Mark It Down

[buff17]

Im predicting a huge second day steal, a kid by the name of Justin Hamliton out of Virginia Tech. Hes a 6'3 220 safety that was on par with Jimmy Williams on Vt's Pro Day. Hes got sub 4.4 speed, 40 inch verticle ands hes built like a brickhouse. The kid started out as a WR for VT, he did pretty decent, but ended up bulking up to switch to running back. Which again he did decently at, but during his senior year VT had no depth at DB and plenty of depth at RB so they switched him yet again to safety where he quickly came into his own. Maybe a poor mans Sean Taylor or Rodney Harrison. Hes also a great special teamer.

Hes very very raw though, but is one of the most phyiscal safetys in the draft. Hes got all the talent, hes just one of those guys who needs to get with the right team that can ease his way in.

 

[Shane]

Im predicting a huge second day steal, a kid by the name of Justin Hamliton out of Virginia Tech. Hes a 6'3 220 safety that was on par with Jimmy Williams on Vt's Pro Day. Hes got sub 4.4 speed, 40 inch verticle ands hes built like a brickhouse. The kid started out as a WR for VT, he did pretty decent, but ended up bulking up to switch to running back. Which again he did decently at, but during his senior year VT had no depth at DB and plenty of depth at RB so they switched him yet again to safety where he quickly came into his own. Maybe a poor mans Sean Taylor or Rodney Harrison. Hes also a great special teamer.

Hes very very raw though, but is one of the most phyiscal safetys in the draft. Hes got all the talent, hes just one of those guys who needs to get with the right team that can ease his way in.

Only problemw ith that is that we dont need a Safety we can ease into the job. We need a safety who can start ahead of Griffith right now.

 

[buff17]

I just make predictions.....im not saying the Cardinals will even draft him.

 

[Shane]

I just make predictions.....im not saying the Cardinals will even draft him.

 

[vinnymac]

what is wrong with the fs we have now.

 

[Shane]

what is wrong with the fs we have now.

Are you serious?

You really think that Robert Griffith is a good FS? He is terrible. He is slow, well past his prime, and playing out of position.

 

[Capital Card]

Are you serious?

You really think that Robert Griffith is a good FS? He is terrible. He is slow, well past his prime, and playing out of position.

While I think you are over-exaggerating a bit, I agree that FS is a major need for the team. I agree that he is slow and past his prime, but at present he is our best option.

That said, unless we take a safety with our first round pick, I think Griffith will still be our starter come day one. Not necessarily for the entire season, especially if we draft a safety in rounds 2-4, but the first half at minimum.

Just as Emmitt wasn't the complete train-wreck many in here claim, Griffith didn't play terrible last season, especially when you consider that he was often alone in the back field with AW blitzing ever other play. I can't think of another team that relied on their FS as heavily as we did last year.

Again, don't take this as I want Griffith as our starting FS for the next 2-3 years.... I'm just throwing cold water on the fact that I'm 90% convinced he's our starter come opening day.

Go Cards!!!

 

[Shane]

While I think you are over-exaggerating a bit, I agree that FS is a major need for the team. I agree that he is slow and past his prime, but at present he is our best option.

That said, unless we take a safety with our first round pick, I think Griffith will still be our starter come day one. Not necessarily for the entire season, especially if we draft a safety in rounds 2-4, but the first half at minimum.

Just as Emmitt wasn't the complete train-wreck many in here claim, Griffith didn't play terrible last season, especially when you consider that he was often alone in the back field with AW blitzing ever other play. I can't think of another team that relied on their FS as heavily as we did last year.

Again, don't take this as I want Griffith as our starting FS for the next 2-3 years.... I'm just throwing cold water on the fact that I'm 90% convinced he's our starter come opening day.

Go Cards!!!

I am far from over-exaggerating. Griffith is WAY TO SLOW and playing out of his natural position. He is not capable of performing the way a FS should plain and simple. Take into account another year of age and another year of wear and tear and it is only going to get worse.

Just because he is our best option with whats on the roster dont mean its a good option. Anyway you slice it if he is our starting FS come the start of teh season it will be a MAJOR weakness on this team.

 

[CardinalChris]

I think we need both depth and a starter. If only because a backup safety can help our ST, which are sorely lacking, while he learns.

 

[SuperSpck]

Griffith didn't play terrible last season, especially when you consider that he was often alone in the back field with AW blitzing ever other play.

I agree with this point, which is why a S who excels in coverage and possesses great speed would be a pretty high need in this year's draft. If refering to the draft I like players like Micheal Huff or Jason Allen.

And while I can't argue with the results from a sack standpoint for Mr. Wilson, I do worry about overplaying this "card" (ugh, I didn't want that pun there, but it's not going away).

 

[BigDavis75]

I am far from over-exaggerating. Griffith is WAY TO SLOW and playing out of his natural position. He is not capable of performing the way a FS should plain and simple. Take into account another year of age and another year of wear and tear and it is only going to get worse.

Just because he is our best option with whats on the roster dont mean its a good option. Anyway you slice it if he is our starting FS come the start of teh season it will be a MAJOR weakness on this team.

Check the stats and couple that with Griffith being by himself a lot, plus he is a pretty good tackler. I agree he needs replacing soon, but he is a prettty good stopgap for the time being.

 

[football karma]

This draft has a bunch of free safety prospects who are have good size, good speed, some played both CB and safety in college, and might be a bit too stiff hipped to be a NFL corners:

Jimmy Williams
Micheal Huff
Donte Whitner
Ko Simpson
Pat Watkins

and several others

It seems like a team could draft a pretty solid free safety in the bottom of the second, top of the third

 

[Shane]

Check the stats and couple that with Griffith being by himself a lot, plus he is a pretty good tackler. I agree he needs replacing soon, but he is a prettty good stopgap for the time being.

You guys are happy with a below average player then. Griffith was plain and simply bad no matter how you slice it. He isnt neither a good stopgap nor a viable starter at any position. This team has a glaring hole if he is the starter.

 

[lobo]

Griffith is way past his prime and FS is THE position that needs to be filled now..it is the weakest starting position we have on the field...period...and that is why williams is the answer if he is there...there will be and are plenty of options for a second string QB...there are not too many left to fill the bill at FS...do we want to lose games 31-28 with EJ running for 100+ blah blah blah.....and we get toasted by someone throwing 4 TD passes against us???

 

[joeshmo]

do we want to lose games 31-28 with EJ running for 100+ blah blah blah.....and we get toasted by someone throwing 4 TD passes against us???

So we go from barely letting 1 passing TD a game last year to gicing up 4 a game. We gave up 17 TD's passing last year, thats 6th in the league. And with Griffith playing on an Island with Wilson always playing close to the line of scrimmage. We werent getting torched for Yards either being 12 in the league. We were also ranked 8th in the league in yards per catch, ranked for 7th in 40+ yard passes allowed, so were werent getting beaten deep either.

Griffith is the weak link of the D now that Clancy has been signed I will not deny that one bit, but to say he was terrible or we will give up a ton of TD's with him as FS is a complete exaggeration of a small part of the truth.

"And thats how you slice it." That sounded way to Wrestlers catch phrase, and I am ashamed of doing it.

 

[kerouac9]

Shane keeps repeating that Griffith sucks like if he says it enough times it will suddenly come true. It's hard to believe that our defense was in the Top 10 in the NFL last season considering all the horrible talent we had out on the field, huh?

 

[Shane]

Shane keeps repeating that Griffith sucks like if he says it enough times it will suddenly come true. It's hard to believe that our defense was in the Top 10 in the NFL last season considering all the horrible talent we had out on the field, huh?

Yea because having a top 10 D miraculously makes Griffith an adequate FS.

 

[kerouac9]

Because it's hard to have a Top 10 D when the guy that's supposed to be the last line of defense "is slow, well past his prime, and playing out of position" or "is not capable of performing the way a FS should plain and simple" or "plain and simply bad no matter how you slice it. He isnt neither a good stopgap nor a viable starter at any position". Yeah, I think that's pretty easy to say.

 

[Shane]

Because it's hard to have a Top 10 D when the guy that's supposed to be the last line of defense "is slow, well past his prime, and playing out of position" or "is not capable of performing the way a FS should plain and simple" or "plain and simply bad no matter how you slice it. He isnt neither a good stopgap nor a viable starter at any position". Yeah, I think that's pretty easy to say.

Its your dream world. Live it up.

 

[lobo]

joe s...a little drama is okay once in awhile...griffith is not going to give up 64 td pa(16.4)..but we both agree he is the guy that needs to be challenged...by the way i too thought russell davis was a bigger problem as a DT....how

 

[lobo]

joe s...a little drama is okay once in awhile...griffith is not going to give up 64 td pa(16.4)..but we both agree he is the guy that needs to be challenged...by the way i too thought russell davis was a bigger problem as a DT....how do