Have we ever had a good safety?

[b0ng]

I was thinking about this tonight and I was wondering, have we ever had a good safety starting for us? I know Pollard was decent in 2009, and Demps was okay in 2007, but before that it was C. C. Brown and before that Matt Stevens was in there and I have to go vomit.

Have we ever had anybody who was worth even. . . a **** back there in either safety spot?

[MadBurgerMaker]

At some point Marcus Coleman and Marlon McCree both played FS for the Texans, but I may have blocked it out because I can't, for the life of me, remember how good/terrible they were.

E: 03 for McCree, 04 for Coleman?

[Jackie Chiles]

I think the best single season we have ever gotten out of a safety was Bernard Pollard in 09 BY FAR and he was pretty much exposed this past season. The answer to your question is no.

[Brandon420tx]

Best FS - Marcus Coleman,

Best SS - Bernard Pollard

[Allstar]

09 Pollard made a huge impact on our Defense. 2010 Pollard was exposed, much like the rest of the defense.

[Lucky]

I posted this in the Donte Whitner thread, and it seems to be more appropriate here:

Originally Posted by Lucky

Pollard gets a lot of bashing here, and somewhat deservingly. Did he bust assignments? Probably. But, he also made plays. And while the other Texans DBs get the benefit of the doubt that improved coaching will raise their level of play (see: Jackson, Kareem), Pollard is deemed hopeless. I look back at the 2009 Pollard (when he didn't go through Texans training camps or mini camps), and he was one of the best players on the team. A "coached up" 2010 Pollard was much worse. Why couldn't Bernard improve under Wade Phillips and staff?

So I pose the question, why can't Pollard get better under Phillips? Everyone else on the defense can improve, but not Bernard? Does that make sense? The Texans are sitting with a huge hole at the SS spot and are letting the best safety they ever had go. Not tendering Pollard was a mistake, IMO, if 2011 is played under the 2010 salary rules. I'm not suggesting Pollard should of been handed the starting job without competition. Just that the Texans may have let their best option walk away.

[El Tejano]

Marlon Mcree was the best we ever had. Our dumb staff let him go and he went on to have a very decent tenure with San Diego. Marlon was just on a very crappy defense with absolutely no pass rush. If you thought our pass rush was bad now, oh it was much worse then.

My favorite memory of Marlon Mcree was when he returned a Steve Mcnair interception 95 yards for a late 4th quarter TD.....of course Mcnair came back and beat us with a TD to Drew Bennett.

[thunderkyss]

I'm going to go against the grain, & say I think we've always had good safeties. Not great, not spectacular, not special.

Bernard I think was the only above average safety we've had & that is the problem. Same with Dunta, slightly above average, these were "team leaders" & the team was satisfied with that for a long time.

[Ndevine7]

Originally Posted by Lucky

I posted this in the Donte Whitner thread, and it seems to be more appropriate here:


So I pose the question, why can't Pollard get better under Phillips? Everyone else on the defense can improve, but not Bernard? Does that make sense? The Texans are sitting with a huge hole at the SS spot and are letting the best safety they ever had go. Not tendering Pollard was a mistake, IMO, if 2011 is played under the 2010 salary rules. I'm not suggesting Pollard should of been handed the starting job without competition. Just that the Texans may have let their best option walk away.

I completely agree Pollard should have been tendered and given the chance to start if he drastically improved. Worst case scenario is he could be a solid ST and help on running plays. With SS such a question mark this season i think Pollard shouldve been tendered

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Ndevine7

I completely agree Pollard should have been tendered and given the chance to start if he drastically improved. Worst case scenario is he could be a solid ST and help on running plays. With SS such a question mark this season i think Pollard shouldve been tendered

or hopefully they are saying we not going to settle for "good enough" anymore.

I know there is a little scapegoating going on here.

Post draft (Kubiak's comments withstanding) looks like the onus is on Rick Smith to fix our secondary through FA.

[Ndevine7]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

or hopefully they are saying we not going to settle for "good enough" anymore.

I know there is a little scapegoating going on here.

Post draft (Kubiak's comments withstanding) looks like the onus is on Rick Smith to fix our secondary through FA.

Wasnt Pollard a probowl candidate in 2009? To me being a candidate for the pro bowl after not even starting the year on the team is something ill take considering the potential SS we have so far. No knock on Keo or Nolan but if Pollard proved he was a better player in training camp he shouldve started thats why i think we shouldved tendered him

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Ndevine7

Wasnt Pollard a probowl candidate in 2009? To me being a candidate for the pro bowl after not even starting the year on the team is something ill take considering the potential SS we have so far. No knock on Keo or Nolan but if Pollard proved he was a better player in training camp he shouldve started thats why i think we shouldved tendered him

Roy Williams was a true pro-bowler when used in the manner we used Bernard Pollard in '09.

But he limits what you can do scheme-wise. I completely understand the idea that we should have kept Bernard & coached him up. I'm just throwing out possibilities.

[TimeKiller]

I can't believe Pollard wouldn't take a contract with a demotion from starter. He must really, really, really not fit what Wade wants.

[dsorc]

Originally Posted by Lucky

I posted this in the Donte Whitner thread, and it seems to be more appropriate here:


So I pose the question, why can't Pollard get better under Phillips? Everyone else on the defense can improve, but not Bernard? Does that make sense? The Texans are sitting with a huge hole at the SS spot and are letting the best safety they ever had go. Not tendering Pollard was a mistake, IMO, if 2011 is played under the 2010 salary rules. I'm not suggesting Pollard should of been handed the starting job without competition. Just that the Texans may have let their best option walk away.

The move is a little odd but not unexpected. Pollard is a good in the box SS. He was good in 09 because he was able to come in and play the run. Last year, his coverage shortcomings (which were also there in 09) were exposed and it didn't help that to my eyes we played more cover 2. Phillips systems will be cover 2 based as far as I know which pulls Pollard away from his strength and would highlight his weakness. Pollard is very similar to Roy Williams, another very good in the box safety, who struggled in Phillips scheme.

The main thing that doesn't make sense to me is why we drafted Keo or have kept Barber who look to be in the same mold as Pollard.

[steelbtexan]

Originally Posted by Ndevine7

Wasnt Pollard a probowl candidate in 2009? To me being a candidate for the pro bowl after not even starting the year on the team is something ill take considering the potential SS we have so far. No knock on Keo or Nolan but if Pollard proved he was a better player in training camp he shouldve started thats why i think we shouldved tendered him

Safties have to be able to cover in Phillips scheme. Pollard proved last yr that he wasn't the man for the job.

I'm with TK, it's on R.Smith to find a CB and S in FA. Veteran leadership that can play is badly needed on the back end.

[CloakNNNdagger]

I've followed Weddle and he could definitely be someone that Wade could incorporated into his D (even in a "twin" responsibility system) and deliver immediate impact.

Maybe try Eric Weddle

Assuming the worst would leave Tampa Bay without Tanard Jackson and Aqib Talib. Many ideas are being thrown around as far as getting a free agent cornerback like Antonio Cromartie, Nnamdi Asomugha, and Jonathan Joseph. Concerning safeties- there hasn't been nearly as much speculation.

The free agent safety crop is by no means stellar this off season, but the name that jumps out is Eric Weddle. San Diego placed a first round tender on him in March, however established tenders may not be binding depending on the outcome of the new collective bargaining agreement. Should the new agreement render the tenders void, Weddle will be courted by several clubs.

I like Weddle for Tampa because of his intelligence. He's quick, has adequate ball skills, and is a sure tackler. Weddle performs well in coverage and against the run- this set of skills would upgrade the position for the Bucs substantially. He's only 26 years old and hasn't any character concerns. Given his awareness on the field and the schematic positional similarities, I believe he could play either FS or SS in Tampa's defense.

Mostly I cannot stress the importance of his tackling ability. Cody Grimm performed well in that regard while Sean Jones was merely satisfactory. Having a safety on the roster who breaks down and wraps up saves a lot of points. Weddle could help guide Grimm with his covering techniques and turn him into a serviceable starter who could be reasonably better than Jones.

link

[rmartin65]

If we can land both Weddle and Aso, there is no doubt in my mind that the Texans are Super Bowl contenders. A top 5 offense, and a revamped D? Awesome. Only Kubes is curbing my enthusiasm in this scenario.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

I've followed Weddle and he could definitely be someone that Wade could incorporated into his D (even in a "twin" responsibility system) and deliver immediate impact.



link

I wonder what kind of relationship Wade had with Weddle & if that will help us any.

[HOU-TEX]

Boy, seems a few around here have had a little memory loss after last season. Pollard was our worst DB this past season. He bit on the PA every damn time a team ran a PA pass. Always lookin for the big hit, which is fine as long as your job is covered 1st. He and our other safety's were always behind when they were supposed to be over the top with help. Sure, our CB's were below average but the play from our safety's and coverage from our LB's were horrible.

[IDEXAN]

The front 7 (whether in a 3-4 or 4-3 alignmnet) are more important than the back-end, and the corners are the most important positions in the back-end.
Therefor that should give all of you wondering about the safety position what the priorites Wade and Co have in staffing their defense.