SOW| Breaking Down the State of the Redskins: Safeties (w/Safety Depthchart Projection)

[rd421]

Welcome to the second installment of our State of the Redskins series here at SOW. We had some really incredible reactions to our look at the WR’s earlier this week. I’ve seen everything from “You’re an idiot Ray, no way Banks gets cut”, to “This is the most reasonable WR Depth Chart we have seen.”

Whatever your opinion on the receivers, we’re just glad you enjoyed the piece enough to comment on a position group that clearly went through some major changes since last season.

That said, let’s move to the other side of the ball and look at a unit that will be experiencing a 100% change in starters for the 2012 season – the safeties.

On paper, the 2011 Redskins were poised to have perhaps the best safety tandem in the NFL. With the supposed reemergence of LaRon Landry as one of the more feared hitters in the league, and the addition of rumored turnover machine OJ Atogwe, Redskins nation assumed this unit would be set for the next few years.

What was it my mother used to tell me about assuming??? Oh yeah. . .

Our assumption, like most assumptions, did not take into account some important information, such as the fact that Landry is apparently made of paper mâchė, and that OJ would suffer from his own breakout of boo boos. Both players could not stay healthy last year, and thus failed to make any real impact.

You can blame the lack of any offseason rehab due to the lockout for either/both results if that makes you feel better, but LaRon instead chose to blame the medical and training staff for allegedly handling him improperly. I could argue that he should have had the surgery the staff urged him to have to fix his Achilles, and he should have spent more time preparing for actual football games, instead of, oh I don’t know… looking like he was training for a Miss Mister Universe Competition?

In 2012, the Redskins look to have two new starters at safety, but the question is: does the staff have enough talent to field and NFL-caliber safety unit?

Key Departures

While he may possess a jaw-dropping physique that creates creepy man-crushes from fans, let’s face it– NO ONE should be shocked that LaRon is no longer sporting the Burgundy and Gold. The guy looks like he should be the missing member of the Avengers, no doubt, and when healthy he, at times, seemed like he could be one of the best in the league. Problem is, performance enhancement in the gym does not equal performance on the field.

More importantly, it’s impossible to perform when you spend half the games standing on the sideline dealing with an injury. Landry, who was drafted to solidify the safety position next to the late great Sean Taylor, never lived up to the potential that we all were envisioning. Sadly, the massive expectations that Redskins Nation had for “Area51” never were realized.

Atogwe was not much better. As mentioned, he spent 2011 dealing with his own injury issues, but that is not what led to his departure.

Atogwe was brilliant in St. Louis under Haslett, but the outstanding performances he previously turned in never materialized at his new home in Washington (where have we heard that story before?). To be fair though, he wasn’t horrible. I don’t believe that OJ played his way out of DC, performing just well enough to see a second year under Haz.

Then CapGate happened.

So far, OJ is probably the biggest casualty from the controversial salary cap situation. At worst, OJ would have been given the opportunity to fight for his roster spot through camp, but Papa Goodell sealed his fate a few months early.

Key Additions

Of the six safeties currently on the roster, four of them were not Redskins in 2011. Tenard Jackson played under DB Coach Raheem Morris during his head coaching stint in Tampa Bay. Brandon Meriweather was trying (and failing) to return to Pro Bowl form in Chicago’s Tampa 2 system that proved to be a very poor match for his skill set. Madieu Williams was busy contributing exactly nothing to an AWESOME 49ers defense, and Jordan Bernstine was taking basket weaving 101 at Iowa.

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[skinny21]

I know the positions are supposed to be 'interchangeable', but Isn't Merriweather the projected SS, not FS?

Personally, I think perhaps the biggest boost Morris provides is that we no longer have 2 coaches in the backfield. I'm betting it's a lot easier communication-wise to have just one voice back there. Addition by subtraction. I think you're right that his youth and energy will truly motivate these guys.

[redskindomination]

Doughty at FS? Hasn't he pretty much always been used as an in the box SS? Either way, here's to hoping he's not on the roster in '12.

[rd421]

LOL sorry guys little typo on the safety groups :doh:

[Darth Tater]

Doughty at FS? Hasn't he pretty much always been used as an in the box SS? Either way, here's to hoping he's not on the roster in '12.

For about the last 5-6 years, there's really been no free/strong safety as it has really been open/closed. Took about 4-5 years for people to start calling the guys in the backfield RB/FB as opposed to HB/FB though that was more obvious as when was the last time a running back identified as the FB been the primary ball handler?

BTW, why would anyone hope a guy is not on the roster? I can understand hoping someone is on the roster but not hoping someone is not on the roster.

[pvkeeper19]

Sitting where we are in June, it's hard for me to imagine a starting tandem other than Meriweather and Williams in Week 1. I also have a hard time envisioning that tandem finishing the season together. I think Jackson, Gomes and Doughty will also all start games at some point, whether through injury or due to a coaching decision.

I think the safety group is probably going to end up looking a lot like it did last year: lots of rotation, older guys missing games due to injury, and generally uninspiring play. I hope I'm wrong, but if I'm not, I hope the front seven can take up some slack for what might be the weakest position group on the team.

[Botched]

One way or another, you know Doughty is going to end up starting at least 8 games this year. It's becoming a Redskins tradition.

[Always A Commander Never A Captain]

I'm not positive, but I don't think Meriweather has any injury history. If he plays solid enough, he'll start all 16 games. That type of consistency is good. As for the other safety spot, I agree with others. Probably have at least 2 different starters. I'm hoping they all play decently, and Williams gets replaced by someone younger with more potential...instead of Williams getting replaced because he sucks.

[Koolblue13]

I think I may be the only one who is excited about our backfield.

Meriweather can be a perennial probowler in our system and Tenard Jackson, I was a fan of his when he came into the league. I hope he can get back to form.

Reed is fundamentally sound and has always been there for us. Gomes looks promising. Williams is solid.

[RunClintonRun26]

If our front 7 can do its job, then the back end doesn't have to necessarily be a strength. Obviously you would like every group on the field to be quality, but honestly, it is not a requirement for success.

I am actually excited to see how these "new-look" safety combinations will play this year. Gomes impressed me last year and guys like Brandon and Tenard have proven that they can be adequate. Last year there always seemed to be one big third down where the opposing QB had ALL DAY to throw, and would find that match-up of one of our safeties one on one against his WR . . . and more often than not, that WR won. Here's to hoping that those days are over (or at least happen less frequently).

[pjfootballer]

I think I may be the only one who is excited about our backfield.

Meriweather can be a perennial probowler in our system and Tenard Jackson, I was a fan of his when he came into the league. I hope he can get back to form.

Reed is fundamentally sound and has always been there for us. Gomes looks promising. Williams is solid.

Not to mention that Reed plays alot of Special Teams, which is one reason he continues to lock up a spot on the roster. I always see fans "penciling in" guys as backups, not realizing that alot of backups make the team on special teams.

I see Meriweather and Williams starting with Jackson, Gomes and Doughty as the backups. Maybe Williams didn't do anything in SF, but he seems to have the coaches (yes coaches) eyes in OTAs.