Seahawks Roster Analysis: Secondary
by John Morgan on May 13, 2010 2:17 PM PDT
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This is the unit to be excited about, that can turn around the season and turn this team into a good-breaks contender. Seattle hasn't had a secondary with this kind of potential, well, ever. Kenny Easley and Dave Brown could ballhawk, but there wasn't one through five potential. No, this is a deep, well-rounded and exciting collection of mostly young talent. There will be some feast and some famine. This is an aggressive bunch that will jump routes, get beat and pick-six like you wouldn't believe. Facing a stronger schedule of signal callers, it might look green. Facing Sam Bradford, Matt Leinart, Alex Smith, Denver Quarterback, Jay Cutler, Jason Campbell, Eli Manning, Matt Ryan, Josh Freeman and Carolina Quarterback, it could lead the league in interceptions, return yards and return touchdowns.
No joke.
LCB
Starter: Marcus Trufant
In the mix: Walter Thurmond, Kelly Jennings
Tru couldn't flip his hips and run like classic Trufant and so he attempted a little veteran savvy, got called, got a reputation for pass interference and became one of the worst starting corners in football. That should be resolved. Trufant turns 30 this December. This is probably his last peak season. One good season could help Seattle trade him. Thurmond is the only player on roster that has LCB potential. Seattle should be searching for another corner in a season or two.
RCB
Starter: Josh Wilson
In the mix: Walter Thurmond, Kelly Jennings
Thurmond could overtake Wilson if he's healthy. He will not be a year removed from surgery until into the season and so I wouldn't anticipate that. Wilson will likely stick as a starter in the short term, with Thurmond or Jennings pushing him to nickel on passing downs. It's a good setup and one I believe Seattle will retain whether Wilson wins the starting position outright or becomes a fulltime nickelback. Pistol is an amazing nickelback.
Nickelback
Starter: Josh Wilson
In this mix: Walter Thurmond, Jordan Babineaux
Jennings is all cover and nothing else. He either needs to win a starting position or is likely in his last season in Seattle.
Dime Back
Starter: Walter Thurmond
In the mix: Jordan Babineaux, Roy Lewis, Kennard Cox, Marcus Brown, Marcus Udell, Chris Richards
I'm not going to guess which of the gaggle of defensive backs Seattle has brought in will win out, but the above five and Thurmond represent an interesting shift from emphasis on skill and performance to athleticism, size and potential.
I think Seattle will use the following combinations.
Base: Trufant, Wilson
Nickel: Trufant, Jennings, Wilson
Dime: Trufant, Jennings, Wilson, Thurmond
Thurmond could fight his way into the base formation and as the replacement for Wilson on nickel downs. His playing time will probably increase as the season progresses and Thurmond progresses from functionally healthy to full strength.
Free Safety
Starter: Earl Thomas
In the mix: Jordan Babineaux, Josh Pinkard
Thomas is a kid and though he's precocious, I expect some frustrating growing pains. I wouldn't count out Babineaux receiving a start after a particularly flammable showing from Thomas, but Earl is certainly the short term and long term answer for Seattle at free safety. Don't be surprised if he plays some nickel or dime in certain packages. Babs is the only safety on Seattle's roster with a specified position: "SS." He played free safety last season and I think that's where he'll land this season. Or dime back. Or cut.
Strong Safety
Potential starter: Lawyer Milloy, Kam Chancellor, Jordan Babineaux, Jamar Adams, Josh Pinkard
In the mix: Lawyer Milloy, Kam Chancellor, Jordan Babineaux, Jamar Adams, Josh Pinkard
Pinky was a corner before 2009, when Carroll shifted him to strong safety. He's listed as a corner on Seattle's roster, but we'll see. I like him best as a free safety. Milloy, Chance and Adams are brawny in-the-box players. This position will be won in preseason.
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John, you've got Wilson starting at RCB and nickel.
Jennings in all the descriptions.
Thank you, Walter Jones.
Wilson starts at RCB and nickel.
He plays nickel on nickel downs and another player substitutes at right cornerback.
Yes, he does
and if you read the text under “RCB” you’ll understand why.
by The Ancient Mariner on May 13, 2010 2:43 PM PDT reply actions
Reply fail
this was to thebyron re: Wilson listed as starter in two places . . .
by The Ancient Mariner on May 13, 2010 2:43 PM PDT up reply actions
I'm not sure I'm seeing what we're supposed to be so excited about
Trufant may or may not return to form. Wilson is a liability as a starting corner, exciting though he is and while I’d love to see him as our permanent nickelback. And as the final icing, we might be starting two rookies at safeties.
Sure, it’ll be chaotic fun to watch, but the question is, fun for who?
I wonder how excited people would be looking at this angle?
Instead of thinking about this:
Sam Bradford, Matt Leinart, Alex Smith, Denver Quarterback, Jay Cutler, Jason Campbell, Eli Manning, Matt Ryan, Josh Freeman and Carolina Quarterback
What if we look at it like this:
Donnie Avery, Larry Fitzgerald, Steve Breaston, Early Doucet, Michael Crabtree, Josh Morgan, Demaryius Thomas, Eddie Royal, Eric Decker, Devin Aromashodu, Johnny Knox, Devin Hester, Chaz Schilenz, Darrius Heyward Bey, Louis Muphy, Hakeem Nicks, Steve Smith*, Arrelious Benn, Mike Williams, Kellen Winslow, Steve Smith**, Brandon LaFell…etc.
NYG*, CAR**
Hey, I actually feel better now. That’s not a murderer’s row of pass-catchers. I’m loving Boldin being out of the division. I think either the Giants or Cardinals have the best WRs we’ll face looking at it right now and for this season.
Big Walt: thanks for the smile. Thanks for your Hall of Fame career.
That's a good way of looking at it.
Louis Murphy has made some good plays I respect the guy’s play. Most of the other’s? Either “not so much” or “who…?”
Though they sink through the Sea, they shall rise again...Death shall have no dominion...
I left Murphy off intentionally.
Surely his 35% catch-rate will make him a bench player. It couldn’t all be on the QB(s), could it?
Big Walt: thanks for the smile. Thanks for your Hall of Fame career.
I was wondering why you didn't include
Jabar Gaffney, Vernon Davis, Greg Olsen, Tony Gonzalez, Roddy White, Zach Miller, and Mario Manningham off your list since each was either the leading or 2nd leading receiver on their team.
Forgot Roddy.
Left off the TEs except Winslow…they are often covered by LBs or Safeties.
Big Walt: thanks for the smile. Thanks for your Hall of Fame career.
I believe safeties are DBs
And why include Winslow but not Davis, Gonzalez and Olsen? You can bet that they will frequently test our safeties over the middle.
Well, I guess I should have posted a bit more on this.
Since you guys are unlikely to be mind-readers. :)
I wanted to look at the type of players that Josh Wilson would be asked to defend, and the secondary also. The list got long and is not intended to be comprehensive. I’m sure most can fill in the blanks, and I didn’t see Wilson ever regularly covering TEs.
Like others my main concern is Josh Wilson’s matchups, particularly with bigger WRs. I didn’t want to go as far as TEs and often-times 3rd WRs. Some team’s situations are in flux.
Big Walt: thanks for the smile. Thanks for your Hall of Fame career.
I wouldn't just shrug of the Niners
Fooch’s assessment last year was a laugh-and-a-half, but Crabtree showed some great skills last year, and Josh Morgan has some genuine skill. Should be an interesting set to watch
by Thomas Beekers on May 13, 2010 5:19 PM PDT up reply actions
Fitzgerald is one the best, Breaston has break out potential
What worries me is the big guys taking on Wilson.
Good bye Big Walt.
by Generzal Zod on May 13, 2010 5:43 PM PDT up reply actions
Pistol hears your fears, and responds thusly:
Like I tell everybody, I’m happily 5-9 1/2. But if you want to me whatever size you want me to be, I can get two-inch heel lifts. I just want to point out also, to silence the critics, that I have a 6-foot arm length. You didn’t expect to hear that, right?
But regardless of height, I like to consider myself a football player. I’m not just a guy out there playing football. I know the game. I study the game. I make plays in the game.
If you want Kevin Durant to play corner for the Seahawks, get ready to hear the opposing team’s band striking up after every play
It's the 6'2 and 6'3 guys I worry about
Donnie Abraham was a good corner for the Jets at 5’9" but got really exposed against the big guys.
Good bye Big Walt.
by Generzal Zod on May 14, 2010 11:55 AM PDT up reply actions
I would add Matt Cassell to that list of Int-prone QBs
considering that only Freeman and Cutler had more interceptions than him on that list. Plus we face KC at Qwest which is always an advantage. Unless your name is Josh Freeman and you love Qwest. Thank god we play him in Tampa.
They gave up on that game
Though I do think Freeman has turned a corner.
Good bye Big Walt.
by Generzal Zod on May 13, 2010 5:34 PM PDT up reply actions
Good point.
He played in Qwest in 08, and had a good but not great performance with that 11-5 Patriots team. But coming here with the Chiefs should be another story.
by Mind of no mind on May 14, 2010 2:17 AM PDT up reply actions
Since we have such a influx of Safetys, do you think PC will turn one of them to a nickel or DB for depth and help?
I am the master of my fate; I am the captain of my soul - Invictus
You can't typically turn a safety into a corner anymore than you can turn a third baseman into a shortstop.
A tweener like Pinkard might be able to make the switch, but I think it’s more likely Seattle emulates Texas and uses Thomas in a hybrid safety/nickel role. Most safeties lack the agility, speed and coverage ability to play corner.
by John Morgan on May 14, 2010 10:25 AM PDT up reply actions
What do you mean by hybrid safety/nickel?
I’m assuming this means that he’ll play safety on 4-3 defenses, then shift to nickel when an extra DB comes in for nickel. But who will fill that other safety spot? Babs?
This kind of makes sense to me, in that we can run 2-deep zones and man coverage underneath. Thus we can use Thomas’s ability to cover WR’s one-on-one, AND maybe have him cover bigger WR’s outside while allowing Wilson to switch inside to the slot guy.
aargh, reply fail.
and use of “reply fail” fail. Internet fail.
YES SIR.
Feel free to mention the same to the five-odd posts above that are also missing caps!
But those posters weren't beating themselves up.
Just thought I’d pile on.
inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
...and don't end sentences with prepositions! (up) Speaking of piling on...
I kid! I kid!
(and djafrot, I like where you are going with Wilson switching to the slot guy inside.)
Happy Friday, everyone! (metaphorically hoisting an early beer to the FieldGulls internets)
Hmm, I think "up" is a particle there...
But I could be wrong.
inside of a dog it's too dark to read.
Oh, I get it.
Once again, where’s that damned sarcasm font?
Against three and four wide receiver sets
Instead of flexing into nickel or dime, Texas often retained a linebacker and instead had Thomas play over the receiver in a hybrid corner/safety function. Nothing revolutionary, but still valuable.
They'd keep the 4-3 even against 4 wides?
Those are some good cover linebackers. Or some well-designed zones.
Much improved over last season
I’m looking forward to some turnovers this next season.
I am a bear of very little brains and big words bother me.
I have to say..
I’m heavily concerned that again a poor pass-rush will hurt the secondary. That, or this ‘Leo’ position better look like Lamar Woodley/James Harrison.
Big Walt: thanks for the smile. Thanks for your Hall of Fame career.
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