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Charles Woodson willing to move to Safety

Cincyfan78

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Joe Reedy has said several times that if Leon is able to return to form (and even if not) the guy they signed from Houston has played some safety and will probably get some looks there depending on how well (or more likely how poorly) things go with Mays.
 

DanBengalfan

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just put a card board cut out there for goodness sake...

I give up, just play with 10 on defense.

this team is nuts.
 

flamingrey

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Really, we've stooped so low to start comparing Clements to Woodson?

So, how about that Clements? I heard he may not even be on the roster come July, let alone playing safety with all of our All-Pro'ers back there.
 

vancelot23

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I've also heard Clements could be cut due to salary (which is laughable since we still have $19 million in cap room. The style of CB those guys play lends itself to a move to S. They play a physical style like a safety does. Woodson would seem like a natural move, allowing him to blitz, play the run, and play centerfield, things he excels at. Clements isn't as good as woodson, but he does play that same style, and, IMO, would be a good candidate to give it a shot. That said, we have Mays, Sands, and drafted Iloka, so I'm sure one of them will start there, probably Mays.
 

Be Weary of Query

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Oh...so now you have to be a future HOFer in order to make the transition?

Didn't realize we were qualifying the criteria midstream. Carry on...
 

Be Weary of Query

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It was loosely inferred that it is now part of the equation.
 

flamingrey

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Oh...so now you have to be a future HOFer in order to make the transition?

Didn't realize we were qualifying the criteria midstream. Carry on...

I'm pretty sure you don't even know what the original debate was. It was never under contention that players have switched from CB to S late in their careers. In fact, several players who successfully made the switch had been named in the original thread.

Furthermore, not any joe-schmoe can make the transition. Would you not agree that an average CB would have a much tougher time making the switch than a HOFer CB?

This is only further evidenced by the fact that the Bengals are willing to outright release Clements rather than try him at safety, while the Packers are presumably open to the idea of moving Woodson (even though Woodson only suggested the idea, right now there is no indication that the Packers are willing to try it). AND Woodson has several years in age on Clements.
 

Cincyfan78

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While I do agree that not ever guy that plays CB can make the move to S, I don't agree that an "average" CB would have a tougher time. Things that separte a solid CB from average can be something as simple as ability to cover man-to-man. If you take a solid tackler, but struggles in man coverage, type CB he would be "average" but if you move that type to safety, he could potentially take advantage of his solid tackling and maybe decent ball recognition in more zone and deep coverage, and eliminate a large part of his man-coverage responsibilities he had as a CB.

In any case, Reedy has said several times that the guy we signed from Houston is the one that would get looks at Safety as he has played there some already. He also mentioned Clements as a cut, but said it would be a highly unlikely move. For that to happen, Hall would have to show he's 100%, Kirkpatrick would have to show he can start right now at the #2 spot, and the backups would have to show enough to be able to step in if injury occurs....I don't see all of that happening.
 

flamingrey

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I can somewhat agree with that assessment. However, for that transition to be made for a solid tackler but struggler in man coverage, it would have to be early in their career - prior to losing a step or 2 and where they have time to learn all the nuances of the position. Late in that player's career, without the speed and without the knowledge, there's nothing that separates them from the plethora of backup safeties on rosters and looking for jobs.

On the flip side though, a player who excels in man coverage would allow many more coverage packages with his ability to do more on the field, and also allowing him not to be as proficient in the nuances of the position as in the above case.
 

cincygrad

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A team with the 32 overall and 32 rated pass defense might move an aging corner from corner to safety? Yes, let us please emulate all the magic happening for that unit right now.

In all honesty, Woodson strikes me as the type that could play some safety if his skills haven't eroded with age.... But the point remains the same -- Every time a physical corner starts getting on in age, there seems to be an attempt (or at least discussion) to move him to safety. Yet, only a few times has this led to a player actually being effective at the position.
 
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