Chidobe Awuzie: What would be your plan

[big dog cowboy]

Long term extension.

 

[Aven8]

As of today he’s still our best corner. Yes better than Lewis even. I’m hoping the two corners we drafted play a lot but corners are tricky. Doesn’t matter which round etc, but if they can play.

 

[fivetwos]

I think it's more than likely that he won't return. But I don't agree that there is no chance he doesn't come back.

Not sure where that says no chance, but I'll go ahead and raise you to that.

He isnt what they want at corner, and he isnt a safety on a good team.

 

[Vanilla2]

How’s his bend? I see 15+ sacks

 

[bdk76]

Watch tape of Awuzie playing the nickle while at Colorado and you'll say to yourself...why the hell did we move him outside? He gets a bad rap here but Richard basically had him covering half the field by himself. Just watch some all 22 tape. I expect him to be mostly in the slot this year. His tackling and blitzing is far superior to Browns.

 

[cowboyec]

Lewis is a better outside corner then Brown though. But if we are talking just slot I'm not taking Lewis over Brown.

With Awuzie I think he will move around in different positions in the secondary.

As far as starting corners, it's Diggs and Worley...... in my opinion. Robinson I think can become the starter or contribute in a big way by midseason. He is going to surprise. If you watch his film, Robinson would press man all game long with no help over the top and would draw the other teams best receivers. He would shut down whatever side he was on.

with Robinson he is also tremendous on spec teams.

 

[darthseinfeld]

For guys like Awuzie and his career so far, its 70% chance he is going somewhere else.

If he has a great year, someone will offer him big money. If he has a similar year, he wont be worth what others will offer him. And if we switch him to safety in his contract year he will probably be pissed and wont resign.

For me, what happens with Awuzie would depend on how good the other corners are. If the rookies really impress then I possibly look to move him to safety.

In all honesty, I think the best play is to start him this year opposite Diggs and allow our other rookie a year to develop.

I think he is an average #2 CB, which is kind of an awkward place value wise. Puts you somewhere top 40-55 CB's. How valuable is that to you contract wise?

 

[DuncanIso]

There has been alot of speculation about Awuzie since the draft and post draft, where we have added 3 CB's. Coupled that with the talk of playing CB's at Safety, and its left alot of us wondering what the plan with Awuzie is.

What would your plan for Awuzie be, both now and for the future?

he’s our best corner.

no one else is even close.

 

[Typhus]

I think he is an average #2 CB, which is kind of an awkward place value wise. Puts you somewhere top 40-55 CB's. How valuable is that to you contract wise?

Extremely hard to evaluate considering the over all state of the defense since he was drafted.
I wouldn't be in a big hurry to move on from him, but a smart HC and staff can sometimes catch an underperforming talent at the right time and extend a contract on the cheap.
Make no mistake, good DBs in this league are not easy to find.

 

[Bullflop]

I'd leave him at corner and permit him to see whether or not our better coaching and more experience allows him to shine. If favorable results aren't seen halfway through the season, a move to safety might be considered. The defensive staff will surely decide what's best for him. I seriously doubt he was afforded enough deep safety help by the previous regime. I think he's a better CB than some here gave him credit for.

 

[Typhus]

I'd leave him at corner and permit him to see whether or not our better coaching and more experience allows him to shine. If favorable results aren't seen halfway through the season, a move to safety might be considered. The defensive staff will surely decide what's best for him. I seriously doubt he was given enough deep safety help by the previous regime. I think he's a better CB than many here gave him credit for.

Honestly, and I don't care what anyone thinks about my opinions, but I believe in Awuzie, there is just too much raw talent left that hasn't even been shown yet, extracted.
A lot of meat left on the bone with this one,, poor coaching and sub par safeties and supporting cast can blind a lot of evaluations based solely on numbers, and why stats are totally useless in evaluation.

 

[Bullflop]

Honestly, and I don't care what anyone thinks about my opinions, but I believe in Awuzie, there is just too much raw talent left that hasn't even been shown yet, extracted.
A lot of meat left on the bone with this one,, poor coaching and sub par safeties and supporting cast can blind a lot of evaluations based solely on numbers, and why stats are totally useless in evaluation.

I agree totally. He was hung out to dry by the previous staff and not afforded good safety support. No CB is likely to be successful in that scenario. I'm optimistic the new defensive personnel will serve him far better than the previous one. A better pass rush will very likely help his cause, also.

 

[Typhus]

I agree wholeheartedly. He was hung out to dry by the previous staff and not afforded deep safety support. No CB is likely to be successful in that situation. I'm optimistic the new defensive personnel will serve him much better than the previous one. A better pass rush will most likely help his cause, also.

If this FO truly believes in the new administration, MM and staff,, extend his contract now.
Might sound pre mature crazy, but as everyone witnessed with the Dak ordeal, well managed caps cut deals when the time is right... just saying.

 

[Bullflop]

If this FO truly believes in the new administration, MM and staff,, extend his contract now.
Might sound pre mature crazy, but as everyone witnessed with the Dak ordeal, well managed caps cut deals when the time is right... just saying.

The previous defensive staff was a joke that should have been corrected long before the current staff was hired. Awuzie is and has been as capable as any we've had but was left to make the best of subpar conditions in the defensive backfield. Sufficient safety help was non-existent. I wouldn't hesitate to give him an extension. I expect the current defensive staff to make life much easier for him.

 

[DanA]

I'd hope to use him as a nickel corner/safety but to do that we need guys to step up as outside corners.

 

[Typhus]

The previous defensive staff was a joke that should have been corrected long before the current staff was hired. Awuzie is and has been as capable as any we've had but was left to make the best of subpar conditions in the defensive backfield. Sufficient safety help was non-existent. I wouldn't hesitate to give him an extension. I expect the current defensive staff to make life much easier for him.

Would have been a difficult situation for most top 5 CBs in the league on this defense.
How long has the fan base wondered why our CBs have limited to minimal interceptions?
Cant turn your back on the WR if you have zero safety support, minimal pass rush.

 

[Bullflop]

I'd hope to use him as a nickel corner/safety but to do that we need guys to step up as outside corners.

I think Secondary Coach Linquist will probably know what to do with him. It remains to be seen what they'll decide.

I'd leave him on the outside for now. The previous staff didn't make the most of his talent by not helping his cause.

 

[Cowboyny]

There has been alot of speculation about Awuzie since the draft and post draft, where we have added 3 CB's. Coupled that with the talk of playing CB's at Safety, and its left alot of us wondering what the plan with Awuzie is.

What would your plan for Awuzie be, both now and for the future?

-This season what I gather is, Awuzie will be on the field 100% of the defensive snaps. He is still going to be our starting CB in the base, but moved more inside against the pass, which will play more to his strengths. I envision a similar role like Charles Woodson had with the Packers.

-The team is in the nickel 70% of the time, so another outside CB will need to replace Awuzie on the outside, my guess will be one out of the group of Diggs, Worley, Brown. I do not envision Lewis playing on the outside, unless the team is hit hard with injury.

-In my opinion, Awuzie is the best of all the 2021 DB Fa's on the roster. Him returning will be based on his production, but more importantly his cost. We could very well be going into next off-season needing another high level CB, no matter the development of Diggs/Robinson as they need several quality corners.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I believe in Awuzie, there is just too much raw talent left that hasn't even been shown yet, extracted.
A lot of meat left on the bone with this one,, poor coaching and sub par safeties and supporting cast can blind a lot of evaluations based solely on numbers, and why stats are totally useless in evaluation.

Good evaluation!

 

[jterrell]

It's going to be a new system so my plan would be to see everyone in it and then adjust accordingly.

Byron was a very mid CB that was wasted in a cover 2 shell defense. He made no plays so they moved him to safety where he would take away half the field deep then could flow to the ball.
It was a waste but better use than zone CB.

System changed and he became an elite Cover1/3 CB who was flawless in that technique and took away the outside WR on his side.

Chido is a physical guy that will play aggressive until flagged. Once flagged he tends to play less aggressively.
I feel like if he were coached by Belichick he'd be an All-Pro.
He'd teach Chido to keep playing that way play after play and force the ref to keep making the call.

CBs aren't going to play perfectly. Too much working against them. They gotta decide what to live with and max out the things they can.