Rookie: Courtney Brown Gets A Look at FS

[ThreeSportStar80]

July 25, 2007
Although he was drafted as a cornerback, rookie Courtney Brown is getting some looks at free safety, head coach Wade Phillips said Wednesday. Brown, a seventh-round pick from Cal-Poly who signed officially signed his contract before the first team practice, had eight interceptions the last two years, including seven as a junior. The Cowboys have some depth at both positions, but cornerback seems more crowded with players such as Nate Jones, Jacques Reeves, Joey Thomas, Quincy Butler and rookie Alan Ball all battling for the final two or three roster spots.





http://dallascowboys.com/team_playerTracker.cfm?positionGroup=Defensive%20Backs

I was hoping to see him challenge at CB.

 

[Hostile]

Versatility is good. I still think he'll be more CB than FS, but if he can do both he has more value.

 

[dargonking999]

Yea i think its more value to keep him on the roster.

a CB/S well make the team before a pure CB, unless that CB was head and shoulders above the CB/S

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Versatility is good. I still think he'll be more CB than FS, but if he can do both he has more value.

I agree that versatlity is great just never thought about him playing FS.

 

[sbark]

add in hopefully a special teams playa'...........and he works toward a roster spot........

gonna need a couple players like this in order to keep 2 kickers, OL etc

 

[theogt]

I think Courtney's making the roster. They're trying to see if they can take him on game day to be the 4th CB/4th safety.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Hmm.

Didn't someone post Brown's workout numbers, and while his size and speed are excellent, his shuttle and/or cone drill was below average? Maybe he doesn't have the agility to play corner in the NFL.

Which doesn't matter... If he's a better FS, fine. Lord knows we've been hurting there forever, and I'd love to have an athlete like that back deep. The Phillips 34 needs a true centerfielder type more than the cover-2 did.

On a related note... Didn't I see today that Glenn and Quincy Butler were the second-team corners? What happened to Reeves?

 

[theogt]

Hmm.

Didn't someone post Brown's workout numbers, and while his size and speed are excellent, his shuttle and/or cone drill was below average? Maybe he doesn't have the agility to play corner in the NFL.

Which doesn't matter... If he's a better FS, fine. Lord knows we've been hurting there forever, and I'd love to have an athlete like that back deep. The Phillips 34 needs a true centerfielder type more than the cover-2 did.

On a related note... Didn't I see today that Glenn and Quincy Butler were the second-team corners? What happened to Reeves?

20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.07
3-Cone Drill: 7.10

Those are pretty good. But his other numbers are ridiculous. I'm talking on par with Newman ridiculous.

 

[03EBZ06]

Hmmm, interesting, didn't see that coming but if WP feels that is where Brown will be at best so be it.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Maybe it also helps that Brown is a smart guy (or at least I assume he is getting an engineering degree)... Maybe they want to train someone else to be that "Qb of the defense" that Wade has talked about being so important.

 

[theogt]

Maybe it also helps that Brown is a smart guy (or at least I assume he is getting an engineering degree)... Maybe they want to train someone else to be that "Qb of the defense" that Wade has talked about being so important.

Here's another theory:

I think Courtney's making the roster. They're trying to see if they can take him on game day to be the 4th CB/4th safety.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Well of course...

Or maybe he just can't hang with THE Alan Ball.

 

[Zaxor]

I like it ... I really do. In todays pass happy NFL you really do need 3 corners on the field at all times but you also need one of them that can play like a safety for the modern TE...

I really hope he can pull this off.

 

[sago1]

It's funny though that on his first day in TC (and with no opportunity participate in OTAs cause he had to stay at school until he took his exams) that Phillips (unlike Parcells who preferred not move rookies around in their first year) moves Brown. I'm inclined to go with the idea we also want him as an option at FS. We need also remember that Reeves & maybe Jones also spent quite a bit of time learning FS position. Although Phillips was quoted as saying he was surprised/pleased? by the play of both Reeves & Jones, the Cowboys didn't think enough of either to give them any more then the minimum tender to re-sign him unlike Crayton.

 

[big dog cowboy]

The Cowboys have some depth at both positions, but cornerback seems more crowded with players such as Nate Jones, Jacques Reeves, Joey Thomas, Quincy Butler and rookie Alan Ball all battling for the final two or three roster spots.

Don't confuse "crowded" for "quality". There is a big difference.

 

[CrazyCowboy]

With his reported speed, this could be a smart move

 

[burmafrd]

You never know in what position a guy will erupt. Keith Davis must be getting worried.

 

[cowboyjoe]

I think like geot, they are seeing first if he can play fs with his speeed, with the type of defense we are going to run, we need a guy back there that can really run, is super fast, we havent had a fs with that kind of speed since cliff harris,

now before you jump all over me, i loved darren woodson, he is my 4th favorite player in 90's after troy aikman, emmitt smith, michael irwin, then darren woodson as players that the cowboys drafted in that era, woodson was about 6-2 225 with 4.45 in 40,

brown is 6-1 1/2 205 or so, with 4.38 in 40, thats real good speed for a fs if he can play it

i still have hopes for pat watkins at 6-4 1/2, about 212 with 4.48 in 40.

but as your fourth or fifth player to take to the game that can play fs and cb in a pinch, then that probably moves out reeves and nate jones, nate jones i never have really been overly fond of, reeves i liked, but to me jones never has really done anything

keith davis wil be kept as backup ss and on special teams, im pretty sure, we need some good special teams guys now that we lost fowler on special teams, and also they said keith davis had one of the best camps he ever had in secondary, in coverage too,

just my opinion for what its worth,

 

[03EBZ06]

You never know in what position a guy will erupt. Keith Davis must be getting worried.

I think K. Davis' days are numbered. Noway he is FS and he should never been inserted as a FS by BP, that guys was totally lost at that position. He is a marginal player as SS, does hit hard when he isn't tackling air, which he tends to do more than the opposing players. His ST play wasn't all that significant so unless he shows vast improvement, I could see him getting cut.

 

[Hailmary]

If Brown can transition to FS, I hope they experiment w/ Watkins at WR. I'm starting to think a 6'5 safety is a rarity for a reason.

I'm also not a huge Keith Davis fan and wouldn't mind seeing Elam win the job over him.