We've been developing Thomas and Bell a few years now for both. If I'm not mistaken, they came in the same year. I've liked Thomas since they signed him UDFA. Good player that didn't cost a whole lot because he played on teams while they developed him.Eberflus scheme calls for basically two, coverage free safeties that possess good range and strong reaction skills. Wilson is more of your traditional box safety that struggles in coverage. Hooker just never around the football as his reaction skills are very limited.
For what they are paying both to be, they are going to need better production to justify their cost. I really don't think there would be a big drop off from them and their backups who make a fraction of their cost.
Heath had some good games, but some bad ones too.I miss the GOAT Jeff Heath
Williams should have been a LB, imo.When his back is turned to the QB, he is as bad as Roy Williams was in coverage.
Agree. I think they fit the scheme but shouldn’t be worse be upgraded when you canThese safeties support the changes in the current scheme well. Upgrade individually from there.
I just don't see it. You've got to have depth and we've essentially got four safeties who can play. Mukuamu has never shown that he can be a starting safety.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.
And we should do that next season. We can't do it now. All I want is an open competition where if Bell and Thomas are better, then they get the majority of the playing time.They did show interest with the Texas Safety so that could be a tell that they want to upgrade the position.
Who you going to play at safety if Bell gets hurt again? What about Thomas, he's missed some time, too? You really want to put Mukuamu out there if there's an injury?Not sure they would overhaul the position, but dealing one away would make sense, perhaps for a position of need to a team needing a safety
Oh? Then what?I hope they cut Hooker and Wilson
They did use their most undrafted fa dollars on a safety, that usually means he has a very good chance of making the roster. As you mentioned you still have Muku as well, if they would release or trade a starting safety still would have the necessary depth at the position. I am not sold on either starter, they have to prove they are the best options in camp to keep their starting jobs.Who you going to play at safety if Bell gets hurt again? What about Thomas, he's missed some time, too? You really want to put Mukuamu out there if there's an injury?
I'm for mix and match at safety, so the more we have who can play, the better we can do that. And then if we have an injury, we don't have a steep fall-off.
I think the days of playing a safety at linebacker left as soon as Quinn departed in any capacity.And we should do that next season. We can't do it now. All I want is an open competition where if Bell and Thomas are better, then they get the majority of the playing time.
Even if that happens, I think we'd still use Wilson as a dime linebacker or move Bell there and put Hooker in.
I disagree on the depth as I view Wilson/Hooker as marginal starters that are easily replaced. Eberflus is going to be playing a ton of split safety looks, that isn't a strength of Donovan Wilson who is best inside the box. Even is zone coverage Wilson remains a liability. Hooker just is very slow to react and rarely around the football.I just don't see it. You've got to have depth and we've essentially got four safeties who can play. Mukuamu has never shown that he can be a starting safety.
This seems a lot like fans saying watch out for DJ Reader to be traded from Detroit because the Lions have three other quality defensive tackles.
Teams carry at least four at both those positions, so why would you want to unnecessarily weaken your depth? The return would have to make it worthwhile and I just don't see us getting much in return.
It also makes no sense financially to cut Hooker since it costs us $7.7 million to keep him and $9.5 million to cut him. An argument could be made for cutting Wilson if he falls to a backup role because it would save $5 million, but again, you end up with no depth in case of injury. There will be times we'll have three (possibly even four) safeties on the field together, so don't go throwing out our depth.
Once Giants/Shockey exposed him in coverage, his career was over!Williams should have been a LB, imo.
But I really did like the hit he put on Emmitt.
Thomas is our only true hybrid safety on the roster, can play either spot and has legitimate coverage abilities. If given a legitimate chance, I think he wins a starting job. Even view him as a possible slot corner in this defense.We've been developing Thomas and Bell a few years now for both. If I'm not mistaken, they came in the same year. I've liked Thomas since they signed him UDFA. Good player that didn't cost a whole lot because he played on teams while they developed him.
I suspect a lot are going to disagree with this, but I totally agree with you. Neither is worth anywhere near their cap hit and that's what it comes down to. The NFL is about constantly trying to upgrade your talent. For a couple years now the warts have been showing and that is an issue when you carry a big cap hit. We should have been looking at signing a safety and paying for it by cutting our guys. Wilson post 6/1 cut saves $7M this year. Hooker doesn't save money this year (we don't need it this year) but saves you his $9M cap hit next year.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.
In my opinion, there are both marginal starters where their loss production can be replaced.I suspect a lot are going to disagree with this, but I totally agree with you. Neither is worth anywhere near their cap hit and that's what it comes down to. The NFL is about constantly trying to upgrade your talent. For a couple years now the warts have been showing and that is an issue when you carry a big cap hit. We should have been looking at signing a safety and paying for it by cutting our guys. Wilson post 6/1 cut saves $7M this year. Hooker doesn't save money this year (we don't need it this year) but saves you his $9M cap hit next year.
Our backups better get more snaps this year. The idea of Wilson playing in any pure passing situation is mind boggling to me. Run downs? Sure. Then get his butt off the field.
If someone steps up and outplays them, I'd be fine with it, but I think that's wishful thinking. Right now, Hooker and Wilson are clearly among our top four safeties.They did use their most undrafted fa dollars on a safety, that usually means he has a very good chance of making the roster. As you mentioned you still have Muku as well, if they would release or trade a starting safety still would have the necessary depth at the position. I am not sold on either starter, they have to prove they are the best options in camp to keep their starting jobs.
In my opinion, safety is a very sneaky need next offseason.
It isn't just Quinn. Most teams play a safety as one of its two linebackers in certain looks where a pass is probable. The problem we had under Quinn is that we ended up playing a safety at linebacker in every situation after we lost LVE to injury.I think the days of playing a safety at linebacker left as soon as Quinn departed in any capacity.