Tag: Secondary

Anthony Harris adds depth to Broncos’ secondary with Caden Sterns sidelined

With Caden Sterns (hip) still on injured reserve, Anthony Harris gives the Broncos more depth at safety.

After placing center Lloyd Cushenberry (groin) on injured reserve on Tuesday, the Denver Broncos filled his spot on the 53-man roster by promoting safety Anthony Harris from the practice squad.

Harris (6-1, 192 pounds) is an eighth-year defensive back who started his career with the Minnesota Vikings under George Paton. After six seasons in Minnesota, Harris played for the Philadelphia Eagles last season before joining the Broncos this year.

The veteran defensive back has totaled 356 tackles, 31 pass breakups, 10 interceptions and four forced fumbles in 97 career games (61 starts).

Harris was elevated from the practice squad to the game-day roster twice this season, primarily to play on special teams. He will now become the fifth safety on the active roster, joining Justin Simmons, Kareem Jackson, P.J. Locke and Delarrin Turner-Yell.

Broncos second-year safety Caden Sterns (hip) has to sit out at least two more games after he was placed on injured reserve before the team’s game in London.

Harris will fill Sterns’ former spot on the roster, but he’ll likely play more on special teams than in the secondary over the next two weeks.

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Steven Nelson has opportunity to blossom after standout showing vs. Eagles

Nelson has bounced around the league since 2018 but seems to have found a home with the rebuilding #Texans this season

Veteran cornerback Steven Nelson has been a rock-solid contributor to the Houston Texans’ defense in his first year with the team and had his best showing of the season against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9. He managed to record the first sack of his NFL career in the game and forced just the second fumble of his career since entering the league in 2015.

Originally drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the third round, Nelson was known for his tackling ability in college, where he played at Oregon State University as a standout member of the Beavers’ secondary. Now a tested veteran at the NFL level, the skillset that made him a prized prospect back in 2015 continues to serve him well for the Texans.

He has bounced around the league a bit since cutting ties with the Chiefs in 2018 and played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Eagles before signing with the Texans this year in the offseason. Houston was in desperate need of experience in their secondary after bringing in two highly touted players in the draft, Derek Stingley Jr. and Jalen Pitre, who most thought would take time to develop into elite contributors at the pro level.

While Pitre in particular has thrived as a rookie, Stingley is still benefitting from the mentorship of players like Nelson in his first professional season and will continue seeking the input of veterans who will help guide him on his journey in the NFL. Nelson will play a particularly interesting role as part of Stingley’s safety net as he helps the up-and-comer acclimate to the challenges of playing against top-level talent week in and week out.

With the breadth of experience Nelson brings to the table, he will continue being an integral part of Houston’s defensive improvement, not only as a mentor to younger players but to the defense’s cohesion at large. More performances like the one he turned out against Philadelphia will help get the Texans back to a level where they can compete consistently, and could lay the foundation for defensive excellence as the team looks to rebuild in 2023.

Grayland Arnold exits Week 8 matchup with quad injury

Arnold is questionable to return to the matchup against Tennessee late in the fourth quarter

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Safety Grayland Arnold left the Houston Texans Week 8 matchup against the Tennessee Titans with a quad injury and has been deemed questionable to return midway through the fourth quarter. In a game that the Texans have been dominated, the loss of a talented contributor in the secondary is an unwelcome development, especially as Houston tries to make something happen on the game’s final drives.

Arnold is a third-year pro who has played a role on the Texans’ special teams unit this season. The extent of the injury is unknown at this juncture, but the coaching staff is sure to comment on his status after the game. In his absence, the team will need to find someone else to fill his role, as he represents the last line of depth on the team’s official depth chart.

This game looks like it is on ice, as Houston is facing a 14-point deficit with just over five minutes to play. While Arnold’s injury won’t be seen as a reason that Houston fell short in this matchup, his status will be something to watch as the Texans prepare to play the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9.

UPDATE: Arnold has been downgraded to out for the remainder of the matchup.

Alabama CB Eli Ricks to make first start with Crimson Tide

Eli Ricks making first career start for Alabama!

The highly anticipated LSU transfer cornerback, Eli Ricks, will get his first start with the Crimson Tide tonight against the Mississippi State Bulldogs.

Ricks was one of the most sought-after players in the transfer portal this offseason and many fans have been asking for him to get a shot. After a humbling experience in Knoxville last week, defensive coordinator Pete Golding will make the change opposite of Kool-Aid McKinstry in an attempt to give the Alabama secondary some life.

The Tide defense will need to have a much better showing than they did last week, and hopefully, Ricks will be the first tweak to get this Alabama team back on their national championship path.

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Rams release final injury report ahead of tilt vs. Cowboys

The #Rams have several key injuries along the offensive line and in their secondary ahead of their matchup against the #Cowboys

The Los Angeles Rams have seen their depth decimated by injuries early this season, especially along the offensive line and in the secondary. After losing a key matchup against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night, the team is looking to get back above .500 before the season slips away.

They released their final injury report on Friday ahead of their Week 5 matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. A few key players whose availability might affect their hopes on Sunday were included.

Here is the full report that the Rams put out on Friday:

The interior of Los Angeles’ offensive line has been hit particularly hard this week, though David Edwards’ inclusion as a full participant on Thursday and Friday is a good sign for the unit. Despite this, with center Brian Allen and guard Coleman Shelton officially ruled out for the tilt against Dallas, the line will rely on a fair amount of second-string talent.

In the secondary, the injuries to Cobie Durant, Jordan Fuller, and Taylor Rapp stand out, as all three were slated to be key contributors to the defense heading into this season. Durant and Fuller are sure to miss this week’s action, and after being listed as a non-participant on Friday, the outlook for Rapp isn’t much better.

David Long Jr. was listed as questionable after being limited in his participation all week and is the lone wild card on this list. Whether he plays on Sunday or not, the secondary will be at less than full strength and will continue to rely on star cornerback Jalen Ramsey to lock down the Cowboys’ receivers.

Los Angeles desperately needs a win this weekend and could drop even further behind in the NFC West standings if they lay another egg against Dallas. Time will tell if these injuries end up being a major factor in the outcome of Sunday’s matchup, but for now, the odds of success for the offensive line and secondary seem slim.

Jalen Ramsey confident in his preparation of new contributors in Rams’ secondary

The #Rams will be without some key contributors in their secondary, but Ramsey is confident in the unit’s chances against the #Cardinals

A battle between 1-1 teams in Week 3 will see the Los Angeles Rams face the challenging task of slowing down a highly potent Arizona Cardinals offense. Between stars like Kyler Murray, Marquise Brown, and Zach Ertz, the team’s defensive secondary will have their hands full on every down they play.

Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey told reporters on Friday that he is doing his part to get his unit prepared for the matchup. With his rookie counterpart Decobie Durant sidelined due to a hamstring injury, and veteran Troy Hill placed on injured reserve earlier this week, Ramsey explained that the team is prepared to face the adversity they are up against, and doesn’t expect the defense to falter.

“It’s like coming to life basically,” he said of the secondary, despite their losses this week. “Like the way last year went and the way a lot of different guys had to play in the secondary last year because of injuries or COVID-19 or whatever the case may have been, it helped me in my mindset of like trying to help prepare guys and make sure that everybody was ready in our room just in case something like were to happen, injuries or whatever the case may be. So, I feel like we’ve done a good job of that. So, hopefully we go out there Sunday and it shows that we are not really going to miss a beat. Everybody’s ready. It’s a next man up type of mentality.”

Ramsey’s confidence is admirable, and if the chip on his shoulder rubs off on his teammates, his assessment of the situation may prove to be spot on. Arizona will present constant scoring threats in the passing game and may find some success against the right matchups, but if the superstar cornerback has any say in the matter, fans should expect Los Angeles’ secondary depth to step up and prove they can hang with the best that the NFC West has to offer.

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Analysis: New playmakers emerge on Saints defense in Week 1 win

Analysis: New playmakers like Justin Evans and Marcus Maye emerged on the Saints defense in their Week 1 win in Atlanta, via @MaddyHudak_94:

The New Orleans Saints salvaged their season opener to defeat the Atlanta Falcons through impeccable fourth-quarter play. Otherwise, it wasn’t pretty. Taysom Hill, plainly, was the entire offense through three quarters. He ran in 2 of the team’s 4 total first downs in the first half. New Orleans converted a mere 3 of 11 third down attempts prior to the fourth quarter.

Then Jameis Winston briefly entered the injury tent and proceeded to play the best quarter of his career. He amassed 75 passing yards in his first scoring drive. The offense converted 10 passing first downs in the final quarter alone. Winston brought poise under center that had felt absent since Drew Brees retired – doing so with zero turnovers. That calm command was matched in the kicking game with Wil Lutz’s return. After missing a 44-yard attempt early on Sunday afternoon, Lutz recorded a 49-yarder in the third quarter and sealed the victory with 19 seconds left on a 51-yard field goal. The Saints found a way to win, but it wasn’t pretty. Let’s take a deeper look after reviewing the tape:

Chiefs HC Andy Reid comfortable with rookies in secondary heading into Week 1

The #Chiefs have four rookies who will play roles in the defensive secondary, but that doesn’t seem to worry HC Andy Reid in the slightest.

The Kansas City Chiefs added a lot of new faces on the defensive side of the ball this offseason and especially so in the secondary.

A total of four draft picks are expected to play key roles in the defensive secondary for Kansas City, be it in a starting capacity or as depth. With the first week of the 2022 NFL season upon us, Chiefs HC Andy Reid isn’t too concerned about the relative inexperience of players like Trent McDuffie, Jaylen Watson, Joshua Williams and Bryan Cook.

“Yeah, I like them,” Reid said of the young secondary. “I like the speed they play with. I think Juan (Thornhill) has done a good job of kind of helping everybody out back there and managing that from a player’s standpoint back there. But it looks like we’ve got good speed and range and those type of things.”

It’s not like the group is entirely comprised of rookies. They have Thornhill as Reid mentioned, but there’s also Rashad Fenton, L’Jarius Sneed and Justin Reid for the young players to lean on. Still, Reid expects and plans to live with the growing pains that will come from having a young secondary.

“There are going to be some hiccups here and there when you have young guys,” Reid said. “That’s what happens, but I think in the long haul we’ll be okay with the guys we got there.”

What this group lacks in experience, they make up for in athleticism and speed. That was something that was clearly lacking from the entire Chiefs defense in recent seasons, but it was especially apparent in the 2021 NFL season. If this group can stay assignment sound in Week 1 and rely on their natural gifts, the team should be in good shape as they kick off the regular season.

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Analysis: Saints have the personnel to account for loss of C.J. Gardner-Johnson

Analysis: The New Orleans Saints have the personnel to account for losing C.J. Gardner-Johnson, but replacing him is easier said than done, via @MaddyHudak_94:

The New Orleans Saints secondary has looked different by the day, and it’ll have a new player covering the slot for the first time since 2020. C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s trade to the Philadelphia Eagles has spurred plenty of conversation surrounding the value of a slot corner and the ease of replacing one in coverage. While the monetary value is certainly debatable, the translatable skill set is a bit unique. It leaves a few question marks along the secondary and how the various pieces will fit.

It may seem as easy as sticking the next-best cornerback or safety in Gardner-Johnson’s role, but the personnel replacement isn’t that obvious. Sure, Tyrann Mathieu has played in the slot and could easily fill the vacancy, but then who is the other starting safety opposite Marcus Maye? The team has been running a decent amount of base defense with three linebacker sets, but that’d be a disservice to the secondary players to see less playing time. Let’s dig deeper:

WATCH: Nick Saban discusses Jordan Battle’s growth and leadership

Nick Saban raves about Jordan Battle ahead of 2022 season.

Will Anderson Jr. is the name that comes to mind when you think of the Alabama Crimson Tide defense, and rightfully so. However, [autotag]Jordan Battle[/autotag] is the glue that really brings the entire secondary and defense together.

Battle decided to not enter the 2022 NFL draft and returned to Nick Saban in pursuit of another national title, which was maybe the biggest win of the offseason for the Crimson Tide.

Through three seasons in Tuscaloosa, Battle has been extremely productive posting 181 tackles, five interceptions and deflected eight passes. This will be Battle’s third year as a starter and he will assume much more of a leadership position.

Speaking with the media this week, Coach Saban shared some of his thoughts on Battle and just how far he has come during his time at Alabama.

Saban has always been very keen on Battle and he didn’t hold back saying, “Jordan is a very bright guy, he’s got a really good work ethic, he loves the game, he loves to play, he loves to practice, he sets a good example, he’s a good leader, he’s got a really, really good understanding of everything we’re doing in the secondary.”

With Anderson and Battle guiding this ‘Bama defense, we have nothing to fear.

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Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow Sam Murphy on Twitter @SamMurphy02.

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