Why don't bad WRs convert to CB? (1 Viewer)

[Shirtless]

I always ask myself this every time a big WR is mismatched on a smaller CB, which seems like it happens all the time in every game. It seems like at some level of football (high school?) the tall kids who can run want to become WRs. Then down the line we end up with a bunch of big fast WRs going against physically smaller CBs.

If you're a WR buried on the depth chart, why wouldn't you ask your coach to become a CB? Or if you were the coach, why wouldn't you ask the WR to?

I'm thinking of someone like Darrius Heyward-Bey. He's 6'2" 220 lbs and runs a 4.2 40. I think he's currently 5th on Indy's depth chart behind Hilton and three undrafted rookies or something. He might drop every single interception, but he sure seems like he would make a good CB.

 

[Scoresman]

because then they'd be bad CBs

 

[drummer]

If he can't be out a scrub CB, how will that make him more than another scrub CB?

 

[ShaHBucks]

They like money

 

[drummer]

They like money

Yeah it must be the money :deion:

 

[Big Cat]

That's what they did in the good ol' days.... threw a bunch of balls at 'em. If they caught the balls, they were WRs, otherwise, CBs.

 

[bonesman]

Shorter people backpedal better?

 

[Riffraff]

I guess things like:

1. Can't catch

2. Can run backwards and laterally well

3. Generally a wider and more muscular body frame

4. Learn how to tackle; not just WRs, but the much bigger RBs, TEs, and QBs.

5. Reading offenses and instinct can't be learned in a hurry

6. Learning angles

7. Reacting well to unknowns over knowing where they are supposed to be

8. Blocking at the line skills

9. Not a glorified position

10. $$$$

 

[Buffaloes]

because aside from QB, CB is probably the most difficult position to play in the nfl

 

[EBF]

Totally different skill set. Corner is all about reactive quickness. Having that ability to shadow a man on any route and beat him to the ball after he's made his break. Just because you can burn in a straight line doesn't mean you have enough agility or pure quickness to play tight coverage. I think some receivers would have a chance. A person like Ace Sanders, Marqise Lee, or Andre Roberts who has exceptional overall fluidity and suddenness would be an interesting project as a CB.

Somebody like TO or Julio Jones would probably get lit up by smaller, quicker receivers.

 

[massraider]

because aside from QB, CB is probably the most difficult position to play in the nfl

Finally.

 

[bostonfred]

I think a big receiver could convert to a situational db, but not a full time guy. I agree with the posters who said that its hard to be a good corner, but there's nothing wrong with being a bad big corner if you're up against a mediocre big receiver. You'd basically have a big guy specialist. But its a stopgap measure, because if you suck, the rest of the defense would have to adjust a little to deal with the small area of the field you can cover in a zone unless you always and only play in man coverage.

 

[ConnSKINS26]

I think with the proliferation of these monstrous mis-match TE's we start seeing some prime recruits big enough to play WR at a high level being tried out at CB instead if they played both ways in high school (and most of the best players do). DC's in the NFL and NCAA need to figure out how to stop these guys. Training huge nickel corners or non-traditionally WR-like OLB's to cover these guys seems like one way to use a roster spot.

 

[FUBAR]

Wouldn't they be more likely to be an okay safety than corner?

 

[Bri]

I've always wanted this In goalline situations especially with the lob passes. If the Lions are inside the five, I don't think the team has prayer of stopping Calvin so why not try a WR? Literally have nothing to lose. If it's a quick snap toss he's gotta cover him for a few steps and it's all about desire, "ups" and reach.

 

[Quibbler]

Well, first of all, some do. BB has a history of using WRs as CBs, either to fill in for injuries (Troy Brown, Edelman) or situationally (Randy Moss covering Hail Marys).

But as others have said, it's actually a significantly different skill-set. At the NFL level, the CB position gets extremely specialized. You have CBs who specialize in playing nickle vs. outside, even right vs. left sideline. I looked into this once, wondering why some teams play sides instead of swapping to get the best matchups, and I found a whole literature about why some CBs play one side better than another (short version: being right or left-footed makes it easier to turn your hips around in one direction).

 

[Bri]

Wouldn't they be more likely to be an okay safety than corner?

Slater

 

[mbuehner]

Troy Brown played safety wasnt it? I could see safety way before CB, regardless theres that little detail of never having thrown a tackle since HS. Kinda an important skill for a db.

 

[Bri]

Troy Brown played safety wasnt it? I could see safety way before CB, regardless theres that little detail of never having thrown a tackle since HS. Kinda an important skill for a db.

He seemed to go in to cover the slot WR most.

 

[bostonfred]

A lot of wrs play special teams, either in college or in their first couple seasons in the nfl. That would give them some opportunities to work on tackling in the open field.

 

[coolnerd]

Most WRs who switch to corner do so in high school or college. In the NFL, there are very few successful position switches among 2000 or so players.

 

[Sweet Love]

You know why teams don't have bad WRs convert to Corner? Because the Jets would then have 12 DBs and 1 WR on the roster.

 

[Patsfan39]

It's a completely different style of play from going to a WR to CB. You got different types of coverage to learn. You're back pedaling more than running straight, you're using more reflexes by following someone instead of running away from them. Totally different form etc. Not to say that most WRs couldn't make the switch. But it isn't THAT easy, IMO.

 

[Donnybrook]

Vikings successfully did it with Robert Tate.

 

[Xue]

Julio would make a great Safety.

DBs generally have elite quickness, agility, and change of direction, even the ones who aren't very good. Just look up yearly Combine results.

The best WR candidates to switch are the slot types because they generally have great shuttle and 3-cone times, like Edelman.

If you don't have a sub 7.00 3-cone teams aren't even gonna bother.

 

[simsarge]

Troy Brown played safety wasnt it? I could see safety way before CB, regardless theres that little detail of never having thrown a tackle since HS. Kinda an important skill for a db.

Yeah, the prima donna factor likely has something to do with this. I would think that NFL coaches are smart enough to ponder this if they see a guy has a transeferable skill set. So either as mentioned there's so few that have it and can try and make the conversion or they just refuse to and resign themselves to 5th string WR and special teams or maybe Canada/Arena.

Seems very few positions make a major conversion. Everyone's so specialized even at the HS & college level. Heck hybrid OL guys that can do more than one position are super rare. I would think (mistakenly, I'm sure) that that's an easier crossover than WR ->CB.

 

[CalBear]

I've always wanted this In goalline situations especially with the lob passes. If the Lions are inside the five, I don't think the team has prayer of stopping Calvin so why not try a WR? Literally have nothing to lose. If it's a quick snap toss he's gotta cover him for a few steps and it's all about desire, "ups" and reach.

What you have to lose is the talent and skills of an NFL-level cornerback, having played some number of years in the NFL and been an All-American-level talent as a defensive back, which you're going to replace with someone who hasn't played a down on the defensive side of the ball since high school (if then). What could go wrong?

 

[massraider]

Think about what cornerbacks do.

Their job is to chase some of the fastest humans in this country, and on non-pass plays, try and tackle Adrian Peterson, Marshawn Lynch, etc. No position demands more physically, all around, than CB.

 

[Grimace59]

A good example of why not would be Devin Hester. He was drafted as a DB, and he wasn't really that good. Sorry he was drafted as a returner, but they played him at DB his rookie year. Phenomenal athletic talent doesn't always translate when talking about corners

 

[massraider]

Does it bother you that no one is going to read that?

 

[Zaphod]

Does it bother you that no one is going to read that?

LOL, not only that but after he was done being condescending, he simply started repeating earlier posts.

 

[smackdaddies]

some do ok - Sam Shields has faired pretty well. If I had to identify reasons:

1) You can be dumb and be a wr. You can't be dumb and be a cb

2) Some guys don't like to tackle

3) Ego - I am a wr gosh darn it

 

[Riversco]

Because its unconventional.

The #1 job of a head coach is not to win games. Its to avoid getting fired. It doesn't matter if it could work. No-one is probably going to try it because its unconventional. Trying something unconventional and failing is a great way to get fired. Its safer to just follow convention.

Once in a while, a coach has enough cache to buck trends, and actually does. But the odds are slim that any head coach with enough cache will buck the trend in this particular way. It might actually work but we will never know in all likelihood.

 

[zftcg]

Didn't Richard Sherman switch halfway through college? Although as I recall, it had less to do with his skill set as it did not getting along with Harbaugh. Still, one of his biggest advantages as a CB is his size, which would support the OP's argument.

On the flip side, I remember watching a Michigan-Michigan State game years ago where UM tried out David Terrell at CB against Plaxico Burress. Plax absolutely torched him (though to be fair, he pretty much did the same thing to the starting CBs, too.)

 

[Bri]

I've always wanted this In goalline situations especially with the lob passes. If the Lions are inside the five, I don't think the team has prayer of stopping Calvin so why not try a WR? Literally have nothing to lose. If it's a quick snap toss he's gotta cover him for a few steps and it's all about desire, "ups" and reach.

What you have to lose is the talent and skills of an NFL-level cornerback, having played some number of years in the NFL and been an All-American-level talent as a defensive back, which you're going to replace with someone who hasn't played a down on the defensive side of the ball since high school (if then). What could go wrong?

The goal line scenario greatly limits this in some ways. When Calvin takes three four strides and leaps, the 5 foot 10 CB that played him well the whole length of the field is suddenly not at all effective. Some times when you're watching ya just know the lob is coming. At this point, I'm saying why not throw a taller WR? Probably the same reasons they put WRs as DBs on Hail Mary passes

 

[Eminence]

Totally different skill set. Corner is all about reactive quickness. Having that ability to shadow a man on any route and beat him to the ball after he's made his break. Just because you can burn in a straight line doesn't mean you have enough agility or pure quickness to play tight coverage. I think some receivers would have a chance. A person like Ace Sanders, Marqise Lee, or Andre Roberts who has exceptional overall fluidity and suddenness would be an interesting project as a CB.

Somebody like TO or Julio Jones would probably get lit up by smaller, quicker receivers.

I'd like to see Sanders at DB.

 

[CalBear]

I've always wanted this In goalline situations especially with the lob passes. If the Lions are inside the five, I don't think the team has prayer of stopping Calvin so why not try a WR? Literally have nothing to lose. If it's a quick snap toss he's gotta cover him for a few steps and it's all about desire, "ups" and reach.

What you have to lose is the talent and skills of an NFL-level cornerback, having played some number of years in the NFL and been an All-American-level talent as a defensive back, which you're going to replace with someone who hasn't played a down on the defensive side of the ball since high school (if then). What could go wrong?

The goal line scenario greatly limits this in some ways. When Calvin takes three four strides and leaps, the 5 foot 10 CB that played him well the whole length of the field is suddenly not at all effective. Some times when you're watching ya just know the lob is coming. At this point, I'm saying why not throw a taller WR? Probably the same reasons they put WRs as DBs on Hail Mary passes

Calvin runs lots of different routes in the red zone. Quick, you've never played DB before, and you have to decide whether Megatron is running a hook, fade, or slant. If you lean the wrong way or get your footwork wrong you're toast. Good luck!

 

[Bri]

I've always wanted this In goalline situations especially with the lob passes. If the Lions are inside the five, I don't think the team has prayer of stopping Calvin so why not try a WR? Literally have nothing to lose. If it's a quick snap toss he's gotta cover him for a few steps and it's all about desire, "ups" and reach.

What you have to lose is the talent and skills of an NFL-level cornerback, having played some number of years in the NFL and been an All-American-level talent as a defensive back, which you're going to replace with someone who hasn't played a down on the defensive side of the ball since high school (if then). What could go wrong?

The goal line scenario greatly limits this in some ways. When Calvin takes three four strides and leaps, the 5 foot 10 CB that played him well the whole length of the field is suddenly not at all effective. Some times when you're watching ya just know the lob is coming. At this point, I'm saying why not throw a taller WR? Probably the same reasons they put WRs as DBs on Hail Mary passes

Calvin runs lots of different routes in the red zone. Quick, you've never played DB before, and you have to decide whether Megatron is running a hook, fade, or slant. If you lean the wrong way or get your footwork wrong you're toast. Good luck!

Yeah no doubt, but that doesn't mean you're not sitting in front of a TV saying here comes the lob, ooh there it is, TD! Well agree to disagree here I guess.

Sometimes Calvin catches some that just are so simple yet so dominant that it makes me long for some other method on defense.

 

[Eminence]

If I had to guess, I'd say the learning curve is probably quite steep / it would be hard to determine how much to pay this guy per year while he is learning.

 

[Menace]

Always thought the Browns should've moved Cribbs to CB since they could never decide what to do with him.