Landon Collins comes on strong in all aspects year 2.
Nat Berhe and Darien Thompson both show, based on their extensive starting experience in college, that they are at least capable of being the 2nd starting S and playing a reasonable "center field, last line of defense" role. They are neck and neck to start the season... and the other one of them becomes the 3rd safety in nickle or dime packages.
Not even considering the slim chance that Cooper Taylor returns healthy and stays healthy for a full season, that still leaves late round picks Jackson and M. Thompson to fill roles as ST contributors or - based on their college experience - slot or nickel or backup CBs.
OK maybe the odds are slim to unfold this way and luck out on injuries for a change...
But I like the fact that 2 of the Giants' young candidates at safety have the experience and athleticism (based on combine or Pro day measurements) to play CB.
We'll know more as the offseason progresses but the litmus test is always when teams gameplan your weaknesses and you see how your players respond.
Until then I'll moderate my expectations.
Darian Thompson may or may not be the goods -- but I'll give you 2 out of six using the Jordan Raanan formula of thirds.
Collins is a playa and so is Darian Thompson -
Until I see otherwise I don't think the rest of those guys is slated to be a complete season field hand combined.
Darian Thompson may or may not be the goods -- but I'll give you 2 out of six using the Jordan Raanan formula of thirds.
Collins is a playa and so is Darian Thompson -
Until I see otherwise I don't think the rest of those guys is slated to be a complete season field hand combined.
Frankly I don't get the negativity about Berhe based on his not playing last year. As a rookie he played in all 16 games, mostly various STs but he also saw snaps as a safety at the end of his rookie year. TC was very frustrated by Berhe's injury - which implied TC was expecting more than STs from Berhe his 2nd year, even with hot flash high pick Collins drafted.
I understand Joey's criticism of Berhe: too small, too slow... but the guy was a very good college player, a 4 year starter, injury free. And his short area quickness and jumping combine numbers were good for a safety, or at least adequate.
Plus he hits like a guy a lot bigger than he is, and for his height is well built.
I understand robbieballs optimism re Berhe more than others' negativity.
Who mentioned confidence?
I said optimism!😉
Who mentioned confidence?
I said optimism!😉
Semantic Optimism????
How does one have optimism without confidence?
A better scenario would be an exit in the 1st round of cuts. My opinion, and sorry if he is someone's favorite player.
A better scenario would be an exit in the 1st round of cuts. My opinion, and sorry if he is someone's favorite player.
What do you base athletically challenged on?
Absolutely for some reason Spags loved the intelligence and/or leadership of both Dahl and Kuhn and played them way too much and put them in situations where they had no business being in.
Collins was thrown into the fire......he made some plays and missed a lot of others.....his pass coverage has to improve dramatically....so you expect him to learn from his mistakes, and being out there a whole season, he has a better understanding of what his role is......but until he actually does it, he is a question mark....
And the free safety position is a huge one.
A Ball Hawking Safety is what the Dr ordered ..
Lastly can we at least catch a break with the injuries .
I don't see Cooper Taylor making it they should just cut him and get it over with .
Maybe the Guy catches on later in his career but no more waiting on a players health .
The thing is, if you buy the idea that Nat Berhe isn't athletic enough to play free safety based on his combine stuff (or even just his 4.71 40 yard dash in a vacuum) then Darian Thompson ALSO isn't athletic enough: Berhe ran a 4.71, Thompson a 4.69... Most other events Berhe was better, sometimes significantly so... Berhe's combine results listed first below:
Vert jump 35.5 vs 32.5
Broad jump 117 vs 118
bench press 15 vs 12
3 cone 7.08 vs 7.26
Short shuttle 4.22 vs 4.33
Berhe's only 5'10" vs Thompson's 6'2", but Berhe's arms are 1/4" longer.
0.02 seconds while running a 40 yard dash isn't jack, but most of the other combine measurements, taken together, suggest Berhe is a better athlete. Now you probably have less enthusiasm for Thompson, eh?
But the combine ++ guys, Jackson and M. Thompson, weren't productive like Berhe and D. Thompson.
Pick your poison.
Supposedly ran a 4.5 forty @ his pro Day. If that's true and he's a true ball-hawk, then ........
Supposedly ran a 4.5 forty @ his pro Day. If that's true and he's a true ball-hawk, then ........
Manny, NFLdraftscout lists his 40 at the Boise pro day as 4.58. Considering the typical pro day vs combine difference, not sure that's much improved over his combine 4.69.
Doesn't matter if the guy can flat out play, but still...
As to the pro day versus combine differential, it makes no sense that it always better by about .1. I suspect that sometimes it is the same, sometimes slower, sometimes faster. The other explanation is that Team Player Personnel employees are all idiots who are easily duped.
Now there is a reason for Behre's combine 40 also. It is called being slow. He is certainly too slow to get excited about and it is inconceivable for him to be a successful deep S.
Again, if he is your favorite player - sorry, I do not know the man. What I have written is a fan's opinion, although it is not uninformed.
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But a S, even an in the box SS, who cannot break 4.7, which is what I remember, is not going to get it done as anything but a stop-gap interim.
The thing is, if you buy the idea that Nat Berhe isn't athletic enough to play free safety based on his combine stuff (or even just his 4.71 40 yard dash in a vacuum) then Darian Thompson ALSO isn't athletic enough: Berhe ran a 4.71, Thompson a 4.69... Most other events Berhe was better, sometimes significantly so... Berhe's combine results listed first below:
Vert jump 35.5 vs 32.5
Broad jump 117 vs 118
bench press 15 vs 12
3 cone 7.08 vs 7.26
Short shuttle 4.22 vs 4.33
Berhe's only 5'10" vs Thompson's 6'2", but Berhe's arms are 1/4" longer.
0.02 seconds while running a 40 yard dash isn't jack, but most of the other combine measurements, taken together, suggest Berhe is a better athlete. Now you probably have less enthusiasm for Thompson, eh?
But the combine ++ guys, Jackson and M. Thompson, weren't productive like Berhe and D. Thompson.
Pick your poison.
Thompson was ill at the combine. He ran a 4.59 at his pro day. You can't ignore his production.
UberAlias : 9:13 am : link : reply
Mykkele Thompson and Darian Thompson will compete for free safety spot and I would give the edge to Thompson based on draft status.
They are both named Thompson.......how many remember Mykkele's draft status? 5th vs Darian's 3rd.....but for the most part, how was Mykkele even drafted? Many thought he should have been an UDFA.....
Darian looks like a FS, Mykkele doesn't, by virtue of the fact that he actually made plays at FS in college.........but that doesn't guarantee he can play in the pros.....
We need a FS...if Darian can pull this off, it will be a huge step for this defense, and if he can't Jerry will be scrambling again for another team's castoff....
UberAlias : 9:13 am : link : reply
Mykkele Thompson and Darian Thompson will compete for free safety spot and I would give the edge to Thompson based on draft status.
They are both named Thompson.......how many remember Mykkele's draft status? 5th vs Darian's 3rd.....but for the most part, how was Mykkele even drafted? Many thought he should have been an UDFA.....
Darian looks like a FS, Mykkele doesn't, by virtue of the fact that he actually made plays at FS in college.........but that doesn't guarantee he can play in the pros.....
We need a FS...if Darian can pull this off, it will be a huge step for this defense, and if he can't Jerry will be scrambling again for another team's castoff....
Doomster frankly you've lowered yourself to dumpster with a few of your observations... 1st it doesn't matter one whit what Joe bliftspik draft air jockey thought about Mykkele Thompson's value prior to the Giants drafting him in the 5th round in 2015... the Giants themselves had a 5th round grade on him, capiche?
2nd of all, the circumstances that sent JR scrambling among the NFL's discard pile at S last year WASN'T THAT BERHE, THOMPSON, AND JACKSON STUNK. THEY WERE ALL HURT WITH SEASON ENDING INJURIES THAT THEY HAVE ALL SINCE RECOVERED FROM. Well not sure Jackson is recovered fully, but Berhe and M. Thompson are, and D. Thompson has been added to the mix.
There is just as good a chance that the Giants will be flush with (at least adequate) safety talent this year as they will be digging in the refuse pile of NFL castoffs.
Heck I figured I had at least 1 Klaatu credit for my light sabre training crack on the Jerrel Adams query thread... maybe 2.
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I've trademarked "Dumpster" for "Doomster." You owe me 18 cents, pally.
Heck I figured I had at least 1 Klaatu credit for my light sabre training crack on the Jerrel Adams query thread... maybe 2.
Okay, you get one. After that it's cash on the barrelhead. NO CHECKS!
Perrier? Good God, not even in the 80's, dude! Perish the very thought of it!
There may not be a set pair of safeties that is a fixture as in Strong and Free, but a rotation of two and three safeties packaged based on opponents' tendencies / formattions and situation ( down, distance, where ball is spotted on the field and or if blitz is called ).
More Safeties may be on the Roster and less Corners not only to have more of them on the field at the same time but also for Special Team duty.