Why not Newman at FS?

[juck]

He is a smart vet. He has lost a step with playing CB but in the FS his coverage would excel. I think he could be a good playmaker roaming. He isnt the toughest guy but FS nowadays is all about coverage for the most part.

 

[superpunk]

Wow now that you mention it this has never been suggested before.

Ever.

I wonder why more teams don't ask themselves this very question.

"You know, player X has been playing corner for 20 years. But he's getting slow, so why don't we switch him to a completely new position this offseason to compensate for him becoming a geriatric? We all know safeties don't need to be fast."

 

[Aven8]

He is a smart vet. He has lost a step with playing CB but in the FS his coverage would excel. I think he could be a good playmaker roaming. He isnt the toughest guy but FS nowadays is all about coverage for the most part.

Ask Hos about this one. That's his project this offseason.

 

[juck]

Wow now that you mention it this has never been suggested before.

Ever.

I wonder why more teams don't ask themselves this very question.

"You know, player X has been playing corner for 20 years. But he's getting slow, so why don't we switch him to a completely new position this offseason to compensate for him becoming a geriatric? We all know safeties don't need to be fast."

Less man coverage. All ballhawking skills,that 41 has.He has speed just not man to man lateral speed as much anymore.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

He is a smart vet. He has lost a step with playing CB but in the FS his coverage would excel. I think he could be a good playmaker roaming. He isnt the toughest guy but FS nowadays is all about coverage for the most part.

Newman gets banged up too often playing the CB position.

Safety is a more physical position by nature and i don't think you want to see Newman trying to run support up near the LOS. It wouldn't be pretty.

 

[RoyTheHammer]

Less man coverage. All ballhawking skills,that 41 has.He has speed just not man to man lateral speed as much anymore.

Newman has never been considered a ballhawk. His ball skills are questionable, and he did considerably worse when we moved to zone last year than he did in man to man.

He's not a safety.

 

[CATCH17]

Newman will make it about 2 quarters before he gets hurt as a safety.

If we were playing flag football id be all for it though.

 

[bbgun]

Too short.

 

[CF74]

Nah Ball is a total stud...

 

[Hostile]

Not a doubt in my mind he can make this transition. He plays much better facing the ball and is a sure tackler.

 

[JohnsKey19]

Newman doesn't seem comfortable at all when playing zone. Better than Jenkins but definitely not his strong suit...

 

[baj1dallas]

Newman has never been considered a ballhawk. His ball skills are questionable, and he did considerably worse when we moved to zone last year than he did in man to man.

He's not a safety.

I agree. I'd rather see him in the nickel corner role than as a FS. I bet he could still run a pretty fast straight line 40 if he tried but I've never seen him as the type that would make a good FS. He's a good tackler for a CB, but not as a FS, and I don't think he has great range either.

 

[reddyuta]

I really dont Newman will agree to this.Why would he be willing to play a position where he has more chance of getting hurt?

 

[YosemiteSam]

Too short.

Nahh, too fat.

 

[xout]

I'd keep Ball or start AOA before I;d put TNew back there.

TNew needs to be our nickel/situational CB.

 

[Jenky]

For the love of God, please no more CB to FS projects. Draft a real safety please. I don't feel like wasting another season wondering if player x can make the transition to position z.

 

[Rack]

Not a doubt in my mind he can make this transition. He plays much better facing the ball and is a sure tackler.

Couldn't disagree more.

 

[JBS]

This is just my opinion and I could be totally wrong

Newman doesn't have the instincts to play safety. He is an absolute tachtician at CB and that is why he excels there. This doesn't even take into account the fact that he is too fragile to play the position or the fact that his run support would be lackluster. Again, just my 2cents.

 

[iceberg]

Nahh, too fat.

leave me out of this.

 

[Jongb35]

Not a doubt in my mind he can make this transition. He plays much better facing the ball and is a sure tackler.

Agree with Hos here. Newman's kryptonite has long been his ball skills, but particularly when in man coverage. When his back is turned to the quarterback, he has difficulty turning, locating the ball, and maintaining his position enough to make a play on it.

I understand the durability concerns, but as a FS, Newman wouldn't really be asked to do more "hard-hitting" than at cornerback. It isn't like he'd be replacing Sensabaugh or playing LB guys. Newman is far superior to Ball as an open-field tackler, and his coverage ability isn't even comparable.

In Cover 1 (where the FS is free to roam), I think Newman would excel with his eyes on the QB as opposed to a WR.