http://blogs.sun-sentinel.com/sport...shad-jones-challenge-for-a-starting-spot.html Do you prefer the dependable/risk averse Clemons or the more mercurial Jones?
I'd like to think that Jones is more Yeremiah Bell's successor than direct competition with Chris Clemons at FS, but that's just me. I think Clemons did just fine last year, but like the rest of the secondary, could stand getting his hands on a few more passes.
I'm more afraid of what will happen to Bell to be worried about the adequately manned FS position. I don't have a favorite here but he was exciting in the Tennessee game.
FWIW I couldn't necessarily see this for myself watching the games but Omar Kelly seems to be under the impression that Reshad made a splash while free lancing and not playing within the system, and then when he tightened it up and played more within the system he looked a lot worse. Just putting that out there.
I liked the job Chris Clemons did in 2010, first yr starter, we stopped being toastie-O'd deep, and I think RJ is a stone SS imho. Jones has good speed but not the quickness a defender needs to stay up with Slot Wr's and faster Te's.
I think it's more likely that they will take their time with him, because they've got ample room to interject more safeties part-time with the "passing down" ILB substitution. AJ Edds might throw a monkey-wrench into that to a degree, but I think it's more likely they continue to use Bell to ease him into that role, letting another safety get on the field. With Sean Smith's breakout, might not be him anymore. It might also be difficult for this front office to resist Eric Weddle. He's a young, high quality free agent who you can expect to do what they wanted from Gibril Wilson.
He ain't touchin Chris Clemons Job imo..Gonna have to take reps from the Bullfrog...Don't get me wrong I like RJ's flashes, but Clemons is on the rise..Maybe something that people don't know about Clemons...He wants to hurt the ball carrier...Adding some size to his frame, familiarity with scheme, were good. There were a couple of games last year where he was the MVP of the defense {first game of the season}..Kids young, fast, disciplined, and hungry.. He catches like Sean Smith though.
My thoughts pretty much. I think the DBs got their hands on a good number of passes though, they just had trouble hanging on.
The understatement of the year my friend..It was gross, and completely changed the complexion of many games, to the point that if we hung on to the league average, there would be no chad Henne threads.
Funny after the Clark and Rolle mess I heard some rumblings about Clemon's not being able to get it done. It's called youth at the position...... Jones will ultimately be the SS... Chris will be the FS. Don't forget Sean Smith can play hybrid safety. We have seen those coverages. A thread about the D is refreshing.
And add in, at worst Jones is our best ST player and solid depth, you know, "depth"? Have to it you know? CC wound up playing in games late in the yr with a torn groin because Jones was not ready mentally. And besides the player I like is Jon Amaya, sticky hands, not "fast" but very athletic, I expect him to put Ty Culver on the bubble.
Good call and nice memory Pod I thought Culver would win that FS position. Won't say I was wrong just love youth. Ah hell you know.....
Yes, one would think this forum wasn't the Dolphins forum at times, but about a team called the Miami Chad Hennes.
This. Jones should be filling Bell's shoes when the time comes. Clemons, for all his don't-catch-it-instead-tip-it-to-the-receiver-for-a-td stuff, was pretty good at being in position to make plays.
Our DB consists of; Allen 32, Sapp 30, and Bell 33. At other skill positions; Pennington is 35, and Williams checks in at 34. These guys are waaaaaay too old to take us where we need to be. We need to get these geezers off the roster and replace them with fresh blood, like Jones. IMHO positons like O-line, and D-line have been getting too much attention while positions like QB and many positions in our DB have been ignored recently. Our front office is either fascinated with linemen or they are very short sighted. Either way; if a super bowl is truly on our minds the turnstile of linemen must end for them to gel together as a unit and we must focus on other areas of the roster. If they continue this pattern we will be playing .500 ball for a long time.
I think what makes Polamalu & Reed so great is because they have the ability to "free-lance" and make plays based on their instinct. Now, Reshad Jones hasn't earned that right yet, but if it's true what you say CK, he needs to be allowed some freedom. I always thought I'd rather have a guy making aggressive mistakes to make plays, rather than a guy that is conservative, but always in the right place.We saw it all last year with Chris Clemons. It's almost more frustrating and deflating to see a guy "in the right place at the right time" but doesn't make the play. To the inverse of that, I was always on the side of starting Jason Allen because he made plays, but as we saw he hurt more than helped at times.
i remember that game like yesterday, there was a play where the bills threw a pass in the flat on their 2nd posession to the RB, i think it was spiller and i thought damn, but then i a matter of miliseconds clemons came into the picture and nailed him for like a 4 yards loss.
Bell did not play football until later in life, Williams and Pennington are likely gone, 30 is not old for a Db, and Will Allen is in a competition for a job. And it should be pointed out that Charles Woodson is 35 or so.
Sort of disagree, the largest battle for a young player is to know where to be at any given moment, but without it the guy cannot be on the field, Clemons was a first yr starter who was in position for most of the yr, until he injured his groin, the playmaking should come next. Most also do not mention that when Ben R fumbled on the goal line, C Clemons created the fumble with a huge hit on Behemoth Ben.
My favorite play in the whole game Al..It was an outstanding display of recognition and athleticism..I watched it about 5 times in a row to break down the athletic movement..Perfect.
IMO Jones is better suited for SS than FS. I don't know whether Clemons will ever be enough of a play maker at FS, but I do think he's best suited for the role (among those on our roster). I think the key to being able to freelance is having a great understanding of the system and the instinct to know where it's weak and what the offense is doing. I don't usually over-estimate the chances of the long shot (cough, Padre, cough) but the guy who I see some really nice instincts in is Amaya. I think he has the defensive version of Bess-like instincts, who was the last long shot I really felt good about (I never thought Wake was a long shot). My hopes for a Amaya are more tempered though b/c I think he's more limited physically.
Yes, Reshad can challengefor a starting job. I think the kid showed some ball skills last year. It might not be this year, and more likely at SS, but I could definitely see him starting by 2012 or 2013. Possibly even this coming year.
A DB has to cover and tackle the some of fastest skill players on the oppositions team who can do the most damage on the score board. IMHO 30 is too old for a starting DB and Woodson is an exception to the rule. I bet there is a correlation between the teams with the best pass defenses and younger / faster players.
Huh?!? We've ignored DB?? You do realize that in the past 2 years we've drafted 5 DBs? Including high picks with a 1st and 2nd rounder???
Hmm.. Like Amaya, like Carroll a bit more though, to me the level of trust they put on him as a 5th rd pick rookie in 2010 tells us how much they like his game, Amaya is in one of those situations where he needs injuries to make the lineup.
Jones started a couple of games last year, did he not? So the answer is yes. I think he is the most versatile safety we have on the team and if we had another like him, the whole FS vs SS discussion wouldn't matter.
You are taking my comment out of context. If you look back in the thread I was comparing the attention that the linemen get versus the attention that the DB's get. I think the DB's need even more attention than what they are getting due to the advanced age of some of the players and that was the nature of my comment. I think this will be a break out year for Jones and we need a few more DB's just like him. Sorry for the confusion about my post.
Sean Smith is my choice for breakout player on defense this season. The light was coming on for him towards the end of last year, and all he has to do is pull down a couple balls to get his confidence back. I think he'll be a guy talked about around the league this season. But if I were to pick a dark horse candidate for surprise impact player on defense this season, it would be Reshad Jones. Between Bell and Clemons, I think there will be plenty of opportunity for him to see the field this season.
The future of the defense looks very bright indeed with players like Jones and Smith. All we need now is a potent offense to match and an NFL season in which to play them in and we'll be all set. Never a dull moment . . .