Quote:
Originally Posted by GTripp0012
The allure of having Talib here was that he would have fixed the CB issue for multiple years, instead of just one. But even with him having signed with NE, the CB market is still very deep. We can sit around until the draft and we'll still be able to sign someone who is an improvement over what we had at the position last year. And in the draft, we'll be able to find starting corners in the third round. Multiple, if we wish.
Safety is a bit dicier. There aren't a ton of great FA options out there (at this point, you either overpay for the decline years of Michael Huff/Bernard Pollard, or you're not getting a starter) and while the draft has a number of quality safeties, it's not quite as loaded as corner is. I think we're going to trade down from (perhaps out of) the second round, and it may be tough to improve the safety position at this point. Either Thomas or Florida's Matt Elam might just fall to us. There's a slight chance we can get them both in the 2nd and 3rd rounds.
The best options at safety might be internal, you have: Meriweather, Tanard Jackson, DeJon Gomes, Reed Doughty, Jordan Bernstine, and Jordan Pugh all under contract for next year. That's five guys who have started games in this league, and a 7th round pick from last season. It would probably be a failure to not add any competition whatsoever at the safety position, but it's going to be tough to do better than what we already have right now.
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Talib would have been another Chris Dishman. We haven't heard Dishman's name in so long but he was great in 1997 and we said goodbye to him after he had a lousy 1998.
I like the notion of drafting a safety instead of signing one. There's Phillip Thomas who was the best defensive back in the nation last year. He can play both safety positions and he's a ball hawk. He does nothing but snuffs out the run, plays the pass well, and causes lots of turnovers. Because he went to Fresno State which is a program that is not a powerhouse, he's very underrated. But if our scouting department has done their homework then we might be able to draft him because he's not projected to be drafted until the late 2nd round.
The Redskins are taking a risk on keeping Tanard Jackson. Hopefully that year long suspension has taught him a lesson. Brandon Meriweather looked great in the one game he played. He's certainly a projected starter. Reed Doughty is a solid reserve safety that has proven his work regardless who type of defense he plays in. Gomes did well as a rookie but he took some steps back last season.