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Cool, now we have two safties that cant cover for .
Safety Catch
Cowboys Sign Hamlin; News Conference Scheduled
Mickey Spagnola - Email
DallasCowboys.com Columnist
March 23, 2007 3:11 PM
IRVING, Texas - After a two-day courtship that started with a visit and grew into extensive contract negotiations, the Cowboys signed free-agent safety Ken Hamlin to a contract Friday afternoon.
Terms of the deal have not been disclosed, but Hamlin will be available to the media this afternoon along with Cowboys owner-general manager Jerry Jones and head coach Wade Phillips.
The Cowboys wanted to add some experience to their safety corps, and Hamlin affords them that, having started 52 games over four seasons for the Seattle Seahawks, including all 16 games in 2006 after recovering from a season-ending head injury resulting from an off-field incident six games into the 2005 season.
Hamlin said he would be a perfect complement to Cowboys Pro Bowl strong safety Roy Williams, who seems to play more effectively when deployed closer to the line of scrimmage than left in a Cover 2 zone.
"Definitely, it would let Roy do his thing," Hamlin said earlier this week of lining up at free safety with Williams at strong, "and let Roy be more of a playmaker."
The Cowboys started off the 2006 season with fifth-round pick Pat Watkins starting at free safety, but after seven games decided to go back to Keith Davis, who started all 16 games in 2005. Then Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells became worried the rookie Watkins was losing his confidence after making a few rookie mistakes.
But the Cowboys went back to Watkins in the final three regular-season games and the playoff game against Seattle. He finished eighth on the team with 34 tackles and second in interceptions with three.
The Cowboys also came to an agreement Thursday with wide receiver Jamel Richardson, the free agent who decided not to re-sign with a CFL team. In 2½ seasons with the Saskatchewan Roughriders (39 games) - he played only four games in 2006 after breaking bones in his foot - he caught 113 passes for 1,471 yards and four touchdowns. But two of those touchdowns came in last season's first four games when he was averaging 16.9 yards a catch.
From NFL.com
The Dallas Cowboys have reached agreement with free-agent safety Ken Hamlin on a one-year, $2.5 million deal. Hamlin also had visited the Saints, but he spent the past few days trying to finalize the deal with the Cowboys. Now Hamlin and Roy Williams will form one of the most formidable safety tandems in the league.
He will help our depth, but I still like Watson
Last edited by mardigan; 03-23-2007 at 03:25 PM.
Cool, now we have two safties that cant cover for .
nice..
He will help, I know he isnt that great in coverage, but hopefully Watson can be inserted in sure passing situations
Big Shot Blurbs
A Closer Look At Hamlin
As the Cowboys continue to pursue Ken Hamlin as a possible free-agent addition, let's take a closer look at the Seattle safety. Here's what we know:
He's big (6-2, 209). He's fast. He's physical. He's young (26). He's experienced, having started three full years in the league. A fourth year was cut short due to a season-ending head injury, but he returned last year for all 16 games. That proves he's resilient.
But here's the question you all want answered:
Can he cover?
The Cowboys already have a big, physical, hard-hitting safety. His name is Roy Williams. He needs a cover guy next to him, someone like Darren Woodson. But we all know those don't grow on trees.
In Mickey Spagnola's column, Woodson endorsed young Pat Watkins as the answer at free safety. Could Hamlin do an effective job of complementing Williams? Maybe. It was difficult to tell what he could do in the Cowboys' playoff game against Seattle. The Seahawks were so depleted at cornerback that they played their safeties deep and prayed the Cowboys didn't take shots downfield with Terry Glenn and T.O. For the most part, they didn't.
Hamlin might not be an excellent cover safety. He does have eight interceptions in 54 career regular-season games. But I certainly think a little extra free safety compe ion can't hurt if the Cowboys can sign Hamlin at a reasonable price. I guess a lot depends on what kind of money he expects to get.
-RP
yeah but if one or both ever catch the guy they'll knock his in the dirt.
Well Hamlin is actually pretty fast, so Im hoping for the best
1 year $2.5 million ?
If thats the deal, then I dont mind it.
Yea, depth at safety cant hurt
Updated: March 23, 2007, 5:05 PM ET
Hamlin signing gives Cowboys potent safety pairingBy Len Pasquarelli
ESPN.com
Unrestricted free agent safety Ken Hamlin, who returned in 2006 from a devastating head injury that limited him to just six games with the Seattle Seahawks the previous season, on Friday reached a contract agreement with the Dallas Cowboys.
Ken Hamlin
Safety
Seattle Seahawks
Profile
2006 SEASON STATISTICS
Tot Solo Ast FF Sack Int
96 75 21 1 2 3
Hamlin, 26, will sign a one-year, $2.5 million contract. The four-year veteran, who spent his entire career with the Seahawks before going into the free agent market earlier this month, was one of the top unrestricted players remaining.
The former Arkansas standout, who visited earlier this week with Cowboys officials and coaches, was rated as the No. 22 player available in free agency by ESPN.com. He was one of only three players among the top 30 free agents still unsigned.
The addition of Hamlin, who will pair with Pro Bowl strong safety Roy Williams, should provide Dallas with one of the top safety tandems in the league. Hamlin will likely play free safety, which will enable Williams to play closer to the line of scrimmage. That will permit the Cowboys to better camouflage Williams' deficiencies in pass coverage.
"Definitely, it will let Roy do his thing," Hamlin said.
Locating a viable free safety, and a solid complement to the physical Williams, has been a problem for the Cowboys. The team began last season with rookie Pat Watkins playing the position, then switched to Keith Davis, who started all 16 games in 2005.
Hamlin isn't a pure ballhawk, but possesses more free safety-type attributes than Williams, and can play the middle of the field, which should improve the Dallas coverage scheme.
A second-round choice in the 2003 draft, Hamlin has 298 tackles, eight interceptions, 22 passes defensed, four sacks, four forced fumbles and one recovery in 54 games. In 2005, he was involved in a fight outside a Seattle night spot and suffered a fractured skull and other head injuries that forced him onto the non-football injury list after just six games. Hamlin returned to start all 16 games in 2006 and recorded a career-best 96 tackles, along with three interceptions, eight passes defensed, and two sacks.
In addition to the Cowboys, he was pursued by New Orleans, but clearly wanted to sign with Dallas after visiting there this week.
Len Pasquarelli is a senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
Two safeties who cant cover! Great news for my skins
At least we didnt sign Adam Archuleta
we are smarter this year Snyder is finally getting the picture Skins will rise back with a healthy Portis and better "D". Dallas taking step back without the Tuna
This is the argument about coverage skills that I have never understood. That a guy picks off some passes (and 8 in 54 career games isn't particularly exceptional) isn't an indication that he covers well. It might equally be an indication that he gets out of position and gambles, but occasionally comes up big.
After all, Roy Williams has 17 career interceptions in 80 career regular season games. I don't think anyone who knows anything about football would say that Roy Williams has any sort of commendable coverage skills, though.
Hamlin is a big name, relatively speaking, because he's been a good tackler for Seattle when he's been healthy and has played a big role on defense for an upper-tier team. But with a contract of that size and a new head coach who lacks the clout to ignore Jerry Jones, I can't imagine that Hamlin won't start at free safety. And I can't imagine that the Cowboys coverage when playing basic coverages (whether basic man schemes or things like 2 and 3) will improve at all.
just how is snyder getting the picture?
By not making bone-headed signings like that big O-Lineman from Arizona and a semi-talented knucklehead like Hamlin.
Your kidding right? You give an old lb a 5 year 25 mill contract, bring back in the failure known as Fred Smoot, and bring in another safety that cant cover in Stoutmire, yeah, he gets it now
That old LB is an ALL-PRO and Smoot is just as good or better than that corner opposite of whats his face. Stoutmire is probably as good as Hamlin at the minimum price Sherlock.
As opposed as bringing in and overpaying guys like Archuleta, Randle- El, and Brandon Lloyd, and then wasting a pick on Duckett? Right......
By the Way what has Leonard Davis done to get that huge ass contract? Way overpaid that monster
Thats why I said Snyder is finally getting the Point. Wasn't Jerry paying attention????
Don't the Skins only have 2 or 3 draft picks?
WTF? does that have to do with anything? Is that all you got??
A simple yes or no answer would have sufficed.
Remind me who they traded for and what draft pick. I know Duckett was a 3rd, who came in for the 2nd rounder? 4th round?
they gave up picks to move up last year to get some miami LB who wasnt that good and the 4th was for some other stupid move
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH. Hamlin might not be the best safety ever, but if your trying to tell me that a 10 year older Stoutmire is as good as Hamlin you are truly an idiot. And if Smoot is so good, why was a Viking team that desperately needs corners willing to let him go? By the way, Fletcher wasnt an All Pro last year, or even in the Pro Bowl, which are 2 different things
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