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Does a Cornerback have to travel with the #1 WR to be considered the best at their position?


PFM18

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I have no doubt that this question has been asked on here before, but it's an interesting one that gets debated constantly.

Some DB's (i.e. Jalen Ramsey) will always play and defend whoever the Jags consider the opposition's number 1 WR.

Other DB's (i.e. Stephon Gilmore) play in a scheme where they will stay on their side of the field and cover whoever matches up against them.

Does the fact that you're not covering the opposition's best receiver mean your value is considered less than someone who does or is it all about the production and play on the field?

Me personally I couldn't care less who the DB is matched up against. If you're great, you're great, and if you're preventing the offense from moving the ball down the field, you're doing your job. 

In other words, I would consider someone like a Gilmore just as good as someone like a Ramsey even though they may not be covering Odell/AB every game.

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Depends on variables. If the #2 CB struggles playing a certain side or switching then it may be better served to just stay on one side. All things being equal it is better to shut down the best WR with your best CB but all things aren't always equal.

Some great CBs do much better just playing a side and as long as it fits the scheme I don't hold it against them but it would enter a conversation against a CB that travels with the #1 WR. Just a versatility advantage.

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I think like this:

- If I have an elite #1 CB and I'm playing a team with good WRs but no elite WR (say Philly with Alshon Jeffrey or NYG with Sterling Shepherd as the #1) I have my elite CB shadow them all day long.

- If I have an elite #1 CB and I'm playing one of the elite WRs in the game (Julio, Hopkins, AB, OBJ) then I put my #1 CB on their #2 WR, then I have my #2 CB and S play doubles all day long on the elite WR.

Oakland used to do this to Andre Johnson - Nnamdi Asomugha used to cover Kevin Walter or Jacoby Jones with no help anywhere and Chris Johnson/Derrick Gibson would be draped all over AJ, and they just shut him down...

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They don’t need to travel to be considered the best because we can’t hold their scheme against them. It would be like asking if a receiver never lined up in the slot can he be considered the best (since he’s not showing that versatility).

That said, I do think if a corner proves he CAN travel with the receiver he gets bonus points for the extra credit. Thus if it’s a GOAT discussion, Revis proving he could shutdown Megatron anywhere on the field, cover Gronk, etc goes a long way.

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On 7/25/2019 at 8:41 PM, ET80 said:

I think like this:

- If I have an elite #1 CB and I'm playing a team with good WRs but no elite WR (say Philly with Alshon Jeffrey or NYG with Sterling Shepherd as the #1) I have my elite CB shadow them all day long.

- If I have an elite #1 CB and I'm playing one of the elite WRs in the game (Julio, Hopkins, AB, OBJ) then I put my #1 CB on their #2 WR, then I have my #2 CB and S play doubles all day long on the elite WR.

Oakland used to do this to Andre Johnson - Nnamdi Asomugha used to cover Kevin Walter or Jacoby Jones with no help anywhere and Chris Johnson/Derrick Gibson would be draped all over AJ, and they just shut him down...

I’ve always thought that was the best idea. Make a guy win against 2 people.

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On 7/25/2019 at 5:41 PM, ET80 said:

I think like this:

- If I have an elite #1 CB and I'm playing a team with good WRs but no elite WR (say Philly with Alshon Jeffrey or NYG with Sterling Shepherd as the #1) I have my elite CB shadow them all day long.

- If I have an elite #1 CB and I'm playing one of the elite WRs in the game (Julio, Hopkins, AB, OBJ) then I put my #1 CB on their #2 WR, then I have my #2 CB and S play doubles all day long on the elite WR.

Oakland used to do this to Andre Johnson - Nnamdi Asomugha used to cover Kevin Walter or Jacoby Jones with no help anywhere and Chris Johnson/Derrick Gibson would be draped all over AJ, and they just shut him down...

the pats did that once alshon burned them. He is a good one to shadow but desean might burn teams this year.

Edited by ninjapirate
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i feel the question is a bit misguided

to be the best at their position they’ve got to be able to do both ideally, depending on the situation

however

to be an excellent corner one of them is just fine, and neither is really better or worse markedly because it’s all situational

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11 hours ago, ninjapirate said:

the pats did that once alshon burned them. He is a good one to shadow but desean might burn teams this year.

You talking about the Super Bowl, that one game where Malcolm Butler was nothing more than a spectator? I'd say that had some sort of impact to the overall results specific to Jeffrey, regardless of strategy employed. 

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The Packers/Seahawks game to open the season after Seattle won the Super Bowl comes to mind. Seahawks beat the Packers down.
In order to avoid throwing at Sherman, who wouldn't travel, they put their best WRs on the opposite side of the field.

The fact that they wouldn't throw over there completely threw off their entire offense. So I don't think they need to travel.

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