UK Skins Fan wrote:And all the while that our new stellar safety partnership was creating confusion, opposition running backs would be pounding their way into our secondary, and opposition quarterbacks would be sitting back in the pocket smoking cigars.
With all do respect, I don’t think that would be the case at all.
Let’s take a minute to rationalize this move for LaRon Landry.
First of all, there in no argument from anyone that the Skins are in need of d-line help. A few months ago, every fan and every expert were projecting the Skins to draft a d-linemen with the #6 pick. Some said Adams or Branch and others said Anderson or Okoye. Now, 14 days before the draft, experts like Kiper, Clayton and others, have a much different opinion. Why? What’s happened to the initial projections and what's happened since then?
Well… what’s happened is the combine, scouting, interviews and endless hours of film review and study.
Next, there has been no consensus by any of the experts as to who the best DT or the best DE is, although Adams is currently leading the bunch. There has been varying opinions between Adams, Anderson, Branch and Okoye. Recently, Branch and Anderson have been falling quickly on draft boards around the league. There has been question’s raised regarding their work ethic, weight and eating habits.
There is however, no disagreement, what so ever, across the board, as to who the best safety is in this years draft, and that is LaRon Landry.
Let’s take a brief look at the Skins defense. If everyone can put on their memory caps for a minute, it was our secondary that took a beating in the early stages of the 2006 season. Specifically, it was the middle of the field in our secondary where our defense was exploited. Williams was forced to make a change by dropping everyone back into pass coverage as a way to remedy this problem. We all know the injuries that were sustained to every unit on our defense last year and Williams had to compensate for that.
Well, when you only rush four guys, limit the amount of stunts and blitzes, and drop everyone back into coverage, it is difficult to get pressure on the QB and to generate sacks. That is a fact. Let’s not forget the term used a lot in the NFL, the term known as a “coverage sack”. The point being, when you have confidence in your secondary, you are free to create more schemes to get pressure on the QB, in the form of stunts, LB and safety blitzes and corner blitzes, all things we know Williams likes to do and something he had to shy away from last year, due to the significant amount of injuries.
Apart from Taylor, our current crop of safety’s are average at best. I would rate Prioleau slightly better than average, but he is coming off a major injury. Players coming off these types of injuries take time to rebound; Jansen was a perfect example of this last year, coming off the Achilles injury. He had a tender foot and was not very confident, therefore affecting his level of play. But, we now have depth at the safety position, something we hear about around here all the time; needing depth. So now we have it.
Then, we have to take into consideration the size of the contract, and the amount of guaranteed money the #6 pick will command. With no general consensus as to the best d-linemen out there, it would be less of a risk to give that contract and guaranteed money to a guy like Landry, much like they did with Taylor.
Landry would be well worth it. He makes tons of plays in the backfield and has no problem getting to the QB with his 4.35 speed; see his highlight videos. Both Landry and Taylor are great run stuffers at the line of scrimmage. They could be the most feared safety tandem in the entire league. Both are also good in pass coverage, allowing Williams to blitz one of them while dropping the other one back in pass coverage. Landry is a great leader on the field and in the secondary, something we badly need since we lost Ryan Clark. Taylor will benefit immensely from that. In short, he will allow Williams to do so much more with our defense to create pressure on the QB. Remember, opposing offenses can game plan much easier for one stud DE or DT than they can for a two stud safety’s.
For me, as we stand right now, Landry is the clear cut choice if we stay at #6. We would be getting the best player available as well as filling a position of need. That is why I think the experts are now projecting the Skins to take Landry rather than a d-linemen at #6. A safety is… well… a safer pick for the money, at least this year it is, based on the quality of players coming out. We will still have a chance to get d-line help later in the draft, as that position has the most depth this year.
Sorry for the length.
strong DE prospects. I'm also a believer in taking the best player available if at all possible, and Landry if nothing else, is one of the top "athletes" in this draft. We obviously need some help at DE though, so lets hope any trade down is for 2 picks and not a pick and LANCE BRIGGS!
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Some might think that was a good move - I mean, if he had hit him with his fist he might have injured himself - this is obviously a "heads up" player, could be an asset. And, he's from the U - we need more of these guys 
ey next year. The cap number goes up next year and there will be some cuts made and some contracts reworked. I don't really worry about their cap responsibilities.
