State of the Patriots: Safety
by Richard Hill on Jan 24, 2011 2:01 PM EST
in Opinion/Analysis
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Players on the Roster:
SS Sergio Brown
SS Pat Chung
FS Bret Lockett
FS Brandon Meriweather
FS James Sanders
FS Ross Ventrone
Free Agents:
SS Brandon McGowan
SS Jarrad Page
SS Josh Barrett (RFA)
At first glance, it appears that the Patriots are set in terms of depth in the safety position. All three of the usual starters, Chung, Meriweather and Sanders, remain on the roster and while the next player up is a free agent (Page), Sergio Brown showed a lot of promise early in the season. McGowan doesn't really have a spot on the roster since Chung has effectively replaced him on the roster- and linebacker Gary Guyton has taken over the coverage duty of tight ends and has done an excellent job.
After further examination, however, the Patriots may look at investing in a free safety in the draft.
Here's a quick summary of each player:
Josh Barrett: Was claimed off waivers, from the Broncos, during the summer and was placed on injured reserve. Did not play a snap.
Sergio Brown: Had a big debut against the Chargers as he played well against All-World tight end Antonio Gates (even though Gates had a toe injury) and defended a pass to help win the game. He became a solid special teams contributor.
Pat Chung: Started the season so hot that certain people (including myself) forgot that this was his first season starting. He was great at stopping the run and playing in the box, but he struggled a lot when asked to drop into coverage as the nickelback. He must improve his downfield coverage, or else he will only be asked to guard the box and stop plays across the middle of the field.
Bret Lockett: Has spent the majority of the past two seasons on the injured reserve, but was a solid special teams player in 2009.
Brandon McGowan: Placed on the injured reserve during the summer, but was effectively replaced by Chung and Page during the 2010 season. He was replaced at the end of the 2009 season by Sanders. Won't come back next season, unless he's a camp body.
Brandon Meriweather: Started the season in the dog house for directly disobeying Belichick's orders. While he worked his way back into the coaches favor, he still struggled in taking correct angles in pursuit, which led to many touchdowns allowed over the course of the season. He scares opposing receivers across the middle, yet struggles near the sidelines.
Jarrad Page: Acquired during the season for a 2012 draft pick, Page did a solid job as a free/strong safety hybrid. He should be brought back next season, if he can be retained for a reasonable price, as the fourth safety on the depth chart.
James Sanders: Had another quietly strong season. He doesn't possess any elite abilities, but he was solid in everything. He saved a few games and was a valuable veteran in the locker room.
Ross Ventrone: Signed in October, Ventrone played safety for the practice squad where he racked up seven Practice Player of the Week awards, including 6 in a row. He should be welcome back as a practice squad player, or even a special teams player, next season.
Belichick needs to make the decision on if he believes that Sanders and Meriweather will be resigned after next season. If he believes they will be back, I don't think the Patriots will draft a free safety. However, if he drafts a free safety in the draft, I don't think Meriweather will be back as he will be offered money from a different team. Looking at the strong safety position, I believe the Patriots need to resign Jarrad Page for depth.
Best Case 2011 Safety Roster:
SS: Pat Chung - Jarrad Page - Sergio Brown
FS: Brandon Meriweather - James Sanders
Practice Squad/Camp Bodies: Ross Ventrone, Bret Lockett, Josh Barrett
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Doesn't really count.
Needs to be a game thread.
"Perhaps it was the Noid who should have avoided me." Mayor Adam West
by insertscreenname on Jan 24, 2011 9:25 PM EST up reply actions
Great!
Now act like you’ve been there!
My life has been a trivial pursuit. Trivia: where three roads meet.
The more you know, the more you know that you don't know.
Official Fire-Puncher for Pats Pulpit an SB Nation Blog
by SlotMachinePlayer on Jan 26, 2011 10:57 AM EST up reply actions
Meriweather has been somewhat of a disappointment
He struggles with his consistency and shows some poor tackling. If we could get any value out of him in a trade (since he made the pro bowl), I wouldn’t look past trading him.
Me either.
If they could get a late 2nd, early 3rd rounder for him, I’d be happy. However, he’s still a contributing member of the team and when he plays well, he plays very well. He just makes a bad play every game.
by Richard Hill on Jan 24, 2011 2:32 PM EST up reply actions
i think his pro bowl and highlights
could convince some idiot (get al davis on the phone) for a mid second rounder.
I would rather have 3 Super Bowls in my career, passing records, a hot wife, 500 million dollars and get to play football every day then be a 300lb man with foot fetish videos. Apparently, most Jets fans would disagree.
Jets fans- Supporting drunk driving since Braylon Edwards arrest.
No, no, no
Meriweather is fast. Get Oakland’s 2012 first rounder.
i still like meriweather and think he will put it all together
but if someone offers a deal to good to turn down by all means take it
"Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die."
im gonna be all up on you like a spider monkey!
i can just see delonte west winning a game of poker against lebron, throwing down the cards he yells, "who's your daddy!"...."oh, sorry man"
by remembering9ergods on Jan 24, 2011 3:08 PM EST up reply actions
Here too
“A bad play a game”? I love how these statements are totally without merit, yet thrown around so easily. I think he’s one of the best at his position and Pro Bowl voters do too. He had two “bad angles” go for TD’s – one early in the season but I don’t know many flawless safeties. I think next season he’ll put it together despite only being a Pro Bowler this year.
I wouldn’t spend any picks in the draft on safety unless it’s a very late one. How many rookies do you want learning on the job next year when you already know what you have.
I hope you realize that the fans are the Pro Bowl voters.
He had more than two “bad angles” during the season and his reckless play detracted from his potential.
As I said, if the Patriots believe that Meriweather and Sanders are a part of the future, they shouldn’t draft a safety. If they don’t think they are, then they need to draft one this year.
by Richard Hill on Jan 24, 2011 5:18 PM EST up reply actions
Initially they kept him in the box because he could lay the wood
and they didn’t trust him as a single-deep S like Ed Reed. He was shifted to FS with an eye to having him like Reed – he’s got that CB-like sideline-to-sideline speed like Reed – but he hasn’t quite developed like that. He still doesn’t take the correct angles and that gets him, and the Pats D, into trouble.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Jan 24, 2011 3:41 PM EST up reply actions
He has the speed.....
but he’s not a true Free Safety. The angles are horrendous. He lays the lumber, but so does Chung. Personally I think Chung will be a harder hitter a la Rodney Harrison and Chung is a true SS.
If we can get a true Free Safety to develop for a year or so I’m all for it. Chung is the SS of the future, but I don’t think Meriweather is the FS of the future.
Yep
His angles are awful, and Matt Bowen suggests that it’s lack of study and preparation and mental discipline. In the same breath Bowen says that kind of ill discipline and lack of film study gets guys benched, and that’s exactly what happened to Meriweather, so it all seems to fit.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
by Comedic.Sans on Jan 25, 2011 5:13 PM EST up reply actions
I have a hard time thinking this can be meri's last year.
I think he deserves one more year to try and improve. We have seen him improve his catching after all, and maybe tackling is something he’ll improve on as well next year.
I’ll take 11 players with heart on the field over 11 guys with just talent. Talent is fleeting, it goes away over time. Heart is what drives you to be better. To push yourself beyond what you think your capabilities are. To show us that when you strive, all things are possible.- SMP
formerly patriotguy2 ;)
I think he'll be a pretty fine Safety as well.
Just needs to study and be more patient with certain aspects of his game.
Don't cut your locks Tom Terrific!
This is true.
He dropped a lot of would-be picks his rookie year, and finished with 0 INTs. In his second year he grabbed 4.
by UtopianAverage on Jan 24, 2011 7:28 PM EST up reply actions
Is this guy on crack?
Either he has a oure dislike for Brady, or he is a Steeler fan.
But as you wrote, we all knew this $hit was coming. I just more so expected it from ESPN and Marshall Faulk in particular on the Network.
Don't cut your locks Tom Terrific!
I know I've posted this elsewhere, but this is a good place to put it again
Matt Bowen – ex-NFL Safety and X’s and O’s breakdown guy – talked about Steelers Safety Ryan Clark in glowing terms. Clark contrasts interestingly with Brandon Meriweather (and is similar to James Sanders), in that he’s not a physical stud, but he studies so intensely that he does everything so correctly that he makes up for his physical limitations by always taking the correct angles. He’s such a good contrast because Meriweather’s clearly got the gifts but often takes the wrong angles, either undercutting receivers or whiffing on tackles because he never lines them up correctly.
I saw first hand what type of pro he was when we discuss study habits, formation recognition, and the ability to diagnose route concepts. They had to kick him out of Redskins’ Park at night. Forget post practice meetings, he was in the film room late taking notes and preparing for Sunday.
That sells in this league—especially for Clark. The Steelers’ safety doesn’t have the overall ability of a Troy Polamalu or an Ed Reed, but that doesn’t prevent him from making an impact in the secondary. We talk about angles in football. The proper "angles to the ball." That’s Clark. You won’t see false steps or sloppy technique—because that puts you on the bench. And that is something we tend to forget when we talk about NFL caliber players. The technique is still key on Sundays and that always applies to guys like Clark. Play your technique, read your run-pass keys, keep your eyes in the right place and you will be productive.
Token southern hemisphere guy - 14,688km from Foxboro. That's 9128 miles, for you heathens.
Contributing Writer at PatsPulpit
And he's on the Steelers?
I kid, I kid.
"There's no place like it, and it's ours." - Stephen King on Fenway Park
by 808BostonSportsFan on Jan 24, 2011 3:49 PM EST up reply actions
He's got the gifts now he just needs to utilize them
I think he’s still going through the maturation process, but next season if he’s still on the roster, he needs to listen to the coaches and step his game up. Maybe he should call up Rodney for a few tips.
Patriot will eventually move team to Nome Alaska
At least in Nome, everyone will be happy with safety’s
josh barrett
whats crazy is Brandon Meriweather isnt even our best athlete at the position, supposedly barrett is, 6’2 hits like a hammer and a 4.38 40yd dash…no that was not a misprint. im looking forward to seeing if he has the head to put those skills to work, just as much as im looking forward to seeing meriweather finally put it together.
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