Abram Elam: A Jason Garrett Kind of Player?

honyock

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,540
Reaction score
702
Here's an article about Abram Elam, from a Brown's insiders perspective, that I found today and thought was intriguing. I haven't followed him and don't have any idea what Rob Ryan or the Cowboys coaches may think of him. But the article does paint a picture of a player who sounds like a prototype Garrett type guy - hardworking, blue collar, low-key and a good team guy. It sounds like his Browns teammates and coaches respect his ability, smarts and character.

it sounds like the Cowboys will be paying free agent money for Sensabaugh if they sign him. If they regard Elam as comparable talent-wise with Sensy, then he might make a nice alternative in the free agent market, maybe even at a discount since Elam doesn't have the amount of starting experience that Sensabaugh does. I could see lots of upside to a safety tandem of say, Huff and Elam. They'd be Ryan-ready from word go, a big positive given the quick transition to a Ryan defense that will be taking place this summer. Someone on the Eric Weddle thread made this point earlier...having two Ryan guys in the defensive backfield, who can both be quarterbacks for the defense, could really be a nice addition.

http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2010/12/09/abram-elam%E2%80%99s-impact-with-browns-tough-to-miss/

“Abe is a great example,” Brown said. “Always seen, never heard. He doesn’t complain about anything, goes out and does his job, one of the better safeties in the game, makes plays, very consistent, doesn’t make mistakes.
And you never hear about him because he’s not flashy. He’s a guy that’s earned his job the hard way, and I respect players like that.”

"Mangini has consistently applauded Elam’s role in directing traffic at the back of the defense. He’s eased Ward’s transition into life as an NFL safety and worked with the linebackers to get all 11 guys set in coordinator Rob Ryan’s complex defense."
 
“Abe is a great example,” Brown said. “Always seen, never heard. He doesn’t complain about anything, goes out and does his job, one of the better safeties in the game, makes plays, very consistent, doesn’t make mistakes.
And you never hear about him because he’s not flashy.

funny, I was watching a Browns vs Ravens game from last year to get a closer look at Ryan's defense and one thing I noticed was that Elam only made 1 'play' although it was just a tackle and not for a loss or anything. When he was ever in on a play it was usually after it was over and was never a deciding part of it.
T.J. Ward was all over the place and really stood out though.
Mason abused Sheldon Brown in that game.
Elam definitely did not impress. On the other side Ed Reed had 2 picks and prob accounted for a big part of the Raven's win.
 
If we are going the cheap route for Safety help give me Manning or Bullitt over Elam.
 
TheFinisher;3980378 said:
If we are going the cheap route for Safety help give me Manning or Bullitt over Elam.

And give me Bullit because he has a cool name.
 
The Emperor;3980374 said:
Isn't Abram Elam the same guy who couldn't make our 2006 team?

Guys can improve in 5 years in the league.

I'm liking the potential of having Elam/Mikell or Manning/Mikell.
 
The Emperor;3980374 said:
Isn't Abram Elam the same guy who couldn't make our 2006 team?

It was a great decision, cut Elam in favor of Keith Davis and Watkins! Two are no longer in the league, one is a highly sought free agent!
 
The Emperor;3980374 said:
Isn't Abram Elam the same guy who couldn't make our 2006 team?
Yes. Turns out he is an average to slightly above average safety. Nothing special.
 
casmith07;3980394 said:
Guys can improve in 5 years in the league.

I'm liking the potential of having Elam/Mikell or Manning/Mikell.

I would rather have Huff/Sensabaugh over both of those.

I guess the thing Elam has going for him is he was part of the Rob Ryan system. But I think that is hardly a reason. He is to Rob Ryan's system what Matt Stewart was to Wade's.
 
The Emperor;3980381 said:
And give me Bullit because he has a cool name.

And I remember that we liked him when he was coming out. A lot of us noticed that at the time, because he wasn't a big internet draft guru name. But he's turned out to be a pretty decent player.
 
Mr Cowboy;3980408 said:
It was a great decision, cut Elam in favor of Keith Davis and Watkins! Two are no longer in the league, one is a highly sought free agent!

Watkins played for san Diego last year. He is still on the league
 
theogt;3980411 said:
Yes. Turns out he is an average to slightly above average safety. Nothing special.

Grass is greener on the .. well you know :D

-Reality
 
Elam is nothing special. To think otherwise is foolish. I would rather have Sensi then Elam. The things we try to cling to when there is no news.....
 
Garrett likes all the things that Elam brings from an intangible stand point, but he also said the player has to have the tangible stuff too. I like Elam, but I don't really think he's all that good.
 
If Elam was worth picking up Cleveland would be keeping him instead of looking to upgrade at safety.
 
Cythim;3980471 said:
If Elam was worth picking up Cleveland would be keeping him instead of looking to upgrade at safety.

The same thing can be said about Sensabaugh.

Elam's a fine option if we end up going that route. He's not ever going to be an all-pro, but he doesn't need to be. On the other hand, he's a guy that knows the defense well already in a shortened off-season, who's available, and who'd likely want to come here. We could do a lot worse.

There are a number of starting-quality safeties soon to be available. It's a good time to be in the market for players at that position, at least.
 
The Emperor;3980429 said:
I would rather have Huff/Sensabaugh over both of those.

I guess the thing Elam has going for him is he was part of the Rob Ryan system. But I think that is hardly a reason. He is to Rob Ryan's system what Matt Stewart was to Wade's.

I would absolutely like to have Huff/Sensabaugh. But everyone seems to think that's not going to happen, so I'm going with alternatives, particulary cap-friendly alternatives with the need to resign Doug Free to a long-term deal.
 
From bloggingtheboys.com,

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2007/9/2/18209/20301

In 2007 the Cowboys cut Elam and Alan Ball to make room to sign Justin Rogers and Evan Oglesby off waivers. They then later re-signed Ball. Ouch. In hindsight, maybe not the best combination of personnel moves.

I'm still a little higher on Elam's possibilities than others here, but I have absolutely no clue what Rob Ryan thinks of him, and that may be the only opinion that matters. Ryan should know his game better than just about anyone, since Elam started for him the past two years.
 
I'd be all for it if he's going to be our SS with Mr. Huff
 

Staff online

Forum statistics

Threads
474,585
Messages
14,546,862
Members
24,212
Latest member
JerryJonesSupporter
Back
Top