2014 Offseason: Safeties
Posted: Thu Mar 6, 2014 3:34 pm
This kinda goes hand in hand with the corners. Our secondary is an absolute mess. Skins can do one of a few things:
1) Sign a top corner, and have a trio of Talib/Hall/Amerson.
2) Sign a 2nd or 3rd tier corner, move Amerson into the starting slot, and sign a big money free agent safety.
The current depth chart sits like this:
Strong safety:
Baccari Rambo
Phillip Thomas
Jose Gumbs
Free safety:
?
I would bring back Reed Doughty since he's good in run support, but I would definitely take Option 2 and sign a money safety. Jarius Byrd and TJ Ward are the two high profile guys at that position. If you sign Byrd, he becomes your immediate starter, same with Ward but Ward plays at strong safety.
Other options: Malcolm Jenkins, still young, a free safety and won't command as much money as Ward or Byrd.
Donte Whitner is another option, but he's creeping near 30 so it makes me wonder how much he still has left in the tank.
Louis Delmas was recently released by the Lions, has some injury issues but I'd take a look. Would probably come in on the cheap.
Antoine Bethea from the Colts. He's a Howard grad IIRC, but he is also 30 years old. Maybe a 2-3 year deal, no more than that.
Chris Clemons from the Dolphins is another guy, probably would come in on a one or two year deal.
Draft wise? Ha Ha Clinton Dix is the top free safety on the board, but there's no way he'll be around in the 2nd round.
Calvin Pryor is another guy to keep an eye on, free safety out of Louisville, but again, he could be gone by the time we pick in the 2nd round.
Other safeties seem to have their flaws, and could go anywhere from rounds 3-6. I don't think the Skins will draft another safety unless it's Dix or Pryor, considering Thomas and Rambo were drafted last year. It's in the team's best interest to absolutely hit on a top free agent safety and go from there.
And bring back Doughty too! Underrated in run support, and a good teams player.
1) Sign a top corner, and have a trio of Talib/Hall/Amerson.
2) Sign a 2nd or 3rd tier corner, move Amerson into the starting slot, and sign a big money free agent safety.
The current depth chart sits like this:
Strong safety:
Baccari Rambo
Phillip Thomas
Jose Gumbs
Free safety:
?
I would bring back Reed Doughty since he's good in run support, but I would definitely take Option 2 and sign a money safety. Jarius Byrd and TJ Ward are the two high profile guys at that position. If you sign Byrd, he becomes your immediate starter, same with Ward but Ward plays at strong safety.
Other options: Malcolm Jenkins, still young, a free safety and won't command as much money as Ward or Byrd.
Donte Whitner is another option, but he's creeping near 30 so it makes me wonder how much he still has left in the tank.
Louis Delmas was recently released by the Lions, has some injury issues but I'd take a look. Would probably come in on the cheap.
Antoine Bethea from the Colts. He's a Howard grad IIRC, but he is also 30 years old. Maybe a 2-3 year deal, no more than that.
Chris Clemons from the Dolphins is another guy, probably would come in on a one or two year deal.
Draft wise? Ha Ha Clinton Dix is the top free safety on the board, but there's no way he'll be around in the 2nd round.
Calvin Pryor is another guy to keep an eye on, free safety out of Louisville, but again, he could be gone by the time we pick in the 2nd round.
Other safeties seem to have their flaws, and could go anywhere from rounds 3-6. I don't think the Skins will draft another safety unless it's Dix or Pryor, considering Thomas and Rambo were drafted last year. It's in the team's best interest to absolutely hit on a top free agent safety and go from there.
And bring back Doughty too! Underrated in run support, and a good teams player.