Why the Eagles need to keep DRC

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It’s quite a feat to turn a strength into a weakness. That’s what Juan Castillo and Johnnie Lynn managed to do to the Eagles’ elite trio of cornerbacks.

 

Coming into the season, the three Pro Bowlers were supposed to be an asset that covered up the Eagles inexperience at safety and cornerback. Instead, we were frequently left to wonder if the coaches had any plan to use them effectively at all. The biggest problem was that through most of the season no one figured out how to play Asante Samuel, Nnamdi Asomugha, and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie all in the same lineup.

 

After they decided not to trade Samuel, the Eagles assumed that Rodgers-Cromartie could man the slot, a position he was uncomfortable with from the start. In yet another example of poor self-scouting, that turned out to be an awful idea.

 

Courtesy of Pro Football Focus, here are Asomugha’s and Rodgers-Cromartie’s stats at the two positions (Samuel played almost exclusively outside):

 

 

 

Starting with Asomugha, it’s worth noting that by these metrics he was stellar. Among cornerbacks with at least 25 percent of snaps, Nnamdi ranked first overall in coverage snaps per target, sixth in yards per snap, and second in snaps per reception. Each figure was down from 2010, as he was targeted more often, but they were all still elite.

 

Regardless, Asomugha provided similar performance no matter where he lined up. He had slightly more targets in the slot, but didn’t allow anything big.

 

Contrast that with Rodgers-Cromartie, who posted a massive split playing in two different positions. Out of the 44 corners last year with 25 percent or more slot snaps, he ranked 39th in snaps per target, 44th in yards per snap, and 41st in snaps per reception. That is awful. He was arguably the worst slot corner in the NFL.

 

Put Rodgers-Cromartie outside, and everything changes. In fact, DRC’s numbers on the outside were even better than Asomugha’s. As bad as he was on the inside, Rodgers-Cromartie was one of the best corners in the league when he was playing at his natural position.

 

Full article: http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/blogs/birds-nest/The-Eagles-Mess-at-Cornerback-138136503.html

 

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The Eagles really fucked up our cornerback situation this season, but at least the solution for 2012 is simple: trade Asante, start Nnamdi and DRC on the outside, Joselio Hanson in the slot, Curtis Marsh in dime packages. Target linebacker aggressively through draft and free agency.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Are you kidding me? Those are impressive stats you pulled up, but I don't even think I've seen DRC ATTEMPT to make a tackle. I mean, at least Asante will throw his should out there lol. Samuel was our best CB last year and you keep saying DRC plays better on the outside but he played on the outside in Arizona and the year before coming to Philly was one of the absolute worst CB's in the league numbers wise, starting or not. I feel like DRC is a prima dona and Doesn't Really Care (get it?). It'll also be hard to replace Asante's turnovers, not just his coverage. Remember how many turnovers we were forcing BEFORE Asante came to Philly? Little to none. I'd try desperately to trade DRC for anything I could get for him and if not I would cut his worthless ass.

[Shotgun 442]

the solution for 2012 is simple: Fire Juan Castillo

 

 

Fixed it for ya.

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Are you kidding me? Those are impressive stats you pulled up, but I don't even think I've seen DRC ATTEMPT to make a tackle. I mean, at least Asante will throw his should out there lol. Samuel was our best CB last year and you keep saying DRC plays better on the outside but he played on the outside in Arizona and the year before coming to Philly was one of the absolute worst CB's in the league numbers wise, starting or not. I feel like DRC is a prima dona and Doesn't Really Care (get it?). It'll also be hard to replace Asante's turnovers, not just his coverage. Remember how many turnovers we were forcing BEFORE Asante came to Philly? Little to none. I'd try desperately to trade DRC for anything I could get for him and if not I would cut his worthless ass.

 

DRC is not a dramatically worse tackler than Samuel, and he may be a better tackler. This season, Samuel missed seven tackles; DRC missed six. Also, DRC had ten stops compared to Samuel's six. (Per PFF, a stop is a solo tackle that constitutes an offensive failure.) As someone who watches every Eagles game, you should know better than to defend Asante Samuel's tackling ability.

 

You keep bringing up DRC's 2010 season (which was horrible, no doubt), but does that mean we can write off 2009, when he was one of the best coverage corners in the league? Also, based on the stats I posted, which you admitted were credible in the shoutbox, DRC played excellent on the outside this season. I don't see how you can call him "worthless" when he's proven he can be a reliable corner at the position where he's comfortable.

 

As for the prima donna angle, I won't deny DRC has shown signs of it--but consider the situation from his perspective. The Eagles trade for you, so you're getting a new start after a bad season, and going to play opposite Asante Samuel. Sweet deal, right? Nope. The Eagles actually just signed Nnamdi Asomugha, so you're now going to play slot, where you've never played before. Enjoy! Now, could DRC have carried himself a bit better? Probably, but the point is that this situation was brought about by the failure of Eagles' management. And once again, as the stats show, DRC should be playing on the outside.

 

And if you're so determined to get rid of prima donna players and locker room cancers, why are you so enthusiastic about keeping Asante Samuel around? He is the definition of a me-first player, he's only in Philadelphia because we won the bidding war for his services, and he has publicly called out the Eagles ownership. Not calling out his teammates, TO style, mind you; this clown actually spoke out and said the team he plays for doesn't know what it's doing. In your own words:

 

I think when you have the discipline problems the Eagles had last year you need to get rid of problematic lockerroom personalities. The Eagles already have extra picks in this years draft and enough talent on the team to recover from the losses of these players.

 

In those terms, Samuel should be traded twice before DRC is even touched. Additionally, the Eagles could certainly get some sort of draft compensation for Samuel, whereas DRC has no trade value and would have to be released.

[seanbrock 1,684]

What's wrong with saying that the team he plays for doens't know what they're doing. What part of last year makes you believe they did? The fact is that Samuel has played at an extremely high level since the very day we signed him, and you know what? DRC got traaded and then they signed Aso so he had to play in the slot? Boo hoo. Playing in the NFL is a PRIVILEDGE not a right. He could have looked at it like he gets to learn from arguably the best cover corner at that point over the decade and Asante Samuel, who is maybe the best CB EVER at jumping routes and getting picks and he gets burned a lot less than advertised. Hell the fact that Asante spends so much time in the film roomis evidence of his work ethic. Asante has worked in the film room to go from being a 4th round pick to playing at an all pro level at times during his career ANNNNND Asante has showed up for us in the playoffs with multiple pick 6's. If had to choose to keep one prima dona over another, give me the guy who goes out and produces year in and year out over a guy who decides he doensn't want to play if he's not starting. DRC can go fuck himself until he changes his attitude. I'd love to be proven wrong but don't see it happening unfortunatley.

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What's wrong with saying that the team he plays for doens't know what they're doing. What part of last year makes you believe they did? The fact is that Samuel has played at an extremely high level since the very day we signed him, and you know what? DRC got traaded and then they signed Aso so he had to play in the slot? Boo hoo. Playing in the NFL is a PRIVILEDGE not a right. He could have looked at it like he gets to learn from arguably the best cover corner at that point over the decade and Asante Samuel, who is maybe the best CB EVER at jumping routes and getting picks and he gets burned a lot less than advertised. Hell the fact that Asante spends so much time in the film roomis evidence of his work ethic. Asante has worked in the film room to go from being a 4th round pick to playing at an all pro level at times during his career ANNNNND Asante has showed up for us in the playoffs with multiple pick 6's. If had to choose to keep one prima dona over another, give me the guy who goes out and produces year in and year out over a guy who decides he doensn't want to play if he's not starting. DRC can go fuck himself until he changes his attitude. I'd love to be proven wrong but don't see it happening unfortunatley.

 

I don't know why you're so locked into this idea that DRC is a prima donna. Based on what, exactly? It's not like the guy has ever called anybody out to the media; Asante has. He never publicly complained about being bumped down to slot corner, even though Asante took the time to make it known that he was unhappy with the Asomugha signing, and he was still starting.

 

And you don't have a problem with Asante calling out our ownership? Really? I'll be the first to admit that the Eagles can be pretty incompetent (and have already admitted so in this thread) but letting players say things like this to the media is unacceptable. You know what you get when you have a bunch of that? The New York Jets. A chaotic clusterfuck of me-first personalities that only becomes a football team when held properly against bright lighting.

 

I don't deny Asante's abilities as a cornerback, but the Eagles need to cut him loose and put DRC back on the outside, where he belongs.

[seanbrock 1,684]

I don't know why you're so locked into this idea that DRC is a prima donna. Based on what, exactly? It's not like the guy has ever called anybody out to the media; Asante has. He never publicly complained about being bumped down to slot corner, even though Asante took the time to make it known that he was unhappy with the Asomugha signing, and he was still starting.

 

And you don't have a problem with Asante calling out our ownership? Really? I'll be the first to admit that the Eagles can be pretty incompetent (and have already admitted so in this thread) but letting players say things like this to the media is unacceptable. You know what you get when you have a bunch of that? The New York Jets. A chaotic clusterfuck of me-first personalities that only becomes a football team when held properly against bright lighting.

 

I don't deny Asante's abilities as a cornerback, but the Eagles need to cut him loose and put DRC back on the outside, where he belongs.

Basically because I think it's horseshit that he can't play the outside. With his physical abilities if he actually put the work in he could play anywhere in any seondary. There are only a handful of players in the entire league as gifted as DRC. I mean, I don't remember Asante saying those things but you wouldn't make it up. I'll take your word for it. Personally I would handle it by first suspending and fining him. I think they're both prima dona's tbh. But if I have to choose between one or the other, give me the guy who can actually play.

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Basically because I think it's horseshit that he can't play the outside. With his physical abilities if he actually put the work in he could play anywhere in any seondary. There are only a handful of players in the entire league as gifted as DRC. I mean, I don't remember Asante saying those things but you wouldn't make it up. I'll take your word for it. Personally I would handle it by first suspending and fining him. I think they're both prima dona's tbh. But if I have to choose between one or the other, give me the guy who can actually play.

 

Wait, you think it's horseshit that he can't play on the outside? I'm going to assume that's a typo and you meant to say slot. Well, what's wrong with him being a good outside corner and a bad slot corner? He's only been an outside guy his entire football career (including college, etc.). Sure, guys like Nnamdi Asomugha can play great anywhere, but that's because Asomugha is a Hall of Fame caliber football player. DRC should not be placed anywhere near that category no matter how physically gifted he is.

 

Bottom line is, there's a difference between playing cornerback in the slot and on the outside. Same thing goes for wide receivers. You don't understand that difference? Well, that makes sense, considering how you tried to tell us that Jordy Nelson couldn't play on the outside, and we all know how that one turned out.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Wait, you think it's horseshit that he can't play on the outside? I'm going to assume that's a typo and you meant to say slot. Well, what's wrong with him being a good outside corner and a bad slot corner? He's only been an outside guy his entire football career (including college, etc.). Sure, guys like Nnamdi Asomugha can play great anywhere, but that's because Asomugha is a Hall of Fame caliber football player. DRC should not be placed anywhere near that category no matter how physically gifted he is.

 

Bottom line is, there's a difference between playing cornerback in the slot and on the outside. Same thing goes for wide receivers. You don't understand that difference? Well, that makes sense, considering how you tried to tell us that Jordy Nelson couldn't play on the outside, and we all know how that one turned out.

If DRC put the time that Asante Samuel does in the film room and spent the time perfecting his technique like Aso he could play anywhere. Instead he decided to pout about the fact that he wasn't a starter. If he worked a little harder he maybe could have started over Aso or Asante.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

If DRC put the time that Asante Samuel does in the film room and spent the time perfecting his technique like Aso he could play anywhere. Instead he decided to pout about the fact that he wasn't a starter. If he worked a little harder he maybe could have started over Aso or Asante.

 

Next time you're hanging in the Eagles' film room, make sure to take a picture of DRC pouting around. Oh, and get Shady's autograph for me?