Why Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is better than Adrian Amos

[soulman]

Chicago Bears: Why Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is better than Adrian Amos

 

by Rob Schwarz, Jr. 4 hours ago Follow @ChiRuxinIDP

https://dawindycity.com/2019/07/20/chicago-bears-clinton-dix-better-adrian-amos/

 

 

This debate has been at the forefront of the offseason ever since Adrian Amos signed with the Packers and Ha Ha Clinton-Dix signed with the Chicago Bears. Logic goes out the window when it comes to this rivalry, but Clinton-Dix is better than Amos and here’s why.

That is right, I said it. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is a better safety than Adrian Amos. I thought it before the two safeties switched teams and I still think it now. This Chicago Bears profile breakdown of Clinton-Dix is going to be different than any of the others I have written. I will dive into everything the same way as my previous profiles, but everything will be in comparison with Amos.

When it comes to these two players, one glaring difference stands out right now. A difference that many non-Bears fans like to site when comparing the two. A difference that does not mean what they try to make it out to mean. This difference I am speaking of is their salaries.

Packers fans like to point out that Adrian Amos signed a four-year deal worth $36 million, while Clinton-Dix had to settle for a one-year deal worth only $3.5 million. This salary difference is important, but not for the reasons these fans like to try and spin. One team vastly overpaid for a reliable, but average safety, while the other team took a low-cost risk on a player with great upside.

Another thing to note is that Clinton-Dix turned down more money and longer deals to play for Chicago. The Bears gave him a one-year, prove-it contract. Clinton-Dix chose Chicago because he wanted to play next to former Alabama teammate and friend Eddie Jackson. He also believes the Bears have a solid chance at winning the Super Bowl.

Let’s face it though. Clinton-Dix saw an opportunity. He might make less this year, but he is betting on himself to have another stellar season. Something he has not truly had for a couple of years. Playing behind one of the best defensive fronts and next to arguably the best free safety in the NFL should allow Clinton-Dix to hit a major payday in the 2020 offseason.

Let me be frank. If you are a sensitive Bears fan, skip to the next slide. Packers fans have a right to brag. The Bears have been mediocre for essentially my entire lifetime. I was too young (two years old) to enjoy the 1985 season. There were some major ups with Lovie Smith, but the downs have been more severe. The Packers do not have many Super Bowls to speak of, but they had bragging rights of the NFC North for years.

As we watch them plateau, it must be hard for Packers fans to realize, they no longer own the division. Between the Vikings and the Bears, this division has a large amount of talent. The Lions even have some top quality players. As the Packers start to plateau though, the Bears are ascending. It has only been one year, but the culture, the vibe, and the talent are like nothing I have seen before.

This is how I know the team is not a one-and-done type team. This is not the start of the Marc Trestman years. A great season followed by complete garbage. No. This is the start of a franchise finally turning things around and setting themselves up for sustained success. I am excited to watch the team grow and know I have been on their side even during the tough times.

Knowing this though, we need to understand that it will take time for Packers fans and even players to come to the realization they are no longer in control. The Bears are done hibernating and this division is theirs to own for years to come. A changing of the guard you might say.

Height: 6’1″
Weight: 208lbs
Age: 26
Experience: 5 years

College: Alabama

Ha Ha Clinton Dix played for Alabama from 2011 through 2013. He played limited snaps his freshman year but started his sophomore and junior years before declaring for the 2014 NFL Draft. During his two year span starting, Clinton-Dix combined for 53 solo tackles and seven interceptions.

Alabama won the National Championship in 2011 and 2012 while Clinton-Dix was on the team. After declaring for the NFL draft, Clinton-Dix was projected to be drafted in the late first or early second round. Clinton-Dix was a high-profile safety and the Packers drafted him 21st overall.

In contrast, Adrian Amos played for Penn State. There is nothing wrong with the Penn State program, but the comparison to Alabama would be almost laughable. Clinton-Dix experienced what it took to win a championship, something Adrian Amos never came close to going through.

Amos played four years for Penn State, but like Clinton-Dix he did not play often his freshman season. Amos combined for 92 solo tackles over his three years as a regular starter. Breaking this down on a per-game basis, Amos saw approximately 2.5 tackles per game. Clinton-Dix recorded about 2.2 tackles per game. Not enough to claim a winner here.

However, if we look at the interceptions total, both finished with seven. The difference being that Amos needed four years to get his and Clinton-Dix only needed two seasons. A glaring comparison that extends beyond college and into the pros.

Listen, I truly enjoyed having Adrian Amos on the Chicago Bears. For the right price, he would have been welcomed back here with open arms. He is not a bad safety. He was projected to go in the third or fourth round going into the Draft. He was taken by Chicago in the fourth round and carved out a nice niche as a reliable, non-sexy safety who does not make any big mistakes. That said, give me the upside of Clinton-Dix.

NFL: Packers, Redskins, and Bears

Clinton-Dix hit the league hard after being drafted by the Packers in the first round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He started 10 games for the Packers his rookie season and combined for 105 tackles. 74 of those tackles were solos. He also added an interception, six pass deflections, a sack and fumble recovery that year.

In his second season, Clinton-Dix shines even brighter. He snags two interceptions and makes 83 solo tackles. He sacked the quarterback three times and forced a fumble. His third season things clicked even more and he made his first Pro Bowl.

During his Pro Bowl season, Clinton-Dix snagged five interceptions, deflected seven passes and forced a fumble. He also finished with 61 solo tackles. The Packers did not seem to like his work in 2018 though. Just two years after his Pro Bowl season and already three interceptions on the season, the Packers traded Clinton-Dix to the Washington Redskins after seven games.

Clinton-Dix struggled at the start of his tenure in Washington but started to turn things around as the season progressed. He did not record another interception that year but added 56 solo tackles. The Redskins were impressed enough with his play to try and bring him back even after signing Landon Collins in the offseason.

Now Clinton-Dix will play behind the best front seven of his career. The combination of him and Eddie Jackson might be the best safety tandem in the NFL. This is another prove-it situation for the veteran.

Weakness is just an attitude

I am constantly hearing how bad Ha Ha Clinton-Dix is from Packers fans and analysts. Funny how they did not feel that way until last season. Like all players though, Clinton-Dix has areas where he struggles.

The most glaring weaknesses for Clinton-Dix shows up when he tries to freelance too much. This is when he is caught out of position and will miss a read or make a bad angle on a tackle. The thing is, he makes up for it far too often in other ways. He also has the closing speed to recover on most plays.

This is probably the biggest playing difference between Clinton-Dix and Adrian Amos. Amos does not freelance. He is extremely good at being in position. This is the main reason he does not make bad mistakes often. However, it is also the same reason he hardly makes a big a play.

Clinton-Dix has looked bad on plays when it comes to his tackling too. He is tall, but lanky and does not always make the big hit. This is where most of the complaints about his performance come up. Bigger players will bounce off of him or run him over at times, leading to missed tackles.

This is deceiving though. Clinton-Dix had eight missed tackles in 2018. Adrian Amos had nine missed tackles. That is right. The reliable, in-the-box type safety had one more missed tackles than the safety people (mostly Packers fans) keep saying is horrible at tackling.

This misperception about Clinton-Dix is due to a few really bad plays again caused by him trying to do too much and being out of position. What fans (on both sides of the Illinois and Wisconsin border) need to realize, is that both safeties are good. One (Amos) is not a true playmaker but is less likely to be exposed. The other, more talented safety (Clinton-Dix) might be exposed at times, but will also make more game-changing plays.

With the Bears defensive talent and Chuck Pagano as Defensive Coordinator, give me the more talented playmaker.

The strong work the hardest

The thing I love about having Ha Ha Clinton Dix in the backfield with Eddie Jackson is that quarterbacks now have to be worried about both safeties’ ability to pick off interceptions. Adrian Amos has three interceptions for his career. Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has 14. I know, Clinton-Dix has played an extra season, but to catch pace, Amos will need more than one or two interceptions this year. He will need six or seven.

This might shock you since people keep saying Clinton-Dix is not a sure tackler, but I think his tackling ability is more of a strength than a weakness. He will miss tackles at times (most safeties do), but as I pointed out, he actually missed one fewer tackle than Amos did in 2019. If you watch his college tape and you watch the first couple of seasons, he did not have tackling issues.

He seemed to have checked out of Green Bay. Maybe it was a personnel issue. Maybe it was because he thought he deserved a big contract. Either way, he has no excuses now in Chicago. A safety is the last line of defense, but the Bears are probably the most talented defensive unit in football. Clinton-Dix will not be asked to do as much for the Bears as he had to in Green Bay and Washington

If Pagano and the defensive coaches can limit how often Clinton-Dix freelances than he will be in line to have a great contract year. Clinton-Dix has the closing speed and ability to make plays on the ball. His height is an advantage over some of the smaller slot receivers and allows him to keep up with the tall tight ends.

Clinton-Dix is versatile as well. With the way this defense will run plays, both Eddie Jackson and Clinton-Dix can handle either the free or strong safety position. Clinton-Dix is a better all-around safety than Adrian Amos in this manner. He can play zone and man coverage with the same caliber of play.

What I love about watching his film is how he reads the quarterback. He reads run versus pass well and is constantly able to read where the quarterback is going to put the football. There are even plays where he reads the quarterback’s throw better than the receiver the quarterback is targeting.

Here is the thing. We are a little over a month away from football (less for preseason). We can stop these debates between Clinton-Dix and Adrian Amos soon as the players will dictate who is better. My money is on Clinton-Dix

[soulman]

My money is on HHC-D as well.  Having two Safeties who have a rep as ball hawks will naturally alter how opponents attack our defense.

I've been a fan of Amos for all of the reasons the author states.  Mainly that he's a smart DB who was seldom out of position and could be counted on to make tackles.  But what he was not was a huge threat in coverage against good QBs.

That should change now and yes we may give up a few big plays but we're also more likely to make more of them and it's the turn overs that helped boost our defense last year and what many critics like to claim can't be repeated.

I don't necessarily agree with them.

I doubt we'll have HHC-D for more than one season but if he's one of the keys to getting us to a SB I can live with that.  It gives us another year to evaluate whether Deon Bush can step in the SS role or if Stephen Denmark is destined for that spot rather than QB.

But for now what I want to see most is for Ha Ha HHC-D to get a pick six against Rodgers in the opener. 

[vike daddy]

New Bears safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix suffered a knee injury late in the offseason program. It’s bad enough to keep him from passing a physical at the start of training camp.

Bears G.M. Ryan Pace said Sunday that Clinton-Dix, a first-round pick of the Packers who was traded last year to Washington, is likely headed for the physically unable to perform list. 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/07/21/ha-ha-clinton-dix-likely-headed-for-pup-with-a-knee-injury/

[beardown3231]

43 minutes ago, vike daddy said:

New Bears safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix suffered a knee injury late in the offseason program. It’s bad enough to keep him from passing a physical at the start of training camp.

Bears G.M. Ryan Pace said Sunday that Clinton-Dix, a first-round pick of the Packers who was traded last year to Washington, is likely headed for the physically unable to perform list. 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/07/21/ha-ha-clinton-dix-likely-headed-for-pup-with-a-knee-injury/

He also said it'll be for a short amount of time.

[soulman]

That's a shame but it will mean more reps for both Bush and McManis and possibly a look at Denmark at SS.

[AZBearsFan]

1 hour ago, soulman said:

That's a shame but it will mean more reps for both Bush and McManis and possibly a look at Denmark at SS.

What I took from the way this was conveyed was that were this the end of August and not the end of July he’d probably be out there. Everything from here forward is about being ready for week 1. Especially for HHCD you know he’s going to do everything he can to be on the field for THAT game. 

As to the debate about Amos vs. HHCD - if Amos didn’t have a high grade from the much-scrutinized PFF or his obviously related high Madden ranking, would anyone say he’s a top safety? Seriously, ANYONE? He certainly isn’t on the stat sheet. Here’s an example:

67 tackles, 1 INT, 3 PD, 6 TFL

73 tackles, 1 INT, 5 PD, 2 TFL

One of these is Amos’ 2017 stat line, for which PFF said he was the #2 safety in all of the league. The other is 2016 Harold Jones-Quartey, who despite 2016 being just his age 23 season has not played another NFL snap since then. Without looking it up, can you tell which is which? Yeahhhhhhhh...

So is Amos a top safety on the eye test? He’s a hard hitting player for sure, but does that make him a top player? Jon Bostic put one of the best hits on Keenan Allen I’ve ever seen but that didn’t make him a good linebacker. As a last line of defense Amos generally fills the bill, but he’s also a safety who doesn’t make plays on the ball. That’s kind of a big part of the job in the secondary, no? A one-dimensional player who seldom produces impact plays despite starting and playing almost every snap isn’t jumping off the screen as an elite safety to me by any stretch. That’s a guy you can with with, but not a guy because of whom you win, and that’s also the reason that retaining him was a pretty low priority for the team who knew him best. 

[dll2000]

12 hours ago, vike daddy said:

New Bears safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix suffered a knee injury late in the offseason program. It’s bad enough to keep him from passing a physical at the start of training camp.

Bears G.M. Ryan Pace said Sunday that Clinton-Dix, a first-round pick of the Packers who was traded last year to Washington, is likely headed for the physically unable to perform list. 

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2019/07/21/ha-ha-clinton-dix-likely-headed-for-pup-with-a-knee-injury/

Yeah, that sucks.  Hope he is healthy for GB for his sake.  

Not sure why it matters since everyone outside Bears keeps saying HHCD is no good.

[beardown3231]

3 hours ago, dll2000 said:

Yeah, that sucks.  Hope he is healthy for GB for his sake.  

Not sure why it matters since everyone outside Bears keeps saying HHCD is no good.

Pace said he'll be on PUP for a small amount of time. It's a knee sprain that happened like 2 months ago

[dll2000]

2 minutes ago, beardown3231 said:

Pace said he'll be on PUP for a small amount of time. It's a knee sprain that happened like 2 months ago

Let’s just say lots of coaches/teams have underplayed  ‘knee sprains’ before. 

I can’t tell you how many times a knee sprain suddenly becomes an MCL tear.  

Usually they are upfront only if it’s ACL. 

[beardown3231]

5 hours ago, dll2000 said:

Let’s just say lots of coaches/teams have underplayed  ‘knee sprains’ before. 

I can’t tell you how many times a knee sprain suddenly becomes an MCL tear.  

Usually they are upfront only if it’s ACL. 

Aren't most MCL tears only a month at most? Wasn't Cutler's NFCCG knee injury a 2-3 week MCL? Even if that happened in May/early June he would be back very soon now.

[dll2000]

3 hours ago, beardown3231 said:

Aren't most MCL tears only a month at most? Wasn't Cutler's NFCCG knee injury a 2-3 week MCL? Even if that happened in May/early June he would be back very soon now.

Yes.  Still worse than a knee sprain and you still go under knife.  Still aren't quite the same afterword.  

[soulman]

44 minutes ago, dll2000 said:

Yes.  Still worse than a knee sprain and you still go under knife.  Still aren't quite the same afterword.  

Well aren't we Mr. Encouraging tonight. 

Someone piss on your slice of deep dish? 

[Sugashane]

It sucks he is hurt but we have Bush and some prospects backing him up and it is probably the best spot to have an injury at of the starters. EDGE is the worst, DL is a pain to lose as the mammoths keep our athletic LBs free to make plays, and we have EJax, Fuller, Prince and 2 solid looking NBs to allow Pagano to "hide" a weakness of a SS schematically.

 

While I like the HHCD signing a lot, I still don't believe he is overall a better player than Amos, but a far superior value contractually. But objectively he is a 26 year old so he should recover well enough, he has been extraordinarily durable thus far in his career (so he has some level of toughness, luck, and ability to recover), and he is on a one year deal. This isn't a big blow even if he ends up losing out on more time than anticipated (like Fuller with his injury). This isn't Tru, an elite playmaker or massive guy like Goldman. It is a one year rental  and there is a damn good chance this issue becomes little more than a footnote on a solid season for him in a Bears uniform.

 

I'm just happy it wasn't something worse - for him or the Bears especially.

[soulman]

9 hours ago, Sugashane said:

It sucks he is hurt but we have Bush and some prospects backing him up and it is probably the best spot to have an injury at of the starters. EDGE is the worst, DL is a pain to lose as the mammoths keep our athletic LBs free to make plays, and we have EJax, Fuller, Prince and 2 solid looking NBs to allow Pagano to "hide" a weakness of a SS schematically.

 

While I like the HHCD signing a lot, I still don't believe he is overall a better player than Amos, but a far superior value contractually. But objectively he is a 26 year old so he should recover well enough, he has been extraordinarily durable thus far in his career (so he has some level of toughness, luck, and ability to recover), and he is on a one year deal. This isn't a big blow even if he ends up losing out on more time than anticipated (like Fuller with his injury). This isn't Tru, an elite playmaker or massive guy like Goldman. It is a one year rental  and there is a damn good chance this issue becomes little more than a footnote on a solid season for him in a Bears uniform.

 

I'm just happy it wasn't something worse - for him or the Bears especially.

In a sense it has a positive slant since Bush and McManis will spend some time with the #1s.  I'm anxious to find out if Bush can be the future SS in 2020 or if he's just another guy.

If he's plateaued short of being starter material we have Denmark and Woods as other possibilities.  Woods is listed as an ILB but he's more like a big SS we'd use as a cover ILB.

I think depth at OLB will always be a concern for most teams.  Having even one Mack type is rare.  I'm glad we were able to bring Lynch back.  He's not a class A rusher but he's quick and he's strong and won't make many mistakes playing the run.  But in addition to Floyd we need to see another OLB ascend this year.  Irving has been that #4 guy but I'm thinking Fitts or Harris may have more upside and then there's that McClellin type kid from Canada as well.

As far as HHC-D goes I think he may prove to be a true one year bargain and next spring we'll all be looking for ways to keep him.

He's been insulted as far as he's concerned so he's gonna be playing with a chip on his shoulder all year long and especially against GB in those two games.  He wants a top 5-10 deal and I think he's gonna go out and play like he deserves one.  If he does he'll definitely be an upgrade over Amos at Safety and salary wise he's almost a gift.  He's playing for backup money.

[AZBearsFan]

44 minutes ago, soulman said:

and then there's that McClellin type kid from Canada as well.

I don’t think it’s fair to call him that at all, at least at this point.