The UDFA Safeties

[TJJackson]

I sent this in the Bengals.com thinking it might be a good letter/topic for Hobson to answer, but he replied directly

From: Hobson, Geoff [mailto:HobsonG@bengals.nfl.net]

Sent: Thursday, June 09, 2005 5:39 PM

To: TJ Jackson

Subject: RE: Patrick Body

Body has a shot at practice squad. Jones has looked good and will be in the mix for a roster spot. Since Body has moved to corner from safety, it's hard for im but he has really improved in the time he's been here. Thanks for the note.

-----Original Message-----

From: TJ Jackson

Sent: Thu 6/9/2005 5:02 PM

To: CIN-ebag

Cc:

Subject: Patrick Body

We've been hearing a lot of positives on bengals.com, particularly about the top 3 draft picks.

Could you tell us about the undrafted free agents at the safety position, Patrick Body and Herana-Daze Jones? The importance of these two new additions is underscored by the fact that the Bengals did not draft a safety this year, released Rogers Beckett, and more recently released Siddeeq Shabazz.

What can you tell us about his status and chances of making the 53-man roster or the practive squad?

[schweinhart]

Good job dude.

Jones looks like the wildcard at SS, kinda like Wendell Williams last year.

No way Body plays S in NFL, which is why they got him at CB. He'll come into preseason closer to 180 than 190. A nice PS addition, though, who showed decent skills playing the ball as a S w/ Toledo last year. But forget about the sub 4.3 -- he's not that fast.

[walshfan]

whether Body runs a 4.3 or 4.4 makes no difference until he learns to be more instinctive... He is definately a project..

[TJJackson]

I guess my main concern is I took it that when they failed to draft a safety, the UDFA signings at that position became that much more important....and to hear they've already converted one to corner makes me wonder wonder wonder who'll play safety on this team? Madieu can't do it alone, Kaesviharn isn't the answer, Herring is aged, and I don't personally buy the Reggie Myles to safety thing....

[Rimington over Marino]

The big question is how worried is Marvin? If you liked Mark Roman, he may get released soon. You want him back? Maybe you want to bring back Artrell and make a safety out of him, or Jeff Burris?

Since ML got here he has released or let go of all 3 of those plus Manuel, Thompson, Cory Hall, Rogers Beckett. He resigned KK and signed Kim Herring as free agents. Yes, he chose both of those players over all the previously mentioned players that he let go. No other safeties rumored to be brought in or looked at, no safety drafted, I guess we just gotta grin and bare it.

[derekshank]

I like ML's leadership, and the fact that he has a plan. I'm even okay with the fact that we didn't draft a safety, because he is looking for something very specific at that position.

What concerns me though is that he may be looking for something way too specific... something that isn't available, and since we can find it we might be stuck with whatever leftovers we had beforehand.

This is not a cheapshot at Herring and Williams.... I think these guys are the type of guys Marvin is looking for, but we just don't have enough depth, and I'd rather have a decent backup that doesn't exactly match Marvin's plan, than no insurance at all. We have Kaesviharn, but after than, a whole lot of question marks.

I'm assuming that as usual, Marvin knows something we don't (and it's not Landon Johnson as a SS).

[andybren]

I'm trying to drink the kool-aid on the safety issue. But there does seem to be a gap there. I just hope ML doesn't think a better front 7 will take enough pressure off the SS to let things slide.