Freakin Bengals Medical Staff

[Whatever]

(08-23-2019, 04:55 PM)ochocincos Wrote: That's fair. Tate won't get down the field as fast as Core.

What I've seen of Core on ST (when I've noticed him) was that he is one of the first people to the returner. Couldn't that role be filled by a fast LB (Jefferson runs 4.52) or DB? Brandon Wilson is faster than Core and has more experience tackling given he's played defense. Dennard runs a 4.51, as did BW Webb. Damion Willis was timed at a 4.48 at his Pro Day (typically Pro Days are a few hundredths of a second faster than what Combine clocks you at).

My point is there are other about-as-fast guys besides Core that could probably fill the speed that Core has on ST and give Tate a role blocking earlier in coverage instead.

Core's responsibility is likely outside contain, similar to setting the edge on defense.  His main job is to not let the return man get outside of him and force them up the middle of the field into the rest of the coverage unit. You could put a DB out there instead, but then you're putting one of your (presumably) better tacklers in a position to not make tackles, unless you're Dre who was a beast of a gunner.  

I'm sure there's other guys that can do Core's job, just not as well.  If they were as good or better, he'd likely have been cut  awhile ago.

Let me say that I don't like it all. I wanted Core gone last year.  However, the coverage units have been putrid in preseason and I think more of emphasis on that.  If you can stash Tate on IR, I think you do it.  Willis has outplayed him and should get a crack at the base offense before Tate, anyways.