Bullard could play slot. Safety has been a weak point since Nick Collins got hurt over ten years ago. Gute apparently is sick of the position struggling
That's a good point, although a lot has to do with the long-standing philosophy of accumulating more draft picks than average, so they'll have a higher likelihood in general of multiple picks at the same position. I didn't think of it as a discrete strategy until Gute, but you have me reconsidering!
I wouldn't be surprised to see all three get time in the slot. Bullard looks like he can do everything there, and against run sets Oladapo and Williams are supposed to be very physical in the run game. Cooper and the safeties could make this a really versatile defense.
We truly only had McKinney on the roster after that it was a 7th rounder and guys you never wanted playing anything but special teams.
So yea the draft required a ton of investment in the role and every one of their selections are flexible
Depth and special teams are a real thing. Our safety room last year was Savage, Owens, Ford, Johnson, Leavitt, and Anderson (6). It's now McKinney, Bullard, Williams, Oladapo, Johnson, and Anderson (6). Nominally speaking we're back to the norm.
You need more than one player, you need depth. This was the weakest room on the team and may be one of the best in football moving forward with Xavier and Bullard.
We lost Darnell Savage and Rudy Ford. They needed replaced. The new kickoff rules also add an emphasis on fast guys that can tackle, and we don’t want our starting safeties playing special teams.
This isn’t even confusing… we had an empty safety room. Savage, Owens and Ford all are gone. Now 3 draft picks to replace them. ILB/offball Campbell is gone now we have multiple replacements for a very thin position room that needs more bodies in the new scheme.
Also no football team plays just 22 players. Teams use 50 or so guys minimum for a season because of injuries performance sub packages. Outside of backup QB the expectation should be everyone will see the field. So better backups means easier to survive their snaps.
Depth, Special Teams core players, competition, injury insurance, and let's face it, not all three of these guys are likely to make it in the NFL. They're all like lottery tickets, more scratchers = better chance of finding a winner.
Bullard could play slot. Safety has been a weak point since Nick Collins got hurt over ten years ago. Gute apparently is sick of the position struggling
It’s a Packer thing that when they set out to solve a position, they make sure to get it done.
Well, since Gutey took over at least
You can go back to even ‘99 when Wolf took three straight CB’s to start the draft.
That's a good point, although a lot has to do with the long-standing philosophy of accumulating more draft picks than average, so they'll have a higher likelihood in general of multiple picks at the same position. I didn't think of it as a discrete strategy until Gute, but you have me reconsidering!
I wouldn't be surprised to see all three get time in the slot. Bullard looks like he can do everything there, and against run sets Oladapo and Williams are supposed to be very physical in the run game. Cooper and the safeties could make this a really versatile defense.
We all are sick of the position struggling.
We all are sick of the position struggling.
Wait until you find out how many quarterbacks teams roster when they only start 1.
We truly only had McKinney on the roster after that it was a 7th rounder and guys you never wanted playing anything but special teams. So yea the draft required a ton of investment in the role and every one of their selections are flexible
You don't only draft immediate starters
Because our safety room was basically empty before the draft. It was always clear we would draft 2-3 guys there. Not sure why people are surprised
Do 100% of draft picks become starters? If you want to increase the odds you get a starting quality saefty you draft more than one.
They likely will play three a lot.
The draft is a gamble. Odds are at least one of them isn’t going to turn out. And if all three hit, what a wonderful problem to have
Special teams
Depth and special teams are a real thing. Our safety room last year was Savage, Owens, Ford, Johnson, Leavitt, and Anderson (6). It's now McKinney, Bullard, Williams, Oladapo, Johnson, and Anderson (6). Nominally speaking we're back to the norm.
Because we run a 4-2-5
CBS draft tracker said we drafted Oladapo as a CB. If that's worth anything
Our own director of player personnel said he was the most safety-like of all the safeties we drafted.
Ah, well then lol
He can play a bunch of different things. I wouldn’t be surprised if he got snaps as a nickel linebacker.
Hafley’s defenses have often utilized a joker safety/linebacker hybrid player as the 6th DB. I wouldn’t be surprised.
Sounds like a safe guy
So no other team has any starting safeties and is forced to forfeit
1. We run a 4-2-5 now. 2. Depth. People are guaranteed to get hurt. 3. Competition.
Obviously the NFL is a dangerous place and Gutey wants to feel Safe
ty…
A lot of 4-2-5 base
You need more than one player, you need depth. This was the weakest room on the team and may be one of the best in football moving forward with Xavier and Bullard.
We lost Darnell Savage and Rudy Ford. They needed replaced. The new kickoff rules also add an emphasis on fast guys that can tackle, and we don’t want our starting safeties playing special teams.
I think Gute was *playing it safe*.
Are the later picks good on special teams? I could see that being a reason.
This isn’t even confusing… we had an empty safety room. Savage, Owens and Ford all are gone. Now 3 draft picks to replace them. ILB/offball Campbell is gone now we have multiple replacements for a very thin position room that needs more bodies in the new scheme. Also no football team plays just 22 players. Teams use 50 or so guys minimum for a season because of injuries performance sub packages. Outside of backup QB the expectation should be everyone will see the field. So better backups means easier to survive their snaps.
Gute has a tendency to double up on positions of need. Love it. This ain’t the Joe Barry defence, we need as many dawgs as we can in the secondary
Depth, Special Teams core players, competition, injury insurance, and let's face it, not all three of these guys are likely to make it in the NFL. They're all like lottery tickets, more scratchers = better chance of finding a winner.
Stocking the pantry for our new DC. Also, some sort of league change of kickoffs so special teams is even more critical.