The NFL evolves all the time. Occasionally it will run in cycles where something from the past comes back, and then it goes away again gradually. Like the 46 Defense. It was huge, then defunct, now it is returning in bits and pieces and will likely fade away again. We'll see the same with the Wildcat Offenses.
We've all noted that Fullback is a position in the NFL just isn't the same as it used to be. There are very few Moose Johnston's anymore. Lorenzo Neal had as much to do with LaDanian Tomlinson's success as Moose did for Emmitt, but FBs like that are not high on priority lists much any more.
Safeties are the Defensive equivalent. They are going to gradually fade from importance. Mainly because very few of them can cover like a CB and many of them are going to follow the path of Rod Woodson from CB to Safety.
That is why I really wasn't upset when Antrel Rolle signed in New York with the Giants. Like Woodson, he is a CB who has moved to Safety. The money he commanded is the number one reason why I am not upset we missed out on him. I feel like we could move Terence Newman to Safety just like we have Alan Ball and be fine. Scandrick is more than capable of being a starting LCB.
That is also why I am not all that high on Bethea, or Atogwe, or any other option where we have to pay a team. The Cardinals got a great deal on Kerry Rhodes. I doubt you will see a huge drop off in production from Rolle to Rhodes for them. So they ended up with a bargain. Yet I still wouldn't want to pay the prices they did.
It is also why I don't want to pay the price of a Safety with our 1st or 2nd round pick. Not even for Earl Thomas if he is there. I just see it as an unnecessary luxury anymore. It is rare to find an Ed Reed or a Troy Palumalu and Earl Thomas may be that rare breed, but relying on them to stay healthy because the drop off if they don't is so severe that it just doesn't make it seem worthwhile.
Pass Offenses have become so sophisticated that coverage skills outweigh tackling skills at Safety. That is why a phenomenal athlete like Taylor Mays is being looked at more as a LB. That is why a Roy Williams could go from difference maker to liability in such a shirt time. The position is evolving and teams have to evolve with it.
I think you will see a time coming where teams play with only one Safety, who acts like a Center Fielder looking to cover to either side and the middle. You hardly even see Safety blitzes any more, but Corner blitzes still get called.
Dallas wanted to be ahead of this curve when they talked about using Scandrick in the "Star" position. In reality this was merely a recycling of the way Tom Landry used to use Cornell Green. Cornell remains one of the more under appreciated unsung heroes in the History of our team. He was a tremendous difference maker for a long time. I believe Newman, Ball or Scandrick could handle that role just fine if need be.
When Ball got drafted he weighed 172 pounds. I doubt he is 6 feet tall. I remember joking that he needed to step away from the salad bar. I doubt that today he is pushing 200. Yet he played Safety for us in 2009 and did a fairly good job of it. Why? Because his coverage skills as a CB benefited the way the NFL is evolving.
For this reason, I put more importance on CB in the 2010 Draft than I would Safety. Yeah, I'd take Earl Thomas if he falls to us. You don't pass on rare ability. But I don't think Safety is as big a need as people assume. Coverage ability is, which is why I think we will keep Sensabaugh ultimately but might let Ken Hamlin go.
If we want more INTs, and I think we all do, there are two ways that will happen. More pressure, and I think that arrives with a healthy Ware and a ready Spencer, and better coverage.
