NFL

Lions still lack game-changing safety

LexisNexis Feed GrandRapidPress
Share This Story

Updated Apr 24, 2009 2:30 PM ET
     
 
ALLEN PARK -- If the Detroit Lions are going to take a legitimate step toward being a good defensive team, they will have to find a playmaking, game-changing safety. It's not a coincidence that the league's best defensive clubs also have a dynamic player at that position, whether it's Troy Polamalu (Pittsburgh Steelers), Ed Reed (Baltimore Ravens), Bob Sanders (Indianapolis Colts) or Brian Dawkins (Philadelphia Eagles/Denver Broncos). In today's NFL, a good defense becomes even better when it has a versatile player in the secondary who can step up and play the run, blitz the quarterback, play man-to-man and also roam the field in search of interceptions and bone-jarring hits. The problem is, those type of players are hard to find, and if you don't have one, the scale tips in favor of the offense. quot;Offensive coordinators are really good at exploiting matchups,quot; Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. quot;The old days of the in-the-box strong safety are gone. Because it's easy for offensive coordinators to identify that guy and if he's a liability in coverage, they can take advantage of him. quot;You see a lot more three-wide receiver sets, which either means a linebacker or safety is going to be covering one of those wide receivers if you don't go to nickel. It puts more (focus) on multi-dimensional players and I think that's where you're seeing some of those guys.quot; While the Lions must address more pressing needs at middle linebacker, defensive tackle and defensive end, Detroit general manager Martin Mayhew said the team would not bypass value if it's available. One player who will be on Detroit's radar is Western Michigan's Louis Delmas, regarded as the best pure safety in the draft, which begins at 4 p.m. Saturday. Delmas has all the tools of the top safeties in the league, although he'll have to play at play at a consistently high level to match their achievements. If the Lions can't improve the safety position this year, it's something that will remain on their agenda until it's addressed. The Lions will be in the market for an upgrade at safety because a couple recent free agents, Kenoy Kennedy and Dwight Smith, didn't work out, and recent second-round picks Daniel Bullocks and Gerald Alexander have been inconsistent. What separates the good safeties from the great ones is an ability to make plays in every facet of the game, including blitzing the quarterback and forcing bad throws or getting sacks. quot;If he's a blitzer, that's a true bonus right there,quot; said Schwartz, the former Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator who had a solid pair of safeties in Chris Hope and Michael Griffin. quot;The key you want and where we were with that group was that we had multi-dimensional players. We weren't pigeon-holed as coaches, and I think that's our goal here. We don't want to be pigeon-holed as a coaching staff and say 'Hey, this is the only thing this player can do.' quot;
Tagged: Lions

Related Stories

Giants Super Bowl Champs Gear

Trending Now

Stories | Photos | Lists | Videos

NFL Videos

Coach Speak: Best of Season 3 Posted: Feb 07, 2012
Season 3 of Coach Speak is a wrap. Check out the best of this past year.

Online OT: Super Bowl XLVI recap Posted: Feb 06, 2012
Charles Davis and Laura Okmin recap the Giants' 21-17 Super Bowl XLVI victory ov...

Schein 60: Peyton finished Posted: Feb 03, 2012
Adam Schein says Peyton Manning is done as an NFL quarterback.

MORE FOXSPORTS VIDEO »
St. Jude

Fox Sports Store

    itemName itemURL imageSrc price itemDescription
    Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Navy Blue Player T-shirt http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Dallas_Cowboys/browse/featuredproduct/346245/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_346000/FF_346245_xl.jpg&w=100 25.95 Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Navy Blue Player T-shirt
    New York Giants Royal Blue Critical Victory V Hoodie Sweatshirt http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_New_York_Giants/browse/featuredproduct/676913/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_676000/ff_676913_xl.jpg&w=100 49.95 New York Giants Royal Blue Critical Victory V Hoodie Sweatshirt
    San Francisco 49ers Charcoal 1st & Goal IV Pullover Hoodie Sweatshirt http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_San_Francisco_49ers/browse/featuredproduct/678811/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_678000/ff_678811_xl.jpg&w=100 49.95 San Francisco 49ers Charcoal 1st & Goal IV Pullover Hoodie Sweatshirt
    Carolina Panthers Championship Series Watch http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Carolina_Panthers/browse/featuredproduct/722612/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_722000/ff_722612_xl.jpg&w=100 39.95 Carolina Panthers Championship Series Watch
    Reebok Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers Replica Jersey - White - http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Green_Bay_Packers/browse/featuredproduct/744236/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_744000/ff_744236_xl.jpg&w=100 59.99 Reebok Aaron Rodgers Green Bay Packers Replica Jersey - White -
    Reebok Calvin Johnson Detroit Lions #81 Black Megatron Player Flex Fit Hat http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Detroit_Lions/browse/featuredproduct/756044/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_756000/ff_756044_xl.jpg&w=100 25.95 Reebok Calvin Johnson Detroit Lions #81 Black Megatron Player Flex Fit Hat
    New England Patriots 2011 AFC East Division Champions Locker Room T-Shirt - White http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_New_England_Patriots/browse/featuredproduct/775172/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_775000/ff_775172_xl.jpg&w=100 21.95 New England Patriots 2011 AFC East Division Champions Locker Room T-Shirt - Whit..
    Reebok Tim Tebow Denver Broncos #15 Replica Jersey - White http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Denver_Broncos/browse/featuredproduct/775597/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_775000/ff_775597_xl.jpg&w=100 59.99 Reebok Tim Tebow Denver Broncos #15 Replica Jersey - White
    Houston Texans Black 2011 AFC South Division Champions Locker Room Adjustable Hat http://www.foxsportsshop.com/FOX_Houston_Texans/browse/featuredproduct/776231/source/prsp_ca http://images.footballfanatics.com/FFImage/thumb.aspx?i=/productImages/_776000/ff_776231_xl.jpg&w=100 25.95 Houston Texans Black 2011 AFC South Division Champions Locker Room Adjustable Ha..
Microsoft© 2012 Microsoft