Day 2, no new info on E Weddle

I guess the big question at the end of the day is can a rookie safety come in (Like Clinton Dix) and make an impact? How learning friendly is Butler's system? I'd like to ask Butler that question.

 

Who is converting a WR to S?

 

are we talking Kendrell Bell impact or starting/playing in the majority of games as a rookie? Dupree played a lot last year, Bryant made an impact albeit the latter half of his rookie year. Jesse James played quite a bit last year. I guess my point was that a rookie can come in and play a lot his rookie year. To make a big impact with those starts and/or playing time is up to him. If a rookie safety can come in and get a lot of quality time and possibly start, I would call that a big win imo.

 

Yeah...I'm referring to making a difference.

 

2 sides of the coin I guess lol! How much better will Dupree be this next year with all the time he got last year. Yes, we are waiting a year so I see your point. But if we are talking about signing a FA to a vet contract, I'd go the rookie/learning route and hope he makes a Marcus Peters impact. At the very least, he will be full tilt in year 2 on a rookie contract. I'm only referring to this Weddle/rookie situation not FA in general, just to be clear. And I felt the same before we saw the contract.

But then again, Boykin didn't make a huge impact and he was a vet. I think a vet or a rookie can be a warm body. It's "warm" enough in the secondary, we need to turn up the heat, that we can agree on.

 

Welcome to PWP's unorthodox world of football!

 

Wait... It's the same guy as the "we should have signed Steven Jackson" stuff?

Still learning who is in which bucket around here.

 

No that guy is 412. PWP or Play with Poise is a very knowledgeable member who gets huge man crushes on guys that are good story line role players but not superstars. He championed Issac Redman in the face of insurmountable odds and much teasing and has since moved on to DHB. During these times he is known to float some outrageous ideas such as DHB has more to do with Bell's successful runs than people think, DHB should be used more to stretch the field and recently moving him to corner or safety since he has speed and height.

 

No that was 412.
PWP is the guy who has a huge man crush on DHB and a few years ago it was Redman.

 

Don't forget DHB was also responsible for AB's success too. Remember he drew the double coverage that got AB open.

 

I knew I forgot one.

 

At least 4 Teams. I don't remember the exact names of Teams , but Troy Brown for New England was one.Old school Herb Adderley switched from RB to CB.The Seahawks signed George Farmer a WR and our trying to convert him. There was also another Team or 2 that had late round WR'S who played defense for them last year and they are working on converting them . Plus more Teams have late round WR'S with size/speed combos on their practice squads trying to convert them.Quinten Dunbar of Redskins has made the conversion .

It is really just the way the game is heading . The rules where a DB can't hit high, a DB must allow the WR to become a runner,a DB can't touch a WR after 5 yards and I am sure I am missing more, but it is making the play of a DB much more softer . A softer DB is nothing more than a WR who can't catch ..The results are Teams are looking for DB traits and trying to find Diamonds in the rough .

This is just the beginning just like converting QB'S to WR.In the beginning I know most felt how can you do that on the NFL level ?Many years later and it is a pretty common practice.Now they are also converting them to CB . Look at Nick Marshall he even got on the field as a CB at the end of his Rookie year. Who knows how good this may work out for them ?

The point is there is no harm in trying to find a guy from another position who has Top DB talent , but needs experience and teaching . If the rules are set up for a softer player to play the position and they are,, then good Coaching is what is required to convert a guy who has the raw talent ..

 

DHB did draw a lot of double coverage. AB doesn't need DHB or anyone else for that matter to get open, but it doesn't hurt if the Safety has to play deeper or shade the outside more because of a WR'S speed . We have a guy with just exactly that and his name is DHB and it seems the Steelers agree .

 

It's like someone pointing to the Steelers and Big Al, and making the statement, "we should be trying to convert DEs to OTs like other teams are doing". It's just a totally bizarre statement from a perspective of what we SHOULD be doing. In the rare instance that you have a player who you think could transition... sure, try it out on the practice squad where it is very unlikely to produce an actual roster player. But to claim it as a strategy we should pursue... is just... well, it's dumb

These are actually all examples for why your approach isn't logical. With MORE rules, making coverage MORE difficult, it's more important to draft players who have been brought up in those rules.

Again, singular examples of players transitioning does not warrant pursuing those players as a strategy

Sure, there is no harm in scouting players. But it's bizarre to believe you identify top DB talent within other positions. In fact, the rules are not set up for softer players, that's a significant misunderstanding of the rules and misreading NFL trends. Man press/physical corners are the cream of the crop right now (sherman, norman, revis).

Converting WRs to DBs as a strategy is nonsense.

 

I bet in 5 seasons or less you will see at least 10 starting DB'S in the NFL that came into the NFL from another position . Our scouts seem to have a problem drafting DB'S so why not take some chances late in the draft and get guys with the right skill set . If other Teams are getting that raw talent and converting it then it is dumb for the Steelers not to do the same ..

 

I intend to laugh about this for the next 5 years...

 

Joke all you guys want. I a

Well you can intend all you want , but it is going to happen .

 

uh huh... I can't think of anything sillier for someone to guarantee.

 

Well as I stated i know of 3 from last years draft and they got playing time as Rookies. How many will this draft bring ? How many more Teams will start trying it?Once they see other Teams having success.

 

David Farmer - Practice Squad - No playing time
Quentin Dunbar - Practice Squad call up - 250 snaps (final 5 weeks)
Nick Marshall - Practice Squad call up - 120 snaps (final 4 weeks)

Nobody is having success. Putting a guy on the field does not equal success. Putting Dri Archer on the field at RB doesn't mean we had success converting smurfs in to RBs, and that other teams should solve their RB problems by researching a handful of players who converted positions and saw some snaps.

You're interpreting something that has been fairly common for decades (scouts, assessing players natural abilities, to determine if a better position fits their future), and assuming some nonsensical "new football" approach to fixing problem areas on this team.