Buccaneers - Redskins: Position Battle - Safety
by Sander on Sep 1, 2011 3:32 PM EDT
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The Buccaneers have a good position battle going at the bottom of the roster. The safeties are all struggling to find their place on the roster. Cody Grimm and Sean Jones are basically guaranteed roster spots, but behind those two things get a little murky. Out of Larry Asante, Corey Lynch and Ahmad Black, who will make the roster? And can Dominique Harris and Devin Holland make a late push? This may be the toughest position to evaluate based on TV footage, because they're simply not involved in so many plays.
Larry Asante
Larry Asante is a slightly undersized safety who has a little speed and explosion to him, but may be best in the box on run defense. I think he almost certainly makes the roster, but it's always tough to say. He's done some good things this preseason, and I haven't seen him blow anything. He has the physical tools to start, and he's not dissimilar to Cody Grimm in his overall profile.
Corey Lynch
Corey Lynch has also looked good this preseason, and he has more epxerience than the other safeties at the bottom of the roster. He has a little more range in pass defense than most other safeties on the roster, which helps him. On the other hand he hasn't been all that great in run defense, and that hurts him. Corey Lynch is really a core special teamer, though, and that should ultimately keep him on the roster. But if he has a horrible game tonight, who knows what will happen.
Ahmad Black
This game is crucial for the Florida product. Black has missed almost all of the first three preseason games, which is why this game is going to make or break him. He's coming off a high ankle sprain and if he can't play this game, I cannot see him making this roster. He has to show up and look at least passable to be on the roster.
Devin Holland and Dominique Harris
These two guys are basically camp fodder that shouldn't make the roster. I haven't seen Dominique Harris do anything this preseason. I have seen Devin Holland do something, but it wasn't all that good. He blasted a punt returner before he had fielded the ball, which led to a penalty and a $5,000 fine. Then he blasted Danny Woodhead on a special teams play, which looked pretty awesome but was also illegal. He should have been penalized for a blindside block to the head, and he was fined $10,000 for that infraction. While those are two dumb plays that basically just hurt the team, it does show the team one thing: he can play his butt off on special teams and get to a play. Maybe that appeals to the Bucs, though I doubt he makes the roster unless he really shows up this game.
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I have a question....
Who will the Bucs cut if and when Tanard Jackson comes back?
I've heard nothing from management how they'll handle the situation
I’m still thinking this thing could go in any direction. I’m under the impression that he still has to get approval from Goddell on the 22nd.
They will have a short evaluation period
Whoever is the last safety on the roster. If they keep four, that’s either Asante or Lynch. If they keep five they’re keeping Black, but he could be gone once Jackson comes back too.
Can I add, that the kickoff rule is the biggest subtraction of the game so far?
I hate it, and think it’s completely stupid as hell!
Bill Bellichik aka Cheater wit a video camera wants it gone, who cares what a coach wants? Theyre always biased to what ever will help them the most!
I agree
Though Lynch’s value comes mostly on punt return teams as a rusher, which should still be relevant.
I mean I understand player safety.. but look at the last meeting of ATL
IT was the best game to watch for a bucs fan all year!! Spurlock ran it back. ATL came back with Weems. If you take away them explosive plays that can change the tide of war in one snap, its going to mean more lameness :/
Those were two separate games, actually
Spurlock’s kick return came in the first game, Weems came in the second.
Still, I get your point.
You can always get injured
But the risk is significantly higher on kickoffs. I’m not going to scold them for trying to make the game safer.
That's not true
You’re presenting it as if you have to either eliminate risk or not make it safer at all. This new kickoff rule makes the game safer. It’s still a violent and risky game in other areas, but it’s a less dangerous game now.
the risk of injury on a kickoff and punt are the same in my opinion
and your not minimizing risk your minimizing effort because the possibility of someone getting the ball inside their own endzone and running out is still there. so now the same possibility of injuries are still there if the player decides to act upon the play… im all for player safety, lets come up with better pads and helmets and lets minimize dirty illegal hits but changing up part of the game that has been around for so long is bullcrap
by Carlitin1988 on Sep 1, 2011 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
what i am interested in seeing
i want to see how the new rule effects sudden death.. will end end up being more benificial to kick the ball off in OT how will having teams start from the 20 in OT affect the win lose percentage? just food for thought
The punt is a lot harder to regulate
And I disagree that the injuries are about the same. On a kickoff guys aren’t jammed and get a running start. On punts, they either get jammed or block, only then start running downfield. The punt doesn’t travel as far, and the returner doesn’t get a head of steam either.
not even close to the same
if it were u would have seen the Cowboys and 49ers using a player like Sanders a lot on kick offs.. just did not happen.. and on a kickoff u have everyone with a 3 yard running head start.. were on a punt they are comming from the line..
In a day where the NFL has done everything to increase scoring and make most rules to benifiet offense this was a big move to decrease some scoring.. there was nothing but safty takin into account and u have to commend the NFL for making such a move… Do not be suprised to see such rule changes in college ..and on lower levels to see kickoffs elemenated completly
I wouldn't be surprised if in twenty years time the kickoff is gone entirely
And people go “They used to do WHAT?” when they learn about the kickoff.
i disagree on that one
just for the fact of the onside kick:)
plus
think how big it is now to recover an onside kick ..you have the ball at mid field.. and if u do try one as a sneak play at some time during the game its less of a risk if u have a great D and want to go for the kill… the kickoff is still a big part of the game..just for different reasons
And honestly, kickoffs were never that exciting anyway
Yeah, sometimes you’d get a big return. But usually someone just trots it out to around the 25 and play moves on.
And football has drastically changed over its history. I don’t think “this is how they’ve always done it” is a particularly good argument. If you look back just 30 years ago, this game looked entirely different.
Pfft.. Look at the Bears/Colts SB
Hester returned the kickoff for the first time in superbowl history. If that isn’t exciting I don’t know what is!? To beat 11 other men chasing after you for a touchdown in the league’s biggest game is pretty electrifying if you ask me.
Of course that's exciting
My point is, for every exciting kickoff there are 50 kickoffs that aren’t worth watching.
the new rules will effect a lot
But players of Hester and Cribs caliber will still have returns.. those guys are special.. and reciving the ball 4 or 5 yards into the endzone will not detour them nearly as much as the avg return man
The main difference between the two is that according to the statistics the league provided with their decision, the risk of injury during a kickoff was significantly higher than during any other point of the game. The reasons why this was so are pretty obvious, as coverage players were able to get good running head starts and make it through a significant portion of the field before being blocked, if they were blocked. Add to that the fact that the return men are usually running as fast as they can as well, and you’ve got grown men selected for their size, strength and ferocity barreling towards each other as fast as they can possibly move. You know the old saying about the unstoppable force and the immovable object? The players have built up so much momentum by the time they collide that I’m surprised there’s not an explosion, or at least a crack audible a few miles away.
Dime a dozen.
He has slightly more speed than Black, but you can replace with not much drop off with Asante.
Formerly UNFNole
Lynch isn't a special player
But I do think he has significantly more speed as a pass defender than either Black or Asante, or Grimm or Jones for that matter. That’s a slight plus, but he’s not good enough to do much with it. I think Lynch wins most close battles because he’s slightly more valuable on special teams, but it’s not a big difference.
Last word on this
though it is good one of our biggest position battle debates is about 5th Safety.
You effect a punt once MAYBE every 10 punts with at most and block at most 2. So now we’ve deemed Lynch’s value to be once every 10 punts.
Formerly UNFNole
I would be suprised if they play Black
Why play him, why give other teams tape on him?
Just try and slide him onto the practice squad, Yes it is possible someone claims him but not very lickly with no real game tape.
ok back to the main topic
So Sander a couple of my friends and myself were dicussing this topic also..and one of my friend happened to toss something out that was a little interesting
Could it be possible for the Bucs to go with 3 safties? if they believe that Jackson will be reinstated right away as im sure most people do…And say the Bucs have a player that they would rather keep then Asante or Lynch , being as it would be for only a couple games might they do that?
It's extremely unlikely
For one, the Bucs like to rotate safeties at times, and having just three makes that very hard. Also,they’d be in trouble if injuries strike. Besides, they really can’t rely on Tanard Jackson. They don’t know if he’ll be reinstated, and if he’ll be in shape. It’s not a gamble worth taking, especially so because they’d just have to cut whoever they really wanted to keep once Jackson comes back anyway.
good points
this is a odd year for the Bucs , this is the first time since the 90s that i can remember that the bucs will have 2 or 3 guys they will have to try and slide onto the practice squad u could be claimed
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