RR: Cockrell to push Bradberry for #1 CB

[KillerKat]

Only reason I can think of for the decline of Bradberry was Wilks' move to DC. Now he's gone. Bradberry was almost as bad as Worley last season. He looked lost on almost every play and QBs were not afraid to throw his way. I hope we continue lighting a fire under the picks DG made. He made a lot of terrible picks and we need to fix his mistakes.

[pantherclaw]

Open competition, as it should be. No need to make something of it.

[MtnProwler]

3 hours ago, MHS831 said:

This sounds as if we are OK going into the season with Bradberry, Cockrell, and Seymour, but a drafted CB is probably in the mix.  Interesting comments about competition--sounds like they got rid of Worley because he would not push Bradberry.

Thoughts that went through MHS' brain while reading this:

• No mention of Gunter.
• Boy, Worley would hate this. 
• Does this also bash Bradberry?
• It is interesting that 65% of respondents to the survey are OK with the CB situation.
• I wonder who invented jelly?

https://www.derp/2018/4/7/17210252/nfl-carolina-panthers-ross-cockrell-james-bradberry-ron-rivera-no-1-cornerback-competition

 

 

Gunter re-signed after the interview with RR but before this article was published. Take it for what it is but that's why there was no mention of him at that time.

[MHS831]

3 hours ago, Soul Rebel said:

Is it just me or is there overreaction to Bradberry's 2017 play?

He turned in a pretty amazing rookie year and had a sophomore slump. He's still a really good corner, IMO and until I see another season like I did in 2017, I believe he is a potential CB1. I think our defense as a whole got exposed more last year than I can remember. Coleman was downright awful last year, Worley was Jekyll and Hyde and even guys like Luke and Shaq had moments of lapse. I think Wilks was to blame for a lot of it too. 

I think Cockrell will push Bradberry and we will have two solid starting corners....something we have not had for awhile. It's kinda like our WR position.... we don't have a true WR1, but Funch is pretty close to it and as a whole our unit is solid. 

Not just you, and it was not a real sophomore slump...We blitzed way too much.  40% of the time in 2017 vs. 25% in 2016.  I am confident that we helped Worley more and left Bradberry on an island.  OK, let's say there are 30 passes in a game.  That means 12 passes were thrown during a blitz, when the CB was in man coverage.

In 2016, the QB throws 30 passes, but only 7.5 of the passes were during blitzes.  Let's say that of the 12 passes thrown in 2016, the QB completes 60% of those--about 7 passes.  In 2017, 60% of 7.5 is about 4.5.  The difference is 2.5 passes when completed have big play potential.   Who makes the big plays?  The #1 WR in most cases.  So,, if the difference is 3 passes a game that are most likely to break a big play, it is reasonable to suggest that blitzing may have cost us about more 50 yards per game than in 2016.

And let's look at the Panther reaction to this issue in the off season.  They let Coleman go (in his prime) and they  trade Worley.  That (to me) suggests that Bradberry was asked to do too much for a Zone CB and they put him in a bad situation.  Bradberry was the lone sheriff when the town was raided by the bad guys. 

Someone said, "He gave up a lot underneath." He sure did.  That is where a good WR (the #1) goes when he sees a blitz.  Bradberry had deep third or deep half responsibility because Adams was old and limited and Coleman was leaning toward Worley (an example-could be the other way around at times).  Bradberry was playing zone CB, and he knows what routes the offense runs out of certain formations.  Blitzing causes the WR and the QB to get on the same page and improvise.  Not what Bradberry does.

Finally, take a look at the QBs he faced after week 2:  Brees, Brees, Ryan, Ryan, Winston, Winston, Brady, Rogers, Stafford, Wentz,  and a few hot-handed veterans Keenum and McCown.

So Bradberry needs someone to take #1 from him.  He would be a much better #2 than Worley.

 

[MHS831]

4 hours ago, thomas96 said:

If we can get anything out of a rookie DE, Hall, Obada or Cox and Pep, Addison and Horton can replicate or build upon last year and if Poe is as advertised as an interior pass rusher (the aspect of his game that Star didn't have) then I honestly think we'll be in great shape defensively regardless of who is at CB. Cockrell is a really solid signing and I think could have a Kurt Coleman like impact but at corner. I hope we get an instant starter at S in the first 3 rounds too but I really think if we can get a pass rush that resembles 2013 then our secondary should be just fine with what we've got back there. Need Shaq to take that step forward into TD's 2013 role though. The 4 game suspension should allow him to take a stranglehold on that role and when TD comes back he can become a rotational guy like Blackburn was then. If CB is BPA early then great go for it and keep stacking the defense but if it doesn't turn out that way I still feel good about the group we have.

I don't understand why we get so worked up about DBs--this team wins and loses based on the front 7.  Always have.   The big question mark is DE.  I am fine with Bradberry, Cockrell, Adams and Searcy at this point because the draft will probably strengthen these spots.  I do not see any help at DE beyond the roster.

Obada could be the hidden gem.  Wouldn't that be fun?

[LinvilleGorge]

12 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

I don't understand why we get so worked up about DBs--this team wins and loses based on the front 7.  Always have.   The big question mark is DE.  I am fine with Bradberry, Cockrell, Adams and Searcy at this point because the draft will probably strengthen these spots.  I do not see any help at DE beyond the roster.

Obada could be the hidden gem.  Wouldn't that be fun?

We gotta be able to cover better than we did last year. We were 3rd in the NFL in sacks and our secondary still got picked apart.

[MtnProwler]

If Cockrell effectively pushes or beats Bradberry at #1 then we are probably having a good season.

[ItsPantone278]

Sounds like Worley was just a scrub after all.  Think about how much Bradberry was struggling at one point.  The number 2 guy couldn't even challenge for snaps as the lead cover man, because he was too busy riding the pine for his own spot.  Add in his comments in the press, all those PIs and getting out run down field.

[RetiredCollegeCoach]

Remember how a third of the people at this forum kept repeatedly pointing out that Worley was trash and that Badberry was a try-hard #2 at best? And it was so, so horrible to say that? Ban the nasty man!

It's almost as if we were seeing things objectively.

[Moo Daeng]

8 hours ago, MHS831 said:

I don't understand why we get so worked up about DBs--this team wins and loses based on the front 7.  Always have.   The big question mark is DE.  I am fine with Bradberry, Cockrell, Adams and Searcy at this point because the draft will probably strengthen these spots.  I do not see any help at DE beyond the roster.

Obada could be the hidden gem.  Wouldn't that be fun?

It's not a coincidence that we had our best year with our best dbs

[cardiackat88.]

What happened to Korn Elder? Is munnerlyn still on the squad?

[panther4life]

After reading those Rivera quotes sounds like he would love Jaire Alexander. Super competitive and has the skill set to immediately challenge Bradberry and Cockrell for the # 1 corner spot

[MHS831]

12 hours ago, MtnProwler said:

Gunter re-signed after the interview with RR but before this article was published. Take it for what it is but that's why there was no mention of him at that time.

Makes sense. Good point.  I personally like Gunter as depth and on special teams--he is young and can evolve into a good player (see Norman, Josh).

[MHS831]

11 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

We gotta be able to cover better than we did last year. We were 3rd in the NFL in sacks and our secondary still got picked apart.

No doubt.  When we blitz, I think of it like in hockey when you pull your goalie to get an extra man advantage on one side of the field.  Eventually, you get burned and it is not a good idea to do a lot.  We blitzed too much, and with poor safety play for much of the season, it bit us.  Once the QB has seen your blitzes, he learns the giveaways.  I love listening to Romo call a football game because he sees it and points it out.  So if we show these looks to the QB 40% of the game, it puts a lot of pressure on the DBs if the blitz is picked up.  I know you know this, but Bradberry is a Zone CB who had to play man a lot.  Norman went from 2016 in Carolina (25% blitzes) to Washington where they blitzed more and his numbers fell. 

Covering better (and I agree) requires help in front (pressure) and help over the top.  We were third in sacks but only Cleveland blitzed more than us...when they didn't get there, we were outnumbered and outclassed.  We played some smart QBs last year (Brady Rogers Brees x 2, Ryan  x 2, Stafford, Cutler,  etc. 

I think Bradberry needs to compete and it would not surprise me to see him as the #3 outside CB by the end of camp.