I think we all need to reevluate the safety position for this team.
I'm not sold on the fact that Kubiak and Co. fell the need for one safety to be the designated in the box guy and the other to be the centerfielder type. I think they are looking for a pair of safeties capable of playing both roles equally well.
Now is this the right idea? I have no idea, but from looking over the past signings and draftings of safeties I'm starting to think that we the fans do not have the good of a grasp on what the coaches want from the SS and the FS.
I'll definitely agree with pretty much all of this-nice post. I'm still wanting a ballhawking FS that can either deflect the ball in the air or intercept it instead of what we have now, but am slowly realizing that's not going to happen. Demps, imo has been a big improvement. I constantly saw him get to the WR as the guy was catching the ball. It'd be a catch if Demps didn't hit him... but i'm still wanting a guy that can get there before the WR even touches it- outlook is doubtful.
I was big on LaRon Landry last year over Reggie Nelson for the fact Landry was excellent in run support and tackling, where I was not fond of Nelson. This is when I thought the staff really valued the tackling issue over pure ballskills- in both safety and corner play. Moot point since Landry was selected before us and we got Amobi
This is also why I think Mike Jenkins would not be a good fit for our team- he's one of the worst tackling CB's in the draft (or at least of the 1st round talent).
I also think that the coaching staff doesn't place a lot of value in the safety play. By that I mean investing a high draft pick in one. I think Phillips actually fits into what this staff likes in a safety. I think Phillips would probably have better cover skills than most on our team. Supposedly he's suited more for SS on most teams but for a team like ours he could be on the field because of the guys we're trying to go for. I'm not trying to say I want Phillips to be the pick at #18, but just saying he ties more into the kind of safety we're actually looking for than a pure cover safety, imo.