Why DeAngelo Hall Should Not be the Redskins Starting Cornerback Anymore

Everyone's favorite over-paid cornerback, DeAngelo Hall, should not be a starting corner on this football team anymore.................he SHOULD be our starting free safety!

Yeah, I said it, and I'll stand by it.

Frankly, even a Pop Warner coach can see that the combination of Madieu Williams, and whomever else is thrown back there next to him is just not working.

Madieu Williams is slow; we all know this. Add to this his reaction skills are that of an 80-year-old man with Tachypsychia, and you have a recipe for disaster. Well, that recipe has been given time to marinate, and last week it was put into the oven to bake, and boy did the Giants enjoy the finished product.

Something NEEDS to be done!

While doing some research on last years NFL draft safety prospects I found this out: Of the top 25 safety prospects in the 2012 NFL Draft, 10 played, or at one point in their college careers HAVE played, corner.

It's easy to recognize that the NFL has evolved into a pass-first league, and because of this, the role of an NFL safety has changed too. With more four and five wide sets, safeties are asked to play more like corners. In the past, it was ideal to have one safety who was considered a run-stopper, and another who was proficient in pass coverage. Today, you absolutely need a guy who excels at both.

I was reading an article on NFL.com from Bucky Brooks, and although this was written a few years ago, it rings very true in today's NFL:

"A number of GMs and head coaches I spoke with at the NFL Scouting Combine told me they are looking for multitalented defensive backs that can handle all the adjustments to personnel groups and formations. Translation: find safeties that play like corners but aren't fragile and will not break down when the contact comes at them. St. Louis Rams GM Billy Devaney said it best: "You need a guy that can handle a slot receiver and come up and stop the run or blitz."

This is where DeAngelo Hall comes in.

The blurb above by Bucky Brooks describes DeAngelo Hall to a "T". Hall is a defensive back who can certainly adjust to all different types of personnel groups and formations. This year alone he's played on the other teams best receiver in bump-and-run man coverage, in the slot, and 15 yards deep at safety. Hall is far from fragile, often showing the big play ability to come up and lay the wood on opposing pass-catchers, most of whom are quite a bit bigger than he is. He also has shown to be a good blitzer off the edge. Moreover, Hall possesses a unique set of ball-skills that would be a huge attribute at free safety. His reaction time when the ball is in the air is excellent, and when he arrives, he's usually in good position to make a play on the football. When he does attempt to make a play on the ball, the results are usually pretty positive for the Redskins.

Now, a permanent move from corner to safety may take a few weeks, but by slowly easing him in before the bye week, and they using that off-week to refine his technique, we could be a much better team coming down the home stretch.

The problem with moving Hall to safety, is who takes his place at corner?

Wilson will stay at one corner spot, while the other could be reserved for Cedric Griffin or Richard Crawford. Both should see plenty of time anyways as either the outside, or slot defensive back. David Jones can be used as the fourth(dime)corner.

This move would allow Haslett's defense to flourish, as he could rely on Hall's knowledge, athleticism, and ball skills to provide over-the-top help in man coverage situations, and would allow more opportunities to blitz opposing quarterbacks.

For a man whom some consider to be over-paid, this is a great way for him to earn his money, while at the same time prolonging his NFL career.