What do you guys make of Church?

[ABQCOWBOY]

From what I can see, and what I hear, which granted can be suspect, we're not really running the pure Tampa 2. Monte is using more man coverage principles. I also remember him saying after he was hired, that he wanted his players to start watching film of the Seahawks, I presume with the intent of playing more their style of defense. Not sure if that's what's actually happening, but that's what I gather.

We started with that intent and I believe we quickly realized that we did not have the personnel. I mean, it doesn't really matter if we run it 50/50 or even 40/60. Any time we are in that coverage, we are at a disadvantage in our Safety play IMO.

 

[SportsGuru80]

I think he's playing good football... You don't get the pressure up front any secondary would average.

 

[XxTDxX]

Great tackler, great in run support.. Would be great if we had a rangy playmaking type safety to compliment him but we don't.

 

[hra8700]

He's the lowest level acceptable for a starting safety (you don't desperately need to upgrade, and you can live with it if the rest of the secondary is good). People throw out the word "average" too often. An average starter in this league is very good.

 

[supercowboy8]

I think Church is a SS playing out of position at FS. I think in this tampa 2 defense Church could play WOLB and Carter would be better on the strong side. But that just IMO. This defense needs a roaming fast great cover FS like a Eric Berry, Jarius Byrd, Earl Thomas type.

 

[blackbull]

I laugh at the church haters. ESP ones saying his type becoming extinct. Like Chancellor isn't a part of the best secondary in the nfl. Ugh

 

[mahoneybill]

I don't disagree. Its hard to say anything good about this secondary. But while we shouldn't give them any excuses, I do think we need to look back at last season and ask ourselves was the secondary this bad? Scandrick is probably the only guy playing better this year than he did last year but you could argue he's playing just as well as he did last year. At some point you do have to ask yourself is your coaches putting their players in the best position to succeed. IF you feel they are then some of these guys do need to be replaced. Which is a shame because we just gave Carr and Church long-term deals and we still have Claiborne for awhile on his rookie deal.

To me scandrick, minus some of his blatant jersey grab holds is playing very well.

 

[KingintheNorth]

He's good coming forward and awful going backwards. Today's NFL is a passing game. He could play in a 4-2-5 scheme but that's about it. Not a fan.

 

[Cowboys606]

I thank he would be better at linebacker

 

[cowboys1981]

Church would be better suited as a LB on the weak side. This would solidify our LB corps and having Church and Lee plugging holes would make it virtually impossible to sustain a good rushing attack.

Of course we would need to address a safety and I believe someone like Dion Bailey (USC) would compliment Wilcox well in the back end. He has range for coverage and is the "ball hawk" we've been wanting.

 

[supercowboy8]

I think he can be like a Kam Chancellor, who's primarily a box safety and big hitter type. They both have 40's in 4.6-4.7 range. Problem is, we need an Earl Thomas to go along with him, so he can stay in the box, and not have to play deep. I think that's the reasoning behind drafting Johnson and Wilcox, and picking up Allen, but since they can't stay healthy (or just aren't good enough), we end up putting Church back there, with mixed results.

Personally, I think he can be a great box safety, but we need to have others around him like the Seahawks do, or move to more of a 4-2-5 system like the Giants have used.

Then he needs to play SS like chancellor and needs a earl Thomas next to him

 

[supercowboy8]

Church would be better suited as a LB on the weak side. This would solidify our LB corps and having Church and Lee plugging holes would make it virtually impossible to sustain a good rushing attack.

Of course we would need to address a safety and I believe someone like Dion Bailey (USC) would compliment Wilcox well in the back end. He has range for coverage and is the "ball hawk" we've been wanting.

I agree with all the above

 

[Picksix]

Then he needs to play SS like chancellor and needs a earl Thomas next to him

We'll see if a guy like Clinton-Dix is available, and if he is, whether we pull the trigger on him.

 

[supercowboy8]

We'll see if a guy like Clinton-Dix is available, and if he is, whether we pull the trigger on him.

No thanks. Bama players are over rated. Just a great college team. Most players don't transition well. Clinton Dix isn't a earl Thomas type any ways.

 

[ak47kaehu]

Good tackler, average in coverage. He's doing his job.

 

[Picksix]

No thanks. Bama players are over rated. Just a great college team. Most players don't transition well. Clinton Dix isn't a earl Thomas type any ways.

I hear you about Bama players. So is there someone coming out in the draft who might fit that description? Maybe the Reynolds kid from Stanford, or the Bailey kid from USC?

 

[dart]

Not A fan at all -gawd I hope they draft a real FS

 

[speedkilz88]

Then he needs to play SS like chancellor and needs a earl Thomas next to him

Right, just think how bad Chancellor would look if he were asked to take on Earl Thomas' duties for the Seahawks defense.

 

[Chuck 54]

Average to below average safety....not the biggest problem....certainly not the answer.

Would he start on other NFL teams? In my opinion, very few.

 

[KDM256]

I don't think Church is a Pro Bowl Safety but I also don't think he's the weak link on Dallas defense either.. Church has had its ups & down this season just like the rest of his teammates but Church isn't at the top of my pecking order of guys i feel like we need to replace during the offseason.