So who is gonna play strong safety?

[BENGALTHEM]

Is it between these guys?

Kaes

Myles

mitchell

herring

[ShulaSteakhouse]

I would say Herring and KK have the upper hand again as usual.

I'd be hesitant to wear out Myles at the position and lose some of his special teams effectiveness honestly, the guy should just accept and make a good living in his current role.

[TJJackson]

Then again, take the kind of hits you see Myles (see his pic to the left of this message) make on special teams, and think what affect those might have on the opposing team's primary offensive weapons.......and you might start rethinking that position.

As long as he makes those kinds of hits, I think they serve us well whether on kick coverage or on defensive plays.

That said, there's more to safety than just hitting....not sure about Myles' ability to read and cover

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

Noone is going to play strong safety. Herring is going to play the other safety position, with KK there to back up the entire secondary in case of injury.

[HairOnFire]

In the end I will be named the starting strong safety. No kidding, I think it's only a matter of time before my phone rings.

Don't think so?

Well just look at this photo of me and try to argue the point. ---> :player:

I'm ready.

[Jet23]

I'm sorry, but KK can not play Safety. ML talks about players being at the point of attack and not making plays. Who do you think he is talking about? If I see him bounce off of one more rb, I'm going to hurl.

[The_Next_Big_Thing]

I'm sorry, but KK can not play Safety. ML talks about players being at the point of attack and not making plays. Who do you think he is talking about? If I see him bounce off of one more rb, I'm going to hurl.

Dude, KK is a MINIMUM PAY BACKUP. He does pretty damned well for the 3rd string safety.

[Jet23]

I'm sorry, but KK can not play Safety.  ML talks about players being at the point of attack and not making plays.  Who do you think he is talking about?  If I see him bounce off of one more rb, I'm going to hurl.

Dude, KK is a MINIMUM PAY BACKUP. He does pretty damned well for the 3rd string safety.

Backup corner = yes

Backup FS = yes

Special Teams Ace = yes

Backup SS = no. Not in our division.

[jonf45uk]

i agree with jet23,

kk's a great back-up/team player, but with our relatively weak db/fs's we need a strong ss who can bring down the likes of bettis, lewis etc first time, every time.

then again we could end up with 1 safety and 6 lb's out there!!!!

jon f

[HoTbOy]

I'm sorry, but KK can not play Safety.  ML talks about players being at the point of attack and not making plays.  Who do you think he is talking about?  If I see him bounce off of one more rb, I'm going to hurl.

Dude, KK is a MINIMUM PAY BACKUP. He does pretty damned well for the 3rd string safety.

Backup corner = yes

Backup FS = yes

Special Teams Ace = yes

Backup SS = no. Not in our division.

I didn't think that KK would come up and support the run enough for me...and I saw way too many times when he got smoke buy a WR, I like him to backup those positions FS, SS or CB, because he does try to make plays just not physical enough..

[Chad Johnson]

Herring start with Ksquared backing up...

[turnip]

Herring and Madieu are going to be the starting safeties. Herring is a fine veteran safety should he stay healthy, and Madieu is coming off a very promising rookie season and should be even better this year.

[bengalboomer7]

There has been recent reports on Bengals.com where Marvin has insinuated(if he ever does that with the media) That he would like Anthony Mitchell to step in this year.Personally, I see him being Herring 's backup with KK being the second or third string FS and probably a fourth or fifth corner.

[DesperateDerelict]

Bengals Fans:

BRILLIANT!!! I just figured it out. We don’t need a strong safety! The innovative mind of coach Lewis will re-introduce the 4 – 4 (standard) and 5 – 3 (passing) defenses to the NFL. Most of the NFL players and coaches haven’t seen this since high school, and will be unable to adjust! As the commercial says . . . BRILLIANT!!!!

[schweinhart]

In the end I will be named the starting strong safety. No kidding, I think it's only a matter of time before my phone rings.

Don't think so?

Well just look at this photo of me and try to argue the point. ---> :player:

I'm ready.

Go gettum Hair

Herring is the SS and said in a Hobson interview that he wasn't recovered from injury enough or otherwise prepared to log the position very well last year because he thought he was coming in to play FS.

No offense to Mitchell, but Madieu is the back-up SS (that is unless he has to step in as the shutdown CB when he's not the starting FS).

No doubt there is interchange at the safety position but there's still a difference between the 2 at the point of attack. One of the pair has to be able to bring their hat for collisions vs. larger RBs.

[The Brew Man]

Although Im not big on him, I too think it will be Herring, i love Myles but there is no way he is a SS.

[JPW]

Odell Thurman ...

[JPW]

Tab Perry ...

[andybren]

Tab Perry ... 

From Bengals.com...

But Perry knows he’s also going to have to cover kicks as well as return them, and he says he’s a good tackler. So good, he says, that when Hue Jackson recruited Perry to USC, the Trojans wanted him as a safety. In fact, the way Perry played safety at West High School in Milpitas, Calif. is still recalled by Bengals cornerback Deltha O’Neal, a West grad with about four years on Perry.

“Deltha was telling everybody yesterday that I should play safety, but I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Perry said. “It’s funny that we ended up on the same team because when I was 13, 14, I looked up to him. I said I wanted to be able to play like that.”

If whats-his-name can play CB for the Patriots, why can't Tab play safety?

[NJ29]

Then again, take the kind of hits you see Myles (see his pic to the left of this message) make on special teams, and think what affect those might have on the opposing team's primary offensive weapons.......and you might start rethinking that position.

As long as he makes those kinds of hits, I think they serve us well whether on kick coverage or on defensive plays.

That said, there's more to safety than just hitting....not sure about Myles' ability to read and cover

I agree, I'm rooting for Myles. He's adding 20 lbs. that I think is going to help him. This is a guy that I don't think I've ever seen miss a tackle. And, like TJ said, I'd rather have him beating the crap out of Crackhead Lewis than Devard Darling or Lamont Brightful, you know?

[TJJackson]

I agree, I'm rooting for Myles. He's adding 20 lbs.

Where is everyone getting this "adding 20 pounds" info? I'm not doubting you, I just haven't seen it in print anywhere.....help a Reggie fan out.....:-)

[NJ29]

I can't really help you out as to exactly where I got it. I saw a list of some Bengals playesr that were working on weight gains/ losses to adjust for the upcoming season. I could post it if you want me to.

[TJJackson]

That'd be great....

[NJ29]

It's in a new thread called weight change Index.

[redsfan2510]

I think Body should get a shot at strong safety. Hes very fast for a safety and had alot of ints at Toledo. I like the idea of a safety with corner speed. Speed can make up for alot of mistakes. REDSFAN2510