Bills hosting FA Safety Robert Blanton

[Ed]

Mike Rodak
ESPN Staff Writer

The Bills are hosting free-agent safety Robert Blanton on Friday, the team announced. Blanton played the past four seasons for the Vikings, mostly as a reserve. The Bills have a need at backup safety after not tendering restricted free agent Bacarri Rambo earlier this offseason.

[bleve]

Re: Bills hosting FA Safety Robert Blanton

Add another name to the list of spectacular FA additions.

http://www.buffalorumblings.com/2016/3/18/11264066/robert-blanton-signs-with-buffalo-bills-free-agency

[OpIv37]

Re: Bills hosting FA Safety Robert Blanton

He was good at ND but I didn't follow his NFL career

[Scumbag College]

Re: Bills hosting FA Safety Robert Blanton

I don't think anyone here expected high priced, big name free agents coming here this offseason.

Safety is a big question mark on this team and it's good to bring in a few guys with experience to compete with Duke Williams, Meeks, et al, especially with Aaron Williams having neck injury concerns.

[Buffalogic]

Re: Bills hosting FA Safety Robert Blanton

He signed. Go go special teams.

[Mace]

Re: Bills hosting FA Safety Robert Blanton

I used to know some Blantons with a son Bobby. Don't think it was him though, the child was too short and if he tried wearing pads he wouldn't have been able to move.

[YardRat]

Re: Bills hosting FA Safety Robert Blanton

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25521938/vikings-safety-robert-blanton-headed-to-buffalo-to-visit-the-bills

Blanton had an excellent 2014 season for the Vikings as their starter at strong safety, but he played behind Andrew Sendejo for most of 2015 -- he saw his snap percentage drop from 91.7 percent to just 29.1 percent, per Pro Football Focus.

[Night Train]

Re: Bills hosting FA Safety Robert Blanton

Bills did sign him for depth,per local news.

Showed a 2014 highlight of him getting an INT off Orton at the Ralph.

[Night Train]

Re: Bills hosting FA Safety Robert Blanton

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/eye-on-football/25521938/free-agent-safety-robert-blanton-agrees-to-a-deal-with-the-bills

[ParanoidAndroid]

Re: Bills hosting FA Safety Robert Blanton

Not a bad move considering the thin and questionable S crop in this draft. This is not a position you want to be forced to draft this year, and nor is WR. Hopefully we find a stop-gap there, too. There is value at LB, DL and OL all throughout this draft and that is hopefully where the focus will be.

[YardRat]

Re: Bills hosting FA Safety Robert Blanton

I dunno, I think there is some depth at safety in this draft, especially when you consider guys listed as lbers and cbs that will probably switch at the pro level.

[Night Train]

Re: Bills hosting FA Safety Robert Blanton

We assume so much when we sign guys. They could be camp tryouts and little more.

Bills have 8 picks coming up. Let the off-season play out. Conclusions in March aren't worth squat.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Re: Bills hosting FA Safety Robert Blanton

I dunno, I think there is some depth at safety in this draft, especially when you consider guys listed as lbers and cbs that will probably switch at the pro level.

Maybe you're right. I just keep seeing things like "box only safety" or "CB in college but needs to convert to safety in pros because too slow."

[DraftBoy]

Re: Bills hosting FA Safety Robert Blanton

Maybe you're right. I just keep seeing things like "box only safety" or "CB in college but needs to convert to safety in pros because too slow."

Just my opinion, but the primary reason Blanton had to switch to safety wasn't a straight line speed issue as much as it was a fluidity issue with his hips. He just wasn't smooth enough with his hip flip when transitioning from his back pedal to sprint to stay with most of the WR's in the NFL. He did run a 4.52 at his pro day in 2012.

[ParanoidAndroid]

Re: Bills hosting FA Safety Robert Blanton

Just my opinion, but the primary reason Blanton had to switch to safety wasn't a straight line speed issue as much as it was a fluidity issue with his hips. He just wasn't smooth enough with his hip flip when transitioning from his back pedal to sprint to stay with most of the WR's in the NFL. He did run a 4.52 at his pro day in 2012.

My comment was more directed toward the current draft class. I can't pretend to say I really know. It's just what I see repeated beyond the top 4 or 5 guys at the safety position.