Slot CB - Immediate Upgrade Required?

[freddyjj]

Seeing how the Bills missed Milano and Tre White vs Titans, one can only hope that they both suit up and play MON vs Chiefs.  Outside the injury realm, there is one position that looks extremely poor to date in the secondary and that is Slot/Nickle CB Taron Johnson.  He was torched on the 3rd and 19 completion by the Titans and lost coverage a couple other times.  He looks slow and unable to get in guys hip pockets which is what that position requires in coverage.  PFF has him rated as the 4th worst Slot CB in the league and have him surrendering the most yards (285) of any slot CB. Teams like KC, Pittsburgh, NE and SF will take advantage of this weakness.   

 

The Chargers have Desmond King as a depth CB and he is a former All Pro player.  Might the Bills look for an upgrade in the trade market and move a player from a position of strength (OL after Mongo comes back?).  I can't get the Kyle Dugger pick by NE @ #37 out of my head as I know OBD coveted him.  So do we trade for a slot upgrade or do we look to poach a player from a PS?

 

https://nfltraderumors.co/nfltr-review-comprehensive-trade-catalog/

 

 

Edited October 16, 2020 by freddyjj

[akcash]

I was thinking today, what about Josh Norman in the slot and we have Wallace/Lewis/Dane Jackson battle it out on the other side or maybe by committee. 

[Rc2catch]

Where is Siran Neal? Did we just forget he’s alive? Not sure why he’s not out there but I have to think we miss his speed. 

[akcash]

Just now, Rc2catch said:

Where is Siran Neal? Did we just forget he’s alive? Not sure why he’s not out there but I have to think we miss his speed. 

I forgot about him lol.

[Rc2catch]

Just now, akcash said:

I forgot about him lol.

I have been asking for two weeks, I don’t know why he’s not seeing any playing time. I don’t see or hear of any injuries. Maybe he’s not the greatest player but as I said his speed looks sorely missed. 

[akcash]

8 minutes ago, Rc2catch said:

I have been asking for two weeks, I don’t know why he’s not seeing any playing time. I don’t see or hear of any injuries. Maybe he’s not the greatest player but as I said his speed looks sorely missed. 

You're right. At the very least he could provide a spark.

 

Edited October 16, 2020 by akcash

[Protocal69]

Taron Johnson has been straight trash with his pass defense and was definitely picked on last game. 

 

He either needs to step it up we need to his replacement ASAP.

 

Bills tried planning a lot of man to take away Tannihill 1st read but the corners as whole were getting cook. Cam Lewis.has a good game though 

[Billzgobowlin]

I think Taron will not be on an island against good players

[NewEra]

23 minutes ago, Rc2catch said:

Where is Siran Neal? Did we just forget he’s alive? Not sure why he’s not out there but I have to think we miss his speed. 

Yeah, I was really hoping he’d step up and play 50% of the snaps this season.  Instead, he’s basically our 4th string safety that is rarely seen.  Taron has remained healthy, but his play isn’t nearly as good as his rookie year imo.  It seems like he’s always late to the play.  
 

I hope we use every pick on defense this season other than maybe one TE.

 

[Rc2catch]

1 minute ago, NewEra said:

Yeah, I was really hoping he’d step up and play 50% of the snaps this season.  Instead, he’s basically our 4th string safety that is rarely seen.  Taron has remained healthy, but his play isn’t nearly as good as his rookie year imo.  It seems like he’s always late to the play.  
 

I hope we use every pick on defense this season other than maybe one TE.

 

I didn’t know much about Neal last year. He stood out as the fastest guy on the field everytime I seen him though. As bad as were playing I would expect he’d at least rotate in some even if he’s just an occasional blitzer. I haven’t seen him once this season so far but on special teams I think. Crazy. 

[JerseyBills]

29 minutes ago, Rc2catch said:

Where is Siran Neal? Did we just forget he’s alive? Not sure why he’s not out there but I have to think we miss his speed. 

He was out there plenty on Tues.

I'm a big Taron fan , I love his physicality and always thought he was solid in coverage but yes he did bad on Tues and most the season 

[Rc2catch]

1 minute ago, JerseyBills said:

He was out there plenty on Tues.

I'm a big Taron fan , I love his physicality and always thought he was solid in coverage but yes he did bad on Tues and most the season 

He only played special teams Tuesday 

[LABILLBACKER]

7 minutes ago, NewEra said:

Yeah, I was really hoping he’d step up and play 50% of the snaps this season.  Instead, he’s basically our 4th string safety that is rarely seen.  Taron has remained healthy, but his play isn’t nearly as good as his rookie year imo.  It seems like he’s always late to the play.  
 

I hope we use every pick on defense this season other than maybe one TE.

 

That's exactly it. He is always late or chasing the play. His coverage skills are basically PS caliber. I just hate the 4-2-5 we run. Especially with him as the nickel. There's gotta be an upgrade out there.

[Ya Digg?]

Say what you want about Edmunds, Oliver, Murphy.....Taron Johnson has been the absolute WORST player on the defense this year, and for me it's not even close.  I don't have the stomach to look what what the stats are against him, but I can tell you it's not good.  He has been getting abused every single week.  I can see the Chiefs exploiting that matchup of whoever he is guarding all game long

[NewEra]

Based on how many corners are needed, corner back may really be our weakest position, because it’s such an important position.  our corners aren’t making plays this season. They’re getting beat.  Over and over. 
 

we really only have Tre and Taron beyond this season and Taron might find himself replaced.  Norman is a FA, Wallace is a RFA  the rest are ps fodder.  We need an influx Of talent at the position badly. Really wish we would’ve signed kevin Johnson even though he probably would’ve just gotten hurt again, like he did in Cleveland 

[JoPoy88]

I suspect Beane will be examining all possible upgrade options for the defense in the next couple weeks. They can’t only count on immediate improvement and development from any of the young guys on D to carry them forward, not with their record and Allen and Diggs basically keeping them in games on their own.

[Turk71]

Prince Amukamara had been available all season until a couple days ago. The Cards just added him to their practice squad. He's a solid player who could help. The Bills need help at cb and lb.

[NewEra]

We didn’t want him

2 minutes ago, Turk71 said:

Prince Amukamara had been available all season until a couple days ago. The Cards just added him to their practice squad. He's a solid player who could help. The Bills need help at cb and lb.

 

[Hapless Bills Fan]

7 minutes ago, JoPoy88 said:

I suspect Beane will be examining all possible upgrade options for the defense in the next couple weeks. They can’t only count on immediate improvement and development from any of the young guys on D to carry them forward, not with their record and Allen and Diggs basically keeping them in games on their own.

 

Interesting perspective.

 

Leslie Frazier was asked whether the Bills have the right personnel on the field to fix the problems on defense and he was very forthright that we do.

One wonders what he says to McDermott and to Beane when the microphones are off and the door is shut.

 

I "get it" that teams can't necessarily keep great talent around for backup at LB and CB, but right now, it doesn't really look as though we have 3 legit starters at LB if we want to run a true 4-3; neither does it we have the player personnel for a good nickel much less dime.  It seems that the way we normally handle it is to go 4-2-5, but

1) the fifth DB looks like the "weakest link"

2) making this D work seems to critically depend upon the seemingly somewhat unique coverage skillset of Milano and the top-level CB play of White.  So when they go down, we seemingly don't have the hosses to move to a reasonably sound 4-3 or a reasonably sound dime as options.

[Turk71]

1 minute ago, NewEra said:

We didn’t want him

 

He never played for Carolina.☺