Eric Reid: FS or SS

[Bartin]

2 minutes ago, DaGreat_98 said:

Eric Reid was a former 1st round pick who wasn't given a fair shake because he took a knee.

The hell? Nothing about anything on the field for the last 5 years has anything at all to do with him taking a knee. He was given more than a fair shake by the 49ers. The only thing that taking a knee caused him was getting signed late this year. He's better in the box because he is bad at covering WRs down the field. He lost his FS job because he couldn't cover well enough. He lost his SS job because he got hurt then the backup who replaced him was better than him last year. He then regained the SS job when the starting FS for the 49ers went on IR and they moved the SS to FS and he moved back to SS. Here are his PFF grades for the last 5 years:

2013 - 69.5 FS

2014 - 63.4 FS

2015 - 66.7 FS

2016 - 58.1 FS

2017 - 70.3 SS/LB

That's an average player.

We can also go find 49ers fans comments on Reid where they confirm he is a better SS than FS and has trouble covering WRs down the field and they've watched more of him than any of us have.

https://www.reddit.com/r/49ers/comments/9jdy17/panther_fan_incoming_how_good_was_eric_reid_as_a/

 

Quote

Hard hitter, smart player, great locker room guy, will make you want to put your remote through your TV at times when he has to drop back deep in coverage. Has a history of concussions.

He’s best at strong safety imo (but he can play free safety, and even linebacker if you’re desperate I guess, although with your LB core I doubt it), he’s solid against the run and great at covering tight ends, we gave up the second least receiving yards to TEs last year (after you guys lol) iirc. He’s a really solid addition, the only big weakness of his is that he gets injured often, but as long as you have a decent free safety he’ll complement your defense really well

He's an above average safety. Hard hitter. He's not the best in zone coverage -- he's a better strong safety than free safety.

Good in run support, hard hitting, sure tackler, decent in coverage within 10 yards of the LoS. Bad in coverage beyond 10 yards of the LoS.

Great dude, smart, well-spoken, team leader. He makes your defense better right away.

I felt more confident with Reid at SS than our young supposedly "elite" safeties because Reid took smart angles and tackled. High IQ player that could lay the wood, best fit is SS.

He’s a great SS and good FS.

Above average SS below average Fs. Great team leader.

Pretty good at run stopping, not so much in coverage. Has some history with concussions.

His biggest weakness is deep pass coverage in helping out cornerbacks and preventing long yardage plays. He also tended to knock himself out a lot. He was great at tackling and preventing passes in front of where the safety sets up, but cannot cover deep. He needs to be on a team with good cornerbacks because he can't he doesn't help them much.

If you playing a two high safety scheme or you want him at ss in the box cam chancellor type hes your guy. Haven't seen him mich in a single high role to judge but i honestly dont think he has tbe sideline to sideline speed. He also is a sure tackler which we niners could really use right now

 

Strengths: Very good when he's in the box as a SS and coming downhill in the run game or to cover short zones in pass coverage. While you'll see what I think his weaknesses in coverage are below, I think he does well sitting in short zones, reading the play, and attacking underneath routes. I thought playing in-the-box SS for us last season was the best he'd ever looked for us. Good hitter and usually I felt that he was a good tackler. As a person/teammate he seems to be a great guy. Very smart and well spoken individual.

Weaknesses: Weak in man coverage with WRs or being asked to play deep center field type coverage. He used to play more of a deep/FS role for us early in his career and he constantly looked outmatched. Looked like a LB trying to run with WRs. He just doesn't have the speed, quickness, or agility to lock players down in coverage. I think he had some concussion issues for a couple of years.

Had the makings to be something special early but something happened, maybe the injuries shook him. If he fits your scheme you've got an above average player

There's more if you want to read that thread but they all pretty much say the exact same thing. Strong tackler, good against the run, covers TEs well, gets beat deep and has trouble with WRs. Above average safety.

[Untouchable]

 

I posted the above tweet in another thread showing the coaching staff sees SS as his primary role.  Which makes sense according to this analysts opinion below (which falls in line with posts by others in here).

 

 

[ncfan]

10 minutes ago, Bartin said:

The hell? Nothing about anything on the field for the last 5 years has anything at all to do with him taking a knee. He was given more than a fair shake by the 49ers. The only thing that taking a knee caused him was getting signed late this year. He's better in the box because he is bad at covering WRs down the field. He lost his FS job because he couldn't cover well enough. He lost his SS job because he got hurt then the backup who replaced him was better than him last year. He then regained the SS job when the starting FS for the 49ers went on IR and they moved the SS to FS and he moved back to SS. Here are his PFF grades for the last 5 years:

2013 - 69.5 FS

2014 - 63.4 FS

2015 - 66.7 FS

2016 - 58.1 FS

2017 - 70.3 SS/LB

That's an average player.

We can also go find 49ers fans comments on Reid where they confirm he is a better SS than FS and has trouble covering WRs down the field and they've watched more of him than any of us have.

https://www.reddit.com/r/49ers/comments/9jdy17/panther_fan_incoming_how_good_was_eric_reid_as_a/

 

There's more if you want to read that thread but they all pretty much say the exact same thing. Strong tackler, good against the run, covers TEs well, gets beat deep and has trouble with WRs. Above average safety.

And there is where our struggle has been with Safeties.

We cant guard

1. TEs

2. Slot WRs (which that in box safety helps)

3. Running backs catching passes out of the backfield and turning for big gains

 

Everyone is getting all hyped about him as a deep safety helping cover deep routes mainly of #1s and 2s

Last week, Eifert- 6 catches for 74 yards. On 8 targets.  Tyler Boyd who went off on us was mainly on the slot, making those short to intermediate passes to longer plays.

Vs Atlanta- Donte Jackson had a rookie game vs a rookie.  That may not happen again.  But Hooper the TE 5 catches for 59 yards and a TD on 5 Targets

 

Vs Dallas: our front feasted which helped.  But the slot 7 catches for 73 yards on 8 targets.  The TE was 3 catches on 4 targets that game.

 

 

So far TEs are 14 of 17 targets this year

 

So our weakness is his strength, this is nothing but a win situation 

[The4ManRush]

Primarily a strong safety but he's versatile and plays well in man against backs and tight ends, can play nickel or dime LB in certain packages and is solid in run support. I did a video breaking down the different aspects of his game if anyone wants to see the things he can do.