Tag: Jayron Kearse

The NFL’s 11 best slot defenders

Doug Farrar continues his positional lists of the NFL’s best players with the 11 best slot defenders heading into the 2023 NFL season.

In the 2022 NFL season, defenses played nickel (five defensive backs) on 12,630 opponent passing attempts. Defenses played dime (six defensive backs) on 2,715 opponent dropbacks. With just 3,206 opponent dropbacks against four defensive backs last season, base defense is no longer base defense — nickel is the new base, and has been for some time.

Moreover, the influx of three-safety looks in the NFL has increased, as has the specific “big nickel” looks with three safeties and two cornerbacks.

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The point of this preamble? That slot defenders are more important than they’ve ever been. Whether it’s in a more traditional nickel or dime look with just one slot defender, or defenses aligning two slot defenders to the strong side of the 3×1 formation, slot defenders aren’t just pre-emptive starters anymore — they’re integral parts of modern defenses, and good luck having a great defense without at least one.

Slot defenders have their own skill sets. It’s not like it was 20 years ago, when the smallest, slowest defensive back on a roster was relegated to the slot. Now, those guys need to have the coverage skills of cornerbacks, the run-stopping abilities of strong safeties, and the blitz instincts of linebackers.

It’s a fascinating gig.

As Greg Cosell of NFL Films and ESPN’s NFL Matchup said in this week’s edition of the “Xs and Os” podcast/video, the requirements for top-tier slot defenders make it a unique position.

The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell: Building the perfect secondary

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“Slot defenders are an interesting breed. They can come in all shapes and sizes. They can be smaller, like Mike Hilton, who I think is one of the best slot defenders in the league. They can be bigger; it depends on what you want. But think of it this way — I know the numbers might be going down a bit, but teams line up in 11 personnel [one running back, one tight end, three receivers] a majority of the time. And teams are playing out of 11 personnel on first down — on second-and-3. What we consider normal down-and-distance situations where the run game is part of the offense. It’s not jst a third-down situation.

“Your slot defender is not just a pass defender. Your slot defender has to be able to defend the run, because there are a lot of teams that run toward the slot defender, because they know he’s not as good a run defender as you’d see running to the other side, where you might have bigger bodies. He also has to be part of pressure schemes. How often do we see slot defenders in today’s NFL as blitzers?

“So, not only do you have to play man coverage against receivers who have a two-way go, you also have to play underneath zone coverage, which is different than playing underneath zone coverage if you’re an outside cornerback. There are different rules, because zones all have their own rules.”

As has been the case with other defensive backs on this year’s list, the transfer of power from season to season is inconsistent, at best. Just two slot defenders from last year’s list — Derwin James and Kyle Dugger — made it in the 2023 group. Sometimes, that was about positional changes; other times, the performances from last year’s top slot defenders were simply eclipsed by the new guys.

No matter how you slice it, it’s tough to be a great slot defender in today’s NFL, and here are out 11 best heading into the 2023 season.

The NFL’s 11 best cornerbacks
The NFL’s 11 best safeties

(All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus and Sports Info Solutions unless otherwise indicated). 

How NFC East teams rank at the safety position

The NFC East is expected to be competitive once again, but are the safeties on each team on similar plateaus? | From @cdpiglet

The NFC East had three teams make the playoffs last season, including the Philadelphia Eagles who represented the conference in the Super Bowl. A far cry from the division once dubbed the NFC Least, due to its inability to produce a relevant contender. This group appears to be the best combination of teams in the NFC.  So what will make the difference in who emerges as the champion for 2023?

This is a breakdown of each team and how they rank position by position. The series begins with the safeties.

Is the Cowboys’ three-headed approach worthy top spot? Will the loss of Bobby McCain to the New York Giants doom the Commanders at the position? Can Xavier McKinney bounce back from a poor third season? Will the loss of both starters, including the interception leader in the league, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, set the Eagles back at all? Here is a look at how the safety rooms match up in the NFC East.

Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse will not wear No. 0 after all

From @ToddBrock24f7: After previously announcing the switch, Kearse says “logistical things” will keep him in his familiar No. 27 this season.

Change of plans; Jayron Kearse won’t have a change of jersey numbers in 2023.

The Cowboys safety had been previously announced as the first player in franchise history who would wear the number 0 after a new league rule allowing it was approved in March.

But during Thursday’s OTA practice session, several reporters noticed that Kearse was still sporting his No. 27 jersey. The 29-year-old confirmed to media members after the team walkthrough that he’d be staying in that jersey for the upcoming season.

“When you see a ballgame in September, I’m going to be 27,” Kearse said. “I’m wearing 27.”

So what happened?

“There were some logistical things that we weren’t able to work out.”

It’s not clear what those logistical things might have been. Existing rules stipulate that a player wishing to make a change to his jersey number must first buy out the entire remaining unsold inventory of his old number; whether that was the case for Kearse is unknown.

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Linebacker Micah Parsons had also expressed interest in wearing the No. 0 jersey back in March, but Fox San Antonio KABB reporter Chuck Miketinac tweeted that Parsons told him he’s not sure what the team will do with the number this season.

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Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse officially given No. 0 jersey

After a friendly back-and-forth with LB Micah Parsons, the veteran safety will be the first Cowboys player to ever wear the No. 0 in a game. | From @ToddBrock24f7

It’s now 0-fficial.

Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse will become the first player in franchise history to wear No. 0, after a new rule approved this week cleared the use of zero as a jersey number across the league.

The 29-year-old wore No. 27 upon entering the league as a Vikings draft pick in 2016 but then switched to 42 in 2020 with Detroit. Kearse came to Dallas in 2021 and briefly sported the number 32 during training camp, as No. 27 was being worn by Trevon Diggs. But by the time the regular season began (and single-digit jersey rules had been relaxed), Diggs moved to No. 7, allowing Kearse to go back to his familiar No. 27, which he was worn for the past two seasons.

But when NFL owners okayed the use of zero this week, Kearse was among the first players to call dibs on social media, tweeting out “Somebody gone head and cook up that edit for me” on Twitter on Tuesday.

Cowboys linebacker Micah Parsons also expressed an interest, telling followers, “Im switching!! Agent 0 coming soon!”

But it appears that Kearse had already secured the number change.

League rules stipulate that Kearse will have to buy out the existing inventory his unsold No. 27 jerseys in order to complete the switch.

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ESPN names best, worst Cowboys free agent signings of past 5 seasons

As the ’23 free agency season is about to start, ESPN looks backs at which veterans shined and which ones flamed out in new NFL homes. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The 2023 free agency feeding frenzy is about to begin. Fans want to believe that every veteran their team brings aboard is the last missing piece to a championship puzzle, and every experienced guy they let walk out the door must be past his prime and obviously no longer worth the price to keep him.

But the reality is that adding free agents is often little more than an expensive roll of the dice. Some free agents blossom with their new team; some simply show why they were allowed to leave in the first place. And the reasons why a free agent acquisition works- or doesn’t- can be chalked up to everything from team chemistry to scheme fit to unrealistic expectations to just plain old luck.

ESPN’s crew of NFL Nation reporters looked back through the player rolls for the past five seasons to name the best and worst free agent signing for every club in the league.

The Cowboys aren’t traditionally big players in the free agency market, but they’re well-represented in this list of some of the best and worst deals to go down since 2018.

Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse expertly trolled Nick Sirianni after Eagles’ Super Bowl loss

The Cowboys/Eagles rivalry STAYS petty.

Dallas Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse found the most hilarious way to troll Philadelphia Eagles coach Nick Sirianni after the latter’s team fell short of Super Bowl 57.

While Kearse’s team got taken down by the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC divisional round, he didn’t forget Sirianni’s brash sideline antics as Philly failed to take home another Lombardi on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Not even needing to offer anything more than a GIF, Kearse found a hilarious way to take a jab at the coach of Dallas’ archrival. You have to applaud the pettiness to get this in so soon, too.

Oh my goodness, this is next-level trolling. Kearse will undoubtedly be getting some extra attention from Sirianni and the Eagles next season if they see this tweet, which of course they will.

One of the NFL’s best rivalries can always use some additional bad vibes, and Kearse was ready to contribute.

Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse’s emotional offseason to include shoulder surgery

The Cowboys safety took Sunday’s loss especially hard, the end of a season that saw him and others battle through multiple injuries. | From @ToddBrock24f7

Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse fought back tears after the team’s 19-12 loss Sunday to the 49ers in the NFC’s divisional round.

“I gave it everything I had,” he told reporters.

Turns out, he gave more than most on the outside realized.

Kearse will need offseason surgery to repair a shoulder injury he’s had for two months. The seven-year veteran suffered a dislocated shoulder and labrum tear versus the Giants on Thanksgiving, yet played on through the team’s postseason run.

“I battled a lot this year,” Kearse explained to media members at his locker. “I just…”

But his voice trailed off as he shook his head, stopping himself from going further.

There was a knee injury that forced his early exit from the season opener and cost him three outings. There was a back issue. A pregame scare when he landed awkwardly during warmups before the Houston game. And an MCL sprain against Tampa Bay just last week that he promised to overcome in time for San Francisco.

He did, turning in five tackles and one for loss against the 49ers, helping his unit put up a solid effort against a top offense by holding them to under 20 points.

“It’s tough when you know you could have won the game,” Kearse admitted, “and you’ve got to watch them celebrate.”

The veteran, about to turn 29, wasn’t the only Cowboys defender who fought through personal health issues this season. He credited Donovan Wilson, Malik Hooker, Leighton Vander Esch, Micah Parsons, and DeMarcus Lawrence with the same perseverance he showed over the promising 2022 campaign.

“I knew we had a chance to do it. And I didn’t want to miss an opportunity to play with those guys, play next to those guys. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get it done,” Kearse explained, his voice cracking once again. “This is why it hurts so much, because I know we had the team to do it. We had the right guys to do it.”

And he knows that some of those “right guys” won’t be wearing the star again in 2023.

“That’s the harsh reality of his business,” he said. “But as of now, this roster is the same. When we go in that building tomorrow, I get to see my teammates. Hug them. Just be around them. And wherever the chips fall, that’s just where they fall. You’ll never have the same roster two years in a row. But I know we have the right guys. I know that.”

For Kearse and the 2022 Cowboys, knowing it will have to be enough. Because they won’t get the chance to prove it.

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Cowboys injuries: Parsons, Kearse give positive updates; team ‘certainly concerned’ for Jason Peters

Micah Parsons and Jayron Kearse brushed off Monday’s in-game injuries, but Jerry Jones voiced concern for 40-year-old Jason Peters’ hip. | From @ToddBrock24f7

The Cowboys went into Raymond James Stadium feeling very good about their team’s health, with several marquee players back in the lineup.

After silencing the cannons in a dominant 31-14 win over the Buccaneers to advance to the next round, they left Tampa with a few new questions about who’s going to be available in next weekend’s divisional matchup.

Three notable Cowboys players either left the game early or were obviously dinged during the Monday night win. Two of them gave encouraging updates on their own health following the team’s first road playoff victory in 30 years.

Safety Jayron Kearse was a significant contributor to the clampdown on Bucs quarterback Tom Brady, recording three tackles, defending three passes, and intercepting an end zone strike to kill a Tampa Bay scoring drive. And in a defense that promised to show some new looks after a few weeks of late-season tinkering, Kearse found himself lining up at several different positions on the field.

But he was forced to exit the contest in the third quarter after suffering an apparent left knee injury. Kearse needed considerable assistance from team trainers just to get to the sideline, and he did not return to action.

On the first series with him off the field, Tampa Bay went 95 yards on 10 plays and scored their first touchdown on the night.

Despite what looked to be a severe injury, though, he hinted that he’ll be fine to face the 49ers on Sunday.

“It’s feeling all right,” Kearse told reporters at his locker following the win. “I’ll be good. It’s feeling all right. It’ll be all right.”

Newly-named All-Pro Micah Parsons also gave fans a scare.

After the final play of the first half, the linebacker/edge rusher was slow to get up with what appeared to be a leg injury, eventually limping toward the tunnel and stopping en route to massage the area around his right knee.

Replays seemed to show Parsons’s shin taking a hit, although some reports classified it as an ankle issue. Either way, Parsons played on, missing only three defensive snaps on the night and turning in a massive stat line.

He, too, gave a positive update to reporters afterward.

“I’m feeling good,” Parsons said. “I feel I finished the game well. Continued to get my pressure, continued to keep going, understanding the circumstances I was faced with. I’m excited for next week, excited for the matchup.”

Offensive lineman Jason Peters, however, may be less of a sure thing.

The veteran got the wild-card start at left tackle, but hobbled off the field in the second quarter. His absence, judged to be a hip injury, caused a shuffle along the line as rookie Tyler Smith slid over from the left guard position and Connor McGovern was forced to abandon the backfield blocking role he had been filling to take over at guard.

At halftime, Peters was ruled out for the rest of the game.

By Tuesday morning, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones was trying to stay optimistic about the 40-year-old’s status.

“I certainly am concerned. I don’t know any more than we knew when we left there last night. We’ve got a little hope that it might not be serious,” he told 105.3 The Fan in referring to Peters. “But it’s important to realize that he’s not sitting here in his rookie year.”

Jones commented on the offensive line that started the game for Dallas, noting that Peters, Zack Martin, Tyron Smith, and Tyler Smith made for a formidable front… for the four series they were together.

“You can make the case that you’ve got four Hall of Famers there by the time it shakes out, at various stages of their career. That’s pretty solid to be there at this time of the year.”

Tuesday could be an important day, though, in determining whether that foursome will be there when the Cowboys take the field in San Francisco on Sunday.

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Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse suffers knee injury late in 3rd quarter

The Cowboys star safety hobbled in the endzone and needed help getting to the sideline, reaching for his left knee. | From @CDBurnett7

The Cowboys defense has dealt with a slew of key injuries in 2022 but their playoff unit is the closest they’ve been to 100% in recent weeks. During the season, safety Jayron Kearse battled with a compilation of injuries but stayed relatively healthy for 18 weeks.

Late in the third quarter in Tampa Bay, Kearse came up gimpy after a stop and waited in the endzone for trainers to come check on him. He was grabbing at his knee and needed help to reach the sideline after the mishap.

Kearse was unable to put weight on his left leg and it would be a big loss if Dallas holds on to move to the divisional round. For now, the group of Donovan Wilson, Malik Hooker and Israel Mukuamu step up in his place.

Peyton Manning, Deion Sanders were stunned by Tom Brady’s awful red zone pick during Cowboys-Bucs

The ManningCast could not BELIEVE what Tom Brady did.

The ManningCast crew could not believe that Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Tom Brady threw his first red zone interception during a playoff game.

On the inopportune pick, Brady looked like he tried to throw the ball away on a busted play, only for Dallas Cowboys safety Jayron Kearse to snag the pass and come down with the end zone interception.

As soon as Brady threw the pick, Peyton Manning looked stunned that his old contemporary would make such a play this late in his Hall of Fame career. Neither Eli Manning nor show guest Deion Sanders could believe Brady would make such a reckless throw, either.

The crew has been shocked by a Brady pick before, but not one of this magnitude.

It really was a baffling mistake for Brady to make, especially in such a high-pressure moment like a home playoff game.

In what’s likely Brady’s last playoff run with the Buccaneers, that pick will leave a sore taste in some Tampa Bay mouths.

Feature image courtesy of ESPN.

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