Roster Review: Secondary

Alright fellas let’s continue with the second half of the defense in the secondary.

Corners
Starters on the outside: Fuller and W. Jax who played better as the season went on. Both entrenched IMO and will be penciled in starting again this season. For all the talk of sliding Fuller inside or at safety…it ain’t happening.
Slot Corner: ?
Depth: Corn Elder, DJ Hayden, Ben St. Juste
Free Agents: Apke, Danny Johnson, etc.

Right now we need a nickel corner and we don’t have a whole lot of depth behind St.Juste who is coming off a tough rookie season with multiple concussions is more a boundary guy then nickel. My preference is to slide a veteran in at nickel and maybe draft another CB for the outside. So I see 2 new adds, a starter at nickel and depth boundary/outside CB. Not opposed to bringing Danny Johnson back on a one year deal.

Safety
Strong Safety: Curl
Free Safety: ?
Depth, rotational: Collins, Everett, Reeves, Forrest
Free Agent: Bobby McCain

Once Collins was moved to Buffalo nickel/LB and Curl had the Strong spot with McCain at Free…the backend of the defense seemed to play much better. Word on the street is McCain will be resigned and I’m good with that. Two guys we should move on from is Collins and Everrett (legal trouble), cutting both with marking Collins as a post June 1st would clear a substantial amount of cap room (est. 12-13 million). If they want Collins back, that’s fine…but restructure this absolutely dumb Bruce Allen deal. Curl is a baller and like developing Forrest behind him. Penciling in McCain is fine, but if there is a player at FS in the draft to develop in the mid-late rounds, grab him.

Anybody you like in Free agency or draft in the secondary? I do like a couple CB At the eleven spot. McCain back or not? Collins cut or you bring him back?

There are a few very good free safeties in FA that may be tempting to Ron, if we don't spend all of our cap dollars on a veteran QB. If Scherff isn't coming back then they will have a little more cash available for a premium FA at free safety.

McCain could then play slot/ 3rd safety which is his more natural position.

I would think that at least one of McTyer or Roberts would be brought back at CB. Outside of St Juste none of the backups are anything to shout about, mostly practice squad guys

There are a few very good free safeties in FA that may be tempting to Ron, if we don't spend all of our cap dollars on a veteran QB. If Scherff isn't coming back then they will have a little more cash available for a premium FA at free safety.

McCain could then play slot/ 3rd safety which is his more natural position.

I would think that at least one of McTyer or Roberts would be brought back at CB. Outside of St Juste none of the backups are anything to shout about, mostly practice squad guys

I agree, I think we potentially could see some turnover in the depth at Safety and Corner. Reaves, Everett, McTyer and Roberts…I could see a couple draft picks at FS and Corner to inject some youth there.

Reeves is done.
Collins is also done.

I would like to see 3-4 new safeties added to the team to go with Curl.
Corners are fine as is.
Apse is very good on ST. I would bring him back just for that.

A pass rush would help these guys out tremendously.

When it comes to versatility which is preached from Ron & Co…a secondary player I love in this draft is Michigan’s Daxton Hill. He’s fast and projects as a free safety but played slot corner a lot against Big 10 WRs.

He’s a second day target for me.

When it comes to versatility which is preached from Ron & Co…a secondary player I love in this draft is Michigan’s Daxton Hill. He’s fast and projects as a free safety but played slot corner a lot against Big 10 WRs.

He’s a second day target for me.

For sure. I'd be pumped if we could get him in the 2nd. Day 1 starter imo.

We have quality secondary depth. Wonder if we bring back guys like Danny Johnson, McTyer, Roberts...

We definitely need a second starting safety, but I have no issue if they don't make a splashy FA signing at this position. If they have some prospects they like in the draft, I say let's go for it and if you miss out you may still be able to sign a decent vet.

For me the main issue with the secondary was coaching. When you hear WJ3 saying he had to do things he had "never done before" it makes you question how well our players are used.
This and bad communication gets fixed with better coaching and cohesion, not necessarily by bringing in a high profile vet.

Reeves is done.
Collins is also done.

I would like to see 3-4 new safeties added to the team to go with Curl.
Corners are fine as is.
Apse is very good on ST. I would bring him back just for that.

A pass rush would help these guys out tremendously.

I'm sorry but to me that narrative is getting reeeally old...
Last season, like I've been doing for years, I watched every play of every Washington game, many games I watched twice... I can't remember ONE ST play where Apke had a really positive impact. Something where you go "wow, that's the elite STer we've been talking about".

I made some gifs last season of ST plays where he was a complete non-factor at best and whiffing on blocks/missing tackles at worst.

Just to add to it, these are all the KOs (minus touchbacks) and punts from the week 17 vs Eagles game (randomly picked one game, didn't select the plays).

#30 with white sleeves, easy to spot.

1) Kick off, up the middle, bad position, bad hand technique, whiffs
https://media0.giphy.com/media/lDuz3BqBSOZKM1Vfs3/giphy.gif

2) KO, far right, #37 on the opposite side runs the same pattern so it seems to be the assignment, but non-factor, man handled
https://media1.giphy.com/media/VbHrDQQoGmeMS9IFNV/giphy.gif

3) Punt, bottom, whiffs on his block
https://media4.giphy.com/media/dwfI5l1aBwt07Vnpht/giphy.gif

4) Punt, bottom, washes him outside and downfield, so I guess you can call this one a "did his job"
https://media1.giphy.com/media/kvQt04AMArYGWjcFls/giphy.gif

5) KO, middle, blocks a guy already on the ground and let the eventual tackler fly right by him
https://media4.giphy.com/media/IwhGcnmR2XOC4sX4wt/giphy.gif


If you wanna say that's 5 plays from one game, fair enough, if you wanna say there was no punt coverage in this game, fair enough, but IIRC it was like that most of the time, and if he really was this elite one of a kind STer, it would show more than that, wouldn't it ?

Said it last year, will say it again, his spot can be better used.

Man you put a lot of work in to that.
You've changed my mind, F Apke.

I guess everyone's got their guy. mine is preston smith. F that guy.

On kickoffs, Apke is typically in containment mode since he is the fastest coverage guy on the team.

His coverage on punts is much more aggressive.
I would keep him around just for punt coverage because I expect a lot of punts this year.

Man you put a lot of work in to that.
You've changed my mind, F Apke.

I guess everyone's got their guy. mine is preston smith. F that guy.

On kickoffs, Apke is typically in containment mode since he is the fastest coverage guy on the team.

His coverage on punts is much more aggressive.
I would keep him around just for punt coverage because I expect a lot of punts this year.

:laughing2 Good one ^^
The thing is even on punt coverage, no one is arguing the guy is fast... But can you actually remember him making impactful plays on punt coverage last season ? The one that comes to mind is that weird one that ended up being a touchback because he ran inside the endzone and the NFL rule is effed up ^^

And you're right, we all have our guy. I will fight to my grave defending Mason Foster's legacy.