Silver and Black Report

Stuart Schweigert

On Tuesday, the Oakland Raiders cut free-safety Stuart Schweigert, a three-year starter who became expendable after the Silver & Black over-hauled their secondary this off-season. After his ups and downs and inconsistencies in the defensive backfield, Oakland decided to go with youth, proven veterans and big money personnel to round out a defense that took a step back in 2007 after a promising 2006.

The former third round draft selection in the 2004 draft started 42 games during his career with the Raiders. Schweigert had his 37-game starting streak end after sustaining a hip injury Nov. 18 against the Minnesota Vikings and was never able to retain his job after Hiram Eugene took over at free-safety as 2007 wound down.

The 26-year old ends his career in Oakland with 258-solo tackles, 20-passes defended, 2-forced fumbles and 4-interceptions.

Schweigert became the target of fans for his poor tackling and lack of big plays in the secondary after a career in Purdue where he collected 17 career interceptions, surpassing Rod Woodson’s school mark of 11. He was never able to make impact plays in the defensive backfield as a pro and his inability to provide a solid last line of defense versus running backs shooting into the secondary was frustrating for fans during his years as a starter.

Was he to blame for many of the team’s rushing woes? No. But he did not help his cause by taking bad angles and blowing coverage assignments during many significant plays throughout his career.

In 2006, Oakland’s secondary ranked 1^st in the league allowing a miniscule 150.8 yards passing per game. Nonetheless, Schweigert was looked at as the weak link of the unit and a player that would retain his job due to the lack of an adequate replacement.

As his first season as Raiders coach ended, Lane Kiffin hinted at Michael Huff’s return back to free-safety, an indication that Schweigert could be on the way out.

The signing of strong safety Gibril Wilson and the selection of Tyvon Branch gave Oakland enough depth to justify the release of Schweigert. Wilson looks to be the projected starter at strong safety and will tandem with Huff, who will return to free-safety, a position in which he was able to make a name for himself as a collegiate at Texas. Huff moving to free-safety will allow him to roam in coverage and use his athletic ability to make plays on the ball and attack the line of scrimmage in an effort to facilitate more turnovers in the defensive backfield. Branch is looked at as a safety per defensive coordinator Rob Ryan, who stated in April that they like what he brings to the position.

“We think he’s going to be a safety for us. He’s going to be a good, solid player. You talk about his versatility, I mean, that jumps off the tapes when you’re watching. He’s a hard-hitting young man”, he stated.

With DeAngelo Hall and Nnamdi Asomugha firmly cemented as starters at cornerback, Oakland has now the flexibility of using Stanford Routt as a nickel/dime back and playing him at safety as well.

Jarrod Cooper, John Bowie and 5^th year pro Chris Johnson are also members of the secondary that Raider staffers like and that will vie for spots as the summer approaches.

Cooper’s special teams contributions have him ahead of other competitors, and will take away one spot in the secondary that will be available during camp battles. If he is completely healed and primed to continue his role as a standout on special teams, it will be hard for anyone to take his roster spot.

Johnson is always touted for his quickness and mentioned by Ryan during his ramblings of the state of the secondary. Bowie is a long shot and will most likely always be remembered for being the product of the Randy Moss trade to the New England Patriots.

With Schweigert and Fabian Washington gone, half of the secondary that led the league in passing yards allowed in 2006 is now gone.

Oakland can now claim to have the priciest secondary in the NFL with two starting cornerbacks each making more than $9 million, a strong safety that is the third highest paid safety in the NFL, and a former first round draft pick that is still in the midst of his initial rookie deal that is worth $43 million.

What Oakland wont have is a safety that became the whooping boy for a defense that had bigger problems along the trenches than it did in defensive backfield.