If there is a surprise cut, look at the starting safeties

[75boyz]

Everybody loves that WOO! hit.

It used to happen more often with him but age has caught up with him.
I'm talking about Wilson when he used to often be that one tone setting hitter that could fire up the whole defense from the intensity of his hits.
Unfortunately these have been reduced to rare occurences these days.

 

[Mikexike]

Our safety play last season took a big step back:

-Wilson was almost unplayable early in the season. Very undisciplined against the run was a liability in man coverage and missed a ton of tackles.

-Hooker wasn't much better. Him being the free safety, you rarely saw him around the football, seems always a tick slow to react. Like Wilson struggled taking the right angles and tackling in space.

Both players signed big extensions where there is an out in each contract this season. They did resign Bell and Thomas to lower extensions and even spent the most undrafted fa dollars at the position. Both starters aren't locks to remain with the team and are poor fits in Eberflus defensive scheme. This is something to keep our eyes on, perhaps one is used as trade bait.

Definitely a position of need, Wilson needs to pack his bags. His play was unbearable to watch!

 

[blueblood70]

His best asset is his physical presence, but cannot be a liability in coverage and be so reckless against the run looking for that big hit. Hooker offers us very little to nothing, honestly might be the most overpaid starter we have.

Let’s let the new coaching staff decide who’s good and who’s not, who’s over paid and not …I mean it’s coming from a fans perspective don’t mean much you know that right?

I mean you guys are having a discussion about fans act like they have control who’s gonna be on this team next year…..if they remain on the roster it means they don’t think anybody else is good enough to take their jobs,….

I’ll defer to the Brand New defensive coaching staff on who stays and who goes and will just watch her you realize all the other holes on the same they’re trying to fill it might be wise to go with the safeties we have in the next year address the safety position one thing at a time you can’t fill every hole in one off-season with new staff they have to slowly make a slow purge.

 

[Cowboyny]

Let’s let the new coaching staff decide who’s good and who’s not, who’s over paid and not …I mean it’s coming from a fans perspective don’t mean much you know that right?

I mean you guys are having a discussion about fans act like they have control who’s gonna be on this team next year…..if they remain on the roster it means they don’t think anybody else is good enough to take their jobs,….

I’ll defer to the Brand New defensive coaching staff on who stays and who goes and will just watch her you realize all the other holes on the same they’re trying to fill it might be wise to go with the safeties we have in the next year address the safety position one thing at a time you can’t fill every hole in one off-season with new staff they have to slowly make a slow purge.

Certainly they will evaluate what they have before making any changes

 

[xwalker]

Our safety play last season took a big step back:

-Wilson was almost unplayable early in the season. Very undisciplined against the run was a liability in man coverage and missed a ton of tackles.

-Hooker wasn't much better. Him being the free safety, you rarely saw him around the football, seems always a tick slow to react. Like Wilson struggled taking the right angles and tackling in space.

Both players signed big extensions where there is an out in each contract this season. They did resign Bell and Thomas to lower extensions and even spent the most undrafted fa dollars at the position. Both starters aren't locks to remain with the team and are poor fits in Eberflus defensive scheme. This is something to keep our eyes on, perhaps one is used as trade bait.

They have multiple players that could replace Wilson. Bell, Juanyeh Thomas maybe Mukuamu.

Hooker is better than most fans believe. Unless you watch all the games in the All-22 view, it's hard to really judge Free Safeties. If you see the FS in the broadcast video frame, it's often because somebody in front of him failed and he's just doing what he can to minimize the damage.

In run defense, you never want the FS to react too soon or to over-run the play. A few extra yards is better than a huge gain....Last line of defense...

Juanyeh Thomas is the only one I see as a possible option at FS if Hooker is unavailable.

 

[Gambit]

They have multiple players that could replace Wilson. Bell, Juanyeh Thomas maybe Mukuamu.

Hooker is better than most fans believe. Unless you watch all the games in the All-22 view, it's hard to really judge Free Safeties. If you see the FS in the broadcast video frame, it's often because somebody in front of him failed and he's just doing what he can to minimize the damage.

In run defense, you never want the FS to react too soon or to over-run the play. A few extra yards is better than a huge gain....Last line of defense...

Juanyeh Thomas is the only one I see as a possible option at FS if Hooker is unavailable.

Personally, I'd like Juanyeh to get a shot at starting FS. It's a position of need, but other needs took precedence this off season.

IM counting on Eberflus having more input next off-season on that area specifically. Dunno though, It's not a position they value highly.

 

[Cowboyny]

They have multiple players that could replace Wilson. Bell, Juanyeh Thomas maybe Mukuamu.

Hooker is better than most fans believe. Unless you watch all the games in the All-22 view, it's hard to really judge Free Safeties. If you see the FS in the broadcast video frame, it's often because somebody in front of him failed and he's just doing what he can to minimize the damage.

In run defense, you never want the FS to react too soon or to over-run the play. A few extra yards is better than a huge gain....Last line of defense...

Juanyeh Thomas is the only one I see as a possible option at FS if Hooker is unavailable.

Yes Thomas is more of a hybrid where the others are more your box safety types. Actually think Thomas may get a chance to compete to become the nickel corner.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Don't forget Hooker is one of Jerry's prized prospects (former first rounder they got cheap because he couldn't stay healthy) that actually mostly worked, so he'll get plenty of leeway no matter how much he falls off.

 

[J-man]

IMHO, these are good players who got delt a bad hand last season (as did the entire defense) under Zimmer. They either didn't understand his system or they didn't like it. Either way they all played like crap most of the year.
Was that just a learning curve issue with a new system? I hope not since we will see another one again this year.
Or was it something else and we will see a rejuvenated defense? That is my guess, and hope!