Oakland Raiders: A Concern for their SAFETY

by TheRaiderWay on Mar 8, 2009 7:29 AM PST

We here at Silver and Black Pride have all been assessing lately the various needs during free agency and the draft. We have covered fairly well the offensive line, wide receiver and linebacker. Now, looking at the safety position and the Raiders current roster, there has to be some concern about addressing this need quickly.

Gibril Wilson, despite his detractors, was released because he would not renegotiate his contract, otherwise he would still be the Raiders starting strong safety. That leaves the Raiders current roster with:

Darrick Brown
Tyvon Branch
Hiram Eugene
Michael Huff

Rashad Baker is listed on the roster , but he is a UFA and remains unsigned. At this point we are looking at Hiram Eugene and Michael Huff as our starting safeties with Branch in the competition.

A lot has been said about Michael Huff on this site and in the media, so this certainly is the year that Huff is going to make make it or forever be known as a bust. Maybe Huff is a result of the read and react style defense installed by Rob Ryan. Huff is still young and maybe the change of coordinator from Ryan to John Marshall will get Huff on track. In his three seasons with the Raiders, Huff played two at strong safety and one at free safety, with virtually no improvement shown after the switch. However, while at strong safety, Huff at least did a good job covering the AFC's top tight ends. At this point, with Wilson gone, Huff looks to be back at strong safety.

Eugene, who is 28, also is no guarantee, either. He’s played well when given the chance to, but hasn’t recorded a full season at safety in his NFL career. He also has no career interceptions and just three passes defensed in three years.

Finally, there is Tyvon Branch, who recorded a pick last season before being placed on injured reserve in early November with a shoulder injury. Branch could very well develop into a starting NFL safety someday, but he certainly isn’t one at this point.

After little more than a week into free agency, we have seen numerous quality free agent safeties that were available either re-sign with their old clubs or get signed by new ones. The remaining quality safeties is shrinking fast and depending on what the Raiders think of Huff will determine whether and if they sign any free agents. And if so, will they be for strong safety or free safety?

Here's a look at the remaining "quaility" free agents:

Mike Brown
Dawan Landry
Jarrad Page
Darren Sharper
Roy Williams

The above safeties all have their issues be it injury or sub-par coverage skills, which would indicate that signing any one of them would merely be a stop gap.

In conclusion, the Raiders will have to hope under John Marshall that Huff and Branch will develop into above average safeties and be part of their long-term future. Otherwise, the Raiders will have to look to the draft, but with wide receiver, the offensive / defensive line and linebacker seeming to be the picks before safety, finding an impact player in the later rounds seems unlikely.

What do you think the Raiders will do for their safety positions in 2009?

Poll

In 2009 under John Marshall, Michael Huff will be:

improved to the level that we would expect for the 7th overall player chosen in the 2006 draft

857 votes

average at best

821 votes

benched and a certain bust

239 votes

1917 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

I'm hoping Oakland

will try to sign Landry or someone like Jarrad Page. Start either at SS and try to play Branch at FS. I think Branch would bing a good tackling element at FS and his speed would definitely be an asset against the speedy TE of the modern NFL.

Huff at SS is a failure to me because he can’t tackle. He’s like the opposite of Wilson as a SS. I’d like to see a more solid tackler at the spot than Huff. Hence Landry, or even more so, Page. Both are better tacklers but Page lacks in coverage. Landry however is more balanced. Hence why I’m leaning towards Landry.

With the drafting of Manu and Parker and the signing of Oberto, the International Basketball era began in San Antonio. showing that all of the world's people can, in fact, come together in peace and harmony. After all, every nationality loves to kick the Hornets' asses.

by KA1Z3R on Mar 8, 2009 7:45 AM PST reply actions

Safety

I think options A and B in your poll are roughly the same thing given how the Top 10 of the ’06 Draft really went with guys like Vince Young, Vernon Davis, Leinart, and Huff. I voted for “average.”

If the Raiders target safeties through free agency at all it will be when the market is the absolute softest to bring in a guy with basically a minimum contract and have them compete for a spot.

Much more likely the Raiders will again attempt to address these needs through in-house personnel and the draft. Tyvon Branch never really got a chance to contribute in the secondary, first with a wrist injury that forced him to play with a huge cast on his arm, and then a broken collarbone forced him onto I.R. Tyvon is fast, sticks his nose into every play he’s involved in, seems to be a fairly sure tackler. I think the Raiders will see if Tyvon can contribute at either safety position in 2009. At the very least he’s the favorite to return kickoffs and be our main gunner for kickoffs and punts. The Raiders also have Mike Huff and Hiram Eugene on the roster, and once again they’ll compete for the starting FS spot.

As for the draft, it wouldn’t be a Raiders draft without selecting at least one defensive back. With the roster fairly set on CBs (Asomugha, Johnson, Routt, Bowie, Brown), the Raiders should focus on safety prospects somewhere in the middle rounds of the draft, and could target players like Chip Vaughn, Sean Smith, or Patrick Chung.

All in all, the Raiders are trying to rebuild, and I think signing a guy like Sharper or Williams is wasting a roster spot. If the Raiders were in the position they were in 2000-03 I would have said differently, but for now we need to go young.

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by LiveAdam on Mar 8, 2009 10:51 AM PDT reply actions

Huff

You do realize that since the departure of Gibril Wilson, Mike Huff is listed now at Strong Safety, at least according to the current Raiders roster.

Your team is your child...You love it no matter what.

by TheRaiderWay on Mar 8, 2009 11:09 AM PDT up reply actions

So What?

If the Raiders were really comfortable with Huff being at SS would they ever have given Gibril Wilson that ridiculous contract? There’s nothing to indicate that Raiders think of Huff as being a SS, or that he has that job locked up.

I disagree with Rayder K, Huff is a bad tackler and he doesn’t put his nose into the play the way Wilson did. If he continues to work on his coverage skills he can continue playing FS/CB.

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by LiveAdam on Mar 8, 2009 2:22 PM PDT up reply actions

Sorry but

Huff looked far worse at free safety then he did at strong. At SS, he was covering the likes of Gonzales and Gates and more than held his own. I agree with you that he is not a good tackler, but at FS he repeatedly took bad angles and also had several blown assignments.

This is exactly why there is this dilemma and the Raiders are going to have to figure out what they are going to get out of Huff this year in order to solve their long-term issues at safety.

Your team is your child...You love it no matter what.

by TheRaiderWay on Mar 8, 2009 2:35 PM PDT up reply actions

Tough to Judge

Hard to really judge his performance at FS given it was only 4 regular season games before he got benched in favor of Eugene. It’s a lot like our hesitation to put Mario Henderson’s name in stone at the LT spot, we don’t really know what he can do over the course of a season. I’m simply saying that based on his college career and his skill set I think he’s more of a FS than a SS. Huff has suffered a real loss of confidence the last two years and needs to get his swagger back. I’m hoping that a new DC and DB coach will find a way to get through to Huff so that he can still contribute to the team. He should really feel like this is a contract year for him, because if he continues to play the way he has been he’ll be looking for a new team next season.

Spreading Brinkleyanity to the Raider Nation

by LiveAdam on Mar 8, 2009 6:04 PM PDT up reply actions

dude

RaiderWay, they have Kelly as a DE. They just never changed it.

by KA1Z3R on Mar 9, 2009 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions

They did change it

KA1Z3R, I’m not saying it’s one way or the other. I’m simply making an observation as to the Raiders “official” roster from their website. For your information, I found their depth chart for 2008 and it has changed, showing Huff at FS, Kelly at DT and Gallery at left guard (current roster Gallery is listed at tackle).

http://www.raiders.com/Team/Default.aspx?id=150

You can brush it aside as an “oversight” by the Raiders webmaster if you like, and maybe you are right, but maybe there is something to it. After all, it is the Raiders “official” website and if it’s a mistake, it’s not just one but several.

Your team is your child...You love it no matter what.

by TheRaiderWay on Mar 10, 2009 2:00 AM PDT up reply actions

it still says DE on mine

by KA1Z3R on Mar 10, 2009 12:43 PM PDT up reply actions

Safety

I can see it playing out alot like LiveAdam does. I wouldn’t mind picking up another head like Sharper though.
=WIN lose OR TIE RAIDERS TILL I DIE=

by 8fog3town1 on Mar 8, 2009 4:42 PM PDT up reply actions

You Already Know

How I feel about Huff. People say he is a bad tackler, but I disagree. He did make good tackles during is time at SS. However, everything becomes a negative with Huff because he can plug up the running lanes.
This year will be the year for Huff. I think he will greatly improve and I can’t wait to witness it. For some reason, if he fails, we have two great players ready to take the position.
HIRAM EUGENE – Man, I remember him getting run over like a B!tch by Ronnie Brown. Every since, he started making good, wait, great tackles. This season, one game comes to mind. The Texans. He made tackle after tackle and looked great.
TYVON BRANCH – I think we should call him Rambo. Our gunner and now to be safety. Like someone above said, he has tremendous speed, perfect for the FS position. Also, he can tackle with so much velocity, it is crazy. I hope he gets the start this season.

A New Spirit, A New Team, A New Coach, But Same Commitment.

by Rayder K on Mar 8, 2009 12:06 PM PDT reply actions

that someone above woud be me =P

Branch should be starting this season or at least get some very serious consideration to start. Branch is more than just a KR, if he’s even that. He’s way too solid a tackler and has way too much speed for a safety to be relegated to KR.

by KA1Z3R on Mar 9, 2009 12:55 PM PDT up reply actions

Which one do you think we should start?

Personaly i think Tyvon cuz he is young and i want freshness on this team

This year. is the year, for years to come

by nishal26 on Mar 8, 2009 3:26 PM PDT reply actions

personally

I want our safety tandem to be:

FS: Branch
SS: Landry or some FA safety

If we don’t get a FA safety then we need to draft someone like Ellison or Bruton. Both would be very good SS, but you can argue that bruton’s more of a FS due to his speed and coverage ability. Either way, i really don’t want to see huff starting. If he does, I’ll be fine with it. I just want Branch to start this year. or at least see some quality playing time.

by KA1Z3R on Mar 9, 2009 12:59 PM PDT up reply actions

I'd guess improved

but still not where he needs to be given his draft status.

by Brendan Scolari on Mar 8, 2009 3:37 PM PDT reply actions

Huff at SS and Branch at FS is good enough for me, I would just like to see a vastly improved D-line so we won’t require an in the box SS.
Draft me Raji and sign Tank and Victor Adeyanju. Ditch Warren and Sands. Trade Burgess for a third and draft Lawerence Sidbury in the 3rd. Our front line of defense needs a complete make over Ryan had it all screwed up.
Our Pass D will be greatly improved (and I mean back to #1 Pass D) with Huff and Branch at the safety spot, this was a good move cutting Wilson believe it or not.

by DarthDavis on Mar 8, 2009 5:36 PM PDT reply actions

Improved Probably

i couldnt vote on that poll
he’s going to be better than average
i just don’t see it being the stud #7 overall pick
and he’s a free safety not a SS he’s said it himself
its known he’s not a dependable tackler so they should develope him as a FS
and put branch down as the SS even though he’s raw that dude has talent
so if any of the FA’s were to land the young guys should progress in their right place

by bizy_b on Mar 9, 2009 12:28 AM PDT reply actions

Michael Huff

Michael Huff did a pretty darn good job covering top TE’s like Gonzalez and Gates and was 3rd in tackles before being moved to FS. I think, like Asomugha said, Huff should’ve been given more time to develop at FS! He had like 4-5 games starting and already benched??? Watching his college career and the little time at SS, he has good speed, good size, good cover skills and is not a bad tackler, I think his confidence has just gone down. He was praised at Texas and he played phenomenal! Here he’s been scrutinized in every play! Let him play and let him make mistakes to learn from. Whether it’s here in Oakland, or elsewhere, Huff will for sure develop into an elite safety!

Final thought: Huff-SS, Branch-FS, Eugene: cant forget him getting trucked! situational guy…

by thahawsman on Mar 23, 2009 10:41 AM PDT reply actions