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- Jun 27, 2014
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- 72
With the addition of safeties Cam Curl and Camren Kitchens, I've been thinking about how their skill sets might influence our defensive alignments this season. Since we brought in Brandon Staley in 2020, we've relied heavily on a two-high safety look inspired by Vic Fangio's defense where we don't really distinguish between strong and free safety. But the strengths and versatility of Curl and Kitchens could make single-high safety schemes an actually viable option going forward.
Cam Curl brings a unique skillset to the table. Last season with the Commodes, he racked up a career-high 115 tackles and demonstrated impressive instincts in the open field. His man coverage skills have significantly improved since his rookie year, and he finished this past season with the second-highest man coverage grade among safeties. He can line up anywhere on the field and has great understanding of leverage. His ability to play in man coverage and to play near the line of scrimmage could allow for more single-high safety looks, with Kitchens patrolling deep. This setup could be particularly effective against offenses that heavily utilize tight ends and slot receivers, allowing Curl to match up in man coverage while Kitchens provides over-the-top support.
Camren Kitchens, our third-round draft pick, seems to project as a pure free safety with incredible range and ball skills. Over the last two seasons in college, he recorded 11 interceptions, showing potentially elite playmaking skills. Kitchens is known for his sideline-to-sideline range and speed, making him an ideal candidate for deep zone coverage. While open-field tackling has been the biggest weakness in his game, his potential as a game-changer is undeniable.
The flexibility that Curl and Kitchens bring might enable us to disguise our coverages more effectively. By showing a two-high shell pre-snap and rotating into a single-high look post-snap, we can create confusion for opposing quarterbacks and make our defense more unpredictable. While it’s probably unlikely that we’ll abandon our two-high safety foundation entirely, the addition of Curl and Kitchens could potentially lead to more single-high safety looks this season. What do you guys think?
Cam Curl brings a unique skillset to the table. Last season with the Commodes, he racked up a career-high 115 tackles and demonstrated impressive instincts in the open field. His man coverage skills have significantly improved since his rookie year, and he finished this past season with the second-highest man coverage grade among safeties. He can line up anywhere on the field and has great understanding of leverage. His ability to play in man coverage and to play near the line of scrimmage could allow for more single-high safety looks, with Kitchens patrolling deep. This setup could be particularly effective against offenses that heavily utilize tight ends and slot receivers, allowing Curl to match up in man coverage while Kitchens provides over-the-top support.
Camren Kitchens, our third-round draft pick, seems to project as a pure free safety with incredible range and ball skills. Over the last two seasons in college, he recorded 11 interceptions, showing potentially elite playmaking skills. Kitchens is known for his sideline-to-sideline range and speed, making him an ideal candidate for deep zone coverage. While open-field tackling has been the biggest weakness in his game, his potential as a game-changer is undeniable.
The flexibility that Curl and Kitchens bring might enable us to disguise our coverages more effectively. By showing a two-high shell pre-snap and rotating into a single-high look post-snap, we can create confusion for opposing quarterbacks and make our defense more unpredictable. While it’s probably unlikely that we’ll abandon our two-high safety foundation entirely, the addition of Curl and Kitchens could potentially lead to more single-high safety looks this season. What do you guys think?
