How essential is it that one of the rookie safeties start?

[Bag O'Browns]

I was gazing at some articles on ESPN by James Walker and he had a tiny blurb about our rookie safeties and their roles this year. I was wondering, how upset would you be IF Mike Adams was starting at safety to begin the season? (with Elam) The way i'm looking at this, it is going to be another Alex Mack situation. The WANT Ward to start and by want, he will start unless he just totally sh*ts the bed. Much like the Mack situation, i think Ward taking a back seat proves to be a poor sign for the Browns.

 

Hopefully Ward takes the Alex Mack approach (minus all the laps) and secures himself a starting nod to begin the season. I like what i see in this kid and i'd love for him to prove everyone wrong with saying how much we reached to grab him.

 

Asante is a guy too, where if he comes in and knocks Mangini's socks off, might earn himself a starting nod. Mangini has said, he doesn't care where you are drafted once you are a part of his team, so that bodes well in terms of an open shot at a position. Two talented young safeties, no matter which way you slice it, is a good thing!

[sisky fringo]

an upgrade at both FS and SS is essential imho, but getting immediate results from the rookie safeties is probably as necessary as it was for Veikune to start.

 

i like Adams more than Elam but we've certainly downgraded from Pool/Jones.

 

still, i'm confident the vets will hold it down until they're ready to spell them...they just aren't real speedy or big playmakers.

[mopaji]

I hate saying this because I hate starting rookies but just like Mack, one may have to start out of necessity. And the team is in good enough shape now to where a rookie has a better chance of succeeding than at the start of last year.

[jnuh]

IMO I would like to see Ward start because he was a relatively high pick and I think guys selected in rounds one and two should be starters on weak teams. As far as Asante goes I wouldn't be suprised if he didn't make the team and was either cut or moved to the practice squad. I haven't seen a ton of him but all the stuff I have seen on youtube and what not he seemed like a bit of a head scratcher to me.(especialy when Myron Rolle who I absolutely loved as a late pick was on the board) Obviously I don't know even a tenth of what our (or any) front office types know and they seen a helluva lot more of this kid then I have so I just have to sit back and hope for the best for our Brownies. I wouldn't be shocked to see Haden and Wright as our starting CBs and Sheldon Brown and Elam start at saftey

[Canton Mike]

IMHO, it is never essential that a rookie start, but my bet is that Ward will if he can stay healthy. A kid that hits like he does gives us that intimidating presence that we haven't seen, but need. At least I hope to see him start. A lot may depend upon what Haden (I figure he WILL start) & Wright provide behind them. Good corners can buy safeties a lot of freedom.

Mike

 

[Bag O'Browns]

I have a feeling for whatever reason that Ward will earn himself a starting spot to begin the season, while Haden, will end up starting the season as the 3rd CB. It will be a much more difficult to beat out Wright or Brown that for Ward to out-perform Adams.

 

Plus, as a fan i'd love to see one of our young kids (and a kid who can hit) take a starting spot in the lineup.

 

Also, i think people are under valueing Asante. He played against quality competition and IF he gets waived, then the H&H draft is looking fairly poor in season 1. He'll make the team unless he truly is god awful and i can't imagine our scouts missed this badly. I think he's a slightly worse version of Ward from what i've heard.

[jnuh]

I have a feeling for whatever reason that Ward will earn himself a starting spot to begin the season, while Haden, will end up starting the season as the 3rd CB. It will be a much more difficult to beat out Wright or Brown that for Ward to out-perform Adams.

 

Plus, as a fan i'd love to see one of our young kids (and a kid who can hit) take a starting spot in the lineup.

 

Also, i think people are under valueing Asante. He played against quality competition and IF he gets waived, then the H&H draft is looking fairly poor in season 1. He'll make the team unless he truly is god awful and i can't imagine our scouts missed this badly. I think he's a slightly worse version of Ward from what i've heard.

 

I am definitly one of the people who under value Asante, but I don't think them missing on a fifth round safety makes the draft poor. Especially when I think they potentially got some good value you after Asante with Geathers, and Mitchell. I am expecting more of these guys to not really do anything in the NFL then actually pan out because thats how most drafts are. It is a rare occasion that the majority of a teams draft picks all pan out to be good pro's especially the later ones. Heckert and Mangini have been pretty good at drafting and even they have had huge misses and Holmgram aside from drafting Alexander and Hutch pretty much struck out in his drafts. Hopefully MH left it to Heck and Mangenius and hopefully all these guys pan out ... but that is unlikely with our luck :-( so while I am expecting overall for this to be a pretty decent draft class for us I am definitly expecting some ham and eggers too ....

[keylime]

I think it's a lot more to ask for a rookie DB to start than it is for a rookie offensive lineman, runningback, receiver, or linebacker to start. DB is one of the hardest positions for a rookie to play in today's NFL. Only harder spot is probably QB. Most rookie DBs, even top picks, play nickelback or 3rd safety early in their careers. Meriweather didn't start in New England for at least 2 years.

 

I think we're gonna start of with Brown/Wright/Adams/Elam as the top 4, but eventually move to Wright/Haden/Brown/Elam.....and in maybe a year or two we'll see Wright/Haden/Brown/Ward. We'll need another starting safety to replace Brown eventually. I wouldn't put that kind of expectation on Asante.