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HardRightEdge
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I would upgrade that pick from a D to a B-/C+ given Randall was the #30 pick. I don't grade on a curve, so for me a C grade would be exactly what you'd expect from a rookie #30, no more and no less. I've bumped the pick now to B-/C+ instead of a flat C because his decent (not great) play has been valuable in Shields' absence. My chief concern with this pick was Randall's lack of physicality.And then Vince Lombardi proclaimed to the huddled and angry masses gathered outside Ted Thompson's house, "Thou shalt not judge a draft pick the second he's selected don't you Wisconsinites remember the Nick Collins novel?"
You might note that subsequent to my D grade, issued right after the draft, I posted a few clicks above that, "According to one report, Randall gained 14 lbs. between the end of the season and the Combine. That would indicate his [college] game tape is showing a guy weighing 182 lbs. He looks it. So, I'll reserve further judgment as to his tackling skills for the preseason." No one else in these pages seemed to think this relevant. He's proven to be an adequate tackler after bulking up, nothing more. However, we've not seen him to be trusted much with press coverage.
Calling Randall a "shut down" corner at this juncture is overshooting the mark by some measure. Here are a few thoughts on his season and perhaps his future place in the scheme.
1) He got off to a strong start in the first 4 games or so chiefly because teams did not throw at him very much. This was more a function of having no NFL tape on the guy, and not much college tape of Randall at perimeter corner, than fear of what he could do. As the season wore on with accumulated tape, that changed.
2) His high water mark was the game-saver against San Diego which, on an unrelated matter, coincided with my last post on these boards, but since I got an email flagging this thread and it's a snow day I figured I'd respond. As teams threw his way more as the season wore on, vulnerabilities were exposed.
3) Randall, like Shields, gives away inside releases. On the one hand, I can't help but question whether this is being coached with Job #1 being defending the deep sidelines in Capers soft-coverage/bend-don't-break/clamp-down-in-the-red-zone approach. On the other hand, (1) with neither Dix nor Burnett being instinctual ball hawks, both in the strong safety mold and (2) not having an adequate coverage ILB dropping in the middle as the team has transitioned from the clueless Palmer to the semi-clueless Thomas in dime (which persists) to the improving and promising Ryan who is still working to master this coverage defense, it's difficult to understand the willingness to channel receivers to the short-to-intermediate inside. Give the instances where Randall has not just given up the inside, but has gotten turned around on those routes, I can't help but think this is not entirely what Capers/Whitt have in mind.
The weakness in this defense has been the soft underbelly of the pass defense. It gets exposed when playing the better QBs, the Washington game not withstanding against an overrated QB having played a weak schedule, the wind killing throws for half the game, and the pass rush having played their best game of the season.
4) In consideration of the ILB position, and the progress (and increasing snap counts) we've seen from Kendricks throughout this season (a guy some of us wanted at #30), it begs the question:
Would this be a better defense at this juncture with Kendricks/Ryan in the middle in base/nickel, Kendricks in dime, Matthews back on the perimeter where he belongs, and a CB crew of Shields-Rollins (a pick I did think was good value)-Hayward-Gunter on the perimeter and Hyde-Hayward at nickel/dime? Something for the forum denizens to ponder. Think about how good Rollins has looked in limited play and, shock of shocks, a perimeter corner defending a crossing pattern with Gunters nice play against Washington.
5) Anybody who thinks Randall will make the all-rookie team should consider the play of Darby (the #50 pick) and Peters, among others.
6) So, what does the future hold for Randall and how we will we view him a few years down the road? If he stays at cover corner I think we'll be happy to think of him as a solid, reliable player who doesn't give up the big plays in bunches. He'll not be a Pro Bowl-caliber perimeter corner. Maybe he'll be an "alternate-caliber" player in a year where he happens to snag 5 or 6 INTs.
There's another scenario. Think about how often you've seen Dix close on a deep ball in support? Hardly ever, or more correctly, nearly never. In single-high safety, which he plays a fair amount of the time, you would not call him instinctual or smart as he hedges bets and is rarely at the ball. Think about Randall's TD-saving tackle on Gurley, coming all the way across the field like he was shot out of a cannon. Based on that play, I would submit he's one of the faster players in the league when chasing either a player or the ball. Consider his very good ball skills. Consider his outstanding play as a college safety. Consider his physically, while improved, not what you'd want for press coverage.
I would submit that the best free safety on this team is Damarious Randall. Both Burnett's and Dix's contracts run through 2017. The defense does not benefit from having two strong safeties.
Discuss amongst yourselves.
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