SB Nation - Keith Lewis

Arizona Cardinals Trim Roster to 75: Keith Lewis, Michael Ray Garvin and Pago Togafau Gone

Hawkwind — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 18:35:43 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

San Diego Chargers' Michael Bennett dives for a touchdown as Arizona Cardinals' Pago Togafau tries to make a tackle. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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The Arizona Cardinals made the necessary moves to reduce their roster to 75 players today by shuffling players all over the place. The only players given their outright release were safety Keith Lewis and offensive tackle Brandon Pearce. Lewis, a former 49er under Bill Davis, was competing at strong safety and figured to be a strong special teams contributor if he made cut. Pearce, an undrafted rookie out of Memphis, was an undersized tackle who specialized in pass blocking.

The other moves involved two injured players as both Michael Ray Garvin and Pago Togafau were waived/injured which basically means that they are being released because they're injured. The team can still resign them once they are healthy, assuming that someone else doesn't sign them first. Togafau was having a decent preseason until he broke his foot against the Packers and Garvin is still recovering from knee surgery. The Cardinals also placed Cody Brown on IR.

NFC West Breakdown: San Francisco 49ers

Pyromnc — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 20:00:10 -0000

More photos » by Paul Sakuma - AP

7 months ago: Michael Crabtree, right, the San Francisco 49ers NFL football first-round draft pick, holds up his new jersey with head coach Mike Singletary, left, during a news conference at 49ers headquarters in Santa Clara, Calif., Sunday, April 26, 2009. Crabtree was a wide receiver from Texas Tech. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma)

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Key Additions: CB Dre Bly (Broncos), QB Damon Huard (Chiefs), WR Brandon Jones (Titans), OT Marvel Smith (Steelers), FB Moran Norris (Lions).

Key Losses: S Keith Lewis (Cardinals), CB Donald Strickland (Jets), QB J.T. O'Sullivan (Bengals), WR Bryant Johnson (Lions).

Draft: WR Michael Crabtree (1st), RB Glen Coffee (3rd), LB Scott Mckillop (5th), QB Nate Davis (5th), TE Bear Pascoe (6th), FS Curtis Taylor (7th), DT Ricky Jean-Francois (7th).

The 49ers have had a rough go of it the past several seasons failing to register a winning record since the 2002 season. Part of the problem for the team has been bad drafts after bad drafts, failing to create that homegrown talent that most teams use to be successful. By making the intense Mike Singletary the full time head coach, the 49ers' front office hopes that his mindset and pedigree can change their fortunes when it comes to getting good prospects to rebuild this team and make it the perennial winner 49ers fans had become accustomed to.

In the 2009 draft, the 49ers were able to get some players full of potential epitomized by Michael Crabtree who slid to the 10th pick yet many draft pundits projected him to be a top 3 talent before the draft. Crabtree is an immense talent coming out of college having more than 20 TDs this past season for Texas Tech. His talent and potential has been compared to Larry Fitzgerald. This would be awesome for the 49ers offense that has lacked a consistently talented receiver since Terrell Owens was traded. The problem is that Crabtree hasn't signed yet and is threatening to holdout and re-enter the draft next year. This would set them back in trying to add talent to this team as it would be another "wasted" first round pick, yet even worse than the Alex Smith or Vernon Davis picks with nothing to show but boxes of unsold #15 jerseys. Even though the team has done right by not giving into Crabtree's demands of being paid as a top three player, they need to get him in as fast as possible as every game he misses inhibits his impact as a first season player.

Another dark cloud looming over this offense is the quarterback situation. In 2005 they drafted Alex Smith with the first overall pick and so far he hasn't lived up to expectations. This season he hopes to change that and prove he can be that player the team thought they were drafting; he's shown his willingness to be a team player by reworking his rookie contract. The 49ers also have Amsterdam Admiral alum Shaun Hill who won five of his last eight games to finish last season helping the team salvage what was looking like another double digit loss season. If the wheels completely fall off the Niners', Damon Huard's veteran savvy can only help the younger players and run the offense. This team needs one of these QBs to step up and lead this team as Frank Gore cannot do it alone on offense especially with opposing defenses scheming to take him out of the game. If the passing and running game is going to improve, they will need their offensive line to stay healthy and key players to step up. Vernon Davis exploded onto the NFL scene with his impressive NFL Combine performance but has not lived up to expectations as he was supposed to completely change the tight end position in the NFL. Since Singletary has taken over, Davis has looked completely different and most Niners' fans thinks he might have a breakout year. The team also has Josh Morgan and Isaac Bruce at wide receiver to provide passing targets but the depth is full of unknowns and lofty "Fooch Potential", especially as long as Michael Crabtree isn't suiting up. If this team loses any of these mentioned players this year, especially Gore, than they are in trouble as again there isn't much experienced depth on this team.

The defense on this team has the potential to be one of the top units in the league. Not only is it influenced by one of the most physical players in his day, Mike Singletary, but they also have one of the best, if not the best, linebackers in the NFL with Patrick Willis. This guy is an anchor to this team making key plays every game. They also have a strong coverage corner in Nate Clements and a lot of potential in safety Dashon Goldson and Tarell Brown. Like the offense, the defense has its questions with certain players such as Manny Lawson who yet to meet the expectations that come with being the player they drafted in the first round two years ago. They also need to keep Takeo Spikes healthy as there isn't much depth behind him. This unit by far is looking like the better part of this team going into the 2009 season.

Since Mike Singletary has taken over this team, they have been looking better by the day but it still has its problems, the biggest being a lack of depth necessary to have a winning team. They also need to get Crabtree in camp because he is a major key to their future and they don't need any more players labeled "busts". Still, there is a lot to look forward to if you are a 49ers fan especially in the NFL West where a couple of key injuries to any given team can completely alter the playoff landscape.

Record for 2009: 7-9
Record Vs the Cardinals: 0-2 Really tough to predict this one as they have been playing close games lately but I am going to give both games to the Cards as I think the 49ers fall short in the end as they are not quite there yet in getting back to their winning ways.
Record Vs the NFC West: 3-3

Poll

Most Important Story Lines for the 2009 Season.

Getting Michael Crabtree Signed

206 votes

Vernon Davis Having a Breakout Season

159 votes

Alex Smith Winning the QB postion

37 votes

Something Else

83 votes

485 votes | Poll has closed

Steelers Topple the Arizona Cardinals 20-10: First Impressions

Hawkwind — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:40:41 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

Pittsburgh Steelers' James Harrison (92) pressures Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart (7), forcing an incomplete pass during the second quarter of a pre-season football game. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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The Arizona Cardinals took the field for the first time since the Super Bowl and they performed about like you'd expect them to in the first preseason game of the year. Some guys looked rusty. Some guys looked sloppy. Some guys looked like they never took a break during the off season and the result was a game completely controlled by both team's defensive units until the fourth quarter. Outside of a key turnover that set the Steelers up inside the Cardinals' five yard line, the Red Birds almost dominated the reigning Super Bowl champs, but the preseason experience can't be measured in the box score or the score board. It's more or less about how the individuals played against whatever level of competition they were facing. There were certainly some guys who impressed and there were others who were disappointing to say the least. Here's how we saw it....

The Good

Michael Ray Garvin: I had to start with Garvin because by the end of game I was sitting on the edge of my seat every time the Steelers either punted or kicked off. He handed most of the return duties last night and was about as good as you could expect, averaging 30 yards per kick return and ten yards per punt return. When he hits top speed he's clearly the fastest person on the field and his ability to sift through traffic and make people miss is better than I expected. He also got some snaps as a receiver, catching one ball for 15 yards, but he also dropped a pass that was thrown slightly behind him that ended up being intercepted. I'll look past his shortcomings as a receiver because if he makes this roster it won't as a wide out, but I wouldn't be surprised if he gets quite few more looks as a returner.
Calais Campbell: One tackle and one assist might not look like much in the box score but Campbell had quite game considering he only played the first half. In the base defense he lined up at end before shifting down to tackle on passing downs but where ever he lined up, he made plays. He should have had a sack and a safety on Ben Roethlisberger but Big Ben broke out of the tackle and Campbell put pressure on Ben a couple of other times. Where he was most impressive though was against the run. Campbell not only held his ground more often than not, but his ability to shed blocks was most impressive. He was facing Max Starks for most of the night (a guy the Steelers gave a big contract to this off season) and Campbell threw him around like a rag doll. If last night was any indication of how well Campbell plays, the Cardinals won't miss Antonio Smith.
Michael Adams: I came away with two thoughts about Adams after last night. First, we should all hope that he never has to take a single snap as a starting corner back and secondly, I absolutely want him on this team. His' height, or lack thereof, is a complete liability when he's lined up at corner and that was never more evident than on a deep ball against Limas Sweed. With eight inches of height advantage, Sweed barely jumped and while Adams had trouble locating the ball, it wouldn't really have mattered. He also broke up a deep pass (almost intercepted it really) but he only caught up to the pass because it the ball was underthrown. So why was he impressive then? No other defensive player on the field last night, first string all the way to fourth string, was more aggressive and willing to throw his body at the ball carrier than Adams. He routinely cut down Steelers' ball carriers just as you thought they were about to make it around the corner. Adams plays "balls to the wall" every second he's on the field and that's exactly what makes him a good special teams player and valuable to this team.
Tyler Palko: If someone watched last nights game and had no idea of who the quarterbacks were or how the depth chart was supposed to line up, they probably came away thinking that Palko was the Cardinals best quarterback. Granted he was playing against guys who will most likely end up on a practice squad somewhere (at best), but he still flashed some qualities that make you think he'll land on a 53 man roster somewhere this season. He's got a strong arm, escapability and a certain knack for making me inch closer to the edge of my seat every time he drops back. His final line (8 of 15 for 103 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT) is a decent line but even that doesn't do justice to how well he played because the lone interception was a dropped pass by Garvin. If you missed the game you absolutely have to go back and watch the highlights to see Palko scramble out of the pocket and try to hurdle a defender in order to reach the sidelines.

The Bad

Alan Branch: I re-watched every single play that Branch was on the field and came away with thinking that his "light bulb," as Whiz referred to it last year, still has some faulty wiring. Branch played with the third string facing the Steelers' 7th round rookie center, AQ Shipley, most of the night and he was absolutely dominated. Branch was able to get a step or two into the backfield a couple of time but more often that not Shipley had his way with him. For whatever reason Branch likes to try and spin, or just flat out turn his back to a defender, when he's getting driven back and it just results in him getting pancaked or pushed out of the play even faster. Towards the very end of the game it looked like Branch was lining up at defensive end but the Cardinals defensive fronts were getting pretty goofy by the end of the game so it was hard to tell. Either way though Branch didn't do anything to change the perception that most of us already have of him.
Levi Brown and Mike Gandy: It's tough to say that they had a bad game so I'll just say that I'm very glad we don't play Pittsburgh on a regular basis because neither Brown or Gandy can handle the Steelers' OLBs. LaMarr Woodley blew by Levi Brown to nail Warner, in what Jon Gruden called a coverage sack, but it looked awful quick to my eyes. James Harrison didn't register a sack but he put Gandy on skates a couple of times and it was pretty evident who was the superior player.
Defensive Management: Bill Davis had a rough start to his tenure as the Cardinals defensive coordinator and twice while the first team defense was on the field they had to burn timeouts because they either had to many men on the field or weren't aware of the down and distance. The first time it was pretty understandable because what looked like a Steelers' first down was actually ruled a third and short so the Cardinals burned time out just the third play from scrimmage. The second time though it looked like there were 15 Cardinals' defenders on the field and there were more coming in from the sidelines.

The Ehhh

Quarterback Play (not including Palko): Warner was ok but he still didn't look like Warner. He looks stiff on the field and his passes just didn't seem to have the same zip on them. Matt Leinart had a shaky start (1 for 4) but once he settled down, he actually got into a decent rhythm and led the Cardinals on their best drive of the night. On the drive, an 85 yarder that ended on downs at the Pittsburgh seven, Leinart was six of nine for 69 yards. His stat line was saved though by a phantom pass interference call at the end of first half when he bombed a pass Sean Morey that was picked off. The pick was overturned by a defensive pass interference call (even though the PA should have gone against Morey) but Leinart was just throwing it deep at the end a half. Finally Brian St. Pierre had the worst night of any Cardinals' QB completing just four of ten passes for 42 yards and an interception, but I can't help but think that it was a 'hard luck' night. One pass was dropped and another dinked off the helmet of Elton Brown but the interception was just a poor read and a bad decision. He was also done in by some really poor pass protection considering that he was the only QB to sacked more than once (he went down three times). Still though he certainly didn't do anything tonight to put pressure on Matt Leinart.
Pass Rush: The Cardinals didn't record a sack last night, although they had decent pressure for most of the night. Campbell broke free a couple of times, almost getting a sack once and laying a decent hit on Ben another time. Adrian Wilson and Keith Lewis both had unblocked paths to the QB on safety blitzes but the QB's got rid of the ball. Will Davis showed a decent speed move late in the game and just missed a sack and forced fumble when Dennis Dixon shuffled up in the pocket. Karlos Dansby also broke through the line of scrimmage once and would have at least pressured Ben if not for a hold, or at least it should have been called a hold. On a good and bad note, Bill Davis obviously likes to blitz and I think if tonight was any indication we'll see more blitzing this year, but he also loves the 'line stunts' where the end and tackle twist. The line stunts didn't seem to have any effect last night and just make Cody Brown and other reserves look lost.
Backup Running Backs: First it's worth mentioning that if you were worried about Whisenhunt calling a more conservative game based around the running game, according to last night you shouldn't be. The Cardinals ran the ball just 16 times (versus 49 pass attempts) and one of those runs was a scramble by Palko. LaRod Stephens-Holwing and Jason Wright both had similar games in my mind. They both looked skittish and danced a bit but then settled down to have decent showing. LSH had six rushes for 24 yards, most of which came on a 13 yard scamper, but also showed that while he's a willing pass protector, he doesn't have enough sand in his shorts to hold off a rushing linebacker. He looked like child trying to trip a bulldozer at one point. Wright only carried the ball three times for eleven yards but he showed his value as a pass protector a couple of times and that's where he'll make his mark.

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Overall I'd say that this is kind of what we should have expected from the first preseason game but at least it wasn't too terriblly sloppy (just four penalties). What stood out to you and what needs to be improved upon the most?

Arizona Cardinals versus the Pittsburgh Steelers: Examining the Initial Depth Chart

Hawkwind — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 17:41:06 -0000

More photos » by Ross D. Franklin - AP

Arizona Cardinals' Bill Davis, left, talks with Darnell Dockett during morning practice at Cardinals training camp Wednesday, Aug. 5, 2009, in Flagstaff, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

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The first preseason game of the year doesn't mean very much to the football world outside of a select few of crazed fans who have been salivating over the thought of real football for going on six months. One of the things that the first preseason game of the year does provide though is the first look at an 'official' depth chart and the Arizona Cardinals put out their first chart yesterday. Now word to the wise, Whisenhunt doesn't like to tweak the chart prior to the first game so he basically inserts each rookie's name at the bottom and leaves most of the rest unchanged. Thanks to a change in defensive philosophy though (or at least a continued shift towards a 3-4), there are some changes on the defensive side of the ball. With a quick look at how this current roster plays out on paper, here's a quick analysis of the depth chart.

Offense

QB -- Kurt Warner, Matt Leinart, Brian St. Pierre, Tyler Palko

RB -- Tim Hightower, Chris Wells, Jason Wright, LaRod Stephens-Howling, Chris Vincent

FB -- Dan Kreider, Tim Castille, Reagan Maui'a

WR -- Larry Fitzgerald, Jerheme Urban, Sean Morey, Onrea Jones, Ed Gant

WR -- Anquan Boldin. Steve Breaston, Early Doucet, Lance Long, Michael Ray Garvin

TE -- Leonard Pope, Ben Patrick, Stephen Spach, Anthony Becht, Dominique Byrd

LT -- Mike Gandy, Elliot Vallejo, Brandon Pearce

LG -- Reggie Wells, Elton Brown, Carlton Medder

C -- Lyle Sendlein, Ben Claxton, Melvin Fowler

RG -- Deuce Lutui, Brandon Keith, Trevor Canfield

RT -- Levi Brown, Oliver Ross, Herman Johnson

Overall there aren't really any surprises on the offensive side of the ball, unless you didn't think Pope would be listed atop the tight end spot. There has been some shake-up on the offensive line with the injury to Vallejo though with Oliver Ross swinging over to left tackle and Brandon Keith taking snaps at right tackle.

Defense

DE -- Calais Campbell, Kenny Iwebema, Alex Field

NT -- Bryan Robinson, Gabe Watson, Alan Branch

DT -- Darnell Dockett, Keilen Dykes, Rodney Leisle

ROLB -- Chike Okeafor, Bertrand Berry, Will Davis

ILB -- Karlos Dansby, Victor Hobson, Pago Togafau

ILB -- Gerald Hayes, Ali Highsmith, Reggie Walker

LOLB -- Clark Haggans, Cody Brown, Chase Bullock

RCB -- Bryant McFadden, Ralph Brown, Wilrey Fontenot, Jameel Dowling

LCB -- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Michael Adams, Greg Toler

SS -- Adrian Wilson, Aaron Francisco, Keith Lewis

FS -- Antrel Rolle, Matt Ware, Dennis Keyes, Rashad Johnson

The interesting thing about the defensive chart is how they chose to describe their defensive line (yes that's not a typo). They've chosen to list only one defensive end, a nose tackle and a defensive tackle for some unknown reason. This is nothing more than a conspiracy theory on my part but if the organization cares at all about "NINE-O" (Dockett) making the Pro Bowl, it would make sense to list him as a tackle instead of an end. There aren't any major surprises at linebacker but it's interesting to see that Hobson is listed on the inside and Bullock is listed on the outside (after he worked primarily on the inside during OTA's). In the secondary, I wouldn't get worried about Toler and Rashad Johnson being listed at the bottom of the depth chart. As we said above, this is the "Whiz way" of handling rookies and we'll see how the chart get's tweaked as the preseason plays out.

Specialists

KR -- Steve Breaston, Michael Ray Garvin, LaRod Stephens-Howling

PR -- Steve Breaston, Antrel Rolle, Michael Ray Garvin

K -- Neil Rackers

P -- Ben Graham

LS -- Mike Leach

H -- Ben Graham, Sean Morey

There aren't really any suprises in the specialist department either. Garvin is clearly a return specialist and if he ends up on the final squad it'll be because he won the kick and/or punt return job.

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.

Rashad Johnson and his Future with the Arizona Cardinals

Hawkwind — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:00:21 -0000

More photos » by Matt York - AP

7 months ago: Arizona Cardinals' Rashad Johnson (41) keeps cool during team workouts Tuesday, May 19, 2009, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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The Arizona Cardinals defense gave up more passing touchdowns than any team in the league last year so it should be no surprise that upgrading the secondary was a major point of emphasis this off season. The Cardinals biggest free agent signing, Bryant McFadden, is expected to start at one corner back spot and third round pick Rashad Johnson is also expected to play a significant role as a backup safety. That's a tall order for a guy who has yet to play his first down of NFL football but Johnson seems to be exactly what the doctor ordered. At the University of Alabama Johnson went from walk-on to just the second two-time team captain in school history. During that time he endured a position change ( running back to safety), a coaching change (Mike Shula to Nick Saban) yet still managed to rack up 224 tackles, 19 pass breakups and five interceptions while being named first team All-SEC both seasons as a starter. To put the cherry on top of Johnson's career to this point, he was kind enough to sit down for a quick interview with your very own Revenge of the Birds.

With the starters at strong and free safety (Adrian Wilson and Antrel Rolle respectively) practically set in stone Johnson is most likely battling for playing time with Aaron Francisco and Keith Lewis. He will undoubtedly be a factor on special teams early in his career, but how quickly can he become a starter and what should we expect from him this season?

What to expect early on: It's possible that Johnson could step in and immediately become the Cardinals' third safety and if that's the case he'll receive plenty of time with the regular defense. Given Rolle's ability to slide down to corner in passing situations and Wilson's ability to create havoc around the line of scrimmage the Cardinals third and even fourth safeties get much more playing time compared to other teams. Johnson might be the best fit as the third safety because he's the closest thing to a 'center fielder' that they currently have on the roster and he's capable of playing with the understanding that keeping the play in front of him is more important that providing run support or making plays near the line of scrimmage. That ability to protect against the deep ball, read the quarterbacks eyes and make a play on the ball sets him apart from just about every other safety on the roster. It's also possible that the Cardinals could take it very slow with Johnson as they have with most rookies since Whisenhunt took over as head coach. If that's the case, Johnson could be restricted to special teams play until later in the season.

What he will struggle with early on: The two primary areas that I think he might struggle in this season will be the speed and physicality of the game. In our interview with him these were to two areas that he listed as his weaknesses:

As far as my weaknesses, I'd say that in this league you just need to be bigger, stronger and faster. The players are a lot better up here so I just need to improve in all of those areas because these guys are stronger and faster.

Despite staring in the speed-heavy SEC, his draft status took a big hit when he posted a forty time in the low 4.5's and his slender frame (5'11, 203) will need to be bulked up in order to handle larger receivers and be solid tackler. Several scouting reports listed him as a safety stuck in a corner back's body but it's those corner back instincts that help him overcome any athletic deficiencies. Once his head catches up to the speed of the NFL he should still be able to break on passes very well and bait quarterbacks into making poor decisions.

Realistic Expectation for 2009: Playing well on special teams is a given but if Johnson wrestles the third safety spot from Aaron Francisco by mid season, it'll be a successful season in my mind. He's got the skills to be a player in this league, it's just a matter of handling the transition from Saturdays to Sundays. Luckily for him he'll face the best passing offense in the league every day during practice.

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We're probably getting ahead of ourselves by placing the future starter label on a third round pick before training camp even opens but it just sounds like everyone thinks the Cardinals got tremendous value with this kid. What are your expectations of his rookie season? Would you be worried if he had to step in for Rolle at some point in the season?

Arizona Cardinals Pre-Training Camp Roster Projections: Safeties

Hawkwind — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:53:19 -0000

More photos » by Matt York - AP

7 months ago: Arizona Cardinals' Rashad Johnson (41) keeps cool during team workouts Tuesday, May 19, 2009, in Tempe, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt York)

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We'll start another pre-training camp series today in which we look at each position on the roster with an eye on roster implications.

The Arizona Cardinals are still more than a month away from training camp but the battle for roster spots has already started. With the starting safeties practically set in stone, a promising third round draft pick and several experience veterans, the Cardinals appear to have a deep and talented group of safeties capable of turning around a secondary that struggled for much of the 2008 season. The number of safeties that eventually make the 53 man roster could vary depending on the number of corner backs that are retained but the number should be somewhere between four and six (five made the roster last year out of camp). We'll jump in the safety position by breaking the guys down into three groups, locks, bubble and no chance. These groups refer to chances of making this year's 53 man roster, not necessarily the practice squad or any team in the future.

Locks

Adrian Wilson, Antrel Rolle, Rashad Johnson

Bubble

Aaron Francisco, Keith Lewis, Dennis Keyes and Matt Ware

No Chance

Jameel Dowling

Now I'm sure it's somehow possible for Rolle or Johnson to be cut before the season starts but for all intents and purposes, they'll both make the final squad. As for the bubble group, I'm sure we could argue for or against each of these four and the final two or three will likely come down to their contribution on special teams. Here's a quick look at the case for or against each of the four 'bubble' players:

Aaron Francisco: Francisco's got two things going for him in that he's got the most experience of any guys on the bubble and he's a solid special teams player. He's had an up and down career over his four NFL seasons and in that time he's ascended from overachieving undrafted free agent to disappointing part time starter. At times Francisco got exposed in coverage last season but is a decent player overall when he isn't asked to do too much. Francisco's downside is that he's the highest paid 'bubble' player ($1.45 million) and the ceiling is limited for this soon to be 26 year old safety.

Keith Lewis: Lewis is a veteran safety with starting experience and a familiarity with new defensive coordinator Bill Davis. He's also a solid special teams player and reasonably cheap ($620K), but Lewis biggest flaw is that he's a liability in coverage. He's much like Adrian Wilson in that he's a solid, hard hitting tackler and an 'in-the-box' type of strong safety but many describe him as nothing more than a special teams player. He's still reasonably young but given the fact that the Cardinals were able to sign him after the Niners cut him, he'll have to prove he's worth a roster spot this August.

Dennis Keyes: Keyes is an interesting case and could be the wild card in this group. He was an undrafted free agent last season and spent the entire season on the practice squad but some will tell you that he's got the talent to play in this league. He's got decent size (6'2 199) and was very productive in college where was a three year starter at free safety for the Bruins. If he's able to prove that he's capable in coverage and productive on special teams, he might just find his way onto the roster.

Matt Ware: Ware's biggest asset is that, in a pinch, he's able to play either corner or safety, but the problem is that he's done very little to distinguish himself in any aspect of the game. He's capable on special teams and has some versatility but despite being relatively healthy over his five NFL seasons, he's never really pushed for playing time. Ware is still young (26) and cheap ($650K) but with so many other options, you've got to wonder how long he'll hang onto his roster spot.

Jameel Dowling: Dowling is a 24 year old undrafted rookie from Hawaii with decent size and great athleticism. He's got experience at both safety and corner back but with his size (6'3 205), you'd have to expect that his eventual home is at safety. The best case scenario for Dowling would have to be a year on the practice squad.

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The Cardinals wouldn't seem to have many training camp battles heading into August but figuring out the bottom ten to fifteen players on any roster can be a tough task. With that being said, which safeties would you keep and how do you see this playing out?

Arizona Cardinals Pre-Draft Needs Combined With Post Draft Thoughts

Hawkwind — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:16:58 -0000

More photos » by Terry Gilliam - AP

Former Ohio State running back Chris Wells shoulders a big load heading to the Arizona Cardinals and their struggling running game, but can he answer the call?. (AP Photo/Terry Gilliam)

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As the dust settles from the circus that is NFL Draft weekend, the Arizona Cardinals added a total of 17 players, eight draft picks and nine undrafted free agents, to their franchise. The diverse group of players ranges from simply massive (6'7, 364) in Herman Johnson to merely tiny (5'7, 180) in LaRod Stephens-Howling. The group was pretty balanced with eight offensive players and nine defensive players with the University of Cincinnati being the only school with multiple players who joined the Cardinals. The defensive secondary got major infusion of young talent with as many as five defensive backs joining the ranks and on the offensive side of the ball the focus was on building depth on the interior of the offensive line. With 17 new bodies you'd have to think that the Cardinals addressed each and every need right?

Earlier in the off season ROTB as a whole identified the biggest needs for the Cardinals heading into the draft. After 194 votes the top needs were clearly evident with running back dominating the poll with 38% of the vote. Outside linebacker was a distant second with 18% of the vote and cornerback (granted this was before Bryant McFadden was added) took home the bronze with 12%. Offensive line, defensive tackle, defensive end and safety rounded out the poll with inside linebacker bringing up the rear with two percent. The tight end position wasn't included in poll although some argued that it should have been added. The addition of Bryant McFadden and the uncertain future of Karlos Dansby most likely would have swayed some of the votes if the poll had been revived shortly before the draft but I think we've got a solid starting point in identifying the needs of the Red Birds heading into draft weekend so lets take a look at how they did....

#1 Need - Running Back: After months of speculation and countless mocks, I think the Cardinals got exactly what they wanted when Beanie Wells fell into their laps. Wells was arguably the top draft and undeniably a top 15 talent. He's a unique blend of size (6'1, 235) and speed (sub 4.5 forty) and the kind of franchise, workhorse back that Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm love to build an offense around. Whether or not he's the day one starter at running, he should lead the Cardinals in carries and yards by seasons end. With the franchise back in place, the Cardinals waited until the seventh round to find their second back. LaRod Stephens-Howling was an unknown to just about everyone outside of the Pittsburgh Panthers but he's got the potential to be solid kick returner and maybe even a dangerous third down, scat back.

Was the need satisfied? Absolutely. Wells is the future of not only the running back position but also the offense as a whole. LSH brings an element of speed to the offense that no other player possesses.

#2 Need - Outside Linebacker: To fill the second biggest need, the Cardinals used their second round pick to nab the best outside linebacker prospect on the board in Cody Brown. Brown was a collegiate defensive end but he's got the size and athleticism to excel as an outside linebacker. It may take a full season for Brown to fully grasp the position change but he should be able to contribute immediately on special teams and as a situational pass rusher. With Okeafor and Berry both likely on the way out after this season, Brown should become a starter in 2010. The Cardinals didn't stop there though because they nabbed another OLB prospect In the sixth round when they selected Will Davis. Davis is intriguing because he's actually a more natural pass rusher than Brown but his game is raw so the learning curve will be greater. It's possible that Davis will end up on the practice squad in 2009 but his ability to rush the passer is unique and with a full season refining his game and learning the position of OLB, he could be a force in a couple seasons.

Was the need satisfied? Yes. Brown will be able to contribute this season and should project as a starter in 2010 once Okeafor and Berry leave. Davis is a bit of a project but as far as sixth round picks go, he's got the talent to develop into a valuable player.

#3 Need - Secondary Depth: Ok so I took some liberties and lumped corner and safety together but with the addition of Bryant McFadden, I suspect that corner back wouldn't have received near as many votes. With the depth of entire secondary a bit suspect, the Cardinals added a total of five potential players to the mix, including a third and fourth round pick. Third round pick, Rashad Johnson figures to push Aaron Francisco, Keith Lewis and Matt Ware down the depth chart and upgrade the secondary position. He's an intelligent, hard working safety who excels at reading the action in front of him and keeping the play in front of him. He's not an exceptional athlete but neither is any of the trio that he's replacing. To bolster the depth at corner, the Cardinals made a surprising pick of Greg Toler in the fourth. Toler is a from a tiny school and took an unusual path to the NFL but his physical skills and ball hawking tendencies are undeniable. His overall game is raw but the depth ahead of him should allow him to grow at his own pace. The Cardinals added another two guys who have experience to play either safety or corner in the UDFA stages to provide competition in camp.

Was the need satisfied? Absolutely. I don't think anyone expected the Cardinals to add this much new blood to a secondary that already looked fairly solid. Johnson and Toler have the potential to develop into starters during their rookie contracts.

#5 Need - Offensive Line: For the past several months there has been countless discuss here and all over the net about the Cardinals offensive line. Who should be replaced, why couldn't they run the ball and countless others but in the end the coaching staff said multiple times that they were happy with the starting five and nothing that they did on draft day would suggest other wise. They did draft two offensive lineman in Herman Johnson (5th round) and Trevor Canfield (7th round) as well as adding another two prospects as undrafted players. Johnson and Canfield should improve the depth and provide competition on the interior of the line but neither should make serious push for starting time this season.

Was the need satisfied? That depends. The biggest need was depth at center and the Cardinals didn't pick up a center unless you count Canfield. He's practiced at the position but never taken a snap there in an actual game.

#4 Need - Defensive Line: Again I'm lumping two positions together with defensive end and tackle. The Cardinals didn't address either position in the draft or with a UDFA but that's not necessarily a bad thing. The starters across the defensive front are set and appear to be fairly solid with Darnell Dockett, Gabe Watson and Calais Campbell. The depth is what has some people worried but the coaching staff obviously feels comfortable with Bryan Robinson, Alan Branch, Kenny Iwebema and maybe even Keilen Dykes.

Was the need satisfied? No, but whether or not this was actually a need is a point of debate.

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Despite being the NFC Champions (it sounded nice to hear that during the draft didn't it?) the Arizona Cardinals had plenty of needs heading into the draft but did they fill every one?