NFL Offseason Provides Opportunity to Add Size to Defensive Backfields

Guest Post by Brian Cossette

Since 2004 when Bill Polian helped to emphasize the enforcement of the illegal contact rule, offenses in the NFL have become much more pass heavy and high powered. Defensive backs used to be given much more liberty in their contact of opposing receivers, but now are only given a 5 yard window to touch the receivers.

With the success of teams like Seattle and San Francisco, perhaps the league has found a blueprint to counter such pass heavy attacks- beat them up within that 5 yard window. One thing the Seahawks and 49ers certainly don’t lack is size in their secondary. Of the eight starting spots between the two teams’ defensive backfields four are over 6’2”. The Seahawks defense alone boasts 3 defensive backs over 6’3”.

One thing these teams like to do is use their cornerbacks at the line of scrimmage to press the opposing team’s receivers. Press coverage allows defenses to comply with the illegal contact rule while still altering receivers’ routes and imposing some physicality on modern receivers- who have benefited from several rule changes involving contact.

If this indeed is to be the next stop on the NFL’s train of evolution, this offseason certainly provides ample opportunity for teams to re-stock on defensive backs.

Three of the top free agent cornerbacks on the market are over 6’1”. Aqib Talib, Sean Smith, and Dominique Rogers-Cromartie have all have been cited for their ability to press at the line of scrimmage and excel in man coverage. While they have their fair share of concerns, there is little doubt that those three players can make a major impact on the back end for any team needing cornerback help.

Help can be had on the safety market as well, where hard hitters such as Dashon Goldson, Laron Landry, and the versatile Glover Quin will also be out to command hefty contracts.

In the draft, there is a surplus of cornerbacks and safeties with excellent size. In addition to being over 6’ tall, cornerbacks Dee Millner, Xavier Rhodes, Jonathon Banks, Desmond Trufant, and Blidi Wreh-Wilson have all been projected to be selected as high as the first round by draft pundits. The safety class is considered to be the deepest it has been in years, with John Cyprien, Kenny Vaccaro, and Eric Reid all projected to be drafted in the first round as well.

Teams looking to upgrade their defensive backfield may have many choices given the current market, but that does not mean these players will come cheap. Teams will have to invest either with long term contracts or first round picks, but you can count on it happening one way or the other.