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Annual Review
Eatman: Safety Position Needs Addressing More Than Ever
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
The Cowboys are likely counting on Akwasi Owusu-Ansah to make big strides in his second season.
IRVING, Texas - Some things just seem to be an annual occurrence.
This time of year, I always seem to be doing the same things. Of course, it's the time to figure out taxes. It's also the time we do our annual reviews at work.
And here lately, it's also about the time I write my annual column about how the Cowboys' safety position needs to be addressed.
No really, I'm serious this time. It needs to be addressed.
I really think we're five years strong - at least - of saying the Cowboys' biggest needs heading into the draft involve safety and offensive line.
Well, here we go again.
Regardless what happens this offseason - if free agency is before the draft, or after the draft or there's really just a smaller free-agency-period window at some point - the Cowboys need to fix those two positions once again.
Since it is the offseason and we might have more time on our hands than we know what to do with, let's focus on one for today.
This safety position for the Cowboys … it's like raking leaves in the fall. I mean, you might think you've got a good handle on things, but as soon as you throw one trash bag to the corner, there're more leaves making their way into the yard.
Same with the safety spot. Every year, it needs to be addressed. And yes, there have been attempts to fix this thing, but it doesn't seem to work.
And maybe that's the problem right there. The attempts need to be vastly improved.
I'm sure many of you out there got real excited when you saw Indianapolis had released Bob Sanders. Or better yet, what about the Rams parting ways with A.J. Atogwe? And there are more names like Eugene Wilson, who was let go by the Texans.
Obviously those are some big names. And even more obvious - they were cut for a reason. Now you can always say the player was cut for financial reasons, or in other years, because of the salary cap.
Well, let's be honest. It's always about production first, salary second. That's just the way it is. Maybe the guy makes too much money, but it's because he's not producing enough to warrant his contract.
Peyton Manning makes more than $20 million a season, but don't think the Colts are thinking about parting ways with him.
So it always comes down to production, or health - which obviously cuts into your ability to produce. And that seems to be more accurate for Sanders, who was the 2007 Defensive Player of the Year.
I really hope the Cowboys are doing all of their homework on these guys, as well as the rookie safeties in the draft. In fact, there's no reason they can't be doing both. However you slice, this position needs to be addressed in the worst way.
The problem I have is that it seems the Cowboys have somewhat cut some corners in terms of the safety position.
Signing Ken Hamlin in free agency in 2007- when no other team wanted him - was a risk. He had a good season with five interceptions and then the Cowboys got crazy and gave him a six-year, $39 million contract. The worst part about that (other than overpaying him) was that it was really just matching the Raiders, who shelled out a similar contract to Gilbril Wilson earlier in the offseason.
Now, I don't know much about the ins and outs of free agency, but I do know that just because the Raiders do something, or sign a player for X amount of dollars, doesn't mean that's the standard. They're notorious for doing that, signing guys like Wilson or Javon Walker or Tommy Kelly to ridiculous contracts. And it doesn't seem to matter that Oakland ends up cutting them in two years, if not sooner.
To other players at that position, they look at the contracts and naturally say they should be making that.
The Cowboys got burned by the Hamlin deal, and so you have to give them some credit for not doing the exact same thing with Gerald Sensabaugh when it looked like they were headed down the same road this time last year.
Sensabaugh signed a one-year deal after the Jaguars decided not to keep him. He had a rather good season in 2009, even to the point where Jerry Jones lumped him in with Miles Austin as two "long-term" players who needed contracts.
However, they signed Austin to a big-time deal but not Sensabaugh, who didn't have a great start to the 2010 season. As it turned out, Sensabaugh played better down the stretch, tying for the team lead with five interceptions and was much more active in making plays.
Now how will that translate to the offseason is a big question. Do the Cowboys view him as a long-term solution? Will other teams jump to sign him to a big contract?
Whatever the Cowboys do with Sensabaugh, it's only half the problem. And while I wouldn't have thought I'd be saying this a few months ago, I do think the Cowboys need to keep Sensabaugh in the fold.
Now, that doesn't mean outbid someone for him if the money gets out of hand, but I think the Cowboys need to keep him - for no other reason than the fact it's been hard enough to find a good safety around here. And if you lose Sensabaugh, you'll need two safeties.
The Cowboys have to get better at free safety. Alan Ball was not the answer in 2010. He tried his best, let's not be too hard on the guy for trying to change positions.
I've said this about the cornerbacks, Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick: Let's see if the pass rush gets better next year before throwing them to the wolves. Maybe we should do that with the safeties as well.
Still, I think the Cowboys have to find another free safety. Not saying get rid of Ball because I think his skills can be very valuable. I like a guy who can play some corner, some safety and special teams.
Doesn't mean he has to start.
But it's time for this team to get serious in addressing this position. Draft? Free agency? How about both.
I really thought the Cowboys should've considered Atogwe last year. He just makes plays - he's a turnover machine. And heading into last season, I thought that was the main question mark, especially after cutting Hamlin.
As we head into the offseason, I still view safety as a huge question mark, although it has more competition this year because of other positions.
Whether or not the Cowboys throw their hat into the ring for guys like Atogwe, Sanders, Wilson or anyone else - it can't be the only thing. Guys like that will only temporarily fix the problem at best. You just don't see teams cutting veteran players who still have plenty of tread left on the tires.
There are exceptions, of course, and the Cowboys can only hope they find one.
But it has to be addressed in the draft as well. OK, so maybe this isn't a good year for safeties - especially at No. 9. The Cowboys need to find one - someone - to stop the bleeding.
They have the 40th pick in this draft. If there isn't a safety at No. 9, then maybe 40 makes sense. And even then, it will be a crapshoot.
This team can't sit back and hope Ball gets better. Or hope Akwasi Owusu-Ansah becomes a star. They need to hope he stays healthy first.
It's time to go get a real safety. Well, it's actually been time for a while now, but it seems more critical than ever.
Eatman: Safety Position Needs Addressing More Than Ever
Nick Eatman
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
The Cowboys are likely counting on Akwasi Owusu-Ansah to make big strides in his second season.
IRVING, Texas - Some things just seem to be an annual occurrence.
This time of year, I always seem to be doing the same things. Of course, it's the time to figure out taxes. It's also the time we do our annual reviews at work.
And here lately, it's also about the time I write my annual column about how the Cowboys' safety position needs to be addressed.
No really, I'm serious this time. It needs to be addressed.
I really think we're five years strong - at least - of saying the Cowboys' biggest needs heading into the draft involve safety and offensive line.
Well, here we go again.
Regardless what happens this offseason - if free agency is before the draft, or after the draft or there's really just a smaller free-agency-period window at some point - the Cowboys need to fix those two positions once again.
Since it is the offseason and we might have more time on our hands than we know what to do with, let's focus on one for today.
This safety position for the Cowboys … it's like raking leaves in the fall. I mean, you might think you've got a good handle on things, but as soon as you throw one trash bag to the corner, there're more leaves making their way into the yard.
Same with the safety spot. Every year, it needs to be addressed. And yes, there have been attempts to fix this thing, but it doesn't seem to work.
And maybe that's the problem right there. The attempts need to be vastly improved.
I'm sure many of you out there got real excited when you saw Indianapolis had released Bob Sanders. Or better yet, what about the Rams parting ways with A.J. Atogwe? And there are more names like Eugene Wilson, who was let go by the Texans.
Obviously those are some big names. And even more obvious - they were cut for a reason. Now you can always say the player was cut for financial reasons, or in other years, because of the salary cap.
Well, let's be honest. It's always about production first, salary second. That's just the way it is. Maybe the guy makes too much money, but it's because he's not producing enough to warrant his contract.
Peyton Manning makes more than $20 million a season, but don't think the Colts are thinking about parting ways with him.
So it always comes down to production, or health - which obviously cuts into your ability to produce. And that seems to be more accurate for Sanders, who was the 2007 Defensive Player of the Year.
I really hope the Cowboys are doing all of their homework on these guys, as well as the rookie safeties in the draft. In fact, there's no reason they can't be doing both. However you slice, this position needs to be addressed in the worst way.
The problem I have is that it seems the Cowboys have somewhat cut some corners in terms of the safety position.
Signing Ken Hamlin in free agency in 2007- when no other team wanted him - was a risk. He had a good season with five interceptions and then the Cowboys got crazy and gave him a six-year, $39 million contract. The worst part about that (other than overpaying him) was that it was really just matching the Raiders, who shelled out a similar contract to Gilbril Wilson earlier in the offseason.
Now, I don't know much about the ins and outs of free agency, but I do know that just because the Raiders do something, or sign a player for X amount of dollars, doesn't mean that's the standard. They're notorious for doing that, signing guys like Wilson or Javon Walker or Tommy Kelly to ridiculous contracts. And it doesn't seem to matter that Oakland ends up cutting them in two years, if not sooner.
To other players at that position, they look at the contracts and naturally say they should be making that.
The Cowboys got burned by the Hamlin deal, and so you have to give them some credit for not doing the exact same thing with Gerald Sensabaugh when it looked like they were headed down the same road this time last year.
Sensabaugh signed a one-year deal after the Jaguars decided not to keep him. He had a rather good season in 2009, even to the point where Jerry Jones lumped him in with Miles Austin as two "long-term" players who needed contracts.
However, they signed Austin to a big-time deal but not Sensabaugh, who didn't have a great start to the 2010 season. As it turned out, Sensabaugh played better down the stretch, tying for the team lead with five interceptions and was much more active in making plays.
Now how will that translate to the offseason is a big question. Do the Cowboys view him as a long-term solution? Will other teams jump to sign him to a big contract?
Whatever the Cowboys do with Sensabaugh, it's only half the problem. And while I wouldn't have thought I'd be saying this a few months ago, I do think the Cowboys need to keep Sensabaugh in the fold.
Now, that doesn't mean outbid someone for him if the money gets out of hand, but I think the Cowboys need to keep him - for no other reason than the fact it's been hard enough to find a good safety around here. And if you lose Sensabaugh, you'll need two safeties.
The Cowboys have to get better at free safety. Alan Ball was not the answer in 2010. He tried his best, let's not be too hard on the guy for trying to change positions.
I've said this about the cornerbacks, Terence Newman, Mike Jenkins and Orlando Scandrick: Let's see if the pass rush gets better next year before throwing them to the wolves. Maybe we should do that with the safeties as well.
Still, I think the Cowboys have to find another free safety. Not saying get rid of Ball because I think his skills can be very valuable. I like a guy who can play some corner, some safety and special teams.
Doesn't mean he has to start.
But it's time for this team to get serious in addressing this position. Draft? Free agency? How about both.
I really thought the Cowboys should've considered Atogwe last year. He just makes plays - he's a turnover machine. And heading into last season, I thought that was the main question mark, especially after cutting Hamlin.
As we head into the offseason, I still view safety as a huge question mark, although it has more competition this year because of other positions.
Whether or not the Cowboys throw their hat into the ring for guys like Atogwe, Sanders, Wilson or anyone else - it can't be the only thing. Guys like that will only temporarily fix the problem at best. You just don't see teams cutting veteran players who still have plenty of tread left on the tires.
There are exceptions, of course, and the Cowboys can only hope they find one.
But it has to be addressed in the draft as well. OK, so maybe this isn't a good year for safeties - especially at No. 9. The Cowboys need to find one - someone - to stop the bleeding.
They have the 40th pick in this draft. If there isn't a safety at No. 9, then maybe 40 makes sense. And even then, it will be a crapshoot.
This team can't sit back and hope Ball gets better. Or hope Akwasi Owusu-Ansah becomes a star. They need to hope he stays healthy first.
It's time to go get a real safety. Well, it's actually been time for a while now, but it seems more critical than ever.