Deion Sanders on our rookie CBs

Hopefully they take a big leap forward between last year nd this year.

It will be VERY interesting to see what happens once Will Allen returns to the mix off his knee injury. Both kids have shown they CAN play and start at CB in this league, so you'll have three starting caliber CBs.

The Q's are:

1) Will Will Allen be at 100% by training camp? Probably not.

2) Will Will Allen win back his #1CB spot, or will he have to be #2, or, even more unthinkable, slot/nickelcorner.

My thought is that if Will is close to 100%, he starts again. His experience and talent level is simply too high, despite the young kids' greater athleticism.

However, if Will comes into camp and preseason at 80-85%, and Smith/Davis have good camps, we may see the regime rotate Will Allen in, or even have him play some nickelback until he gets back to 100% late in the season.

The thing is, Will has struggled with knee issues the last two years, so I'm not confident he'll come back from this injury without problems cropping up. I like Will Allen a lot, so I hope he is around and healthy.

I'd love to see Will Allen play well enough to be our #1CB again with the two kids rotating in at #2CB and nickelback depending on matchups.

That would be a nice secondary. Now we just need a starting-caliber Free Safety.

 

Deion had something positive to say about our FINS?

 

Our rooks need to really become a LOT more consistent. If they continue developing, they should improve. Last season you really saw a lot of "flashes", but way too much inconsistency.

 

I wonder if he's responsible for Sean Smith's poor job in run support this year? :P

 

I'd like to hope that was based merely on them being rookies. And I forget what article it was, but I remember reading about Vontae (along with Henne and someone else) requesting all their tapes for the year to study during the offseason. I specifically remember something about Vontae wanting to sit down and analyze every single play.

I'm very confident we'll see a big jump in play from him next year, and hopefully a pretty solid one from Smith too.

 

It was very unfortunate that W Allen got hurt last year. I'm sure he would have been a big help to Davis and Smith.

I do not see him regaining his starting position. I can see him moving to FS, maybe a combo FS/CB, or possibly being traded.

As Nate Jones, who did a good job for us, is a FA, a trade is unlikely.

 

jason allen has finally stepped up too
things look good in the defensive backfield

 

That's an interesting idea. That's the first time I heard Will Allen's name floated as a Free Safety.

To be honest, I have a feeling he's not quite a good fit in terms of hitting and playing deep balls high in the air. He WOULD be able to track the ball well and should, with his experience, be able to read plays well. he also knows all the secondary calls.

I still just don;t see his physicality fitting a safety position, though I can;t articulate why.

Boy, it would solve a problem for us though.

 

Yeah, I was tempted to mention Jason Allen too, but I'm just not sure he'll stay consistent. Let's see how he plays through his training camp this year.

At least he contributes well on special teams.

 

If Will Allen is ready & 100% I wonder if they'll start hi over Sean Smith and rotate Sean in, nickel, etc. I hat to see Sean take a step back in playing time as well as he did this season. I really think FS and poor LB coverage had as much to do with Sean & Vontae getting burned occasionally as them being rookies & inexperienced did.

 

Is there video of him saying it?

 

Will Allen will start along with Sean Smith. Vontae will be 3rd CB. Mark it down

 

Surprise cut of the off-season.

 

I could see all three sharing time, but we all know where the future lies

 

I expect Davis to show up ready to play.

His brother just made the Pro Bowl. The bar has been raised.

 

I don't know. Our heads are kind of fat on Davis and Smith right now. I don't think either of them has proven much at the NFL level to this point. There is plenty of room for them to grow into a top tandem; but I don't think they are there yet, or even close.

 

they're both far from studs, but this early on, they've already shown they belong in the nfl. That's more than most rookie cbs ever acheive.

I'm betting most saints fans wish they had Sean Smith or Vontae over Malcom Jenkins (who was taken before both)

 

I disagree with you there Skeet. For some reason buddy I think it is going to be in reverse. I think Vontae will be where he is now and Will Allen with be our 3rd CB. I could be wrong but that is how I see it. Although it would be interesting to see Allen at FS though.

 

Yeah, that was something that bothered me, especially towards the end of the season. He really wiffed on a few tackles. I'm sure they'll work hard to improve that in the offseason. Overall, I think he did a good job for a rook. He handled and did well with some of the man to man coverage of some pretty good receivers.. I have high hopes for him.

 

If Sanders is basing this on their actual performance than it's b.s. If he's basing it on their talent and potential, then I agree.

As for next year I expect either W. Allen or Davis to slip inside. Either option is feasible.

 

I'm betting that any true Saints fan is incapable of coherent thought in the 48 hours after their SB win. We'll have to ask them in a few days time.