http://www.newyorkjets.com/news/article-randylangefb/What-Marcus-Gilchrist-Brings-to-the-Table/b567fa09-e8bc-4209-baf8-80fa2415accd
What Marcus Gilchrist Brings to the Table
Posted 1 hour ago
Randy Lange
Editor-in-Chief, newyorkjets.com
@rlangejets Blog: Randy's Radar
Just-Signed Safety Shows Confidence in Coverage, Fearlessness in Making Tackles for Loss
Marcus Gilchrist could be the diamond in the secondary rough for the Jets this free agency season.
We all know about Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie around these parts. Buster Skrine did his thing as the Browns' four-INT starting corner last season.
Gilchrist was a little more removed from the New York scene — 2,500 miles removed, in fact, in San Diego. Like Skrine, he also emerged as an NFL starter the last two years, although he did it after a move from corner to strong safety. He has five picks for his career, no more than two in a season.
Yet beneath the surface, there's a lot to like. For starters, he has demonstrated his versatility on the field and he's done it with pizzazz (as suggested by this Chargers Vine video of No. 38).
"I'm a passionate player. I bring a lot of energy and a lot of dedication," Gilchrist told me in a phone conversation late last week after he signed. "I can do a lot of of things. I can come down in the box and make tackles, I can get out on the perimeter and cover. I've never tried to limit myself over the years. I try to progress, make myself as versatile as possible."
Rich Cimini did some film study on Gilchrist for ESPN.com, specifically the safety's ability to cover top tight ends, and concluded "that's not in his wheelhouse."
Whether that's one of Marcus' strengths or not will become clearer as we get to preseason. To be sure, Cimini's got a point about how Jets DBs covered tight ends last season. Here's one way to look at it: TEs caught 75 passes on 101 targets for 810 yards, 14 TDs and no Jets interceptions. If you apply passer rating to those numbers, the rating is a grim 137.0. Without doubt that is an area of our pass coverage that has to improve.
Yet Gilchrist has shown coverage and confidence since arriving as the Chargers' second-rounder out of Clemson in 2011. That was never more evident than last Nov. 23, when he came up with the last-minute interception against St. Louis that, according to one headline writer, "save[d] the Chargers season."
"Thank you, Lord," he said after jumping a Kenny Britt pass route to make the play cemented SD's 27-24 victory. "It's one of those plays that as a kid you dream of. In basketball you want to make the game-winning shot, and in football you want to make the game-winning play somehow."
"You talk in off-season and training camp when the game is on the line, who is going to make the big plays, and that's what the NFL is all about," Chargers coach Mike McCoy said. "Week in and week out, there's people that make big plays. Gillie got beat on a touchdown there at one point in time, and all of the sudden he comes back with the play of the game."
VIEW GALLERY | 12 Photos
Get to Know: Marcus Gilchrist
There's another part of Gilchrist's game that is measurably impressive and that's his playmaking in the opponents' backfield. In his last three seasons, Marcus has come up with three sacks plus 11.0 tackles behind the line on all other plays. Among those he's taken down on receptions are TE Rob Gronkowski, WRs Dexter McCluster and Mike Wallace, and RB Darren Sproles.
Consider that in three seasons his tackles for loss on pass plays (6.5 tackles for minus-18 yards) compare quite favorably to all Jets safeties' tackles over the past six seasons (8.0 tackles for minus-15.5 yards).
"Making plays in the backfield, I think that's just something that comes along with it," Gilchrist said. "I just pride myself in being good at all aspects of the game. As a player I still think I'm evolving, I haven't hit my peak yet. Coach Todd Bowles can help take my potential to another level."
What Marcus Gilchrist Brings to the Table
Posted 1 hour ago
Randy Lange
Editor-in-Chief, newyorkjets.com
@rlangejets Blog: Randy's Radar
Just-Signed Safety Shows Confidence in Coverage, Fearlessness in Making Tackles for Loss
Marcus Gilchrist could be the diamond in the secondary rough for the Jets this free agency season.
We all know about Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie around these parts. Buster Skrine did his thing as the Browns' four-INT starting corner last season.
Gilchrist was a little more removed from the New York scene — 2,500 miles removed, in fact, in San Diego. Like Skrine, he also emerged as an NFL starter the last two years, although he did it after a move from corner to strong safety. He has five picks for his career, no more than two in a season.
Yet beneath the surface, there's a lot to like. For starters, he has demonstrated his versatility on the field and he's done it with pizzazz (as suggested by this Chargers Vine video of No. 38).
"I'm a passionate player. I bring a lot of energy and a lot of dedication," Gilchrist told me in a phone conversation late last week after he signed. "I can do a lot of of things. I can come down in the box and make tackles, I can get out on the perimeter and cover. I've never tried to limit myself over the years. I try to progress, make myself as versatile as possible."
Rich Cimini did some film study on Gilchrist for ESPN.com, specifically the safety's ability to cover top tight ends, and concluded "that's not in his wheelhouse."
Whether that's one of Marcus' strengths or not will become clearer as we get to preseason. To be sure, Cimini's got a point about how Jets DBs covered tight ends last season. Here's one way to look at it: TEs caught 75 passes on 101 targets for 810 yards, 14 TDs and no Jets interceptions. If you apply passer rating to those numbers, the rating is a grim 137.0. Without doubt that is an area of our pass coverage that has to improve.
Yet Gilchrist has shown coverage and confidence since arriving as the Chargers' second-rounder out of Clemson in 2011. That was never more evident than last Nov. 23, when he came up with the last-minute interception against St. Louis that, according to one headline writer, "save[d] the Chargers season."
"Thank you, Lord," he said after jumping a Kenny Britt pass route to make the play cemented SD's 27-24 victory. "It's one of those plays that as a kid you dream of. In basketball you want to make the game-winning shot, and in football you want to make the game-winning play somehow."
"You talk in off-season and training camp when the game is on the line, who is going to make the big plays, and that's what the NFL is all about," Chargers coach Mike McCoy said. "Week in and week out, there's people that make big plays. Gillie got beat on a touchdown there at one point in time, and all of the sudden he comes back with the play of the game."
VIEW GALLERY | 12 Photos
Get to Know: Marcus Gilchrist
There's another part of Gilchrist's game that is measurably impressive and that's his playmaking in the opponents' backfield. In his last three seasons, Marcus has come up with three sacks plus 11.0 tackles behind the line on all other plays. Among those he's taken down on receptions are TE Rob Gronkowski, WRs Dexter McCluster and Mike Wallace, and RB Darren Sproles.
Consider that in three seasons his tackles for loss on pass plays (6.5 tackles for minus-18 yards) compare quite favorably to all Jets safeties' tackles over the past six seasons (8.0 tackles for minus-15.5 yards).
"Making plays in the backfield, I think that's just something that comes along with it," Gilchrist said. "I just pride myself in being good at all aspects of the game. As a player I still think I'm evolving, I haven't hit my peak yet. Coach Todd Bowles can help take my potential to another level."
Rich Cimini 