The Commanders drafted two defensive backs in the first two rounds of the 2023 NFL Draft, and many thought that might be the beginning of the end for some in the defensive backfield, Kendall Fuller being among the names bandied about on our air.
However, in Ron Rivera’s comments at minicamp Wednesday morning, JP Finlay was reminded of Brian Mitchell’s thoughts about the Commanders’ draft as Ron discussed the secondary – Rivera saying “if we can keep him on the field” about Benjamin St-Juste.
A big red flag, at least to BMitch and Finlay.
“If Ron is mentioning that in June, it clearly is high on their minds,” JP said while live at minicamp. “When fans ask how they went DB in the first two rounds of the Draft, I think the St-Juste health factor was absolutely a part of things.”
“Exactly; I love the guy on the field, but you have to be on the field, and when he got the concussion, I thought, okay if you get a second, people are more concerned about that than anything else,” BMitch replied. “There’s so much uncertainty – even doctors don’t know everything about a concussion.
Teams can see a guy be great all week, and then Saturday morning, he wakes up and can’t play, or makes a form tackle and he can’t play. Concussions scare people more than knee injuries.”
Of course that brought talk of Chase Young, but as JP noted, most people are able to return, and eventually return to form, even after severe leg injuries – just ask Nick Gates – but with head injuries, no one knows if or when you’ll ever be the same.
“You can pass the tests…we’ve heard from guys that they didn’t have a concussion, but got concussion-like symptoms later in the week,” BMitch said. “It is too uncertain, and that affects things. Back in the day it was about the spine, because if a guy had a back injury, you had to believe what the guy said – one day you could be fine, the next day you can’t move. It’s the same thing with a concussion.”
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“I applaud they’re trying to make sure peoples’ brains stay safe, but you have to consider that when they went DB in the second round while offensive linemen who made sense were there, and they released Bobby McCain and Cam Dantzler…they’ve identified the guys they like,” JP replied. “And, I think they realized their corner depth was awful, and they can’t be in a position where Wild Goose and Castro-Fields are starting for us. If that’s bottom of the roster depth, that’s fine, but that can’t be plan A going into like Week 9. That just can’t be the plan.”
JP thinks the current cornerback unit is much better and the excitement around Emmanuel Forbes ‘is deserved and legitimate,’ and he likes what he’s seen out of Quan Martin as well. And…
“What you have to worry about the burners who impress at the combine is wondering if it’s game speed or straight-line speed – but with Forbes, it’s game speed,” Finlay said.
Listen to the guys’ entire conversation about St-Juste and the secondary above!
Follow BMitch & Finlay on Twitter: @BMitchliveNBCS, @JPFinlayNBCS, and @BMitchandFinlay
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