is safety still a concern?

[CR91]

with joe starting a couple games now what is the mindset now about the safety position? has joe done enough to be our starter of the future? should tom z get his job back? should we look at a safety in FA/draft

[Captain Americolt]

Tom Z should not get his job back. Joe isn't a world beater by any means, but he's faster, has better coverage, and actually attacks the ball-carrier.

[Nostrils]

I like Joe... I can't think of more than like 3-5 plays where he's been thrown on...  and I love that... nothing flashy coming from him, but we aren't hearin the announcers bringing him up for being picked on or anything, and he will pop someone.  I'd like to see them move forward with him as our starter.

[TKnight24]

Bethea? Good to go.

Lefeged? I'd prefer him strictly on ST cause he's a BEAST!

Ziib? I'd prefer him to be OFF this Team.

Look for us to Draft Matt Elam or Bacari Rambo in the Draft. We'll be looking for Bethea's Partner In Crime

[Gavin]

SS is still a need but Lefeged should get the chance

[CR91]

Bethea? Good to go.

Lefeged? I'd prefer him strictly on ST cause he's a BEAST!

Ziib? I'd prefer him to be OFF this Team.

Look for us to Draft Matt Elam or Bacari Rambo in the Draft. We'll be looking for Bethea's Partner In Crime

 

didnt you like that guy from texas? i prefer eric reid myself

[Dark Superman]

Yeah Joe is solid against the run.. Not the best pass coverage guy.. I still think we need to address it.

[jwilli69]

I believe it's a needed upgrade spot but Zibs did nothing on this team. If we had to choose between upgrade spots of SS and OLB , I would have to go OLB first since Joe hasn't been a large liability.

[Superman]

Safety is still a position of need. I like Lefeged, but he's merely serviceable. We can upgrade. Zbikowski hasn't been very good (better than what we've had the past two seasons, but still).

[TKnight24]

didnt you like that guy from texas? i prefer eric reid myself

Kenny Vaccaro? Yes. But I doubt we take him or Eric. LSU & Texas players aren't common on this team. And they might be gone on our pick so who knows?

[SteelCityColt]

I'd say CB or O line is a bigger need, and as our draft position keeps on falling it might need to be addressed in FA rather than the draft.

I like what Joe has done over Zibbi so far, seems to "want" it more.

[cmgww]

I don't get Zibs...he was a beast at ND. Not the best coverage guy but he hit hard, and was a great punt returner. For a former Golden Gloves boxer, you would think he would be the same in the pros. But he hasn't been. I know this isn't college, but I don't remember him putting a big hit on any player before he got hurt. I understand his liabilities, but I don't get his lack of desire to lay the lumber...

[Gavin]

I tend to think Zbikowski checked out because he was given the job when he was brought over, He was quoted  supposedly as saying he did that in Baltimore http://www.stampedeblue.com/2012/7/30/3201710/tom-zbikowski-i-lost-my-edge-in-baltimore

[NewColtsFan]

First,  it's a great question you ask, 91... 

 

My thoughts eco Superman's....

 

Lefeged is an upgrade over Zbik...     but that's not saying much...

 

I still think it requires finding someone either in FA or in the Draft.

 

So, he helps us now...   but in the long run,  I think the problem still needs a better solution....

[jskinnz]

I tend to think Zbikowski checked out because he was given the job when he was brought over, He was quoted as saying he did that in Baltimore http://www.stampedeblue.com/2012/7/30/3201710/tom-zbikowski-i-lost-my-edge-in-baltimore

 

He gives effort but he is just not very good.

[lollygagger8]

Lefeged is way better than Zibs. Zibs should go back to boxing. I do think we should draft somebody or get someone through FA.

[hoosierhawk]

Must have watched a different game Sunday than anyone here. Joe looked like he was running with 20# weights around is ankles. Not saying Zibby would have done any better but I disagree that Joe is an upgrade. He looked terrible against the run Sunday.

 

[Malakai432]

I definitely agree it's a position they still need to work on.  Hopefully there is a good FA SS that might fit the system or perhaps a hidden gem in the draft that Grigson might find. 

[NewEra]

Would love to bring in a Landry type ss!

[GoColts8818]

It's a concern but it's not the biggest one of the roster.  Frankly if we fix some of our other concerns I don't think we would notice the safety play as much.  Zibs is just kinda an enh player.  He's not great but if you put good players around him he can get the job done more times than not. 

[GoColts8818]

 

He gives effort but he is just not very good.

The problem is you could say the same about Lefeged (taking special teams out of the equation where he has earned his spot on this roster).  The only difference is that the message board likes one and doesn't like the other. 

[Gavin]

Actually looking at what he did at ND in 4 years, we are getting what we paid for, he is nothing special, serviceable but not the answer going forward, Punt Returner and backup at best

[PrincetonTiger]

Safety is still a concern

[hoosierhawk]

As 8818 said it is a concern but not our biggest. OL in my opinion is the biggest followed by CB,DL and OLB to rush the passer. It would also be nice to have a #2 WR who can catch the ball. Avery 's hands are suspect. It would be nice to pick up a safety in the 6th who can come in and immediately make a difference like Bethea did.

[oldunclemark]

with joe starting a couple games now what is the mindset now about the safety position? has joe done enough to be our starter of the future? should tom z get his job back? should we look at a safety in FA/draft

PT is right....we dont have the caliber safety we need going forward...we have decent players but just average guys

[JoKeR]

I can see other positions having a much bigger need to upgrade. I don't see the need for a world beater at SS either. Every team has a few positions that are not extremely productive, not much of a liability either, and not expensive. I wouldn't mind the Colts not focusing on SS and spending the money on other positions. On defense, SS is 1 of the last positions I'd want to upgrade.. We will need at least 1 OLB for the future, maybe 2. Redding is getting older at DE. DT is still a huge ???. We have depth issues at CB. On top of that we need to upgrade most of the Oline.

[Superman]

I can see other positions having a much bigger need to upgrade. I don't see the need for a world beater at SS either. Every team has a few positions that are not extremely productive, not much of a liability either, and not expensive. I wouldn't mind the Colts not focusing on SS and spending the money on other positions. On defense, SS is 1 of the last positions I'd want to upgrade.. We will need at least 1 OLB for the future, maybe 2. Redding is getting older at DE. DT is still a huge ???. We have depth issues at CB. On top of that we need to upgrade most of the Oline.

 

It's not a high profile position, but we've had several big plays allowed by poor safety play this season. And if you think back to the days of Bob Sanders, limited as they were, you'll remember how important a playmaker can be back there. I think we could get a rangy free safety and let Bethea play strong safety, and be better on the back end.

 

No question we have other defensive needs, but I don't think we should keep ignoring the safety situation. We've been subpar for three years now. The two years before that, we were average with Melvin Bullitt.