Thread: We should focus on the safety position first in 2005

"kramer9guy" wrote:

Question: Why so many INT's last year and so little this year? Russell looked great last season. What? New defensive scheme? If so, hopefully next year we see big improvement.

Answer: O'leary called agressive schemes. Cotrell's schemes are conservative.

We should have nabbed John Lynch the second he was released by Tampa, he could have been the leader on our D, which we haven't had at all this year.

It would be beast to have antrell rolle to line up with AW.

We should draft Marlin Jackson.

Is Marlin Jackson a safety, I've heard his name somewhere, i think maybe i saw him laying the smach down on NFL Network.

Marlin Jackson plays corner.

I agree we should have picked up Lynch. People complain he's old and he's lost his step...that's BS. I have seen him make a lot of great plays this year, and his personality type is exactly what we needed on our defense.

This year we need to draft a safety early or at least in the middle rounds. Free agency doesn't look that impressive.

Interestingly enough, Donovan Darius will be a free agent this year. If we were to sign him...I think the Packers just might hate us more than they do right now, hard as that is to imagine. Looking at the list of the other free agents, no one really jumps out although both Sammy Knight and Chris Hope would not be bad short term pickups. Not sure but I think Aneas Williams is also a free agent.

we need better scheming and some linebackers..they're good but they suck in coverage....

and a safety and another DB will helpl...

the loss of Irvin was huge at the beginning of the season

"sdvikefan" wrote:

There wasn't enough competition for the free safety position which was basically given to Russell, except for Willy Offord who has no business starting in the NFL. Strong safety really has no competition either although Chavous is a smart player and I love his study of this game the truth is, a player who has to earn his spot through hard work and has the continued fear of losing it throughout the season will play much harder. Has either Russell or Chavous really had the fear of losing their starting job all season? No they have not.

Tice and Cottrell planned the safety position poorly this year by having almost nobody else behind Chavous and Russell, I realize roster space is limited but that is ridiculous.

I have read some people on this board saying we should focus on picking up a really solid LB and I do agree with that but for crying out loud we have got to get some more and better safeties on this roster. It will improve the play of Chavous and probably Russell too although I am really not a fan of this guy and I'd like to see someone else back there.

I agree 100% and have been saying this for awhile now. Russell needs to go, he sucks. Chavous is average and he needs to play next to a stud safety.

Sure, our Lb's have struggled this year, but safety is what we need the most this offseason. Remember that EJ and DT are very young and playing a new D system for the first time, so obviously they aren't gonna play well in it right away. One thing I have noticed, is that EJ and DT have both made huge strides since the begginning of the year and are playing much much better now. I wish tice would just sit newman down and let DT play most of the snaps.

If we do anything at LB, I say let claiborne go and get a stud LB in FA like julian peterson(he will be expensive, but with how far below the cap we are, we will again have to pay someone a huge contract, to meet the league minimum team salary) or another really good LB. Then look for a safety in the 1st round of the draft, like ernest shazor of michigan or even marlon jackson who played both safety and CB in college and would be an awesome cover safety. or he could play CB for us and we could try brian williams at safety.

I really think it would suprise a lot of people, by how much our D would improve if we got a stud safety on it.

"sdvikefan" wrote:

Marlin Jackson plays corner.

I agree we should have picked up Lynch. People complain he's old and he's lost his step...that's BS. I have seen him make a lot of great plays this year, and his personality type is exactly what we needed on our defense.

This year we need to draft a safety early or at least in the middle rounds. Free agency doesn't look that impressive.

Interestingly enough, Donovan Darius will be a free agent this year. If we were to sign him...I think the Packers just might hate us more than they do right now, hard as that is to imagine. Looking at the list of the other free agents, no one really jumps out although both Sammy Knight and Chris Hope would not be bad short term pickups. Not sure but I think Aneas Williams is also a free agent.

Correction: Marlon Jackson plays both safety and CB. I like him better at safety in the NFL then CB. He would be a great playmaking safety.

yeah marlin jackson has some wheels. he ran a 4.4/40. at safety he would be dominate, but i dont know if he would thrive at corner more.

i would love to see him in a vikes uniform and he would be a MAJOR asset to the d.

then go LB in the FA.