Quintin Demps talks Dawk

 Quentin Demps sure as hell isn’t ready to be starter, even though he seems to have the right attitude about it. There are a couple of options out there right now.

Jermaine Phillips from TB is a name that’s been thrown around. I personally like Darren Sharper who is 33, which is a couple of years younger than Dawk. He has been to 4 Pro-Bowls, and he seems to have Eli’s number. He can never replace Dawk, but Sharper would be an adequate substitute

cant judge demps by his rookie season, besides he didnt even play poorly. Hell, by the end of the season they often had him back in the secondary to cover just so they could blitz dawkins instead of asking him to sit in coverage. we should definitely bring in another safety to push demps but its his job to lose. I have faith that Jim Johnson and the defensive staff will make the most of Demps’ talents.

I suppose that Jack Ikegwuono will be worked at safety as well. What I would like to see the Eagles do though is try to sign Atari Bigby away from GB, even at the cost of the 2nd round tender.

they wouldn’t have let dawk leave without a plan. they must be somewhat confident in demps’s ability. at least he never seemed overwhelmed out there and certainly showed explosiveness on special teams. everyone keeps bringing up larry fitzgerald beating him in the nfc championship game, but who didn’t fitz beat?

the eagles will have multiple new safeties on the roster by the time training camp rolls around, but i doubt any big free agents will be signed. quintin will probably start, with various draft picks, undrafted free agents, and an unheralded guys competing for the depth.

he’s certainly saying all the right things.

… I haven’t seen mentioned here that he was originally drafted as a safety with the potential to possibly play corner.

I actually think this bodes well for his ability to eventually become the starter, although they should bring someone in to compete for the job. If he was looked at as a corner, it means he’s got the speed to help on deep routes.

As for Ikegonwu, you just can’t move ANY corner to safety and call it a day. First off, this guy hasn’t played a down, I wouldn’t count on him for anything. Second, I thought he was a speed guy with a knee injury. Assuming he gets his speed back, I still don’t know if that makes him a candidate to play safety.

Sheldon Brown is one because of how he tackles & hits in run support, and also he often plays the inside/slot reciever when there are three corners on the field. When there aren’t, a 4-3 free safety is often responsible for covering inside receivers, tight ends, backs out of the backfield and is secondary run support. Lito Sheppard, as good as he was one-on-one with receivers, could not have been moved to free safety.

Demps, if he’s a safety with corner speed, I like that, since frees also help over the top on cover 2 and are occasionally “free” to roam & ballhawk.

This quote from Demps after the draft sums it up and this quote alone is the reason I wouldn’t want anyone else but Demps taking over for Dawk.

“I am a playmaker. If the Eagles wanted a playmaker, they got one as a steal in the draft. I am going to take what I can from Dawkins and just come in there to play with passion. I am not a Pro Bowl player; I’m a Super Bowl player. I am ready to go. I am fired up.”