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Rob Phillips
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
(Editor's Note: This is the sixth of an 11-part series analyzing every position on the Cowboys' roster, providing a quick look back before addressing the needs of each spot on the field and how it can be improved heading into the 2012 season. Today we examine the safeties.)
Pressing Matters: In December, the Cowboys gave starting free safety Gerald Sensabaugh a five-year, $22 million extension with $8 million guaranteed, ending his three-year streak of one-year contracts. Starting strong safety Abram Elam followed defensive coordinator Rob Ryan from Cleveland last August on a similar one-year deal, but he is now set to be a free agent this March. The hiring of Jerome Henderson, Elam's secondary coach in Cleveland, could lead to Elam's return. If not, the draft is always a possibility for adding depth and young talent. The four safeties the Cowboys have drafted since Roy Williams are no longer on the roster, though: Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (2010), Michael Hamlin (2009), Pat Watkins (2006) and Justin Beriault (2005).
2011 Evaluation: The Cowboys' cornerbacks were a revolving door for much of the year – Mike Jenkins, Orlando Scandrick and Terence Newman missed nine games combined – but Sensabaugh and Elam each started a full season and stayed relatively healthy. Sensabaugh dealt with a sprained foot around Thanksgiving but finished the season with 71 tackles (61 solo), two interceptions, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles in his switch from strong to free safety. Elam had 68 tackles (54 solo), one forced fumble and no interceptions or pass breakups. Church and McCray, two quality undrafted free agents from 2010, played special teams and safety and even linebacker in certain defensive sub-packages.
Need More From ... : If Elam doesn't return, the new starting strong safety might already be on the roster. Church isn't a rangy safety, but he's a good tackler who was pretty active in limited plays before he went on injured reserve with a shoulder injury in mid-December. Developing starting talent in-house is the best avenue in a salary cap system, so the better Church gets, the better for the Cowboys.
Upgrades Needed: Simple answer, really for the entire secondary: more game-changing plays. Seems like that's been a subject at safety since the Darren Woodson days and the early part of Williams' time in Dallas. Now, one can argue the corners are relied upon as the playmakers in Ryan's scheme, with the safeties there more for support. At times the Cowboys deployed their safeties deep against the threat of a big play. Sensabaugh was particularly disruptive the first several weeks of the season, which helped him earn an extension. But the secondary as a whole allowed 57 pass plays over 20 yards, more than last year's 56. One thing is certain: More pass rush will help everyone on the back end.
DallasCowboys.com Staff Writer
(Editor's Note: This is the sixth of an 11-part series analyzing every position on the Cowboys' roster, providing a quick look back before addressing the needs of each spot on the field and how it can be improved heading into the 2012 season. Today we examine the safeties.)
Pressing Matters: In December, the Cowboys gave starting free safety Gerald Sensabaugh a five-year, $22 million extension with $8 million guaranteed, ending his three-year streak of one-year contracts. Starting strong safety Abram Elam followed defensive coordinator Rob Ryan from Cleveland last August on a similar one-year deal, but he is now set to be a free agent this March. The hiring of Jerome Henderson, Elam's secondary coach in Cleveland, could lead to Elam's return. If not, the draft is always a possibility for adding depth and young talent. The four safeties the Cowboys have drafted since Roy Williams are no longer on the roster, though: Akwasi Owusu-Ansah (2010), Michael Hamlin (2009), Pat Watkins (2006) and Justin Beriault (2005).
2011 Evaluation: The Cowboys' cornerbacks were a revolving door for much of the year – Mike Jenkins, Orlando Scandrick and Terence Newman missed nine games combined – but Sensabaugh and Elam each started a full season and stayed relatively healthy. Sensabaugh dealt with a sprained foot around Thanksgiving but finished the season with 71 tackles (61 solo), two interceptions, three pass breakups and two forced fumbles in his switch from strong to free safety. Elam had 68 tackles (54 solo), one forced fumble and no interceptions or pass breakups. Church and McCray, two quality undrafted free agents from 2010, played special teams and safety and even linebacker in certain defensive sub-packages.
Need More From ... : If Elam doesn't return, the new starting strong safety might already be on the roster. Church isn't a rangy safety, but he's a good tackler who was pretty active in limited plays before he went on injured reserve with a shoulder injury in mid-December. Developing starting talent in-house is the best avenue in a salary cap system, so the better Church gets, the better for the Cowboys.
Upgrades Needed: Simple answer, really for the entire secondary: more game-changing plays. Seems like that's been a subject at safety since the Darren Woodson days and the early part of Williams' time in Dallas. Now, one can argue the corners are relied upon as the playmakers in Ryan's scheme, with the safeties there more for support. At times the Cowboys deployed their safeties deep against the threat of a big play. Sensabaugh was particularly disruptive the first several weeks of the season, which helped him earn an extension. But the secondary as a whole allowed 57 pass plays over 20 yards, more than last year's 56. One thing is certain: More pass rush will help everyone on the back end.
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