Safety: Jeff Heath?

[GoCowboysGo]

Heath is one of the worst players I've seen in a long time. I didn't see a flash, just a player looking at the ball, waiting and still mis-timing his jump. That happened over and over again.

But

His coaches aren't very good, there's no team philosophy/scheme in place. If there is, it changes all the time depending on which team is excelling at the time like the Ravens then the Pats. They never should have played him if he wasn't ready because any hope of him developing would be killed. And making the team on the sole basis of being a good/great ST player is bad too. The team needs every roster spot dedicated to players who play a position, then contribute to STs.

I root for every Cowboys player, but he looks awful to my eyes that have been watching/playing since 1971. Praying he deservedly makes the team!!

 

[Tawney88]

Isn't the safety tandem church and Matt Johnson?

I can't see Johnson making the team again. I'm shocked (although I shouldn't be) he has been on the roster this long.

 

[guag]

Heath and Johnson, starting safeties 2014. Remember I called it.

And Webb and Patmon as starting CBs.

 

[jobberone]

And with more guys added who can develop/play STs, he may not make the team. With how much he played last year he also probably doesn't qualify for the practice squad either.

1. A player is eligible if he does not have an accrued season of NFL experience. Players gain an accrued season by being on the active roster for at least six games.
2. If a player has one accrued season, they can still be practice squad eligible if they were on the 45-man active gameday roster for less than nine regular season games.
3. A player is deemed to have served a season on the practice squad if he remains on the practice squad for at least three weeks. Players are eligible to be on the practice squad for two seasons.
4. Players can be eligible for a third practice squad season if their team maintains no less than 53 players on the active/inactive list at all times.

A bit convoluted.

He appeared in 12 games starting week 3. He played 42 snaps his first three games then had 571 snaps in the next 9 games.

He got thrown into the fire. You don't take guys from Saginaw St and throw them in as a starter. His 3 cone is pretty good so the lateral agility is there. And there's no doubt he has football speed. He can't go to the PS so he'll have to make the team. If there is an injury or two then he might beat out Hamilton.

 

[Tawney88]

And Webb and Patmon as starting CBs.

Shoot me

 

[Mr Cowboy]

The sad part of al thisis that as bad a Heath was last year, Wilcox couln't beat him out when he came back from injury!

 

[jazzcat22]

Heath is one of the worst players I've seen in a long time. I didn't see a flash, just a player looking at the ball, waiting and still mis-timing his jump. That happened over and over again.

But

His coaches aren't very good, there's no team philosophy/scheme in place. If there is, it changes all the time depending on which team is excelling at the time like the Ravens then the Pats. They never should have played him if he wasn't ready because any hope of him developing would be killed. And making the team on the sole basis of being a good/great ST player is bad too. The team needs every roster spot dedicated to players who play a position, then contribute to STs.

I root for every Cowboys player, but he looks awful to my eyes that have been watching/playing since 1971. Praying he deservedly makes the team!!

Coaches, philosophy, not all the reasons.
since 1971, then you remember a guy named Bill Bates?
Made the team many of times for his ST's play. Eventually started, out of neccessity in a way. Too slow, but made some plays. I do remember a game one time, the Cowboys had the game one. They were playing the Commanders. all they needed was to stop a 4th down play. would get the ball back, and run out the clock. And they did stop them, but wait, Bill Bates comes flying in a good 3 seconds after the whistle blows. Unnecessary roughness call, 1st down Commanders, and they go on to score and win.

I cursed him for months after that, thought he was worthless at the time. This was a key game to, but against the Commanders, come on man....
So don't be so critical of Heath yet. Not saying he will be a Bill Bates, but give him a chance, if he doesn't get caught in a numbers game.

 

[gimmesix]

Heath and Johnson, starting safeties 2014. Remember I called it.

Does Church die in this scenario?

I think there's potential with both Heath and Johnson, but I don't see either starting unless Wilcox proves incapable. I do think they can become capable backups.

I've never understood why fans get down on a small-school player whose thrown into the fire like Heath was. The fact that he didn't look totally lost should have us hoping that he develops instead of calling him and bum and trying to run him off.

 

[speedkilz88]

1. A player is eligible if he does not have an accrued season of NFL experience. Players gain an accrued season by being on the active roster for at least six games.
2. If a player has one accrued season, they can still be practice squad eligible if they were on the 45-man active gameday roster for less than nine regular season games.
3. A player is deemed to have served a season on the practice squad if he remains on the practice squad for at least three weeks. Players are eligible to be on the practice squad for two seasons.
4. Players can be eligible for a third practice squad season if their team maintains no less than 53 players on the active/inactive list at all times.

A bit convoluted.

He appeared in 12 games starting week 3. He played 42 snaps his first three games then had 571 snaps in the next 9 games.

He got thrown into the fire. You don't take guys from Saginaw St and throw them in as a starter. His 3 cone is pretty good so the lateral agility is there. And there's no doubt he has football speed. He can't go to the PS so he'll have to make the team. If there is an injury or two then he might beat out Hamilton.

I don't think he can beat out Hamilton who has the cover skills they need. I doubt he can beat out Ryan Smith for that matter. He's a better cover guy too.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Shoot me

Just a couple more weeks. You can make it.

 

[Donny Phoenix]

Good post/perspective on Heath. I had pretty much written him off, but he got some serious OTJ training and probably earned a role on this team. I'm pretty sure all of these players will improve in their second seasons. I think Wilcox has the highest ceiling and will have the biggest jump. Who knows what Matt Johnson is bringing to the table. But even if he makes it thru this training camp and season, can you trust his health after that?

 

[ufcrules1]

Crazy thought that an undrafted safety would look confused or get burnt when starting in the NFL.

Crazy that he would even be starting in the first place. What did we possibly do wrong in the past years to be so thin at safety that we would be starting an undrafted safety in the first place?

 

[ufcrules1]

Good post/perspective on Heath. I had pretty much written him off, but he got some serious OTJ training and probably earned a role on this team. I'm pretty sure all of these players will improve in their second seasons. I think Wilcox has the highest ceiling and will have the biggest jump. Who knows what Matt Johnson is bringing to the table. But even if he makes it thru this training camp and season, can you trust his health after that?

I have high hopes for Wilcox. Even as a rookie he looked solid at times and you can tell he is going to get better. Heath? Get the hell out of here. I hope we never have to see him play again. Hope he gets cut.

 

[guag]

Does Church die in this scenario?

This made me laugh for some reason. I have a dark sense of humor sometimes.

 

[ufcrules1]

Heath and Johnson, starting safeties 2014. Remember I called it.

Make that your signature so we can all remember how crazy that statement.

 

[Tawney88]

Just a couple more weeks. You can make it.

Lol

 

[Denim Chicken]

Make that your signature so we can all remember how crazy that statement.

That is a racist statement!

 

[xwalker]

What can I say about Jeff Heath that hasn't already been said with plenty of profanity all last season and this off-season? Most fans despise him for giving up so many plays when he was right there in position to make the play and didn't. Most fans seem to think he's just a slow, non-athletic JAG who took advantage of a depleted position and held it because the idiot coaches favored him for some reason.

Here's something to consider. Higher draft picks Johnson and Wilcox may have more talent on paper, and everyone is hoping these guys step up to improve what we had with Heath last year. But consider this....Heath isn't a veteran journeyman who has maxed out. He's not a guy that is what he is and you know what you have in him and just want a youngster to do better.

Last season Jeff Heath was an undrafted and underrated rookie free agent out of little Saginaw Valley State, division II. We've had plenty of draft choices over the years about whom we said, "he will need 2-3 years to catch up to the competition. This kid isn't a punk....at his pro day, he ran a 4.40 forty, bench pressed 225 pounds 22 times, had a 37 inch vertical, with 10 and 20 yard splits of 1.59 and 2.7. In high school he kicked a 49 yard FG to win a regional title; in college, he was 2nd team all conference in 2011 and first team in 2012.

In 6 starts for the Cowboys' woeful defense, he had 60 tackles, 6 passes defensed (4th on the team), and led the team with 13 special teams tackles.

Now, did Calvin Johnson and Alshon Jeffries abuse him for highlight reel receptions in close games that we lost, and did Adrienne Peterson run over him for a TD? Yes and Yes. But think about it....those players have done the same thing to pro bowl safeties, and this kid was almost always in the picture, right there, which is why we are so angry with him....he was there and just missed making the plays against the NFL's top players at crunch time. But he was also a rookie from division II who fought off all others to be a starter, and he does have speed and explosiveness as evidenced by his numbers coming out of Saginaw Valley State.

While everyone hopes that other youngsters who were drafted in the 3rd through 5th rounds and shown flashes here and there will get it and blossom as they enter their 2nd, 3rd, or 4th seasons, why not take a kid who played in front of all of them as a rookie who has ability and pull for him to blossom and take what he learned last year and build upon it.

I would love to see Wilcox or Johnson or anyone become a pro bowl caliber safety, but I think we've been a little too hard on this undrafted rookie from division II who actually competed all year as a rookie...we've bashed and ridiculed him just because he was "right there" when big plays were made against him rather than sitting on the sidelines where most rookies from Saginaw Valley State belong.

Jeff Heath just may surprise us all this year. If you aren't surprised at his athletic measurables, especially his forty, bench press, and vertical, then you go to the head of the class.

In the past, I've posted a comparison of the measureables for all of the Safeties on the roster.

Overall, Heath's are the best.

The discussion of Heath is a good example of where fan logic goes off track. People are excited about Hamilton due to a couple of positive comments by Broaddus. Most of the same people hate Heath and want him cut. The coaches decided that Heath was a better option than Hamilton last season and Heath is bigger, stronger and faster. Hamilton had as many or more and bad plays per snap played as Heath. If Hamilton had started instead of Heath then fans would be anxiously awaiting Heath and hating Hamilton.

Better logic would be that either both suck or both have a chance to improve and contribute. Hamilton was originally and SEC player and should havee been ahead of Heath and Wilcox due to SEC coaching and experience. Hamilton only transferred to a small school due to grades.

 

[gimmesix]

I have high hopes for Wilcox. Even as a rookie he looked solid at times and you can tell he is going to get better. Heath? Get the hell out of here. I hope we never have to see him play again. Hope he gets cut.

So you don't think the rookie who kept the other rookie on the bench has any potential to get better, but the guy who was beaten out does?

Your logic is breathtaking to behold.

 

[gimmesix]

In the past, I've posted a comparison of the measureables for all of the Safeties on the roster.

Overall, Heath's are the best.

The discussion of Heath is a good example of where fan logic goes off track. People are excited about Hamilton due to a couple of positive comments by Broaddus. Most of the same people hate Heath and want him cut. The coaches decided that Heath was a better option than Hamilton last season and Heath is bigger, stronger and faster. Hamilton had as many or more and bad plays per snap played as Heath. If Hamilton had started instead of Heath then fans would be anxiously awaiting Heath and hating Hamilton.

Better logic would be that either both suck or both have a chance to improve and contribute. Hamilton was originally and SEC player and should havee been ahead of Heath and Wilcox due to SEC coaching and experience. Hamilton only transferred to a small school due to grades.

People always like the bauble they haven't had a chance to examine much over the one they've inspected closely enough to notice its flaws.

Hamilton had enough that we didn't see to not make the 53. Wilcox had enough that we didn't see to lose out to Heath. Heath had enough that we did see for fans to say get rid of the bum while ignoring the possibility that he could simply prove to be the best of the same bunch this year (whether by default because all of them are flawed or by improvement).