Film breakdown of Rashaan Gaulden

[45catfan]

1 hour ago, Woodie said:

I think that has more to do with his lack of experience than actual timidness.  He's still figuring things out and learning the new position.  He's still thinking rather than just reading and reacting to what he sees.  That was always my issue with the naysayers in regards to Gaulden.  Anyone that was paying attention knew that there would be a learning curve, and that year one was going to basically be a redshirt, adjustment year. 

Unfortunately, many didn't/don't have the patience to let a player develop.  They expect them to be ready to play right out of the box, but that's not how it works for the majority of players.  I think people also tend to see one mistake and generalize that to exemplify their overall talent and skillset...especially when it's a player that hasn't seen much field time).

  I don't know if he's going to be the answer or not (we haven't seen enough to get a realistic idea), but I do think he has the potential to be a solid safety once he gets comfortable.

I agree he needs a shot to prove himself, but the thing is this team does not value drafting safeties on day one or two for that matter.  Honestly, Gaulden was a reach as a day two pick...his projection was a day three selection.  So the team is asking a lot out of him to fill a starting role, a role he's supposedly having to learn.  That's the other thing, Gaulden played nickle at Tennessee, so he was already a DB.  It's not like when we drafted TD out of Georgia as a safety moved him to LB.  I remember him having a tough transition that first year, but that truly was a new position for TD.

I'm willing to give him 5 or 6 games,  but if he can't prove himself by then, I think the team needs to get a FA.  I really hope the light bulb turns on for Gaulden...for his sake and the team's.  However, there's too much riding on this year for a player to continue floundering out there past mid-season.

[Captain Morgan]

Mini camp is this week.  If we don't sign a FS within a few weeks, it will be Gaulden for the season.

[pantherclaw]

Just the fact that anybody is attempting to predict this kid, and so many have already written him off. 

Wow.

[Pejorative Miscreant]

2 hours ago, Woodie said:

I think that has more to do with his lack of experience than actual timidness.  He's still figuring things out and learning the new position.  He's still thinking rather than just reading and reacting to what he sees.  That was always my issue with the naysayers in regards to Gaulden.  Anyone that was paying attention knew that there would be a learning curve, and that year one was going to basically be a redshirt, adjustment year. 

Unfortunately, many didn't/don't have the patience to let a player develop.  They expect them to be ready to play right out of the box, but that's not how it works for the majority of players.  I think people also tend to see one mistake and generalize that to exemplify their overall talent and skillset...especially when it's a player that hasn't seen much field time).

  I don't know if he's going to be the answer or not (we haven't seen enough to get a realistic idea), but I do think he has the potential to be a solid safety once he gets comfortable.

This is a good way to look at it. If you take a guy in the 3rd and say he’s going to be a project then he’s going to be a project.  

I don’t know that he is the answer either but I think the coaches are showing confidence and if he doesn’t take the step forward they think he will we can always pick someone up in camp cut downs.  We’re not going to get a pro bowler but we can get someone who is adequate.   I think throwing a pile o money at Tre Boston or the oft injured Berry is not a good solution.  That said I’m comfy to sit back and watch it play out.  

[Woodie]

1 hour ago, 45catfan said:

I agree he needs a shot to prove himself, but the thing is this team does not value drafting safeties on day one or two for that matter.  Honestly, Gaulden was a reach as a day two pick...his projection was a day three selection.  So the team is asking a lot out of him to fill a starting role, a role he's supposedly having to learn.  That's the other thing, Gaulden played nickle at Tennessee, so he was already a DB.  It's not like when we drafted TD out of Georgia as a safety moved him to LB.  I remember him having a tough transition that first year, but that truly was a new position for TD.

I'm willing to give him 5 or 6 games,  but if he can't prove himself by then, I think the team needs to get a FA.  I really hope the light bulb turns on for Gaulden...for his sake and the team's.  However, there's too much riding on this year for a player to continue floundering out there past mid-season.

I don't think it's that black and white.  As far as drafting safeties, I think the perception is that they don't value drafting them, but I don't think that's correct.  I believe it has more to do with having other needs and having to prioritize.  I think Rivera believes that it's easier to scheme around a weaker safety than pretty much any other position, so that always seems to get the short end of the stick.  But not because he doesn't value it, but because there are greater needs in his mind...and quite frankly, since he's been here, we have always had huge needs at important positions, so his thinking makes sense to me.  And with defensive coaches, you usually have two schools of thought, build from the front to the back, or build from the back to the front.  Both have their merits and each has been successful, and Rivera is obviously a front to back guy.

And Gaulden wasn't that much of a reach.  When he was drafted, I didn't really know much about him, so looked over every draft site I could find, his range was between rounds 3-5, with early 4th probably being the average.  To me, he was a projection guy.  You look at his skill set and determine what you think you can develop him into. 

Personally, there were other guys I wanted, but I could see why the team liked him.  I just preferred a guy that was more ready to go than a guy you had to develop.  But none of them blew the socks off the league last year, so if the scouts and a strong defensive mind like Rivera believe he has the fundamental skillset to grow into a solid safety in year two, I'll give him that chance.  I just don't think we fans saw enough of him to have a reasonable opinion on him.

 

[45catfan]

If Gaulden gets it, great, Kudos to him!  We should have a great defense as long as everyone stays healthy.  My biggest concern is this organization tends to stick with a losing hand instead of folding and tries to bluff their way into a winning scenario.   Perfect example is with Cam last year.  Once it was obvious to everyone outside the organization that he could no longer throw down field, they still stuck with him until we were officially eliminated for the playoffs...then they benched him.  So that's my concern.  It's not that I'm rooting against Gaulden or anything crazy like that, it's just I have a gut feeling IF Gaulden struggles, the team will be hesitant to make a move until such time that opposing teams start scheming for him as the weak link in the defense.  By that time it would be later in the season, quality FAs would be scarce and for that reason alone would still stick with him despite the struggles.

 

[bababoey]

4 hours ago, 45catfan said:

I agree he needs a shot to prove himself, but the thing is this team does not value drafting safeties on day one or two for that matter.  Honestly, Gaulden was a reach as a day two pick...his projection was a day three selection.  So the team is asking a lot out of him to fill a starting role, a role he's supposedly having to learn.  That's the other thing, Gaulden played nickle at Tennessee, so he was already a DB.  It's not like when we drafted TD out of Georgia as a safety moved him to LB.  I remember him having a tough transition that first year, but that truly was a new position for TD.

I'm willing to give him 5 or 6 games,  but if he can't prove himself by then, I think the team needs to get a FA.  I really hope the light bulb turns on for Gaulden...for his sake and the team's.  However, there's too much riding on this year for a player to continue floundering out there past mid-season.

I hope it does not take him as long as it took TD to learn LB.  The first year TD hardly played, except against Atlanta.  Year 2, 2006 he looked for the most part lost for most of the year.  It really was not until year 3 and really year 4, 2008, that Davis really looked like he started to really know what he was doing on the field.  15 years ago it was ok to wait 2 or 3 years for a rookie to actually start playing well.  Now?  If CMC did not have the year he had last year, half the people on this board would have called him a bust and be saying "see, I told you".  I hope it does not take Gaulden as long as it took TD to adjust.

[Seltzer]

I have no problem giving Gaulden the first opportunity to win the job.  That film breakdown was really good.

Gaulden does seem to have the skill set to be a decent in-the-box safety (SS).  It is interesting to see someone actually break down the film and show how interchangeable safeties are in this system and how Rivera uses them to disguise coverage.

That being said, of course there are still legitimate questions about his coverage ability or more of the traditional FS.  His combine numbers were certainly nothing special, but neither were Funchess's, and I don't think Funchess's issues were speed-based.

It is also a good point that Rivera seems more confident in compensating for sub-par safety play versus other spots on the defense.

I think everyone wants to see Gaulden do well and lock down a starting job.  Still, even if he wins the starting job, the only safety depth is Colin Jones and a bunch of complete unknowns.  The team normally keeps 4 safeties, which means as of now, someone among Cole Luke, Kai Nacua, Damian Parms, Quin Blanding, or Corrion Ballard is making this roster.  That is unsettling to say the least.  The less reps Colin Jones get outside of ST, the better.

CB depth is still not finalized, but after signing Javien Eilliot, you can make a good case that the team has brought in enough competition to ensure decent depth, especially with Cockrell and Seymour coming back (hopefully) at full health.  Bradberry, Jackson, and Cockrell have a chance to be the best top 3 CB's we have had in a long time, and the depth players in competition have at least shown ability to play in actual games for the most part.

As good of a job as Hurney/Rivera have done rebuilding the roster, it is frustrating to think this final question mark at safety will be potentially unaddressed.  Make no mistake, the moves made to rebuild the trenches alone make this a good offseason, and that along with Cam returning to health makes this team a contender.

TL;DR- Film on Gaulden shows some promise, especially as SS, but even if he wins a starting job, there is zero proven depth in any capacity behind Gaulden and Eric Reid (Colin Jones has proved himself to be a great ST player but liability on defense)

[CBDellinger]

7 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

We'll see. I'm not at all convinced that our starting FS won't eventually end up being some vet on his last legs that doesn't make the final roster elsewhere.

It will be if Gaulden doesn’t step up and make the most of this opportunity.  

[GoPanthers123]

The main point is half the time he is asked to play out of his natural position.  I guess his football IQ will make a break this season for him. Hoping for the best.

[SetfreexX]

I think ''veteran on his last legs'' is a stretch when it comes to filling in at FS, if Hurney has shown any change of pace from Gettleman it's been avoiding the geriatric NFL ward. 

Gaulden is a hard player to peg, I see it this way if you are playing pre-dominantly at Nickel in college I'd have to question your ability in space, then when we add in the combine numbers I'd have to question it even further. I don't think too many of us would mind a ''4th - 7th Round Project'' for the FS position. Most people consider 3rd Round selections starters, early depth, not long term projects. 

His skill set even when viewing 4MR's tape and any of his collegiate highlights all involve him inside the box as a defender in run, or curl flat support. To me he's more of a box safety with a FS's body type. I wish the guy the best, but right now i've seen nothing from him that makes me think he has the cover range to hold down a 1/2,  or 1/3 of the field coverage. 1/4 coverage I could see, but I don't see him squeezing the seams, and sidelines from 2, or 3 deep. 

I'd rather see him as a situational box S, or nickel, I'd prefer to see a proven player at FS on the back end next to Reid. At this point neither Boston or Berry are having their doors beat down, the cost would not be too much. I understand the investment in Gaulden and he's being given EVERY OPPORTUNITY to take it, but I'm just not convinced. 

[kungfoodude]

2 minutes ago, SetfreexX said:

I'd rather see him as a situational box S, or nickel, I'd prefer to see a proven player at FS on the back end next to Reid. At this point neither Boston or Berry are having their doors beat down, the cost would not be too much. I understand the investment in Gaulden and he's being given EVERY OPPORTUNITY to take it, but I'm just not convinced. 

I think you are making a big assumption about Boston and Berry's cost. No one actually knows what they are asking for.

[SetfreexX]

16 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

I think you are making a big assumption about Boston and Berry's cost. No one actually knows what they are asking for.

Not really a big assumption, a year to year safeties cost in Boston's case isn't going to keep rising - https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/arizona-cardinals/tre-boston-14539/

1.5 M is not a lot on a one year offer. 

In Berry's case his ''name'' might demand more, but his availability isn't going to allow him to make a big pay day. I'd say ''IF"' he's signed then 3-6 M is likely the range. 

Both scales we could afford, and I think Boston's price range & health history makes the most sense if he's on our radar especially considering the payday for McCoy. 

[kungfoodude]

23 minutes ago, SetfreexX said:

Not really a big assumption, a year to year safeties cost in Boston's case isn't going to keep rising - https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/arizona-cardinals/tre-boston-14539/

1.5 M is not a lot on a one year offer. 

In Berry's case his ''name'' might demand more, but his availability isn't going to allow him to make a big pay day. I'd say ''IF"' he's signed then 3-6 M is likely the range. 

Both scales we could afford, and I think Boston's price range & health history makes the most sense if he's on our radar especially considering the payday for McCoy. 

Yeah but you are assuming that what he wants is going to be in that range again. He may be perfectly content waiting until some team has an injury and then they get desperate enough to throw a bigger number out there.

Not to mention, I would not be surprised if we wanted no part of Boston because he had some run ins with the coaching staff last time he was here.

Berry is probably going to have to wait until he can pass a physical. He may not be at that stage yet.

I don't expect us to do much at FS unless there is an injury. Not saying I agree, that just seems to be what we plan on doing.