Reasons for getting Byrd

[Mitchell55]

Reason number 1. 27th in INTs.
Reason number 2. 6th most rushes over 20 yds
Reason number 3. 4th most rushes over 40 yds
Reason number 4. Tony Gonzalez


Then you could use the who was availble. Maualuga, cant play cover 2. Everette, we got maybin, payed lots of money on Denney, Kelsy, and Schobel, and got Maybin and Ellis. Guards, we got the best in the draft. Tackle, Butler fills that. TE, we got the best recieving TE in draft. LB, Harris is probably the best fit for us in the whole draft and we got him in the 5th.

[Lexwhat]

Re: Reasons for getting Byrd

What does Tony GONZALEZ have to do with this???

[Mitchell55]

Re: Reasons for getting Byrd

What does Tony GONZALEZ have to do with this???

Turn on the KC game and watch Ko and Scott get burned for 2 TDs and 100+ yds. Our Safteys cant cover is my point.

[elltrain22]

Re: Reasons for getting Byrd

I still am on the fence about Byrd. Considering who was still on the board, I'm gonna be highly critical on him, b/c I wanted us to take other players.

[methos4ever]

Re: Reasons for getting Byrd

Scott did really well in terms of man coverage on most of the tight ends he had coverage on. Simpson, however did not do a good job with covering over the top to prevent TG getting open.

[yordad]

Re: Reasons for getting Byrd

Question? How great was Crowell in coverage? And, since he was a straight beast, how much did it really matter? He was the best LB we had in a while. Physical. Plays around the line.

If you don't like E. Brown, Clint Sintim was there.

[Pinkerton Security]

Re: Reasons for getting Byrd

reason #1 in my book: Ko Simpson blows so hard that Bryan Scott has routinely been playing over him.

[OpIv37]

Re: Reasons for getting Byrd

Byrd got all those INT's as a CB.

In Buffalo, he's going to be a S. The excuse for Whitner is that the "system" keeps him from making big plays. Why would it be any different for Byrd?

[psubills62]

Re: Reasons for getting Byrd

Byrd got all those INT's as a CB.

In Buffalo, he's going to be a S. The excuse for Whitner is that the "system" keeps him from making big plays. Why would it be any different for Byrd?

Because Whitner had 3 career INT's in college, from what I can see. Whitner obviously didn't have ballhawking skills even in college. Byrd was great at getting INT's in college...which may or may not translate to the NFL. But if you don't have those skills in college, you won't have them in the NFL. At least Byrd has a chance to be a ballhawk in our secondary.

[mikemac2001]

Re: Reasons for getting Byrd

Gotta love the idea of having a Ball Hawing safety sick of these bruisers in the back who don't even bruise anyone....i thought Ko was gonna be our ball hawker but after his injury he is far from anything.

Hopefully this works out if not i know we will hear about it years to come

[Lexwhat]

Re: Reasons for getting Byrd

Because Whitner had 3 career INT's in college, from what I can see. Whitner obviously didn't have ballhawking skills even in college. Byrd was great at getting INT's in college...which may or may not translate to the NFL. But if you don't have those skills in college, you won't have them in the NFL. At least Byrd has a chance to be a ballhawk in our secondary.

So what exactly was the reason for drafting Whitner so high then??

I know, I know: He's "fast, smart, and versatile."

...But he doesn't break up passes. He doesn't intercept the ball. He doesn't even deliver the big hit that makes WRs scared to come across the middle.

Since people don't like the comparison with Polamalu or Ed Reed, how about Brian Dawkins? Rodney Harrison of 2-3 years ago?

[psubills62]

Re: Reasons for getting Byrd

So what exactly was the reason for drafting Whitner so high then??

I know, I know: He's "fast, smart, and versatile."

...But he doesn't break up passes. He doesn't intercept the ball. He doesn't even deliver the big hit that makes WRs scared to come across the middle.

Since people don't like the comparison with Polamalu or Ed Reed, how about Brian Dawkins? Rodney Harrison of 2-3 years ago?

Probably because Whitner was young, and showed good ability against the run. He was a solid safety who they thought could grow into something more.

As far as the "big hit" - do you not remember his hit against Chad Johnson, where they had to take "Ocho Cinco" out on a stretcher? That's not a big hit?

I'm not necessarily defending the Whitner pick because I've been pretty disappointed with him. But at the time, I'm sure OBD thought he had the potential to develop into a ballhawking safety. Now, they're very close to admitting that he won't, and that you need to be a ballhawk from the start to ever be an interception machine in the NFL.

[OpIv37]

Re: Reasons for getting Byrd

Probably because Whitner was young, and showed good ability against the run. He was a solid safety who they thought could grow into something more.

As far as the "big hit" - do you not remember his hit against Chad Johnson, where they had to take "Ocho Cinco" out on a stretcher? That's not a big hit?

I'm not necessarily defending the Whitner pick because I've been pretty disappointed with him. But at the time, I'm sure OBD thought he had the potential to develop into a ballhawking safety. Now, they're very close to admitting that he won't, and that you need to be a ballhawk from the start to ever be an interception machine in the NFL.

The hit on CJ was Whitner's ONLY big hit in three years. Hell, a few years ago the Jets punter put the smackdown on Parrish after a big return. Should the punter now be referred to as a "big hitter"?

[madness]

Re: Reasons for getting Byrd

Byrd got all those INT's as a CB.

In Buffalo, he's going to be a S. The excuse for Whitner is that the "system" keeps him from making big plays. Why would it be any different for Byrd?

Not just the system but the position in the system. Byrd will be at FS, not SS where Whitner has been. I agree with OBD on this though. I like Byrd at FS better than moving Whitner.

[Lexwhat]

Re: Reasons for getting Byrd

Probably because Whitner was young, and showed good ability against the run. He was a solid safety who they thought could grow into something more.

As far as the "big hit" - do you not remember his hit against Chad Johnson, where they had to take "Ocho Cinco" out on a stretcher? That's not a big hit?

I'm not necessarily defending the Whitner pick because I've been pretty disappointed with him. But at the time, I'm sure OBD thought he had the potential to develop into a ballhawking safety. Now, they're very close to admitting that he won't, and that you need to be a ballhawk from the start to ever be an interception machine in the NFL.

Good post overall. I do agree for the most part.

However, ONE big hit in 3 years shouldn't mean anything. Even Keith Ellison has had 2 interceptions in 3 years, but that doesn't make him a playmaker.

I gave up on the Polamalu comparison, but Whitner can't even play like a Dawkins at age 35 (I'm also an Eagles fan). Coordinators gameplanned for Dawkins / Harrison. WRs were cognizant of them when they were on the field.

I actually don't have a problem with the Byrd pick. I think he could be a great player. But drafting him that high basically means we are admitting the shortcomings of both Whitner and Simpson. Our 1st round pick, #8 overall, is not the cornerstone of our franchise by any stretch of the imagination. Draft picks like them are the reason we are a losing franchise.