Gore, unaware of Gore and out of the play as soon as Gore hits the corner. Just a terrible play by a player I really like.
"

Outlook: Grant didn't miss a game or even the rest of week six. He looked broken on the trainer's table and was indisputably in terrible pain, but was back by the second quarter. Grant may just be lucky or abnormally resilient. Whatever the case, he appeared on the week seven injury report as "probable", played and nothing more was reported about the injury.

A cover 2 shell would suite Grant nicely. He could read and react to plays and tackle or attack passes running downhill. He's not a prototypical Tampa 2 safety, but as he ages and slows, it will soften his decline. What he adds as a pass defender should more than overcome his weaknesses in run support.

Brian Russell started 16 games in 2008. He did not appear on the injury report and missed only one snap all season. His statistics were in line with his career numbers: 72 tackles, one sack and three passes defended. It was his fourth season in six seasons starting he had three or fewer passes defended. He turned 31 on February 5, 2009.

Russell had a couple good stops against Philadelphia and headed off a couple long plays.

Russell is a bad player, perhaps below replacement level, that's schematic use has negative utility in the modern NFL. He ensures swearing is present and persistent at Field Gulls, because swearing is a healthy release from extreme physical pain.

Negative utility is the operative phrase there. Russell is played to reduce the greatest amount of harm, neglecting the fact that a team can prevent scoring passes without being a successful pass defense. Russell sometimes stops a 30 yard play from going for 50 and the score. That leaves the opposing team in the red zone with a new set of downs. In 2007, Seattle parlayed that strategy into an improbable mix of a high number of opposing pass attempts, a below average number of yards allowed, but the league's best touchdown's allowed*. At the time, I accepted it as the hallmark of a bend but don't break defense, but I've become ever more skeptical of the bend but don't break phenomenon. Seattle flexed the other way in 2008, allowing more relative attempts - an extraordinarily high number of pass attempts for a 4-12 team - the worst pass yards in football, and the 27th ranked touchdown passes allowed.

Opponents provided compelling evidence that neither the strategy nor Russell work. Seattle allowed ten touchdown passes of ten or fewer yards. Proving the Seahawks couldn't cede field position and then toughen in the red zone. It also allowed ten touchdowns of 20 or more yards. Proving that as a deep cover safety, Russell wasn't covering s--t.

Seattle didn't draft a safety until the seventh and Courtney Greene is a project Seattle hopes to develop. Jamar Adams hasn't received much pub. However cringe worthy, Russell is the presumptive and almost uncontested starter at free safety. Seattle could mitigate that some by making Russell just a safety. That is, a cover 2 safety and therefore not truly a strong or free safety. It absolutely must avoid putting Russell on an island and hoping his savvy and field marshalship overcomes his broken wheels, bad compass, terrible technique and leather-helmet athleticism.

Tim Ruskell added a wild card into the mix by saying longtime utility defensive back Jordan Babineaux will contend for Russell's job. Babineaux is a read and react zone defender that struggles to keep the play in front of him. He struggled as a nickel corner in 2007 and didn't so much improve in 2008 as have less responsibility. In a more structured role, say in a cover-2 where he starts deep and keeps the play in front of him by default, he's faster than Russell, more agile than Russell, more athletic than Russell, stronger than Russell, a better tackler than Russell and has better ball skills than Russell. Defensive backs coach Tim Lewis stated Russell is the starter, so I will assume Russell is the starter, and since Russell doesn't participate enough to injure himself, and since he's swayed the coaching staff, Seattle's starting safeties earn a D. Dress it up how you'd like, rationalize if you must, denial's been attempted by a few, but Deon Grant is good, Brian Russell is awful, and awful swallows good like paper swallows rock.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

So outside of one safety, most of the NFC West is content with their starting free and strong safety. Where you rank the Cardinals amongst these four? Should we be confident in Rolle's ability to become an above average safety this season?

NFC West Position-by-Position: Safeties

Fooch — Sat, 08 Aug 2009 15:00:11 -0000

Today we move into the defensive backfield with the safeties. To date, we've addressed outside linebacker, inside/middle linebacker, defensive end, defensive/nose tackle, quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, centers, offensive tackles, guards and total offense. As I describe below, the 49ers are a mix of production and potential at safety. While that could lead to some bad results, I have to say I'm wildly intrigued by the potential. We don't have the Rams rundown quite yet, so for now we've got the Cardinals, Seahawks and 49ers. UPDATE: Rams added in.

Arizona Cardinals
Blogger: cgolden
The Arizona Cardinals safeties are a talented and accomplished group led by two time Pro Bowler, yet still under appreciated, Adrian Wilson. While guys like Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu and Bob Sanders get all the glory, Wilson has been in the desert doing dirty work. Since he came into the league (2001) no other safety has combined for more tackles (612) or sacks (18.5) and yet most fans are still more familiar with his youtube jump than with his play on the field. Wilson's work and loyalty to the organization was rewarded this offseason with a five year, $39 milllion dollar contract that should keep him in the organization for the rest of his career. Wilson's strength is at the line of scrimmage where he's a force against the run and even better rushing the passer, but he's not incapable of covering tight ends or the occasional receiver. In six of his eight seasons he's recorded multiple interceptions and with another full season he should enter the 20 sack/20 interception club. The best thing you can say about A-dub is that the defense simply isn't the same when he isn't on the field.

Wilson's counterpart for the second consecutive season will be converted cornerback Antrel Rolle. Rolle got off to a slow start last year after a high ankle sprain robbed him of valuable time in camp to learn the position. For the first half of the season he was often out of position or took terrible angles to the ball but as the season wore on, his play steadied. He began to understand the position and by season's end (and the playoff run) he was a reliable center fielder and a decent last line of defense. Rolle's ahtleticism sets him apart from most free safeties and many are expecting him to have a breakout year now that he's fully acclimated to the position.

The primary thing that makes Wilson and Rolle unique is that niether of them play a 'true safety' role on passing downs. Wilson becomes almost a nickel linebacker and Rolle often slides to play the corner against a slot reciever. Thier versatility allows the Cardinals to throw different looks at opposing offenses but it also means that the Cardinals expect much more from their third and fourth safeties. After watching Aaron Francisco and Matt Ware struggle with the increase in playing time the Red Birds spent a third round pick on Alabama free safety Rashad Johnson. RJ isn't a great athlete but he has a nose for the ball and is a natural center fielder. He's expected to immediately step into the 'third safety' spot and see quite a bit of playing time on passing downs. His presence will allow Francisco, Ware and free agent acquisition Keith Lewis to battle for the backup strong safety spot, which better suits each of their skill sets. No one in that trio is considered to be much more than a glorified special teamer but as long as they're not forced into significant playing time, they can hold their own. Another depth option is second year UDFA Dennis Keyes, a free safety out of UCLA, who some consider a darkhorse to make the team as a fifth safety.

The Cardinals safeties as a whole are talented, accomplished and have the potential to be even better than they were last year. Adrian Wilson is an A+ and no one else on the depth chart is bad enough to drop this group any lower than a solid A.

San Francisco 49ers
Blogger: Fooch
The 49ers safeties are a mix of production and potential. On the one hand you've got Michael Lewis and Mark Roman backing up at free safety. A pair of veterans who have done some good things in the past (for Roman a bit further in the past). On the other hand you've got the likes of Dashon Goldson, Reggie Smith and Curtis Taylor. Players teeming with potential, but nothing proven yet.

Barring injury (a very real possibility), the starters will be Dashon Goldson at free safety and Michael Lewis at strong safety. Goldson has as much unproven potential as anybody on this roster. He was an absolute ballhawk in training camp last year, but could not get past Mark Roman on the depth chart. Injuries throughout the season (as with the previous season) have kept him from making his mark. This season he was named the starting free safety shortly after the season ended and has had yet another impressive training camp performance. The 49ers have lacked a great free safety for quite some time and Goldson has the potential to be that turnover machine in centerfield. The question remains whether he can stay healthy.

At strong safety, the 49ers role out the extremely underrated Michael Lewis. Lewis signed as a free agent in 2007 and has been in the top 2 or 3 in tackles both seasons. While he does not force turnovers, he provides excellent run support. Lewis is 29 but is as established a veteran as any on this defense. Lewis won't be going anywhere anytime soon and will be an excellent role model in the defensive backfield for Goldson.

The primary backups at safety will be Mark Roman and Reggie Smith. At 32, Mark Roman has clearly come to the end of the road as a starter. The 49ers told him Goldson would be starting and let him speak with other teams about a trade. Nobody wanted him. So, Roman is back to provide a continued veteran presence for the team. His problem is that he can't force turnovers anymore. The last time he forced a turnover was in 2006. Reggie Smith was originally drafted by the 49ers to be a cornerback, but most thought he'd end up at safety, which appears to have happened. It will be interesting to see how much playing time Smith actually gets. Even though he got banged up, Michael Lewis has managed to stay on the field. Smith will have to battle for playing time. The final backup at this point is Curtis Taylor. Taylor was a 7th round pick this year out of LSU. He was highly touted out of high school but was quite the underperformer. Right now he's a practice squad candidate hoping to squeeze onto the roster.

The easiest grade for the safeties would be a C. Lewis is a very solid performer (certainly not spectacular), while Goldson is almost all potential. However, I'm gonna roll the dice on a healthy Goldson and give the team a B.

Seattle Seahawks
Blogger: John Morgan
For the eighth consecutive season, Deon Grant started all 16 games. On a superficial statistical level, Grant's season looked like his every other: 79 total tackles, eight passes defended and two interceptions. He was played in the box or walked up to the line for much of the season following the Giant's 254 yard rushing assault in week five.
Grant was a leader in the real sense of the word making reads in the secondary and positioning Seattle's young and less aware defensive backs in place to make the play. When allowed to play deep safety, Grant again showed the recognition, quickness and ball skills that made him so valuable last season. His execution - especially his timing - on safety blitzes is remarkable.

Quintessential Game: Eagles at Seahawks
Philadelphia 17 - Seattle 7
3-4-SEA 4 (Qtr: 2:09)
Eagles break 2 WR, TE, Split Backs with McNabb in shotgun. Seattle in a 4-1 dime. Before the snap, Deon Grant directs Jordan Babineaux over right split back Lorenzo Booker. Brian Westbrook motions into the right slot. Grant gives Wilson a come here gesture and points him towards a spot opposite Westbrook. Grant looks back towards the endz--

McNabb snaps, Brent Celek shoots out wide right attempting a block, Westbrook quick-curls towards McNabb, McNabb delivers a perfect pass into his numbers and almost as soon as Grant can see the play has started Wilson is in Westbrook's frame finishing the no-doubt-about-it tackle for a loss of three.

What went wrong: Grant wasn't a good in-the-box safety in 2007 and removed all doubt in 2008. He's better against the run as a support tackler or a finisher. If a run is channeled to him or strung wide, he can put on a body on the rusher and record the stop. He's not a reliable open-field tackler and wont to bad angles and broken arm tackles.
Grant is uneven breaking from the line and engaging in man cover.

In week six, Grant collided with Packers' fullback Cory Hall on the first play from scrimmage. After the game he said, "I heard a pop, so it must be an MCL," and added, "Something happened with it. I didn't get any tests. I just put a brace on and went back out there."

Quintessential Game: Seahawks at 49ers

Deon Grant makes a wonderful free safety: Four plays after pick two, Niners at the two. Both teams are in classic goal line formations. Grant is wide-right playing contain. At the snap, Frank Gore runs into an impenetrable pile but escapes, breaks right and runs unabated for the score. Grant is 100% to blame. At the snap, Frank Gore runs into an impenetrable pile, but when he begins breaking right, Grant can be seen staring into the pile, at the center of the field, away from Gore, unaware of Gore and out of the play as soon as Gore hits the corner. Just a terrible play by a player I really like.

Outlook: Grant didn't miss a game or even the rest of week six. He looked broken on the trainer's table and was indisputably in terrible pain, but was back by the second quarter. Grant may just be lucky or abnormally resilient. Whatever the case, he appeared on the week seven injury report as "probable", played and nothing more was reported about the injury.

A cover 2 shell would suite Grant nicely. He could read and react to plays and tackle or attack passes running downhill. He's not a prototypical Tampa 2 safety, but as he ages and slows, it will soften his decline. What he adds as a pass defender should more than overcome his weaknesses in run support.

Brian Russell started 16 games in 2008. He did not appear on the injury report and missed only one snap all season. His statistics were in line with his career numbers: 72 tackles, one sack and three passes defended. It was his fourth season in six seasons starting he had three or fewer passes defended. He turned 31 on February 5, 2009.

Russell had a couple good stops against Philadelphia and headed off a couple long plays.

Russell is a bad player, perhaps below replacement level, that's schematic use has negative utility in the modern NFL. He ensures swearing is present and persistent at Field Gulls, because swearing is a healthy release from extreme physical pain.

Negative utility is the operative phrase there. Russell is played to reduce the greatest amount of harm, neglecting the fact that a team can prevent scoring passes without being a successful pass defense. Russell sometimes stops a 30 yard play from going for 50 and the score. That leaves the opposing team in the red zone with a new set of downs. In 2007, Seattle parlayed that strategy into an improbable mix of a high number of opposing pass attempts, a below average number of yards allowed, but the league's best touchdown's allowed*. At the time, I accepted it as the hallmark of a bend but don't break defense, but I've become ever more skeptical of the bend but don't break phenomenon. Seattle flexed the other way in 2008, allowing more relative attempts - an extraordinarily high number of pass attempts for a 4-12 team - the worst pass yards in football, and the 27th ranked touchdown passes allowed.

Opponents provided compelling evidence that neither the strategy nor Russell work. Seattle allowed ten touchdown passes of ten or fewer yards. Proving the Seahawks couldn't cede field position and then toughen in the red zone. It also allowed ten touchdowns of 20 or more yards. Proving that as a deep cover safety, Russell wasn't covering s--t.

Seattle didn't draft a safety until the seventh and Courtney Greene is a project Seattle hopes to develop. Jamar Adams hasn't received much pub. However cringeworthy, Russell is the presumptive and almost uncontested starter at free safety. Seattle could mitigate that some by making Russell just a safety. That is, a cover 2 safety and therefore not truly a strong or free safety. It absolutely must avoid putting Russell on an island and hoping his savvy and field marshalship overcomes his broken wheels, bad compass, terrible technique and leather-helmet athleticism.

Tim Ruskell added a wildcard into the mix by saying longtime utility defensive back Jordan Babineaux will contend for Russell’s job. Babineaux is a read and react zone defender that struggles to keep the play in front of him. He struggled as a nickel corner in 2007 and didn't so much improve in 2008 as have less responsibility. In a more structured role, say in a cover-2 where he starts deep and keeps the play in front of him by default, he's faster than Russell, more agile than Russell, more athletic than Russell, stronger than Russell, a better tackler than Russell and has better ball skills than Russell. Defensive backs coach Tim Lewis stated Russell is the starter, so I will assume Russell is the starter, and since Russell doesn’t participate enough to injure himself, and since he’s swayed the coaching staff, Seattle’s starting safeties earn a D. Dress it up how you’d like, rationalize if you must, denial’s been attempted by a few, but Deon Grant is good, Brian Russell is awful, and awful swallows good like paper swallows rock.

St. Louis Rams

Blogger: VanRam
The Rams have a really nice situation at both starting safety positions this season. At free safety, playing under a one-year franchise deal, Oshiomogho Atogwe is a former Pro Bowler with 13 INTs in his last two seasons. Obviously, he's what the kids like to call a "ball hawk." Rawwk, rawwwk! Last season he singlehandedly gave the Rams a faint glimmer of hope when he picked off Jason Campbell for a difference making touch down that started the Rams on a two game winning streak, their only two wins of the season. As he starts his age-28 season, the Rams are counting on him to become a more complete player. For that, he needs to get more consistent in coverage; of course, come of his problems in coverage over the last couple years have much to do with confusion among some of the weaker cornerbacks the Rams have employed, blowing assignments and leaving Atogwe to try and do two jobs. The new coaching staff should really benefit Atogwe's development, as Spagnuolo is a former defensive backs coach himself, having worked with someone names Brian Dawkins in Philly.

Corey Chavous was a good man and a team leader, but in his twilight years, he was a liability at strong safety. That contributed the Rams porous run defense last year...and the year before...and the year before that. He retired, and the Rams brought in James Butler as a free agent. Butler was a Spag's stable guy. Like Harry Carey, Jr. in the John Ford cavalry pictures, Butler's name isn't on the marquee, but he's essential in a supporting role. Much of the time, you'll Butler playing up, more like a LB, similar to his role with the Giants. His work against the run merits more praise than his ability in coverage, but he's more than adequate there too. This is a big upgrade that should make the front seven better as well as the backfield. Sorry, Rams opponents can't count on easy, highlight reel gains of 20, 30 and 40 yards for their running backs and receivers like they used to.

Behind Bulter and Atogwe, the Rams have very capable backup in Todd Johnson, also a special teams regular. He can play both safety positions. He's a true backup, i.e. you don't want to count on him as a starter for 16 games, though the supporting cast around him is improved enough that such as scenario wouldn't be a make or break deal. Next on the list is Eric Bassey, though a camp injury on Friday night may have changed that. Bassey is a special teams guy, pure and simple, who can play some backup work. Craig Dahl was another Spagnuolo discovery, undrafted like Butler, who filled in admirably for Butler a few times in 2007, before he tore his ACL in the regular season finale and got waived after the Super Bowl. Spagnuolo thought enough of him to resign him prior to the 2008 season, but that didn't pan out since the G-men drafted Kenny Phillips in the first round of 2008.

The Rams have lots of question marks on the roster, but safety is not one of them. They've got a straight A in that department.

NFC West Roundtable: Safety

John Morgan — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:11:57 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Browse more photos »

My take on Seattle's safeties should look awfully familiar. They are reconstructed from the season retrospectives I did on Deon Grant and Brian Russell. See, I'm already late to leaving and need to hit the road. So forgive me this shortcut and I'll try to reward you with detailed training camp analysis.

Arizona Cardinals
Blogger: cgolden

The Arizona Cardinals safeties are a talented and accomplished group led by two time Pro Bowler, yet still under appreciated, Adrian Wilson. While guys like Ed Reed, Troy Polamalu and Bob Sanders get all the glory, Wilson has been in the desert doing dirty work. Since he came into the league (2001) no other safety has combined for more tackles (612) or sacks (18.5) and yet most fans are still more familiar with his youtube jump than with his play on the field. Wilson's work and loyalty to the organization was rewarded this offseason with a five year, $39 milllion dollar contract that should keep him in the organization for the rest of his career. Wilson's strength is at the line of scrimmage where he's a force against the run and even better rushing the passer, but he's not incapable of covering tight ends or the occasional receiver. In six of his eight seasons he's recorded multiple interceptions and with another full season he should enter the 20 sack/20 interception club. The best thing you can say about A-dub is that the defense simply isn't the same when he isn't on the field.

Wilson's counterpart for the second consecutive season will be converted cornerback Antrel Rolle. Rolle got off to a slow start last year after a high ankle sprain robbed him of valuable time in camp to learn the position. For the first half of the season he was often out of position or took terrible angles to the ball but as the season wore on, his play steadied. He began to understand the position and by season's end (and the playoff run) he was a reliable center fielder and a decent last line of defense. Rolle's ahtleticism sets him apart from most free safeties and many are expecting him to have a breakout year now that he's fully acclimated to the position.

The primary thing that makes Wilson and Rolle unique is that niether of them play a 'true safety' role on passing downs. Wilson becomes almost a nickel linebacker and Rolle often slides to play the corner against a slot reciever. Thier versatility allows the Cardinals to throw different looks at opposing offenses but it also means that the Cardinals expect much more from their third and fourth safeties. After watching Aaron Francisco and Matt Ware struggle with the increase in playing time the Red Birds spent a third round pick on Alabama free safety Rashad Johnson. RJ isn't a great athlete but he has a nose for the ball and is a natural center fielder. He's expected to immediately step into the 'third safety' spot and see quite a bit of playing time on passing downs. His presence will allow Francisco, Ware and free agent acquisition Keith Lewis to battle for the backup strong safety spot, which better suits each of their skill sets. No one in that trio is considered to be much more than a glorified special teamer but as long as they're not forced into significant playing time, they can hold their own. Another depth option is second year UDFA Dennis Keyes, a free safety out of UCLA, who some consider a darkhorse to make the team as a fifth safety.

The Cardinals safeties as a whole are talented, accomplished and have the potential to be even better than they were last year. Adrian Wilson is an A+ and no one else on the depth chart is bad enough to drop this group any lower than a solid A.

San Francisco 49ers
Blogger: Fooch

The 49ers safeties are a mix of production and potential. On the one hand you've got Michael Lewis and Mark Roman backing up at free safety. A pair of veterans who have done some good things in the past (for Roman a bit further in the past). On the other hand you've got the likes of Dashon Goldson, Reggie Smith and Curtis Taylor. Players teeming with potential, but nothing proven yet.

Barring injury (a very real possibility), the starters will be Dashon Goldson at free safety and Michael Lewis at strong safety. Goldson has as much unproven potential as anybody on this roster. He was an absolute ballhawk in training camp last year, but could not get past Mark Roman on the depth chart. Injuries throughout the season (as with the previous season) have kept him from making his mark. This season he was named the starting free safety shortly after the season ended and has had yet another impressive training camp performance. The 49ers have lacked a great free safety for quite some time and Goldson has the potential to be that turnover machine in centerfield. The question remains whether he can stay healthy.

At strong safety, the 49ers role out the extremely underrated Michael Lewis. Lewis signed as a free agent in 2007 and has been in the top 2 or 3 in tackles both seasons. While he does not force turnovers, he provides excellent run support. Lewis is 29 but is as established a veteran as any on this defense. Lewis won't be going anywhere anytime soon and will be an excellent role model in the defensive backfield for Goldson.

The primary backups at safety will be Mark Roman and Reggie Smith. At 32, Mark Roman has clearly come to the end of the road as a starter. The 49ers told him Goldson would be starting and let him speak with other teams about a trade. Nobody wanted him. So, Roman is back to provide a continued veteran presence for the team. His problem is that he can't force turnovers anymore. The last time he forced a turnover was in 2006. Reggie Smith was originally drafted by the 49ers to be a cornerback, but most thought he'd end up at safety, which appears to have happened. It will be interesting to see how much playing time Smith actually gets. Even though he got banged up, Michael Lewis has managed to stay on the field. Smith will have to battle for playing time. The final backup at this point is Curtis Taylor. Taylor was a 7th round pick this year out of LSU. He was highly touted out of high school but was quite the underperformer. Right now he's a practice squad candidate hoping to squeeze onto the roster.

The easiest grade for the safeties would be a C. Lewis is a very solid performer (certainly not spectacular), while Goldson is almost all potential. However, I'm gonna roll the dice on a healthy Goldson and give the team a B.

Turf Show Times
Blogger: VanRam

The Rams have a really nice situation at both starting safety positions this season. At free safety, playing under a one-year franchise deal, Oshiomogho Atogwe is a former Pro Bowler with 13 INTs in his last two seasons. Obviously, he's what the kids like to call a "ball hawk." Rawwk, rawwwk! Last season he singlehandedly gave the Rams a faint glimmer of hope when he picked off Jason Campbell for a difference making touch down that started the Rams on a two game winning streak, their only two wins of the season. As he starts his age-28 season, the Rams are counting on him to become a more complete player. For that, he needs to get more consistent in coverage; of course, come of his problems in coverage over the last couple years have much to do with confusion among some of the weaker cornerbacks the Rams have employed, blowing assignments and leaving Atogwe to try and do two jobs. The new coaching staff should really benefit Atogwe's development, as Spagnuolo is a former defensive backs coach himself, having worked with someone names Brian Dawkins in Philly.

The Rams have lots of questions marks on the roster, but safety is not one of them. They've go an straight in that department.

Seattle Seahawks
Blogger: John Morgan

For the eighth consecutive season, Deon Grant started all 16 games. On a superficial statistical level, Grant's season looked like his every other: 79 total tackles, eight passes defended and two interceptions. He was played in the box or walked up to the line for much of the season following the Giant's 254 yard rushing assault in week five.
Grant was a leader in the real sense of the word making reads in the secondary and positioning Seattle's young and less aware defensive backs in place to make the play. When allowed to play deep safety, Grant again showed the recognition, quickness and ball skills that made him so valuable last season. His execution - especially his timing - on safety blitzes is remarkable.

Quintessential Game: Eagles at Seahawks
Philadelphia 17 - Seattle 7

3-4-SEA 4 (Qtr: 2:09)
Eagles break 2 WR, TE, Split Backs with McNabb in shotgun. Seattle in a 4-1 dime. Before the snap, Deon Grant directs Jordan Babineaux over right split back Lorenzo Booker. Brian Westbrook motions into the right slot. Grant gives Wilson a come here gesture and points him towards a spot opposite Westbrook. Grant looks back towards the endz--

McNabb snaps, Brent Celek shoots out wide right attempting a block, Westbrook quick-curls towards McNabb, McNabb delivers a perfect pass into his numbers and almost as soon as Grant can see the play has started Wilson is in Westbrook's frame finishing the no-doubt-about-it tackle for a loss of three.

Grant wasn't a good in-the-box safety in 2007 and removed all doubt in 2008. He's better against the run as a support tackler or a finisher. If a run is channeled to him or strung wide, he can put on a body on the rusher and record the stop. He's not a reliable open-field tackler and wont to bad angles and broken arm tackles.
Grant is uneven breaking from the line and engaging in man cover.

In week six, Grant collided with Packers' fullback Cory Hall on the first play from scrimmage. After the game he said, "I heard a pop, so it must be an MCL," and added, "Something happened with it. I didn't get any tests. I just put a brace on and went back out there."

Quintessential Game: Seahawks at 49ers

Deon Grant makes a wonderful free safety: Four plays after pick two, Niners at the two. Both teams are in classic goal line formations. Grant is wide-right playing contain. At the snap, Frank Gore runs into an impenetrable pile but escapes, breaks right and runs unabated for the score. Grant is 100% to blame. At the snap, Frank Gore runs into an impenetrable pile, but when he begins breaking right, Grant can be seen staring into the pile, at the center of the field, away from Gore, unaware of Gore and out of the play as soon as Gore hits the corner. Just a terrible play by a player I really like.

Grant didn't miss a game or even the rest of week six. He looked broken on the trainer's table and was indisputably in terrible pain, but was back by the second quarter. Grant may just be lucky or abnormally resilient. Whatever the case, he appeared on the week seven injury report as "probable", played and nothing more was reported about the injury.

A cover 2 shell would suite Grant nicely. He could read and react to plays and tackle or attack passes running downhill. He's not a prototypical Tampa 2 safety, but as he ages and slows, it will soften his decline. What he adds as a pass defender should more than overcome his weaknesses in run support.

Brian Russell started 16 games in 2008. He did not appear on the injury report and missed only one snap all season. His statistics were in line with his career numbers: 72 tackles, one sack and three passes defended. It was his fourth season in six seasons starting he had three or fewer passes defended. He turned 31 on February 5, 2009.

Russell had a couple good stops against Philadelphia and headed off a couple long plays.

Russell is a bad player, perhaps below replacement level, that's schematic use has negative utility in the modern NFL. He ensures swearing is present and persistent at Field Gulls, because swearing is a healthy release from extreme physical pain.

Negative utility is the operative phrase there. Russell is played to reduce the greatest amount of harm, neglecting the fact that a team can prevent scoring passes without being a successful pass defense. Russell sometimes stops a 30 yard play from going for 50 and the score. That leaves the opposing team in the red zone with a new set of downs. In 2007, Seattle parlayed that strategy into an improbable mix of a high number of opposing pass attempts, a below average number of yards allowed, but the league's best touchdown's allowed*. At the time, I accepted it as the hallmark of a bend but don't break defense, but I've become ever more skeptical of the bend but don't break phenomenon. Seattle flexed the other way in 2008, allowing more relative attempts - an extraordinarily high number of pass attempts for a 4-12 team - the worst pass yards in football, and the 27th ranked touchdown passes allowed.

Opponents provided compelling evidence that neither the strategy nor Russell work. Seattle allowed ten touchdown passes of ten or fewer yards. Proving the Seahawks couldn't cede field position and then toughen in the red zone. It also allowed ten touchdowns of 20 or more yards. Proving that as a deep cover safety, Russell wasn't covering s--t.

Seattle didn't draft a safety until the seventh and Courtney Greene is a project Seattle hopes to develop. Jamar Adams hasn't received much pub. However cringeworthy, Russell is the presumptive and almost uncontested starter at free safety. Seattle could mitigate that some by making Russell just a safety. That is, a cover 2 safety and therefore not truly a strong or free safety. It absolutely must avoid putting Russell on an island and hoping his savvy and field marshalship overcomes his broken wheels, bad compass, terrible technique and leather-helmet athleticism.

Tim Ruskell added a wildcard into the mix by saying longtime utility defensive back Jordan Babineaux will contend for Russell’s job. Babineaux is a read and react zone defender that struggles to keep the play in front of him. He struggled as a nickel corner in 2007 and didn't so much improve in 2008 as have less responsibility. In a more structured role, say in a cover-2 where he starts deep and keeps the play in front of him by default, he's faster than Russell, more agile than Russell, more athletic than Russell, stronger than Russell, a better tackler than Russell and has better ball skills than Russell. Defensive backs coach Tim Lewis stated Russell is the starter, so I will assume Russell is the starter, and since Russell doesn’t participate enough to injure himself, and since he’s swayed the coaching staff, Seattle’s starting safeties earn a D. This isn't an average, a liability as bad as Russell overrides Grant. You just can't hide him. Dress it up how you’d like, rationalize if you must, denial’s been attempted by a few, but Deon Grant is good, Brian Russell is awful, and awful swallows good like paper swallows rock.

The Linc - Lesean McCoy, Lorenzo Booker, and remembering the Bounty Bowl

JasonB — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 14:00:11 -0000

More photos » by Matt Rourke - AP

4 months ago: Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid talks with players during the NFL football team's training camp at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa., Thursday, July 30, 2009. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Browse more photos »

Didinger's Game I'll Never Forget: The Bounty Bowl
It was Thanksgiving Day in Dallas, but Luis Zendejas wasn’t in the mood to celebrate. The game ended and Zendejas, the Cowboys’ kicker, walked towards the Eagles’ bench. He was looking for Buddy Ryan.

Eagles rookie running back McCoy finding he has a lot to learn | Philadelphia Daily News | 08/01/2009
In the one-on-one blocking drill, Eagles rookie running back LeSean McCoy ducked his head to lean into Kyle Eckel, who was pretending to be a pass rusher. Eckel quickly got an arm over McCoy and tossed him aside.

Eagles' Safeties Competing for Starting Jobs
The depth chart is the diehard fan’s best friend. One look at it can provide instant insight into the thoughts and opinions of the coaching staff. But with Sean McDermott at the helm of the Eagles’ defense this season, a player’s ranking on that preseason depth chart doesn’t mean a whole lot.

Eagles Notes: Booker faces plenty of critics at Eagles camp | Philadelphia Inquirer | 08/02/2009
It's been a rough last two days of training camp for the reserve running back - at least in the eyes of some fans - but Booker said yesterday that he was pleased with his performance thus far. It will be coach Andy Reid, however, who ultimately decides how well Booker has practiced and whether he can hold off rookie LeSean McCoy for the spot behind starter Brian Westbrook.

Less is more for slimmer Reid | Philadelphia Inquirer | 08/02/2009
It wasn't doctor's orders that led to Andy Reid's substantial weight loss. "I looked in the mirror," the Eagles' coach told The Inquirer Friday after his team's practice at Lehigh University. "Plus, you just have those aches and pains."