Who Makes The Cut: Safety
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Who Makes The Cut: Safety
Jeff McLane, Inquirer Staff Writer
The Eagles will encounter tough decisions when determining their 53-man roster. During the next two weeks, The Inquirer's Eagles beat writers will try our best to predict who stays and who goes. The NFL deadline for teams to trim rosters from 90 to 80 is Aug. 27. Final cuts are due by Aug. 31. Here’s the lineup:
Wed, Aug. 15: Offensive line
Thur., Aug. 16: Defensive tackles
Fri., Aug. 17: Cornerbacks
Mon., Aug. 20: Running backs
Tues., Aug. 21: Wide receivers / tight ends
Wed., Aug. 22: Linebackers
Thur., Aug. 23: Safeties
Fri., Aug. 24: Quarterbacks / Specialists
Mon., Aug. 27: Defensive ends
LIKELY TO KEEP: 4.
WHO STAYS: Nate Allen, Oshiomogho Atogwe, Kurt Coleman, Jaiquawn Jarrett.
WHO GOES: Wade Bonner, Tom Nelson, Phillip Thomas.
PUP: Colt Anderson.
Before I get to Jarrett – the big question mark at this position – let’s take a quick gander at the starters. Allen and Coleman are entering their third seasons, and while neither has established himself as a consistent playmaker in the NFL, both are locks at this point to open the season with the first team defense. That tells you a little about the depth the Eagles have at safety and why Jarrett may actually make the 53-man roster -- believe it or not.
The Eagles signed Atogwe in June after Jarrett showed very little during OTAs to suggest that he had made some quantum leap after an unproductive rookie season. A veteran of seven seasons in the NFL, Atogwe was about as good as Howie Roseman could get at the time, but there were a few opportunities to acquire greater talent when free agency opened three months earlier. The Eagles had significant issues on defense at two positions – linebacker and safety. They made a strong effort to upgrade at linebacker in the offseason, trading for DeMeco Ryans and drafting Mychal Kendricks in the second round. Roseman and Andy Reid did virtually nothing at safety and simply responded to queries with a “We like our young safeties” response.
Allen was inconsistent last year, but his knee wasn’t 100 percent recovered for most of the season. He has no excuses this season. He’s healthy. He’s a second-round pick. He needs to play at a high level. Coleman was benched at one point because of tackling issues, but Jarrad Page was so bad that Coleman got another shot. He’s a heady player, but a liability if he has to go one-on-one with a receiver.
Jarrett, if it’s possible, has looked worse this preseason than last. I don’t think he’ll ever start in the NFL, which would qualify as a major disappointment for a second-round pick. It’s not his fault the Eagles took him so high, but that’s the breaks. If the Eagles had a better alternative or if Colt Anderson (torn ACL) was healthy by the start of the season, I don’t think Jarrett would make the roster. But Anderson looks destined to open the season on the Physically Unable to Perform List and the other options aren’t that great. Atogwe has been injured much of the preseason. He missed several games last season due to injury. I’m not sure how well he’s playing at this point. But he appears to have a spot on the roster as the third safety, apparently based mostly on his experience. Nelson was splitting second-team reps with Jarrett a week ago, but he injured his ankle and probably won’t play Friday at Cleveland.
So that leaves Jarrett on the 53-man roster – at least for the time being. I could easily see the Eagles scouring the waiver wire after cut-down day, or Roseman pulling off a trade to upgrade at the position. But until then Jarrett stays.
--Not exactly sure why folks are harping on Jarrett and Allen? The Pats have drafted seven (7), DBs in three seasons (cut a 2nd rounder) and they were still ranked 30th in the league - and they still made it to the Super Bowl. From what I saw the Allen was quick to the ball on the run, and I didn't see any deep balls being completed to any of the post 6'5'' TEs that NE has on roster.
Yes they over-ran some plays - so did the Pats if you were looking! It's preseason and these types of mistakes are often a byproduct of playing overaggressively because you want to make the team! From where I was seated, it seemed like the Patriots 2012 cheerleading draft class was "way above average!" Just sayin'!
— Laughingaloud123- L123, you sly dog you...— tpizza
- Yes, and Amen to Earl Thomas. But another what if, what if they took a safety in the third round instead of Vinny Curry and an already overcrowded DL. Sadly, and stupidly, Reid and Co. were "satisfied" with what they had at safety. I wonder if they are satisfied now that their camp dreams are turning into nightmares?— Robman
- cg, shouldn't you be studying for your doctoral dissertation...professor...or should I just call you Sigmund?
— tpizza - L123, you are correct about the Pats. They had a 1st round safety named Brandon Meriweather that a lot of mocks had going to the Eagles. He's been bouncing around more than cg25 in a rubber room since the Pat's cut him. May be on the Skins now but it just shows all teams hit and all teams whiff on occasion. BTW, all NFL teams have weaknesses. The prob is that the Eagle fans can only see the warts on their own team...they all have them. Giants secondary and LBs are questionable at best. Their fanbase, among whom I have to live, squeel about it all the time. And that flawed team did what last year?
— tpizza - We should trade Jarrett and Juan Castillo for a backup Punter.— killamagilla
- Jarrett can't read books, how is he going to read offenses? Dah...
— BirdinParadise - tpizza....CG25 turned off CAPS LOCK for a while and stopped yelling....I guess miracles DO happen!!— philly449
- There has to be teams who will have to cut a safety from there final roster that is better then our top four. The Eagles better closely be watching for teams that have extra safety talent.— OverFiftyYears
- WE ALL knew they had s safety problem. So where were the signings??? Where was the draft pick??? Sadly Reid values safetys like he does LBs. And it will be the undoing of this defense since Juan has no say or obviously no input. Reid without JJ has been a disaster. Reid will never win a Super Bowl. Too hard headed and too stoopid.— greenflyer
- has anyone been watching the exibition games on the NFL? you can't stop these offenses, every team is missing tackles and getting beat on pass plays— dwilly
- now I know why the country is in trouble— dwilly
- Philip Thomas was making plays against Cleveland whereas Jarrett seemed never to be found near the ball. Jarrett hasn't shown anything yet but Thomas can diagnose and react. Thomas did fall on his face in the end zone for a TD but that still looked better than Jarrett.— HeelYes
