A secondary to face Divisional matchups

[Fin Thirteen]

With AFC teams playing a lot of nickel packages to handle multiple WR sets and with huge matchup problems controlling guys like Hernandez and Gronkowski, where do you see our secondary going under Coyle? What offseason moves should we expect, assuming we are far from perfect at defending the pass and TEs in particular?

Coyle was very vocal about takeaways being a big area for him, having players with the technical skills to target the ball and hold onto it. He repeatedly emphasised the nickel formation and extra burden on safeties in the current game.

I don't hear a lot of debate on here about how we might move pieces around and/or acquire new ones in the DB area of the field. I have to say I think there'll be some moves here. We may even see a new breed of safety/nickel corner being developed to manage big athletic TEs. Either way the Fins need to adapt to close off the new pass game.

More picks, more nickel packages, better control of TEs. Those are some of the challenges.

Thoughts?

 

[DownUnderFin]

The focus is clearly on QB but I definitely agree something has to change here too. It won't be until round 2 in the draft at the earliest and so far not many clear favourites have been thrown around in FA (that I've read about at least). Not sure we have the cattle right now.

 

[Tunaphish429]

I hope were not playing bend dont break d again....was probably the worst combination for our team since all our offense was doing early on was kicking FG's....

We need to get to the qb and we need to disguise what we are doing. Tom Brady is not easy to fool and fitz as well. I hope our d can do that this year.

 

[insomnia411]

The more I think about it the more I realize how many needs this team has, and the secondary is a huge hole. We basically have nobody that can cover outside of Vontae on the back end of our D. In order to defend the kind of passing attacks that we see in the league today you either need a dynamic secondary or an excellent all around pass rush and we have neither.
You might be able to out-duel those kinds of elite passing attacks if you have a mediocre defense with an explosive offense of your own, but at the moment we have nothing like that either... There was a thread the other day about how far we are away from a super bowl, IMO unless lightning strikes and we sign Peyton Manning AND another playmaker on either side of the ball like a Mario Williams or a Vincent Jackson, then I don't think we are anywhere close.

 

[Fin Thirteen]

Assuming Vontae is cemented as a pure CB, we have Smith - who I think is a decent man coverage CB and definitely don't think has the aggressiveness to handle the safety position, Wilson who looked best as the nickel back, Allen a serviceable nickelback, Carroll who may or may not make it as a player in this league, Jones who was very iffy at times last year and the only real alternative to an ageing Bell who may not accept a restructure. Clemons is the only true FS on the team and hasn't been able to handle TEs or run coverage that well, though Wilson is an option there, albeit an undersized one. We also have the new KC guy, Lawrence.


So, given we're likely to switch to zone coverage, we want more interceptions, we're facing big TEs, lots of nickel package:

Davis, Wilson and Allen fit into that scheme for me. New guy Lawrence could turn out to be a good zone CB - he has size, speed and good hands, but the rest is guesswork. I have a hard time putting Smith anywhere (though I'm not sure he deserves to be cut loose), Jones/Culver/Bell are all meh, Clemons is an OK backup at FS and Carroll is a wildcard who might come good and could be a bust.

You have to wonder what the future holds for Jones, Culver, Bell, Clemons, Carroll and - depending on your opinion - Smith. Not all those players are bad, but you have to ask do they fill the brief for what the defense demands and the teams they face?

 

[Mudder1310]

Another option would be to draft a player like Cliff Harris, who has rd1 or 2 talent but is a bit of a knucklehead, later in the draft, 4th rd lets say. Harris has skills, the right size and speed, and can return like a mother.

 

[NY8123]

If you get a solid free safety this D will benefit from top to bottom. The coverage over the middle and on the outside will improve, run support improves, blitz packages improve etc...with the pass happy NFL rules you need a stud at FS but at the very least you need a good free safety.

Jones and Co. were average at best last season, there was much room for improvement. Honestly Free Safety is the number one need on the defense and with it the pass coverage will improve.

 

[Fin Thirteen]

If you get a solid free safety this D will benefit from top to bottom. The coverage over the middle and on the outside will improve, run support improves, blitz packages improve etc...with the pass happy NFL rules you need a stud at FS but at the very least you need a good free safety.

Jones and Co. were average at best last season, there was much room for improvement. Honestly Free Safety is the number one need on the defense and with it the pass coverage will improve.

Most of the safeties are like 5'11" and 190 lbs. Not much of a matchup for a big TE or WR. Would you be tempted to draft a big corner and play him at safety?