Michael Huff and a Possible Move to Corner from Safety
by Rated-R Superstar on Jul 2, 2010 6:28 PM PDT
in Roster Musings
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PrintMichael Huff is a funny guy. If you don't believe me, just check out his Twitter feed. (Yeah, he needs some work on the background.) Anyway, he mentioned in a reply to Tyvon Branch on Twitter that he should play cornerback after today's workouts. I don't know if he was joking, but that seemed apparent with the "hahaha" and "lmao" going around. It really had me going for a second and then the replies came in and it became apparent they were kidding, but I think Huff is confident he can make the transition if need be. Still, Huff possibly changing positions has come up around here before so why not discuss it again?
Drafted seventh overall in the 2006 NFL Draft as a safety out of the University of Texas, we all know Michael Huff hasn't lived up to expectations. Last season, though, was at least somewhat of a breakthrough for the former Longhorn. He definitely made improvements and was clearly the best player for his spot of all the players on the team. Huff played a little cornerback at Texas and some cornerback at Nimitz High School.
At cornerback right now, the Oakland Raiders have some competition opposite Nnamdi Asomugha. Fifth-round pick Walter McFadden, a rookie from Auburn, is expected to challenge veteran Chris Johnson for a starting job. After that, there appears to be some skepticism regarding Stanford Routt and then further down the chain in Joey Thomas and rookie Jeremy Ware. There's not a lot of depth at the cornerback spot, but there's even fewer depth at the safety spot. In the end, I guess it's much ado about nothing. It's July, though.
Tyvon Branch and Mike Mitchell are listed as strong safeties on the Oakland Raiders official roster page. Huff is listed as a free safety along with Hiram Eugene while Jerome Boyd and Stevie Brown are listed as general safeties. Looking at that, I think we actually really do need Huff at safety more so than at cornerback. He made strides last year and I'm very confident his best years are ahead of him. His skill set better suits him for the safety position in my opinion as well. His anticipation and instincts aren't that of a cornerback's. Plus, his run support makes him a better play at safety.
Note: dubzfan made a post of his own on this topic.
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I've predicted this possibility over a month ago, and am sticking to my guns
it frees up the logjam at safety, allows us to field Tyvon at free safety with his tremendous speed and tackling ability, and Mitchell at strong to blitz, separate big guys from balls, and level tight ends and receivers when they dare come over the middle along with Tyvon. It answers our need for another big play corner. He can easily make the transition, as covering remains one of his strengths, with a nose for the ball. With the improved front seven and the pressure we can expect them to bring consistently, as well as support against the run, this is an obvious and natural move.
He can’t be worse than Stanford Routt! Bring it on.
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
I think I was first, to bring this up !!! But who cares !!!
We have a few that can play the FS position, But Huff takes the best lines for the tackle, out of all of them !!! If Branch improves on this skill, Then it would be possible for Huff to make the move to coner, and Mitchell could then start at SS. Until / If Branch improves on this skill set, only then would that make this a possibility. Huff will be the starting FS. And the fact that Huff to me, is our surest tackler at this positin right now, until someone steps up and proves different !!!
We’re getting close ladys and gentlemen !!! Can you feel it !!! A little over two weeks until camp starts, a little over a Month until the 1st preseason game !!! THE DALLAS COWGURLS…OMG !
Let the Games begin !!! With all The moves made this off season, You know we’re fielding a much BETTER TEAM !!!
If Little Walter isn't ready or able to assume the LCB then I'd like to see Huff at CB in place of CJ. All three are hitters
but I have less confidence in CJ than Huff (and don’t have enough to go on re Walter). Tyvon would make an excellent, even better, FS and we have to start exploiting the mentality and physicality of the Missile who is being grossly underused.
S-O-B: ITS HOW I ROLL, DEAL WITH IT.
and it would give Walt the chance to develop behind some nice young, and already experienced NFL cover guys
and we’d have some awesome depth. I love the idea.
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
I would love to see Huff at corner but i dont think it is realistic for us to expect a swap in one preseason
I would like to see him worked into a rotation at corner over the preseason and season and eventually maybe move to full time corner next season. Huff and Nam are great friends apparently and Nam has taken a lot of time with Huff and im sure they would love playing opposite each other.
"We want to win. The Raider fans deserve it. The Raider players deserve it, even my organization deserves it. You have to win and you have to win with a vision for the Super Bowl. That's our passion here." - Al Davis
One of the reasons Nnamdi made the transition as smoothly as he did, and with flying colors
is because of how cerebral a Raiders safety must be to play, and how similar the safety position is at times with the man to man to playing corner for this team. We’ve already seen his cover ability, and he’s a better tackler than Hiram Eugene.
I won’t be surprised at all to see this. Tyvon played pretty well at corner last year with little preparation. Huff can do the same, and has spent extensive time studying film with Nnamdi, and understanding the craft. I can’t wait to see this possibility so much as entertained by the organization.
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
i think the biggest theme of the off-season has been versatility
we have so many players on D that can play multiple positions which is super exciting.
"We want to win. The Raider fans deserve it. The Raider players deserve it, even my organization deserves it. You have to win and you have to win with a vision for the Super Bowl. That's our passion here." - Al Davis
Tyvon does have great cover skills but is better suited as SS since he is the surest tackler of our rotation.
That being Mitchell, Eugene, Branch and Huff. Also Huff was drafted out of Texas to play safety so a move may affect his comfort level if he has a rough transition, (same goes for Branch). This is a make or break year for the Cable guy so he can’t risk making too many position changes (excluding Offensive Line of course) if the secondary wasn’t the main culprit on defense last year. So look to see Huff patrolling center field deep early and often to minimize big plays and Branch staying close to the line of scrimmage to utilize his play-making and blitzing skills to their max potential with Mitchell in heavy rotation. I also see someone else beating out Eugene for playing time including a full-time rotation once the regular season starts. It could be one of our draft picks or we will bring in a vet.
If my mother put on a helmet and shoulder pads and a uniform that wasn't the same as the one I was wearing, I'd run over her if she was in my way. And I love my mother.
Bo Jackson
the fact is that Huff and the other players obviously is extremely excited about the talent on D
also from following they’re twitters they all seem to be very good friends and are genuinely excited about playing together.
We are probably going to see a package that sees Nnam, Huff, Tyvonn and Mitchell on the field at the same time and potentially with a front four of Seymour, Houston, Richardson, and Groves with T.Scott, Death Ro and Kamerion Wimbley in the LB spots – WITH THEIR EARS PINNED BACK ON 3RD AND LONG THAT IS A FUCKING CRAZY PASS RUSH PEOPLE!
HAPPY HAPPY DAYS!!!!! (doin the happy dance)
"We want to win. The Raider fans deserve it. The Raider players deserve it, even my organization deserves it. You have to win and you have to win with a vision for the Super Bowl. That's our passion here." - Al Davis
I know. I love to see all them hanging out together on Twitter
The cohesion is going to be at a whole new level, and the mix of youth and talent is sick!
I haven’t been this eager to see preseason games, even training camp, for over a decade!
Had to partake in the happy dance momentarily…
"If your only ambition in life, is to be a better person; well, that's just the best ambition you can have..." Wayne "Rabbit" Bartholomew
He should Stay
CJ is good enough to play corner. The problem isn’t him but playing Man to man all the time. When a QB knows you are playing man and you have Nnamdi on the other side who do you think he is going to go after. More zone and pressure packages could help out a lot.
by Micheal Y on Jul 3, 2010 4:34 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs
The problem isn’t him but playing Man to man all the time.
I definitely agree with that. Playing man-to-man makes Johnson look worse than he actually is.
The Ultimate Opportunist
by Rated-R Superstar on Jul 3, 2010 5:27 PM PDT up reply actions
so who are we going to put on the other side.
Huff hasn’t played corner and we don’t have the LB to play man coverage. We have to play more zone this year. Branch and Mitchell playing deep coverage is every team dream. They can tackle not cover. If you put any Corner on the other side of Nnamdi he is going to get picked on.
They have to mix up coverages.
However it pains me watching Nmamdi’s interview on RIB saying their defensive philosophy works against anybody when everyone is on the same page. That comment alone makes me believe they will continue with this man to man, 4 man rush dead horse as the primary defensive scheme going forward. Maybe Nmamdi is just saying this as a way to throw opponents off if they’re watching at home. Also if Nmamdi alone plays man to man and follows the other team’s best receiver everywhere they go (Vincent Jackson, Andre Johnson, or Chris Chambers for EX.) I’m for it. They can still show different looks like a cover 2 man or zone look on the other side to confuse the opposition.
If my mother put on a helmet and shoulder pads and a uniform that wasn't the same as the one I was wearing, I'd run over her if she was in my way. And I love my mother.
Bo Jackson
by TAW on Jul 7, 2010 9:25 AM PDT up reply actions
True
about Nnamdi following the best WR. A four man Rush works if you you have at least one DE that can get over 12 sacks a year, an UT that is a monster at the 3 technique and NT that can push the o line to the QB. We don’t have not one of these. Henderson may be able to push the double team back but if we play man to man all season we are going to get killed.
It's weird you mentioned that because Jake just posted a story on where Trevor Scott may line up.
If he is OLB then this team CANNOT primarily play man to man or we will get torched. The guys we brought in look like they may improve the run defense but everywhere other than Nmamdi will be a mismatch unless Marshall shows multiple looks.
If my mother put on a helmet and shoulder pads and a uniform that wasn't the same as the one I was wearing, I'd run over her if she was in my way. And I love my mother.
Bo Jackson
by TAW on Jul 8, 2010 8:42 AM PDT up reply actions
It would be great to see Huff and Nnamdi at the corners and Branch and Mitchell playing safety. Love to see all 4 of them on the field at the same time, but that can only happen if they move Huff to corner and Branch to free safety. These men are high draft picks and all of them should be starters. It’s a wasted draft pick to see Mitchell backing up Branch. That really bugs the hell out of me. 1st and 2nd round picks should start.
huff to corner
huff should move to corner. whatever someone saw in namdi that caused them to move him to corner should have been seen in huff as well. he will never be a great safety, im sure of that but in the system the raiders play i believe he could be a very good corner and give the raiders the tandem they need for this defense to work the way its supposed to. im not knocking chris johnson i just have never seen him as a starting corner.
worth a shot
never a guarantee to convert. Different position with different technical footwork elements. We’ll easily find out after a couple of exhibition games if he fits. I still like him at FS as he got after it last year. More upside at FS to come. If Huff can shut down on man coverage, Branch and Mitchell would be free to tee up or go after picks. I like it, just not convinced that it’s a smooth transition.
Huff to Corner?
Its not that far fetched of a move. Although its been awhile Huff did play alot at corner while at U of Texas. It was one of the reasons we drafted him in the first place. I know its not a verified method of deduction but I have frequently moved him from FS to corner on my team in Madden and it has worked out fine there even got him in a couple Pro Bowls. Yah I know its just a game. That being said, he’s coming off what many have considered a break out year at FS. If I remember correctly he lead the team in Ints. last year. I could definatly see him covering slot recievers and such but I think that we would be wise to keep him primarily at FS. With our defense being a man coverage based unit its important to have a FS who has the speed and range to help out on deep passes and Huff definatly fits that bill. I believe he is one of the prototypes of the “new” NFL safetys. A guy who can cover just as well as he can play zone or come up and hit. What is really cool about this is the fact that we have the depth to even consider this move in the first place. Just shows how far we’ve come as a team. Great article man. Keep um comin. Raider Nation 4 Life
Huff at Corner
Texas has a habit of turning out multitalented safeties. Huff and Seattle’s 1st rounder Earl Thomas are great examples of that. That being said they are safeties 1st . That they have the skills to cover is an added bonus. Huff had what many consider a breakout year at FS last season and I’d like to see him solidify that position instead of transitioning to a position he hasn’t played much of since college. With Nmadi being one of the top two corners in the league. the other man gets alot of attention throw his way. If Huff gets beat early he could lose some of the confidence he gained last year. I’d much rather see us use a pure cover corner opposite Nmadi the Great. I love the fact that we have the depth in our secondary to even consider this move but I think it may be a little premature.
doubling up
last comment was meant for dubzfan’s post. Sorry wrong window!!!
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