Chargers yank Cason out of nickel role | ProFootballTalk.com

During the bye week, starting safety Clinton Hart was cut. Now, a league source tells us that cornerback Antoine Cason, the team's nickel back, has been taken out of that role.

Per the source, Cason will be replaced by safety Steve Gregory.

Cason, a first-round pick in 2008, hasn't committed any obvious blunders. In fact, he leads the team with two interceptions in five games.

The problem with the San Diego defense, by all appearances, has been the inability of the front seven to generate a pass rush, along with so-so play from the safeties. So moving one of them to nickel corner in passing situations doesn't make a whole lot of sense.

3 months ago John (obviousman) 52 comments 0 recs |

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This makes no sense

Besides the Kelley Washington TD, Cason has been great. He has half of the team’s interceptions! I don’t know why Rivera is so desperate to get Gregory on the field….

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John (obviousman) on Oct 22, 2009 12:59 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

This to me is insane.

And further erodes what little confidence I have left in Rivera.

We're boned.

by Zach (maestro876) on Oct 22, 2009 1:00 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

Maybe something is going on with Cason that we don’t know about, because strictly based on play it makes no sense at all.

by JeromeB on Oct 22, 2009 1:01 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Could be punishment

if he spoke out against Rivera in front of the teammates or perhaps went behind Rivera’s back.

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John (obviousman) on Oct 22, 2009 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

if that's the case.

then i like what happened. it brings accountability back. but if that was the case, then cromartie should be benched for using his twitter.

I bomb atomically, Socrates' philosophies
and hypothesis can't define how I be droppin these
mockeries, lyrically perform armed robbery
Flee with the lottery, possibly they spotted me
Battle-scarred shogun, explosion when my pen hits
tremendous, ultra-violet shine blind forensics

by tonik on Oct 22, 2009 1:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

no....we start doing that then you start ninfringing on peoples right to free speech,,,,fuck the NFL policy,it's about freedom in the USA!!

Chance favors the prepared mind.......

by Gorditoe1 on Oct 24, 2009 12:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

This is odd! If Cro hadn’t played so well Monday night my rampant speculation would be a Cro benching coming up but man, this makes no sense!

by Orz on Oct 22, 2009 1:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Cro wouldn’t go below the nickel spot. Going up against KC, who doesn’t have a bunch of WRs like Denver, this removes much chance of Cason being on the field on Sunday.

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John (obviousman) on Oct 22, 2009 1:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It really seems to me

like Rivera is desperate, and is just trying to shake things up.

Putting Gregory in at nickel doesn’t help generate a pass-rush.

We're boned.

by Zach (maestro876) on Oct 22, 2009 1:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Maybe it's not about Cason....

Maybe it’s about Ellison. Ellison played pretty well on Monday. If Ellison can beat out Gregory, Cason needs to beat out Gregory too, ’cause Gregory can totally play nickel.

by Neoplatonist Bolthead on Oct 22, 2009 1:47 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hey smart people

Who played dime back on Monday? Which safety? Do we ever even play dime?

by Orz on Oct 22, 2009 1:04 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

if the 4th receiver was Sheffler, it was either Ellison or Weddle. If it was Gaffney, I believe it was Gregory on him.

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John (obviousman) on Oct 22, 2009 1:09 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

That meant one safety deep?

Or did a linebacker come off with six DBs in (3CB/3S)?

by Orz on Oct 22, 2009 1:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Usually it was 3CB/3S, as described above. That’s what I remember seeing in the second half, anyways.

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John (obviousman) on Oct 22, 2009 1:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Those three guys were in on almost every play. When it was Gaffney, Weddle was playing the over-the-top coverage. When it was Sheffler, usually Gregory was handling the over-the-top coverage. It didn’t really matter because Orton didn’t really test the defense deep.

For what it’s worth, Gaffney had the longest catch (27 yds) of any Broncos WR in that game (Sheffler had one for 52).

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John (obviousman) on Oct 22, 2009 1:11 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Of course Scheffler caught that ball about 8 yards from the line of scrimmage.

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by Richard Wade on Oct 22, 2009 2:07 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Theory

Jammer to Strong Safety, with Cason taking over his spot…. otherwise this makes no sense at all

by Joe Luc on Oct 22, 2009 1:32 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Jammer will eventually end up at safety

but not for a few years. Not until he can no longer keep up with WRs (which he can) and he’s no longer the best corner on the team (he is).

Plus you don’t do something like that in the middle of the season.

We're boned.

by Zach (maestro876) on Oct 22, 2009 1:33 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

and you don’t do something like that after your rookie SS just had a very good game against a very good offense.

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John (obviousman) on Oct 22, 2009 1:39 PM PDT up reply actions 2 recs

That’s the real issue.

by Neoplatonist Bolthead on Oct 22, 2009 1:48 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Norv should be Benched!!!!

wonder if it has anything to do w/ the new guy comin in???

" A finger or two in the air shows how much we care"

by ChargersWitch on Oct 22, 2009 1:50 PM PDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

Acee just tweeted

that Rivera told Cason yesterday that he’s “not stepping up”.

We're boned.

by Zach (maestro876) on Oct 22, 2009 1:57 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Interesting. I can barely remember him being on the field.

by Richard Wade on Oct 22, 2009 2:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Cason has HALF of the Ints for the ENTIRE team!

What in the heck? They should be finding more ways to get that guy on the field. It just gets weirder by the day.

Stepping up? What is that? Maybe they want the kid to play NT….

by Trendsearcher on Oct 22, 2009 2:12 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I don't understand how much a 2nd year nickel DB can "step up".

What does he expect from the kid? I don’t recall hearing his name called much, and for a CB that’s a good thing.

This smacks of desperation and scapegoating.

We're boned.

by Zach (maestro876) on Oct 22, 2009 2:32 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

if thats the case...

why not bench half the team who isnt steppin up cuz there’s more who aint…??? thats just wierd…

" A finger or two in the air shows how much we care"

by ChargersWitch on Oct 22, 2009 2:34 PM PDT via mobile up reply actions 0 recs

Ron Rivera = dog poop

Rivera D < Big 12 D

by Harsh_619 on Oct 22, 2009 3:18 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

I don't understand...

You are saying that Rivera’s D is worse than defenses that don’t actually exist in the Big-12…How is that even possible?

A much needed bye week; and two whole weeks to focus the inner hatred of UW even moreso than normal.

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by CaDuck on Oct 22, 2009 5:04 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm overreacting to the Defenses poor play

I’ll be fair and split the blame between the players and Rivera, and throw a little of that blame on A.J. Smith. After all the talk about how great this D was gonna be I’m pretty pissed off.

by Harsh_619 on Oct 22, 2009 9:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Marty1090 tweet: Ron Rivera on Cason demoted- more about younger guys playing better- Kevin Ellison & Gregory & moving guys around to see what we’ve got.

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by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Oct 22, 2009 4:32 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Cason is very good...Who the hell has Rivera been watching?

Cason has played well, as good as any other player in our D-backfield…

Did Cason piss in Riveras cheerios or something? Damn

A much needed bye week; and two whole weeks to focus the inner hatred of UW even moreso than normal.

Locker...Welcome to my profile, You will be formally introduced by Juju at a later date, 10/23 to be more specific!

by CaDuck on Oct 22, 2009 5:06 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow

A lot of love for a guy that hasn’t done very much. I don’t remember any of Cason’s INTs being anything special that another DB couldn’t do. And beyond that I barely notice. Not really performances that are going to swing me to like or dislike this move.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Oct 22, 2009 9:23 PM PDT reply actions 1 recs

I think it was more of

He clearly hasn’t been the weak spot in the secondary outside of the Kelly Washington TD. I am not for or against the move, I wanna see how it plays out, something had to be changed though we can’t keep throwing out this same defense and think its just going to get better.

by Dude52089 on Oct 22, 2009 9:44 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I guess what I'm saying is

I don’t see that he has clearly been a strong part of the secondary also. If you’re only a nickel DB in the NFL (and you are a first round pick) then every moment in practice or a game should be about playing yourself into a bigger role (even if there isn’t one currently available on the depth chart). If he’s not doing that (and I don’t think we can be the judge of that based on a Kelly Washington TD or a hail mary interception or the handful of other plays that people can remember Cason being a part of) then he needs a kick in the pants. I guarantee you that Gregory is working his butt off, that’s how he got on a professional football field to begin with.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Oct 23, 2009 11:06 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Ya i see your point

I just was pointing out why people were probably thinking that it was a weird move.

by Dude52089 on Oct 23, 2009 7:01 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Acee wrote

that they were challenging him to improve, and he wasn’t doing it.

Upon further reflection, I think the most disturbing part about it is that a 1st round draft pick is losing his nickle DB job.

We're boned.

by Zach (maestro876) on Oct 22, 2009 9:46 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

….to a guy who was the backup SS to Clinton Hart last season.

Seriously, if they’re going to punishing 1st round picks for underperforming I feel like they should start with Buster or Cromartie before going after Cason. I’ve definitely yelled at my TV more this season at Cromartie than Antoine.

Also….slot receivers, who nickel backs usually cover, are typically fast guys without much strength. They play the slot to avoid getting bumped at the line and the key to covering them is having a nickel corner with great speed. I would certainly not throw Gregory in the category of “great speed”, which makes me nervous. The idea of him facing Johnnie Lee Higgins or Jeremy Maclin just seems like a bad call.

Anyone else think that Rivera saw what Tomlin did with Mendenhall and thought he could pull the same thing?

"I did not invent the wheel, I was the crooked spoke adjacent." - Aesop Rock

by John (obviousman) on Oct 23, 2009 6:13 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

i think they’re just setting it up so the Chargers can draft another first round cornerback.

by BORTZ on Oct 23, 2009 8:06 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

God I hope not

It’s not even going to be a good year for CBs.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Oct 23, 2009 11:01 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

what’re you talkin about?! " The San Diego Chargers draft: Chris Hawkins, CB, Louisiana State University."

by BORTZ on Oct 23, 2009 2:08 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Hmm

drafting a future UDFA with a 1st round pick? We aren’t the Raiders.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Oct 23, 2009 2:12 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

But we always take a crappy LSU player ungodly high...

I nearly guarantee this will be our pick

A much needed bye week; and two whole weeks to focus the inner hatred of UW even moreso than normal.

Locker...Welcome to my profile, You will be formally introduced by Juju at a later date, 10/23 to be more specific!

by CaDuck on Oct 23, 2009 9:34 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

Stepping up !!

that they were challenging him to improve, and he wasn’t doing it

And how were they challenging Cason? By sending three man rushes on half the passing downs? Sheesh.

by Trendsearcher on Oct 23, 2009 9:59 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs

If by half you mean one out of every eleven.

by Richard Wade on Oct 23, 2009 12:16 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

It hurts so bad to watch it even once...

I must be in shock still. Is it really 10% of the downs?

by Trendsearcher on Oct 23, 2009 12:52 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

On 33 pass plays, we rushed three guys three times.

by Richard Wade on Oct 23, 2009 2:57 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

They just all happened in situations

Where it felt like a sack would really be backbreaker.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Oct 23, 2009 3:10 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs

I smell a conspiracy.

I had this story FanShotted early yesterday, now it’s been deleted and replaced with this one. You think you can keep me quiet? Cause you’ll have to try harder than that!!

by JollyWaffle on Oct 23, 2009 10:58 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs