Detroit Lions Preview: Louis Delmas Needs a Running Mate at Safety

Earlier this week we took a look at the Detroit Lions cornerback position, today we will finish our look at the secondary by examining the safety position. 

Once again each player will be discussed, followed by a look at the position as a whole. 

CC Brown is 27 years old, 6’0”, 208 lbs, with six years of experience.

Brown has been a starter for most of his career.  He missed a large part of the 2008 season with a broken arm suffered early in the season. 

Brown’s strength is that he is a big physical player.  He is excellent in run support and does not shy away from stepping up and making a tackle. 

Brown is not strong in coverage.  He is not able to flip his hips as naturally as one would like a man in coverage to do and therefore can be beaten. 

It is hard to judge how well Brown is playing in camp because his strength is his physical play which is hard to demonstrate when tackling is not allowed.

Prediction: Candidate to start but with his limitations in coverage the Lions would prefer that someone else rises to the occasion and earns the position.

Louis Delmas is 23-years-old, 5’11” 202, entering his second year in the league

Drafted in the second round last year Delmas played so well that some felt he should have been invited to the pro bowl. 

Delmas is considered a complete safety.  He is a fearless hitter.  He was fined last year for being too violent; however the same play he was fined for would have every highlight video just a decade ago.

Delmas has been limited in training camp by a groin injury.  Word surfaced earlier in camp that he might need surgery. The Lions vehemently denied this rumor. 

The lions have started to ease Delmas back into practice by having him participate in some position drills.  He is yet to participate in team drills.

Prediction: All signs point to stardom for Delmas.  Anything less than multiple pro bowls in his future would have to be considered a disappointment.  If the 2009 draft could be redone, he would be a Top 15 pick, if not top 10.

Randy Phillips is 23-years-old, 6’1”, 210 lbs, Rookie

Phillips is the epitome of a team player.  Phillips was faced with a tough decision in 2009 as a result of a torn right labrum.  He could have had surgery which would have caused him to miss the rest of the season, or he could try to rehab with and rejoin his Miami Hurricane teammates after missing only a handful of games.

Phillips decided to go the rehab route and missed three games.   He played the rest of the year with this painful injury and needed surgery after the season. 

Due to the surgery, Phillips was not able to participate in off season activities aimed at improving a player’s draft status.  This caused Phillips to be passed up during the draft.

The Lions signed Phillips but cut him early in camp due to the lingering effects of his surgery.  According to defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham, it was the insistence of former University of Miami defensive coordinator and current Detroit Lions defensive backs coach Tim Walton that convinced the Lions to bring him back for another look.

So far this looks like a brilliant move.  Phillips is currently practicing with the first team defense in place of the injured Louis Delmas. 

The thing that stood out to me in watching Phillips is his ability to recognize what is unfolding in front of him.  This is a rare trait for a young safety as normally this is developed over time. 

His physical skills are impressive. He is especially good in pass defense, where his experience as a division one cornerback shows. 

Prediction: Possible starter this season.  This is one of General Manager’s Martin Mayhew’s better moves this offseason.  Had he not hurt his shoulder he probably would have been picked in the middle rounds of the 2010 NFL draft. 

Ko Simpson is 26-years-old, 6’1”, 202 lbs with five years of experience

Simpson is an adequate safety.  His problem is that he cannot stay healthy.  He missed eight games in 2009 and 15 games in 2007 with injuries. 

He is good in run support but also has some struggles in coverage.

Prediction: Simpson will make the team as a backup.  If he is thrust into a starting role because of injuries at his position the drop off would not be dramatic.  This is assuming he is able to come back from his microfracture surgery.

Marvin White is 26-years-old, 6’1”, 199 lbs, with four years of experience

White played in 10 games for the Lions in 2009, starting six of them.  While he made his share of plays, White’s aggressiveness led to a number of big plays against the Lions.  At times he can be seen searching for a big hit, causing him to miss obvious plays.

Prediction: Will struggle to make the final roster

Overall Outlook:

With Louis Delmas injured the Lions were able to get an extended look at the candidates for safety.  As reported earlier by Michael Sudds in his camp update, we had a chance to chat with Defensive Coordinator Gunter Cunningham. 

Cunningham was beaming when he spoke about Randy Phillips.  He did refer to him as my guy but stopped short of saying that he would start.  When pressed about who would start opposite Delmas, he said “39 has looked pretty good so far.” 39 is the number worn by CC Brown.  Cunningham did stress that it remains an open competition.

The belief here is the starting safeties will be Louis Delmas and a player not yet on the roster.  The hot name during the summer was Jarrad Page.  This is still an option the Lions are pursuing.  Page has yet to sign a contract and is not in camp with the Chiefs.  Cunningham would not commit specifically about Page’s situation because of league rules.

If the Lions are able to trade for Page, and I believe this will happen, the safety position will become a strength as opposed to a weakness.