Does anybody else think Walls is our most competent third CB?

[Falconcheff]

Man, I rewatched the game, and it's pretty bad out there after Dunta and Grimes. I'm pretty sure TD is waiting for cuts to get better than what's currently out there now (Hayden, who I wouldn't mind; B Will, who is old coming off a blown knee; and...?). It wouldn't surprise me to find that he has a couple guys targeted for after final roster cuts. But until then, the frustration and wait are killing me.

And Coach Smitty's BS about those touchdowns not being their fault isn't helping the situation, either.

[DaMeatTroughsEgo]

Walls and McIlwane might both make it. Owens is toast (I MADE A PUN)

[iDash]

I really hope Walls Steps Up and he makes the team, Go Walls!

[FlyHighFalcons]

Walls looked very solid to me, but so did Rafael Bush actually. I think Bush has for sure made the team because he is great depth at both the safety AND corner spot.

Dunta and Grimes are obviously going to make the roster. I'd assume Owens and Franks are safe, which leaves Bush/Walls/Mcllwane (or however it's spelled) to fight for two spots. I think Mcllwhatever should go to the practice squad for a year, and if Owens continues to fail then maybe he can replace him.

[BadMoonRising]

No idea, haven't seen them cover first stringers yet.

people need to keep in mind we where playing a rivals ex starting quarterback in our vanilla schemes with 2,3, and 4th string DBs.

Its a perfect storm to smoke our ***, Moore isn't that good and we aren't that bad. I do hope Walls pans out, I am an offical Owens hater but lets wait and see.

[vel]

How do you say Walls is the most competent 3rd CB when he AND Shann BOTH bit on a shallow route right before the half?! The TD on Owens side was communication between the CB and S, evidenced by Smitty saying they hadn't prepped them on that route combo. If it was Owens' fault, he could have just said "Our guy bit on something short and was out of position and blew his assignment", but he took the blame for it.

As of now I think Bush will be a CB/S hybrid as the 5th corner and 4th safety.

[KeepItCrispy]

He could be, it's too early to say really. I liked both he and Bush. I think they both made some pretty good plays Friday. I have heard Mcllwen (sp?) is doing great in camp as well, but it will take a few more weeks to work all of this out. I trust coach Smith and TD to make a move if it becomes necessary and I also trust that they can tell if we need to.

[youngevans81]

Franks and Walls have both outplayed Owens thus far.. Looks like the only thing Owens can cover is his gals apartment with bleach.

[Falconcheff]

Walls looked very solid to me, but so did Rafael Bush actually. I think Bush has for sure made the team because he is great depth at both the safety AND corner spot.

Dunta and Grimes are obviously going to make the roster. I'd assume Owens and Franks are safe, which leaves Bush/Walls/Mcllwane (or however it's spelled) to fight for two spots. I think Mcllwhatever should go to the practice squad for a year, and if Owens continues to fail then maybe he can replace him.

I wouldn't assume Owens is safe, my Falcon brother. I truly believe TD is waiting to sign our future NB/Third Corner until the guys he's targeted are cut.

The way I see it is DRob, Nips, Walls, and Franks with a "to be added" rounding them out. Bush is a backup FS, Schill is the backup SS. If I had my way, I'd have another SS in for a tryout as well.

Face facts; this year we face Brees twice as usual, but also Manning, Rogers, Cutler, the Houston passing attack... with Owens?? Please, TD, review the Cincy game, the GB game, and the last preseason game (maybe he just sucks at home and he'll be a real demon on the road?? )

I'd like to see the other teams punt a few times this year. Doesn't happen with Owens on the field. Just Touchdowns.

[Falconcheff]

How do you say Walls is the most competent 3rd CB when he AND Shann BOTH bit on a shallow route right before the half?! The TD on Owens side was communication between the CB and S, evidenced by Smitty saying they hadn't prepped them on that route combo. If it was Owens' fault, he could have just said "Our guy bit on something short and was out of position and blew his assignment", but he took the blame for it.

As of now I think Bush will be a CB/S hybrid as the 5th corner and 4th safety.

Awesome. Our third CB has to be prepped to run backwards. (J/K...Dmn zone coverage . Makes something simple, like covering a man, into something that gets burned if it's not "prepped for")

[Daddy's Home]

Man, I rewatched the game, and it's pretty bad out there after Dunta and Grimes. I'm pretty sure TD is waiting for cuts to get better than what's currently out there now (Hayden, who I wouldn't mind; B Will, who is old coming off a blown knee; and...?). It wouldn't surprise me to find that he has a couple guys targeted for after final roster cuts. But until then, the frustration and wait are killing me.

And Coach Smitty's BS about those touchdowns not being their fault isn't helping the situation, either.

1) TD is somewhere sleeping right now.

2) TD is responsible for the 3 ring circus that is out there now.

3) I wouldn't mind giving Walls a shot at that right corner spot.

4) Did anybody else see D. Rob trying to take the ball from Abe when Abe got the pick? Where's the "ball hawking" when we need it?

[illest_will]

I don't remember Franks playing bad, other than missing a sack. I guess that's bad, considering the GB escapade, but his coverage was pretty good. Maybe Franks would be able to play on the outside, so the FO could finally put Dunta on the inside in sub packages...I'm sure he'd take the QB down.

[madman88]

How do you say Walls is the most competent 3rd CB when he AND Shann BOTH bit on a shallow route right before the half?! The TD on Owens side was communication between the CB and S, evidenced by Smitty saying they hadn't prepped them on that route combo. If it was Owens' fault, he could have just said "Our guy bit on something short and was out of position and blew his assignment", but he took the blame for it.

As of now I think Bush will be a CB/S hybrid as the 5th corner and 4th safety.

smith would never single out one player, and walls had nothing to do with owens and the S giving up that TD.... walls was playing left side when he was in...

[The Dirty Bird]

I wrote something on Walls from my thread on best UDFA pickups around the league:

I didn't think any of the Falcons' UDFA signings really belonged in the Top 10, but I can give you a special edition of best Falcon UDFA signing:

CB Darrin Walls, Notre Dame

Let's begin with the basics. Walls is 6 ft tall and 190 lbs, which qualifies as elite size at the CB position. He's got legit 4.4 flat speed, and has impressive strength for his size -- he put up 15 bench reps of 225, the same as Patrick Peterson who is 6'2, 220 lbs (30 lbs heavier). But having these workout numbers doesn't mean you'll be a good player, as you have to be able to use them (see: Gholston, Vernon). The great things for the Falcons is that Walls does use his strength and speed, as he's described by scouts as "strong and obnoxious at the line." This attribute is particularly important for one position on the field: the nickel CB. The nickel CB has to play inside on the slot WR, and playing inside and close to the line means you need to be physical and you'll be more active against the run.

He has however been described as too aggressive in pass coverage, but that is something that coaching can fix. What's important here aside from his physical tools are his intangibles -- it's very hard to instill an attitude in someone, and Walls already has the perfect attitude the kind of inside CB, nickel or dime, that the Falcons want.

The Notre Dame defense put the clamps on the Army triple option, attacking fullback Jared Hassin and quarterback Trent Steelman. The result was a dominating 27-3 victory at Yankee Stadium that got the Fighting Irish bowl eligible. We were more physical and we had to be more physical," cornerback Darrin Walls said after the game. "We didn't let them attack us. We attacked them." The defense hasn't allowed a touchdown in the last 11 quarters. - The Sports Xchange

We'll see what the Falcons can do with Walls, but on paper it looks like they were able to bring in a CB with the ideal set of physical tools and play style for its defense. You can never have enough good inside CBs, especially in a division where the team's biggest rival has Lance Moore as its slot WR.

[madman88]

I wrote something on Walls from my thread on best UDFA pickups around the league:

this lil piece is only taling about using him on the inside, but he couls also develop on the outside as well...

[I MUS WRITE]

Franks and Walls have both outplayed Owens thus far.. Looks like the only thing Owens can cover is his gals apartment with bleach.

I see what u did there COVER

[FalconMama]

I need to see him against a better QB first.

[The Dirty Bird]

this lil piece is only taling about using him on the inside, but he couls also develop on the outside as well...

Yes, he could develop into an outside CB. But this thread was about him being our third corner, and for the next several seasons his ceiling would be our 3rd corner. He simply wouldn't surpass Grimes or Dunta on the depth chart, and he's still a raw product. Don't jump ahead to what he could be in 4 years -- right now he is competing for the #4 CB spot with the loser of Owens/Franks for the nickel.

I think by mid-season, if he really shows up on the field and does what he is capable of (and that is not a given for any player in the NFL) then he could be our starting nickel back which is exactly what we need.

[Falconcheff]

Hmmm. Great responses, one and all. I guess the question rephrased might be, "Having seen what Owens and Franks have to offer last season and this preseason, is anybody comfortable with either one being the third starting corner when we face Brees, Rogers, Manning, etc?"

Follow up (and please, someone besides "Daddy" answer this): "Do we think Dimitroff is going to bring someone else in this preseason, or gamble with what we've got?"

As I've stated, I believe TD is waiting until he sees a guy cut who he wants. I also agree with The Dirty Bird's other thread. I'd be fine with Kelvin Hayden.

[madman88]

Yes, he could develop into an outside CB. But this thread was about him being our third corner, and for the next several seasons his ceiling would be our 3rd corner. He simply wouldn't surpass Grimes or Dunta on the depth chart, and he's still a raw product. Don't jump ahead to what he could be in 4 years -- right now he is competing for the #4 CB spot with the loser of Owens/Franks for the nickel.

I think by mid-season, if he really shows up on the field and does what he is capable of (and that is not a given for any player in the NFL) then he could be our starting nickel back which is exactly what we need.

whoa hold up, im not saying he will beat out our starters, im just saying we like to cross train our guys, so we should still develop him at both outside and in...

[Northern_Falcon]

they all still have 3 weeks of preseason to prove them selves, only time will tell

[ditchdoc57]

its a lil early for me to comment one way or another,need more film, also if you are waiting on people that are cut.....no one worth having will be cut until the last cut. Anyone cut now will not be an upgrade, just a different name.