Hill’s arrival in Atlanta puts Grimes in jeopardy

[hawkeye]

http://www.profootballweekly.com/2009/09/0...mes-in-jeopardy

Posted Sept. 04, 2009 @ 6:15 p.m.

By Dan Parr

Updated Monday, Sept. 14 @ 10:19 a.m. ET

CB Brent Grimes found himself in a similar situation to the one he faced a year ago, as he kept a tenuous hold on a starting job heading into the season. Grimes opened the season as the Falcons' starter at left corner in 2008, but was replaced at midseason by Domonique Foxworth, who had been acquired in the first week of September. This year, with Foxworth having departed in the offseason, the Falcons didn't wait long at all to yank Grimes, replacing him with Brian Williams in the starting lineup in Week One. Williams is very familiar with head coach Mike Smith after playing for him while both were with the Jaguars from '06-07. Neither Grimes nor starting RCB Chris Houston performed well in the preseason and CB Tye Hill, a former first-round pick who was dealt from the Rams on Sept. 1, could push Williams or Houston for a spot before long.

[Ghost Rider]

I think Chevis Jackson's roster spot could eventually be in jeopardy and that saddens me but is probably true. He might be inactive when Hill is ready to contribute.

[Ransack]

I think Chevis Jackson's roster spot could eventually be in jeopardy and that saddens me but is probably true. He might be inactive when Hill is ready to contribute.

That's what happens when you don't step up your game. A lot of guys will tell you it's really hard to make it to the NFL.... and it's twice as hard to stay there.

[juiceaccts]

Didn't we drop Haynes?

Also, I would think that the predicted starter would simply drop a slot (or two) with our CB acquisitions then probably Chevy gets cut if anyone, logically speaking. I saw Grimes totally goof a tackle yesterday though. What a let-down. I hope he can start making plays in the nickle.

[bossFALCON™]

I think Chevis Jackson's roster spot could eventually be in jeopardy and that saddens me but is probably true. He might be inactive when Hill is ready to contribute.

i don't think chevis' spot would be in jeopardy before grimes' spot would. chevis had some real bright spots as a rookie and did good as a nickel in the preseason. hill has to beat out someone to get on the field though.

[Carter]

Grimes will be gone before Jackson, in my opinion. Jackson has the natural ability and instincts to be killer at the nickel... while Grimes is shorter but extremely athletic, he doesn't have Jackson's ability at that nickel spot.

Just my opinion. I think Chevis is perfect for our defense at nickel. He's not fast enough to be a starter in the NFL, but he has the size and instincts to be awesome at nickel.

[President Frankenstein]

Can anyone explain why houston is never mentioned in these conversations? I do not attend training camp and such, so maybe i'm missing something, but i often wonder why everyone is so high on houston over grimes. from what i've seen on tv, there is just as much room to denounce houston as there is grimes. houston is bigger, obviously, buy why does everyone assume he is better than grimes? Just wondering.

[Ghost Rider]

i don't think chevis' spot would be in jeopardy before grimes' spot would. chevis had some real bright spots as a rookie and did good as a nickel in the preseason. hill has to beat out someone to get on the field though.

I don't think there will be any problem with Hill beating our Houston physically to get on the field as a starter if he stays healthy. He's got to get it mentally first though. To me, that pushes Houston to the nickel and Grimes to our 4th CB. Chevis has to beat out Grimes before we can say Grimes job is in jeopardy and Chevis's isn't. Maybe neither would be but Chevis hasn't even beat out Grimes. Heck, he was the one replaced on the field yesterday. Grimes played. That is not by accident. It has to do directly with their level of play. Plus we got Owens that isn't going anywhere. We are kind of deep there right now. That is a nice change. I hope Chevis stays but ultimately I want the best players on the roster regardless of who they are.

[Ghost Rider]

Can anyone explain why houston is never mentioned in these conversations? I do not attend training camp and such, so maybe i'm missing something, but i often wonder why everyone is so high on houston over grimes. from what i've seen on tv, there is just as much room to denounce houston as there is grimes. houston is bigger, obviously, buy why does everyone assume he is better than grimes? Just wondering.

A lot of us have. Some of us have been harder on Houston than Grimes actually. I would of thought that Houston would of been replaced before Grimes as a starter but he wasn't so that tells you how the coaches see it. That is the only reason I have Houston dropping to the nickel if Hill ends up starting. That is the only reason. I would of chose Grimes myself but I trust what the coaches are doing so I have to go with the decisions they are making. Those decisions had Williams starting for Grimes instead of Houston.

[hawkeye]

Grimes will be gone before Jackson, in my opinion. Jackson has the natural ability and instincts to be killer at the nickel... while Grimes is shorter but extremely athletic, he doesn't have Jackson's ability at that nickel spot.

Just my opinion. I think Chevis is perfect for our defense at nickel. He's not fast enough to be a starter in the NFL, but he has the size and instincts to be awesome at nickel.

I agree. If anybody goes it should be Grimes. Do you let a 3rd round pick go like that? Chevis is a solid 3rd too.

[FalconFanSince1970]

http://www.profootballweekly.com/2009/09/0...mes-in-jeopardy

Posted Sept. 04, 2009 @ 6:15 p.m.

By Dan Parr

Updated Monday, Sept. 14 @ 10:19 a.m. ET

CB Brent Grimes found himself in a similar situation to the one he faced a year ago, as he kept a tenuous hold on a starting job heading into the season. Grimes opened the season as the Falcons' starter at left corner in 2008, but was replaced at midseason by Domonique Foxworth, who had been acquired in the first week of September. This year, with Foxworth having departed in the offseason, the Falcons didn't wait long at all to yank Grimes, replacing him with Brian Williams in the starting lineup in Week One. Williams is very familiar with head coach Mike Smith after playing for him while both were with the Jaguars from '06-07. Neither Grimes nor starting RCB Chris Houston performed well in the preseason and CB Tye Hill, a former first-round pick who was dealt from the Rams on Sept. 1, could push Williams or Houston for a spot before long.

Chevis will be the first to go. I expect Hill to start off at nickel with Grimes at dime. Depending on what Crisp does in the next week or two will determine the pecking order. My prediction is:

RCB - Hill

LCB - Williams

NB - Houston

DB - Grimes

ST - Owens

Cut Back - Jackson

[TeamPlayer1]

Not sure who will be replaced but if Hill is completely healthy, he will start.

[Knight of God]

I told you guys that Grimes would be benched before Houston.

[President Frankenstein]

A lot of us have. Some of us have been harder on Houston than Grimes actually. I would of thought that Houston would of been replaced before Grimes as a starter but he wasn't so that tells you how the coaches see it. That is the only reason I have Houston dropping to the nickel if Hill ends up starting. That is the only reason. I would of chose Grimes myself but I trust what the coaches are doing so I have to go with the decisions they are making. Those decisions had Williams starting for Grimes instead of Houston.

That's what i would say. From watching tv, grimes seems to be the more skilled back with better coverage. But again, i do not get to see enough behind the scenes stuff to give a true evaluation. But unless everyone on these boards gets to attend practices, i do not get where people see grimes as more of a problem than houston.

[bossFALCON™]

I don't think there will be any problem with Hill beating our Houston physically to get on the field as a starter if he stays healthy. He's got to get it mentally first though. To me, that pushes Houston to the nickel and Grimes to our 4th CB. Chevis has to beat out Grimes before we can say Grimes job is in jeopardy and Chevis's isn't. Maybe neither would be but Chevis hasn't even beat out Grimes. Heck, he was the one replaced on the field yesterday. Grimes played. That is not by accident. It has to do directly with their level of play. Plus we got Owens that isn't going anywhere. We are kind of deep there right now. That is a nice change. I hope Chevis stays but ultimately I want the best players on the roster regardless of who they are.

i think the main reason chevis was on the pine was because they didn't want b. williams starting at LCB every single snap. 1- because ted ginn lines up over there and he would probably be a problem for willams and 2- williams has only been here for a week and just because he knows the scheme doesn't mean he knows all the plays. them starting williams a couple of days after he got here tells me that they don't have all that much faith in grimes. we'll see what happens though. when it comes down to it chevis has shown more bright spots than grimes has IMO.

if houston doesn't keep up his play (he actually didn't play bad yesterday) then i could definitely see hill taking over, or us moving b.will to his side since that's where he played in jax. all in all though our corners didn't play bad yesterday so i'm not going to say anybody's getting benched just yet. as far as we saw yesterday grimes and williams will rotate on and off the LCB and nickel and houston will be the right.

[atljbo]

I think Chevis Jackson's roster spot could eventually be in jeopardy and that saddens me but is probably true. He might be inactive when Hill is ready to contribute.

His roster spot is not in Jeopardy........ The guy is not going no where...... His starting spot (NB position) is in jeopardy tho

I feel like Grimes roster spot is in jeopardy tho....... Brian Williams was not the full time LCB because the guy does not no all the plays..... He know enough to get on the field but he does not know all the plays.....

Chris Houston has to continue to play aggressive e like he did yesterday...... I wish he got the int yesterday tho.... On that freak play (Greg Camarillo) catch) the ball hit Chris Houston dead in the stomach ....... I understand that he put his hands up so the refs would not call him for pass interference because he was playing dude super aggressive.

[atlbaby]

Grimes will be gone before Jackson, in my opinion. Jackson has the natural ability and instincts to be killer at the nickel... while Grimes is shorter but extremely athletic, he doesn't have Jackson's ability at that nickel spot.

Just my opinion. I think Chevis is perfect for our defense at nickel. He's not fast enough to be a starter in the NFL, but he has the size and instincts to be awesome at nickel.

What I can see so far from TD is if you can not step in and be a starter on this team (If a starter goes down with a injury). You won't be a Falcon very long. Jackson is perfect for the nickle position but if a guy goes down he is not starting material. Thus making him more vunerable of being cut. Grimes has to prove his worth because Owens will have his opportunity sooner or later.

[Ghost Rider]

I agree. If anybody goes it should be Grimes. Do you let a 3rd round pick go like that? Chevis is a solid 3rd too.

It is not a smart decision if you make your roster decisions based off of where people were picked in the draft. Normally these decisions are made by talent level and play. Grimes has out played Chevis. If he hadn't then Chevis would of played yesterday and Grimes would not of. By you guy's reasoning, we should yank a player that is actually on the field and cut him because the guy warming the bench was a 3rd round pick. If he was better than Grimes he'd be playing. Neither may get cut but as of right now, Grimes is ahead of Chevis on the depth chart. Chevis is 3rd string on the depth chart made before the game.

[Ghost Rider]

His roster spot is not in Jeopardy........ The guy is not going no where...... His starting spot (NB position) is in jeopardy

How many corners will we carry? Right now we have 6 that I know of. Unless they put Owens on the PS but he was making ST plays yesterday as well. I think you are probably right and have said as much but I am more responding to the people think Grimes would be cut before someone he best out rather easily in camp.

[Carter]

I agree. If anybody goes it should be Grimes. Do you let a 3rd round pick go like that? Chevis is a solid 3rd too.

Well draft selection aside, Chevis plays a zone like a hillbilly plays a banjo. It's just a natural position for him.

Playing outside is not the same as playing at nickel. Just because a guy gets pushed down from being a starting CB doesn't mean he's the best guy to play nickel. Houston can't play a zone to save his mama... but some of you guys think he'd be up for nickel if Hill took over his starting role? I don't think so. Houston is strictly a man to man kind of guy... he struggles when he has to sit back in a zone.

I also think it's funny that we're talking about a guy the RAMS let go from their secondary coming in and just unseating our entire secondary setup.

[Ghost Rider]

I told you guys that Grimes would be benched before Houston.

Yes you did. lol.

[falcfan1]

Grimes was not replaced. Williams was in because he's a better tackler. Grimes came in on nickel situations but Grimes was covering the #1 WR spot and Williams was in the Nickel spot. Grimes ain't going nowhere.

[Ghost Rider]

That's what i would say. From watching tv, grimes seems to be the more skilled back with better coverage. But again, i do not get to see enough behind the scenes stuff to give a true evaluation. But unless everyone on these boards gets to attend practices, i do not get where people see grimes as more of a problem than houston.

I have been to some practices and Grimes is by far our best corner in practice. At least before the new pick ups. He makes plays and is very athletic. I am just going with the coaches moves. I am a little surprised by it actually.

[Ghost Rider]

Grimes was not replaced. Williams was in because he's a better tackler. Grimes came in on nickel situations but Grimes was covering the #1 WR spot and Williams was in the Nickel spot. Grimes ain't going nowhere.

My point exactly.

[Carter]

What I can see so far from TD is if you can not step in and be a starter on this team (If a starter goes down with a injury). You won't be a Falcon very long. Jackson is perfect for the nickle position but if a guy goes down he is not starting material. Thus making him more vunerable of being cut. Grimes has to prove his worth because Owens will have his opportunity sooner or later.

Owens will be a starter outside for us before the season is over. He is fast and has real ball skills. He just has to adjust to the NFL and he'll be a starter for us. I have no doubts about his abilities.

And your point is well taken about versatility... it has definitely been a focal point on this team. Chevis definitely isn't starter material because he just doesn't have the speed to keep up with most starting WRs. I love love love Chevis in our defense at nickel though... he has real impact there, so we'll see.