DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Pure Football Forum The Corner Market

We have two new corners now and we haven't heard much of anything out of the FO about this area of our team. Perhaps the drafting of the two rooks is telling. I really don't know. So let's explore, shall we...

Leigh Bodden - Is he healthy and 100% for 2007? God, I hope so.

Gary Baxter - Walking and says he'll be ready Game 1. Changed his number to 23 and is ready to defy medical science. Somehow, I doubt we'll see him that soon but how great would that be?

Daven Holly - I think he could be the starter this season despite picking up Wright in the draft. Holly has more experience at the Pro level and really came on late in '06.

DeMario Minter - What on Earth is the word on this guy? I know he got hurt and was out all last season but is he even on the radar for '07?

Eric Wright - Everything I've heard about this kid sounds like he could be a real star for us. I will go on record and say that I have absolutely no concerns about his "character issue". I think that's all in the past and he's determined to prove all doubters wrong. I hope he can be the man if Baxter is never the same. Maybe a good nickel until he beats out Holly for the starting job.

Brandon McDonald - Don't know enough about him. Hopefully with our coaching staff in the secondary, he'll turn into something. But depth is good. I just hope he doesn't pull a Perkins or a Minter (so far) and fall off the face of the Earth.

Say, how many corners can we keep on the roster anyway?

Right now there isn't much to say.
I said that was a major hole, Savage would probably make a move in the second to take care of and it got filled just like that..

Now you can debate where they'll line up but I SEE it as Bodden/Wright.
Anyone thinks Wright is going to sit doesn't see the picture..

Davin Holley should go to the slot not be a # 2 ..actually on most teams Bodden would be a # 2 corner.

I don't care what Baxter says..no one should count him in this season..I would love to see how he's running...he probably isn't cutting or planting hard..maybe jogging
Anyway when the mini camps open we'll see Minter/McDonald and whoever else (Perkins?) battle and see where they fit..

I think it will be Wright and Bodden, Holly at the nickel, and Minter, MacDonald, Perry, and K. Wright battling for the dime.

Man, we're gonna miss Ralph Brown.

There's still alot of "If's" with our secondary...

If Bodden can stay healthy...
If Baxter can come back...
If Wright is the first round talent we thought we were getting...

Then our secondary should be very good. There are just a lot of question marks right now.

Baxter won't be back. And if he is, he won't be top notch.

No, he'll never be top notch. He'll never be like he once was. But, if he can come back, he'll add depth to the corner postion. Without him, and if Bodden doesn't stay healthy... we are thin at corner again.

So you think he will be in the top 2 if he comes back this year? I don't agree. I don't think he enters the equation.

I'm not saying he'll be top 2. I think our top 2 is going to be Bodden and Wright. But we have no depth. Baxter would help with depth at that position. We should have a decent top 2, but if one of them goes down, its a considerable drop off if Baxter isn't able to come in.

Kardiac, you're not exploring, you are speculating

Savage actually answer this very question in one of the pressers... paraphrasing he said, look at what happened to us last season, we were caught very shorthanded..

My guess is that he doesn't want that to happen again! Not really sure there is anything else to read into it at all!

If Baxter were healthy he's the # 1 corner.
He would be handling the best WR and Bodden would handle the other..

I think Bodden can handle it but he's got to remain healthy and play the ball better.

yeah, I really would have liked to kept Russell at Safety for another season or two, at least until we could really see what Pool has to offer.

As far as Wright goes, I really think he'll get playing time but it may be split with Holly and/or whomever, maybe Minter if he comes on strong.

As for Baxter, well, I hope he IS stronger and faster but I have to think that it will be a miracle if he even sees the field this season. I'm hoping for that miracle though. At least for depth purposes.

IF this secondary can start to stay healthy, then I think we will be solid.

You are correct sir...

Niether Bodden and Baxter can stay on the field consistantly... Baxter is a physical, run support, good tackling CB first and his cover skills are average @ best. Bodden is a good coverage guy, a decent tackler/run support but doesn't play the ball very well... So they are both average when healthy and available. You all saw the rest of the crew last year... Pee-you...

Thats why drafting two was basically manditory... Much to the disbelief of many here you don't understand the value of quality CB's in the NFL... Both new CB's can run, cover, play & catch the ball well, have decent tackling skills & size and are outstanding athletes who can be involveled in the return game and on on ST's...

Bodden hasn't played that well overall against the Stellers or Rats... He has struggled with other WR's who are bigger & physical too. He's an average CB, IMO and I don't believe he would start on the top 1/3 of the D's in the NFL... Continual ankle problems are critical issues for CB's...

I like both picks at this point, for come in and play talent now and solid depth.

Niether Bodden and Baxter can stay on the field consistantly... Baxter is a physical, run support, good tackling CB first and his cover skills are average @ best. Bodden is a good coverage guy, a decent tackler/run support but doesn't play the ball very well... So they are both average when healthy and available. You all saw the rest of the crew last year

There was a point when I was doing one of my mocks , I thought about Phil taking two CB's..I questioned if he would be able to do that with all the other needs and it seemed far-fetched..but the reality is we brought in two/three STREET FA's..guys who HADN'T played in two years..

Then Phil brought in two DB's to fill out the back end of the roster..so drafting two makes sense..
Now if I question anything it's whether McDonald is better than David Jones(pick 145),William Gay(170) Michael Coe (178) ..
.
It hurt not having a fourth rounder but Phil did what he had to..
Wright is the key..if he plays to his ability he's going to upgrade that secondary..

If he plays to his ability, combined with Jones... it's gonna get sick back there

Thats why I like Wright..his man to man cover skills are as good as anyone , and his speed 4.36 is also sick..

j/c

Well,I'm going by the thread title,which will be a slight departre from the conversation.
(imagine THAT!}

The CB market is EXPENCIVE!!!

Look at the cost of Clements,then look at the cost for Steinbach.Then look at the FA price for a DE or NT. Maybe that explains why CB was addressed before the RG or DE?

If you have to leave holes to fill,do you leave a 40-50 mil. hole? Or a 60-80 mil. hole?

When you do the math,it's elementary!


Because that's the price of the CB market! THE most expencive player on the D side was filled nicely at a reasonable cost. Dats doin' bidness right there!

We had no starter at CB..it was obvious to me when we didn't get a viable one in FA after Mr.Money decided 80 mill was JUST enough to make him comfortable
So I knew one was going to be had early..