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Ziggy
06-20-2008, 07:17 PM
Oakland's CB tandem No. 1? Insiders rank five better
June 18, 2008
By Clark Judge
CBSSports.com Senior Writer


DeAngelo Hall is wrong.

When the Oakland cornerback said in an ESPN.com interview that the Raiders had the best set of corners in the league, he erred. The Raiders aren't the best at anything unless, of course, you're talking about losing.

Their 19-61 record the past five years is the worst in the league.


DeAngelo Hall was more trouble than production in Atlanta. (Getty Images)
As for their cornerbacks, they should make for a good tandem, and, yes, they could wind up being one of the league's best.

I said could. Because while Nnamdi Asomugha is terrific, Hall is erratic and unreliable -- a talented player who thinks he's better than he is and who is coming off two subpar seasons.

"He's the Chad Johnson of defense," said one NFL assistant. "He's too far gone to know he's gone."

Plus, he hasn't played a down in Oakland, so there's no yardstick here. All I know is the Raiders better hope Hall plays as tough as he talks.

"The only way the Raiders are the best pair of cornerbacks," said an AFC defensive coordinator, "is when Hall is doing the evaluating. It's like he's a self-proclaimed Muhammad Ali.

"But Oakland has its cornerbacks playing man-to-man most of the game, and that's tough. So you're going to notice them, just as you're going to notice cornerbacks in schemes that depend more on that position than in defenses like Indianapolis, Tampa Bay or Chicago."

Still, Hall and Asomugha are not in a league of their own. Not yet anyway, though one secondary coach conceded that "if Hall plays to his potential and (Asomugha) has a good year they might be the best."

And that got me to thinking: What's the competition? What are the tandems Hall and Asomugha are trying to catch? And where is the company they will try to keep?

Read on.


Green Bay Packers
Charles Woodson deserved better last season. Before suffering a toe injury, he was the Packers' top defensive back and one of the top defenders anywhere. Yet somehow he was left off the Pro Bowl team.

Big mistake.

So Woodson isn't as fast as he once was. He still can cover speed receivers, and he knows how to find the football. A year ago he recovered a fumble and returned it for the game-clinching touchdown against Washington. Then he picked off a pass against Kansas City and took it to the end zone.

"With Woodson and Al Harris," said a player personnel director, "you're getting veteran, talented leadership. Both are on the downsides of their careers, but both are still scary to face."

Ah, yes, Al Harris. I almost forgot. He was named to the Pro Bowl, and he has been solid for years. He and Woodson make a compelling case for numero uno -- provided, of course, Woodson stays healthy.

OK, so there's the age thing, too. Woodson turns 32 this season and Harris 34, and that's an issue. But they're hardly The Over the Hill Gang.

"The way (critics) look at people who are 31," Woodson said last year, "it's like me and Al are prehistoric."

Maybe they should talk to Green Bay's opponents.


San Diego Chargers
The difference-maker here is Antonio Cromartie, now entering his third season. Most observers will tell you that Quentin Jammer, Cromartie's partner, hasn't lived up to pre-draft expectations and is little more than an ordinary-to-good cornerback.

But Cromartie is different. Antonio Cromartie is an All-Pro waiting to happen.

"He's probably one year away from joining (Champ) Bailey as one of the league's special players," said an AFC personnel director. "He has speed, instincts and youth. I don't expect him to have 10 interceptions again, but I do expect him to get better, which means he pushes Bailey as the best at his position."

Cromartie last year led the league in interceptions, and he didn't start until the second half of the season. He has great ball instincts. He's quick. He's fast. And he's a game-breaker, with skeptics urged to cue up his interception return in San Diego's playoff defeat of Indianapolis.

"To me," said our player personnel director, "Jammer is just a guy. But Cromartie has no holes. The sky is the limit for him.

"Even though Jammer never lived up his draft hype, he's a good complement to (Cromartie). You're talking about tandems, right? That means you include Cromartie. This has to be one of the best."


Denver Broncos

Champ Bailey remains the standard at cornerback. (Getty Images)
Champ Bailey is still the platinum bar of cornerbacks, the standard by which others are measured, and I don't care if you buy into it or not. Most GMs, coaches and personnel directors do, and that's good enough for me.

"He's an elite player," said one general manager. "He not only makes all the plays; he makes whoever plays with him better."

That would be Dre' Bly, and there's nothing extraordinary about him other than he takes too many risks ("for every five plays he makes, he'll miss on two others," said one GM). But pair him with Bailey, and, suddenly, the conversation changes.

"Dre' Bly is nothing better than OK," said an AFC offensive assistant, "but having him with Champ Bailey makes him look better than he is."

Yes, Bailey was hurt last year. He still was second-team All-Pro. That should tell you something. So should this: He has been chosen to eight consecutive Pro Bowls and four straight All-Pro teams.

"The guy is special," a pro personnel director said. "There's no downside to him."

Dallas Cowboys
With the addition of Pacman Jones, the Cowboys have the "wow factor" owner Jerry Jones craves. Only -- who knows? -- it might be, "Wow, I can't believe he got arrested again."

That is one reason experts hedge on the Cowboys. With Jones and Terence Newman in the same secondary, Dallas seems to be equipped to defend itself against Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning, who shredded the Cowboys for seven TDs (including the playoffs) last season.

"Newman is a good, solid corner," said an AFC player personnel director, "but I don't consider him special. Pacman has special qualities, but he's a ding-a-ling. He's a better player than Bly, but he will take the same chances. Yes, he makes spectacular plays, but he also gives up big plays."

When Jones was with Tennessee he was more effective as a returner than as a cornerback. In fact, the Titans were a better defense with Nick Harper at corner than they were with Jones.

You can look it up: In 2006 they had the 27th-ranked pass defense; last year they were 10th.

I'm not blaming that on Pacman, but at the very least he was a factor. Harper isn't as talented, but he is more consistent -- and he proved it last season.

Nevertheless, expectations are high in Dallas, where fans believe Jones' addition could allow the Cowboys to be more aggressive on defense. Maybe, but keep this in mind: He hasn't suited up for a game in 18 months.

"It makes you wonder if he's the same player," said one scout.


Philadelphia Eagles
A year ago the Eagles had 11 interceptions and 19 takeaways, good for dead last in both categories. That must change, and it will -- primarily because the club hired former New England star Asante Samuel as a cornerback.

Samuel is a ballhawk who pulled down 16 interceptions in two years and returned three more for touchdowns in the playoffs, tying an NFL record.

Say no more about what he can do for Philadelphia. The Eagles' defense didn't produce one TD off a return in 2007.

"My favorite defensive back in the league is Asante Samuel," said Giants wide receiver David Tyree, "basically because he can do everything."

So the Eagles noticed. Samuel intercepted them twice last season, including one he returned for a 40-yard touchdown, and was a member of the team that defeated Philadelphia in Super Bowl XXXIX.

"When you have an opportunity to get the best one in the business then you need to look at that," said coach Andy Reid.

Samuel will be paired with Sheldon Brown and Lito Sheppard will be the first cornerback off the bench. Sheppard is a two-time Pro Bowl pick. Brown should have been named to a Pro Bowl but was not. Samuel is an All-Pro.

DeAngelo Hall, you have company.

slim
06-20-2008, 07:37 PM
LOL...yeah, DeAngelo is all that and a bag of chips :rolleyes:

SR
06-20-2008, 07:43 PM
Champ Bailey could play for the Raiders and he'd suck because the Raiders are just that bad.

McKeough
06-20-2008, 08:07 PM
Meh.

IMO, both Hall and Asomugha are way better than Bly.

Champ is the best, yes, but I don't know. He's getting up there, and I'd probably say as a tandem, Hall and Asomugha are better. :coffee:

slim
06-20-2008, 08:08 PM
Meh.

IMO, both Hall and Asomugha are way better than Bly.

Champ is the best, yes, but I don't know. He's getting up there, and I'd probably say as a tandem, Hall and Asomugha are better. :coffee:

Are you drunk?

Hall is a joke.

Ziggy
06-20-2008, 08:27 PM
Hall may be the most overrated corner in the league. For every big play he makes, he gets burned about 5 times. Asomugha however, is a stud.

shank
06-20-2008, 08:44 PM
exactly. bly takes risks, but hall is the ultimate jekyll/hyde.

TXBRONC
06-20-2008, 08:49 PM
Meh.

IMO, both Hall and Asomugha are way better than Bly.

Champ is the best, yes, but I don't know. He's getting up there, and I'd probably say as a tandem, Hall and Asomugha are better. :coffee:


To each his own, but I don't think Hall and Asomugha are a better tandem Bailey and Bly.

shank
06-20-2008, 08:52 PM
it's crazy how quickly bly has fallen off the map. just a few seasons ago, he was near the top of the league, but a couple down seasons have people calling him just 'ok.' hopefully our line can generate some pressure this season and let bly and bailey show they are the best tandum in the league (not to mentions foxy, paymah, and williams ;))

Lonestar
06-21-2008, 12:47 AM
Never been a "big Bly" fan pardon the pun.. hopefully getting a real FS back there and a DL that can create some anxious QB feet and he can become better than he was last year.. But he is still heads above both foxworthless and Paymah..

hamrob
06-21-2008, 09:43 AM
Provided our Dline can pressure the QB...Bailey and Bly will be the best tandem in the NFL...hands down. Champ is a phenom when he's in attack mode.

Hall in my opinion is a super talent...that allows his mouth to bring him down. If you truly believe you're great when you're not...you're not going to ever improve your game enough to allow yourself to become great. That about sums it up for Hall in my opinion.

Asomugha and Cromartie are the new "Bar" that is being set. Eventually they'll take the baton from Bailey...but not for a few more years. IMO.

Requiem / The Dagda
06-21-2008, 10:20 AM
Wow, it seems to be that a few high up AFC people share the same thoughts on Bly as I do. Huh.

weazel
06-21-2008, 04:39 PM
I would take Hall over Bly. Bly is absolutely horrible. I wish they would trade Bly and use Foxworth, they wouldnt be taking a step back at all.

Lonestar
06-21-2008, 04:50 PM
Provided our Dline can pressure the QB...Bailey and Bly will be the best tandem in the NFL...hands down. Champ is a phenom when he's in attack mode.

Hall in my opinion is a super talent...that allows his mouth to bring him down. If you truly believe you're great when you're not...you're not going to ever improve your game enough to allow yourself to become great. That about sums it up for Hall in my opinion.

Asomugha and Cromartie are the new "Bar" that is being set. Eventually they'll take the baton from Bailey...but not for a few more years. IMO.


Another delta oneal make a great play give one up.. Great athlete with no head for the position . You have to be able to play it one play at a time with no memory of the last play.. delta was always patting himself on the back after making a great play about three plays longer than he should have been.. a real head case and had he played CB for a better team for a longer time the scouts would have known that.

All they saw was a great athlete with alot of upside and little experience..

Astrass
06-23-2008, 05:50 PM
Bly is a team player and a vet. Him and Bailey paired together are the best duo in the league for now. Everyone is blaming the past year's poor passing D on them but the blame should fall on the coordinating and bad pass rushing. I consider Bly slightly above average which is fine when paired with Bailey =) I hope McCree will help make them look better.

Inkana7
06-23-2008, 06:36 PM
I would take Hall over Bly. Bly is absolutely horrible. I wish they would trade Bly and use Foxworth, they wouldnt be taking a step back at all.

Er, not so much. If anyone's going to play that #2 spot instead of Bly, it's Paymah. But Bly is not horrible.