Could Rams have a starting Free Safety on roster now?

[BonifayRam]

Rams currently have a DB on the roster who played and stared @ free safety in High School & College . This Ram DB went to Milton High School panhandle of Florida & won awards. Starred as a free safety earning second-team All-State as a senior in 2001. Attended Samford & during his sophomore year, this Ram DB was named first-team All-OVC, third-team All-OVC as returner, third-team All-American by Sports Network and earned Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year honors, while starting every game @ Free safety. Totaled team and career-high 108 tackles, three tackles for loss, career-high three interceptions, eight passes defense and two fumble recoveries, and he also returned 21 kickoffs for 577 yards (27.5 avg.) and one touchdown.

As a junior, This Ram DB was named first-team All-OVC, while starting every game at free safety. He led his team with 86 tackles, two tackles for loss, three interceptions (tied career-high), two passes defensed and one fumble forced. Finnegan also returned 11 kickoffs for 286 yards (26.0 avg.).

During his senior year at Samford, this Ram DB was named first-team All-American by NFL Draft Report, first-team All-American by American Football Coaches Association and first-team All-OVC for third consecutive year. He started every game at free safety and led team with 98 tackles for third consecutive season and added two tackles for loss, one interception, seven passes defensed, one fumble forced and one fumble recovery. This Ram DB ranked first in OVC conference with 15.1 punt return average, while returning 14 punts for 212 yards and one touchdown. Ranked second in OVC conference with 25.1 kickoff return average on 15 returns for 376 yards.

Question is could Fisher's 2nd & 3rd round selections in the 2012 draft ...second yr players Janoris Jenkins & Trumaine Johnson be ready to step up as the starter tandem for the Rams 2013 based defense? With 3rd yr player Darian Stewart starting @ Strong safety & 29 yr old Cortland Finnegan moving to Free Deep Safety. Finnegan had 4.32 speed coming into the NFL. I do not see any of the top safeties Vaccaro, Reed, Elam or even my favorite Cyprien being the answer as a starting NFL free safety. Your thoughts?

 

[duckhunter]

Finnegan is getting top CB dollar. Top safety dollar is considerably less. 4.3 speed is not a requirement for safety, 4.6 is acceptable. We'd have a fast, small FS getting overpaid CB money and probably shortening his career if we expected him to charge up and lower the boom on a RB. I see a little tentativeness or thinking exactly where and how to tackle a big RB now and rightfully so.

I doubt if Finnegan would want to do it and I wouldn't blame him.

Still would have to draft a CB high to replace him.

Why not draft a large CB with speed and coach him to play FS if you don't like any of the safeties other than Cyprien. That's done a little more often. Amerson, Commings and Rhodes are being discussed often for the switch to FS.

I look for the Rams to draft one of the following: Vacarro, Swearinger, Rambo or Cyprien. They are the top cover safeties and all have the physical tools to hold up at the position. IMO, most likely the Rams don't come out of the first without Vicarro or Cyprien. Got to pay the piper. As weak as their safety position looks on paper, I don't see how they don't draft two safeties.

 

[libertadrocks]

Finnegan has been consistently graded out as one of the best CBs in the league, why shift him to FS? CB is a far more valuable position.

Plus you take limits of Cortlands greatest attributes... His ability to mind fuck his opponents.

 

[bluecoconuts]

If we were going to convert a CB to S I think Tru Johnson would be the more likely candidate. A lot of people thought he'd be better suited for S last year when he was drafted.... I don't know though, I don't think it happens this year.

 

[duckhunter]

If we were going to convert a CB to S I think Tru Johnson would be the more likely candidate. A lot of people thought he'd be better suited for S last year when he was drafted.... I don't know though, I don't think it happens this year.

+1. He played some safety in college.

 

[A55VA6]

Fisher refuses to play Tru and safety though.

 

[jap]

Fish likes big CB's like Tru who can match up well with the increasingly larger NFL WR's. If anything, the Rams need another CB or two to help out the top three. Most NFL teams carry 5-6 CB's.

I have seen the idea for using Finn as a FS already this off-season. The Rams did this in the past with Aeneas Williams as he aged and slowed down somewhat. However, while intriguing, converting Finn to FS would leave only two established CB's on the roster. I know Porter is aboard the U.S.S. Rams, but he's not exactly well established: he's still trying to grow into his role.

I expect the Rams to add at least one CB during the draft. While they can only grab who falls to them, I roughly expect their drafting strategy will be something like:

Offense
G/T (1)
RB (1)
WR (2)

Defense
CB (1)
OLB (1)
S (2)

If they make moves to pick up extra picks, we may also see the brass draft a QB and a DT/DE. Expect an army of signed UFA's to flood Rams Park afterward.

 

[CGI_Ram]

I could see Finnegan going to safety later in his career.

Now is not that time.

He's a young 29 on the 2nd of a 5-year deal.

Maybe a move to safety in year 5 on a 2yr extension after a ring or two!

 

[Ramhusker]

NO

 

[A55VA6]

I think a starting safety comes from the draft for us.

Finnegan and Jenkins are CB's. Tru can play safety but Fisher has said over and over that he's playing CB. I can see Rodney McLeod being a solid Special teams/backup for a few years. Don't forget Matt Daniels too, he's a solid player.. but not starting material, imo. (well, he needs to be healthy and show us something)

I think there's alot of good safeties with high potential in the draft. The safety class this year is DEEP. It's all about grabbing one that fits our scheme. Could come in round 2, 3, 4 and he culd end up being a gem. I think we'll get the right guy, but it'll be in the draft for sure.. not a current player on our team.

 

[nittany ram]

I think a starting safety comes from the draft for us.

Finnegan and Jenkins are CB's. Tru can play safety but Fisher has said over and over that he's playing CB. I can see Rodney McLeod being a solid Special teams/backup for a few years. Don't forget Matt Daniels too, he's a solid player.. but not starting material, imo. (well, he needs to be healthy and show us something)

I think there's alot of good safeties with high potential in the draft. The safety class this year is DEEP. It's all about grabbing one that fits our scheme. Could come in round 2, 3, 4 and he culd end up being a gem. I think we'll get the right guy, but it'll be in the draft for sure.. not a current player on our team.

We have Finnegan, Johnson and Jenkins at corner and we need all three at corner to match up with today's offenses. Heck, we actually need a 4th starting caliber corner should one of them get hurt.

Moving Finnegan to safety might solve the problem there but it would compound an existing need at corner.

Besides, moving Finnegan to safety would be like asking Secretariat to pull a milk wagon. There are easier, cheaper and better solutions for that.

 

[brokeu91]

Unless one of those UDFA safeties we signed last year are able to play free safety, I would say no. I think we are almost certainly are drafting a free safety at some point.