2013 Seahawks Defensive Secondary Best EVER?
The Minnesota Vikings have reaped the benefits of acquiring CB Antoine Winfield since signing him nine years ago. For nearly a decade, he didn't disappoint anyone with the Vikings. Winfield is considered by several, NFL player analysts, to be the best pass defending slot cover in the NFL and also one of the best DB's in run support. His diminutive 5'9" frame didn't scare away the Vikings years ago, nor did it scare the Seattle Seahawks just months ago, signing him to a one-year contract as a free agent after the Vikings released him. Apparently, officials in the front office of the Minnesota Vikings determined that the 36-year-old Winfield had already played his best football in the past, and considering his age, predicted he would no longer be able to continue to perform at the high level that he has throughout his 14 year career The Seahawks genuinely hope they were very wrong! After having the OTA’s and minicamps in Seattle, the Seahawks may have collected one of the really great free agent steals of the 2013 off-season in Winfield.
So, does Antoine Winfield have "enough left in the tank" to play on the same field with Seattle's "Legion of Boom" (Sherman, Browner, Thomas, and Chancellor), the best defensive secondary in football? The Seahawks coach and front office officials sure seem to think so. In fact, Seattle GM John Schneider, was completely perplexed as to why Vikings' head coach, Leslie Frazier, and GM Rick Spielman, would even consider parting ways with such a high character, high performance and big-time player, like Winfield. AW is a three-time pro-bowl cornerback that probably deserved more trips and who has done nothing but dominate [both as a pass defender and against the run], throughout his career, but particularly in his final year with the Vikings. In Minnesota, Winfield was the much-needed veteran leadership keeping a very young and shaky defensive group together, (on and off the field). He was also the kind of balancing presence essential for an inexperienced, developing defense, like the Vikings, to grow, work together and stay focused. After studying the career statistical spreadsheet on Winfield, in particular the last five seasons, it's puzzling why anyone (in their right mind) would let this man go, regardless of his age. Anyone who can add, subtract, multiply and divide can see that Winfield has a lot of tread left on his tires and everything you could possibly want in a corner, in particular a slot corner. In fact, he’s obviously got enough tread to drudge on out of the snows of Minneapolis and onto the slick streets of Seattle for the 2013 season, if not more. The Seahawks are doubtful to offer him an extension and his age, with Pete Carroll who likes to keep the team young and incredibly athletic. However, if Winfield has an outstanding season, and stays injury free this season, who knows?
NOTE: Winfield played it all 16 games last season collected 101 tackles in 2012, along with 3 interceptions, 8 passes defended and 8 stuffs.
"Pro Football Focus", a magazine publication and Internet website primarily devoted to deep statistical analysis of the NFL has ranked the Top 10 Cornerbacks over the last five years of play, and comes to the conclusion that Winfield is not only one of the best in the game against the pass, having not allowed a touchdown to be scored against him in three years, but is also so much better than the rest of the league at stopping the run it's "insane" to let him go and a true nugget of gold to put in the pockets of an already filthy rich team with a defensive secondary and total defense that was already the best unit in football; A true defining example of the rich get richer in this case, and now Winfield gets a legitimate chance to play for a team that is serious about bringing a Lombardi trophy to the city of Seattle for the first time in franchise history. All comments coming from Winfield to the press reflect a man who was ready to put Minnesota and the Vikings in his rearview mirror and genuinely excited to play for a team with a new confidence and expectation of flying to the Meadowlands in 2014 and taking it ALL on the biggest Sunday in all of the NFL. However, Winfield is also impressed by a Seahawks team, from top to bottom, that has a collective realization that they haven't done anything… yet. They also understand that the only way to the Super Bowl is one game at a time and that's their approach to the new season.
It's well-known that Antoine Winfield is a solid cover corner in the NFL and despite his lack of verticality; he has been practically unbeatable in the red zone. Over the last 14 years he's averaged 75.25 tackles per year, and 76 average in his last five seasons, so it's obvious he isn't slowing down. In fact, just last season he had 101 tackles. Now, because he's going to primarily play the nickel role in Seattle's defensive secondary, on primarily passing downs, he won’t even come close to his numbers in Minnesota, but that's simply because he is surrounded by great players 100% of the time. Another potential impact player to play side-by-side with Winfield is a fourth-year pro corner Walter Thurmond. Despite Thurmond's four years in the NFL, he has only played sparsely due to a collection of injuries. He has tremendous upside potential and has shown freakish athletic ability playing in press coverage and in complex zone blocking combinations. He has big hands and a huge wingspan from fingertip to fingertip. He has quick hips and can snap them around and change direction to reroute the fastest wide receivers in the NFL, destroying the timing between the quarterback and receiver. When he has played, he has looked sensational. Unfortunately, the injuries keep him on the bench, but for the first time in his pro career, Thurmond is healthy. He has looked fantastic during team OTA's and the veteran minicamp's. He has tremendous leaping ability and puts himself in a position to make even the most difficult interceptions. There's nothing but upside for Thurmond if he can keep himself away from the injury bug. Winfield will truly be guilty of the lily as he comes into his first Seahawks training camp. In his 14 years in the NFL, he has averaged 9 passes defense per season, and 12 in his final season with the Vikings. What is going to make Winfield so effective in the Seattle secondary is that he won't be required to cover as much of the field as he did during his playing days in Buffalo and Minnesota. There's a lot of help in Seattle's defensive secondary and that will allow him to cheat a little on receivers in space, knowing he can rely on help from all directions inside and out, shallow and deep. Winfield also has an exemplary character and will provide valuable veteran presence in the locker room, throughout a long, grueling NFL season. He has a great attitude and understands exactly what his role is in this defense, which will be a big departure away from his starting position at the corner position during his 14 seasons. I think he could be a huge improvement to an already stifling, almost impenetrable secondary in Seattle. Pete Carroll has got to be smiling from ear to ear. It appears that Winfield is an ideal fit for the Seahawks at this time in his career and at a time were Seattle is posturing for a special, hopefully memorable season. They really do have all the talent in the world to get some great things accomplished this year. They have the best owner in football, a great coaching staff, great facilities, the loudest fans in the world and a roster that seems loaded in every aspect of the game. For perhaps the first time in franchise history, the Seattle Seahawks franchise has become a destination for many young and veteran players throughout the NFL. The snazzy new uniforms never hurt. I think one of the reasons the Oregon ducks program has been so successful is the influence of the Nike Corporation on the university’s athletic department. They have excellent facilities and an ever-changing variety of newfangled, futuristic type uniforms that attract a lot of young athletes to the school. I don’t think the NFL is such a huge departure from the college attraction to the new and innovative parts of the game. The best of the best is what professional athletes want.
Notes:
The Seahawks will likely keep six corners and five safeties. Corner Locks: Richard Sherman, Brandon Browner, Antoine Winfield. Fighting for three possible openings: Jeremy Lane, Walter Thurmond III, Tharold Simon, Byron Maxwell, Will Blackmon, Ron Parker, and DeShawn Shead. Safety Locks: Kam Chancellor, Earl Thomas. Fighting for three possible openings: Winston Guy, Jeron Johnson, Ray Polk, and Chris Maragos.
Go Hawks!
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