No. I'm with you! Barrett is a product of a bum rap that gets started on the board then it got perpetrated as if it was a fact by the more ignorant posters who half the time don't even see Barrett on their TV screen! I love when they say he sucks because he playes 10-12 yards off! Like I said. IGNORANT!
Yes. I'd rather have Jason Seahorn patrolling the sidelines. Like other mentioned Barrett would give way too large of a cushion & opposing teams would complete about 4-5 10 yard outs per game to his side. At least it seemed like that to me watching the games last year.
I think Barrett actually prefers to play off the receivers. Sometimes when a defensive coverage audible is called for, like a bump or a cushion, you can tell where a corner's place of preference on the receiver is, because that is where he's idling before he assumes the audible. Most of the times I noticed this (which was few, I admit), Barrett was way off the LOS. Maybe it was coincidence, but Law was always right on the line jawing with his man during those times, and we know how he likes it. Edit: on the subject of Barrett's capabilities, though, I think he has already proven that he can cover elite receivers when properly motivated. I don't believe in aberrations in this situation.
I won't miss Goodwin, he never threatened to displace a starter, which is plenty indication for me that there is better available. If the starters aren't pushed what motivates them to maintain a high level of play? As for Barrett? I was high on him in 04, but now I feel he is slack in his man coverage, he allows far too big of a cushion and gives up too many underneath completions. Sure he's great down the field, but the opponent doesn't need to go down the field if he has 8-12 free yards every play.
I don't worry about what he did in Arizona, I know he playd well for us in '04 and I am hopeful he can play like that again. Remember we did play great D in the '04 playoffs w/ he and Donnie Abe as our corners(along w/ Buckley as our Nickel) and w/o John Abe. I'm not saying Barrett is great but I liked the progres of Miller and I fell pretty good about our secondary in the near future.
There's no question Barrett prefers to play off the WRs, and with good reason I think. He knows if they get behind him he's not going to be able to close the gap, or get close enough to break up a completion. I don't think Barrett is dogging it or deliberately giving the WR a huge cushion to piss off the fans. I think he plays to the best of his ability, which in the sense of being a 1 on 1 "cover corner" is extremely limited. Barrett did have some big time games in 04 but I don't think any of them were against "elite" WR's. Some will argue that Plax is one, however he was coming off an injury and has a tendency to take himself out of games. Of course we all know what happened in the last game of the regular season when he went up against the Rams WRs. Barrett does do some things well as he is a solid tackler and provides run support, he just feels like too much of a "Herm player" to me. Chances of Barrett's play improving also seem very low to me, his failings are mostly physical, although I guess it all depends what direction Mangini takes the defense. In a well designed scheme that has Barrett playing more of a safety role rather then matching up 1 on 1 on WR's I think he could do well.
Some players have off games, I wont judge a guy becaus of one game, I think he is a good starter, not a number 1 but a good 2 Goodbye Goodwin, I guess I'll miss, well no I probably won't
Well it looks like the FO agrees w/ you so either they aren't satisfied w/ Barrett or Miller after signing Dyson long term. Either way it bolsters the depth.
