What do you think Tomlin means??

[Welcome To Smashmouth]

Seemed to me like the coaching staff was still uncertain on the starting FS...this tidbit tells us that the competition is still taking place, but what do you make of Tomlin's response??


Safety Anthony Smith, who missed practice time last week and the Redskins game, also returned to practice and will play against the Eagles. He and Ryan Clark will continue to battle for the starting free safety job.


"That is becoming crystal clear," said Tomlin. "We are just not willing to anoint anybody."

[The Duke]

Hopefully it means Smith will start against the eagles. That game ,along with the Carolina game, he has got to make a big impression on the boss. After that decisions are made and the odds still seem kinda against him,but hopefully he will change it in the upcoming games. Tomlin hasn't decided on Clark yet, so Smith has to be better than him to win the position

[TackleMeBen]

that tomlin knows who he is going to put there but isnt ready to tell the media who it is.. or he may have an idea of who he wants there but wants to make sure that its the right guy for the job.

[tony hipchest]

we got about 30 players who arent getting paid to be back ups. either that means we are pretty deep or we need to start trimming the fat.

i think tomlin has done a fine job of not rushing back players who have little aches and pains. this either means a. smith is the starter and we dont wanna risk further injury, or it means if he is gonna whine about a little tweak he is not going to get the start.

i dont really know what it means. i do think if we could combine smiths upside and ferocity with clarks experience and knowledge of the game, we would have 2 of the best safeties in the game (1 we could not afford)

it is a good problem to have. i guess clark has earned the starters job (his salary almost dictates as much in a tie breaker)

[RoethlisBURGHer]

I think he means that he has an idea of who he wants to start, but he just isn't quite sure yet.

[delhess]

i've been saying this for a while.

the job is gonna be clark's.

how would it be crystal clear that smith is the man when he's not performing?

i could be wrong, but i don't think i am. if i'm right it's not going to be a popular choice, but it might be the right choice for now.

[Galax Steeler]

I have to agree with tony how could you have clark on the sidlines for what we are paying him.

[Elvis]

I believe that who ever the better player is should be the starter no matter what the experience's is with Clark. I just hope they have the right player out there no matter who it is ....

[Atlanta Dan]

Originally Posted by galax steeler

I have to agree with tony how could you have clark on the sidlines for what we are paying him.

We will be paying Okobi a nice piece of change and he apparently will be sitting - you play your best players.

It may be Smith to some extent is in the same situation a McFadden - it is asumed he will become the starer but on the field performance has not matched expectations

[jtmill]

I'm not reading nothin' into nothin'. I'm gonna trust Tomlin to make the right picks. It seems to me that Tomlin is giving certain guys their due time in different games. Cedrick in game 1, nate in game 2, santonio in game 3. Look at any position so far. It's true of WR, RB, CB, C. Certain guys start or excel in one game and virtually disappear in the next. I think these guys are picked for these games way ahead of time and he's just playing it through. Maybe I'm wrong, but that's my take.