Turnaround Safety Play

[The Mom Gene]

I think that Brooks hasn't showed enough to be a starter next season, he needs a lot of development.

I hope we keep Hill at FS and Elam improves enough to be the starter SS.

 

I just don't like Stewart, really. He played [crap] coverage all season, missed lots of tackles. I can't remember how many times I shouted at him during this season. Yeah, he played well against the Steelers, gives a lot of hard hits, ok, but that doesn't erase all the mistakes he has made during the season.

 

In my humble opinion, we keep Hill, Elam, Brooks and Miles. Stewart must go.

Dude:  These are "replacement" safeties and corners...  We have 8 or 9 secondary players on IR and had to bring in players to fill in.  Yeah, this guy is a "beginner".  There are a limited number of corners and safeties out on the market.  They are scarce.  Secondary positions are the hardest positions on the field to learn, and there is definitely a learning curve to be expected.  It took Jimmy Smith 2 - 3 full seasons to learn how to be a decent corner.  People took Ed Reed for granted.  The guy was a ball hawk...  We haven't developed one of those yet.

[aquelenelson]

Dude:  These are "replacement" safeties and corners...  We have 8 or 9 secondary players on IR and had to bring in players to fill in.  Yeah, this guy is a "beginner".  There are a limited number of corners and safeties out on the market.  They are scarce.  Secondary positions are the hardest positions on the field to learn, and there is definitely a learning curve to be expected.  It took Jimmy Smith 2 - 3 full seasons to learn how to be a decent corner.  People took Ed Reed for granted.  The guy was a ball hawk...  We haven't developed one of those yet.

You just repeated what I said, Elam and Brooks need time to develop.

I was just talking about the safeties, the corners situation is completely different. Yes, we do have like 5 or 6 DBs on the IR, but only one of them is a safety (Brooks).

We'll have to wait until next season to see which of all those CBs we brought this season can be useful.

[Tenacious Faulker]

I'm still all for upgrading this position.  They may be playing great now, but can they keep that up or are they just playing over their head at the right time?  Oppenents are always evolving as they plan against their rivals and the mystery of their current success will be solved.  

 

Stewart always had potential, but was plagued by injury in STL.  I think he's kicked that label in the butt this year.  Hill is an absolute beast and I want him on roster next season badly!  Elam is looking bust-worthy.  Another season and well know for sure if he was worth he pick.  Brooks has an incomplete body of work, but he's also looking like a liabiliuty in coverage which is not good for free safety.  With the knee injury he may become a rotational guy or back up strong safety.  Levine could be a solid back up.  I'm interested to see how he progresses next season.  Miles is a serviceable back-up with good experience in nickel and specials to boot.  Trawick?  Still can;t get over him injuring Jacoby last season.   

[RavensFanMania]

I think it's more likely that Elam grows into the SS role and Hill stays at FS. Brooks' best opportunity for PT in the Hill era is going to be in Nickel and Dime.

Isn't Hill a FA this offseason.  We need to lock him up as he's been superb.

[RavensFanMania]

While Hill has the SS body type and skill set, I think he has more than impressive range at FS considering his size.  However, as some have already stated, if you can find a true FS with incredible range, I think you'd be getting the best out of Hill.  If that doesn't happen though, I'm more than happy to roll with Hill back at FS next year and for the foreseeable future.  I like the idea of moving him to SS because it gives us a versatile safety that can be the missile around the LOS or he can drop back and play single high as well.  Hill has tremendous value in that he can play either role and play it well.  As long as he's done with being a knucklehead, we got a steal.

It would be amazing if we can have two interchangeable safeties.  That way we can play a lot more deception being that the offense would be guessing on who would be dropping back in coverage and who would be playing strong or blitzing.

[RavensFanMania]

Kudos go to Dean Pees this season; he's had to mix and match players to situations, scheme, think outside the box. He has not pigeon-holed players as FS or SS by some old-school defination but, thru trial and error, practice & game situations, has found player-combos that work to thwart offenses. Many of his players have sufficient versatility to allow him to move them where they are needed. So kudos to Dean for cobbling together our backend.

 

PS and props to Spags for his DB coaching.

Not to take anything away from Pees as he is an excellent DC, but I believe Spags has much more to do with the DB play than Pees.  Scary thing as he could be lost this offseason to the Giants.  If he is lost, I'd hope Ozzie would look at Raheem Morris as he is an excellent DB coach and has done a lot with a couple young CB with the Redskins in Amerson and Breeland.  The only reason their backfield is in shambles is because of the safety play. 

 

Either way I'm sure Ozzie will find a great coach to replace Spags if we lose him.

[BMORE_96]

It would be amazing if we can have two interchangeable safeties.  That way we can play a lot more deception being that the offense would be guessing on who would be dropping back in coverage and who would be playing strong or blitzing.

Hill is pretty interchangeable. The hope is Elam/Brooks can emerge(preferably Elam) as another standout safety. Elam is playing well around the LOS but his coverage in deep zone is lacking a bit. If he improves, he and Hill can be the heat seeking missiles on the back end of our defense. Brooks and Miles can be good depth.

[beasy2487]

Isn't Hill a FA this offseason.  We need to lock him up as he's been superb.

 

He's an RFA so we can tender him. Thank god.

[RavensFanMania]

Hill is pretty interchangeable. The hope is Elam/Brooks can emerge(preferably Elam) as another standout safety. Elam is playing well around the LOS but his coverage in deep zone is lacking a bit. If he improves, he and Hill can be the heat seeking missiles on the back end of our defense. Brooks and Miles can be good depth.

I agree, I'd rather have Elam succeed being that would mean that we didn't waste a first round pick. Although it would be even better if both Brooks and Elam succeed. Not to be greedy, but I think Brooks is going to be very good.

[RavensFanMania]

He's an RFA so we can tender him. Thank god.

Thanks

[Ravenslifer]

The whole FS vs. SS argument is very outdated to me.  In today's game I think you really want guys in the backfield that can do both manning both positions.  Terrance Brooks, for example, played 8 games at SS and 5 at FS for FSU in their 2013 Championship season, and I think Will Hill has also seen time at both positions in college/the pros.

[Tru11]

Ravenslifer, on 10 Jan 2015 - 8:53 PM, said:

The whole FS vs. SS argument is very outdated to me.  In today's game I think you really want guys in the backfield that can do both manning both positions.  Terrance Brooks, for example, played 8 games at SS and 5 at FS for FSU in their 2013 Championship season, and I think Will Hill has also seen time at both positions in college/the pros.

 

I know in his final college season he was the FS and Elam was the SS.

with the giants he was the FS and Rolle was the SS.

[The Raven]

The whole FS vs. SS argument is very outdated to me.  In today's game I think you really want guys in the backfield that can do both manning both positions.  Terrance Brooks, for example, played 8 games at SS and 5 at FS for FSU in their 2013 Championship season, and I think Will Hill has also seen time at both positions in college/the pros.

 

Bingo. I think people are just under the impression that strong safeties are always run stopping thumpers that play close to the LOS. But that's not true. Strong safeties are not always rovers.

 

In the NFL, both free safeties and strong safeties are EXPECTED to be able to cover in zone and man. If you need to be a rover in order to be effective, you don't belong in the NFL.