Cowboys bring in Hamlin

Seattle PI ^ | 3-23-07 | wire

[Dysart]

Irving, TX (Sports Network) - The Dallas Cowboys on Friday signed free agent safety Ken Hamlin. No further details of the signing have been released.

Hamlin, who will be entering his fifth season, spent his first four years in the NFL in Seattle after the team drafted him in the second round of the 2003 draft.

Last season he tied a career-high in tackles with 96 and also had two sacks and three interceptions as he appeared in every game with the Seahawks.

In 54 games, Hamlin has amassed 298 tackles with four sacks and eight interceptions in his career.

[Dysart]

I think this is a pretty good pickup for Dallas because it will allow Roy Williams to play around the LOS, where he is best suited (he can help stuff the run and blitz the crap out of the QB).


Any Seahawks fans wanna weigh in on Hamlin?

[highlander_UW]

Any Seahawks fans wanna weigh in on Hamlin?

Hamlin makes the occasional big hit, but gives up wrapping up the tackle in order to do so, leading with his shoulder. He seems a bit of a freelancer which leaves him out of position and therefore gives up the occasional big play. He does play with heart...just not enough with his head.

The pick ups the Seahawks made earlier were an upgrade to the position, which is why they didn't work to resign him.

He's not a bum...he'll make some plays, and he'll frustrate you by missing ones he should have made or been in position to make. That's my 2 cents.

[Dysart]

He does play with heart...just not enough with his head.

Hmmm we've already got this guy here: his name is Keith Davis. Hopefully Hamlin won't find Wade Phillips' defensive scheme too complex.

[nativist]

I am a Hawks fan but have lived in the Dallas area most of my life. I hate to see Hamlin go. He is a tough guy with an attitude. I remember him going out of bounds to hit T.O. one game against S.F. and it really shook T.O. up for the rest of the game.

The Boys got a good one but Seattle's front office is really good, better than Dallas by far, so the fact Seattle didn't resign him tells me something, but Dallas should be happy with their 2 hard hitting safety's.

[highlander_UW]

I didn't want to come across as too negative...he does play and is not a bum, but I couldn't count how many times I've seen him take on tackles with his shoulder looking to blow up the ball carrier and the guy bounces off and someone else has to make the tackle. Sometimes he does take the guy down, sometimes he blows the guy up...sometimes he misses and sometimes the guy bounces. The fact remains, he should wrap up the tackle and that often isn't the case. It's my impression he has average speed and range, but takes sometimes takes bad angles or is out of position.

Bottom line, the Hawks entered the offseason with 4 primary goals...find a replacement for Hutchinson on the OL (left guard), upgrade at TE (not done yet...will be addressed in draft), improve DL, needed improvement on pass rush (Kearney in free agency, likely a draft target as well), and safety upgrade...both slots, really. The highest priority is generally seen as OL and Safety.

Of these needs, DE Kearney is upgrade, Safety has been upgraded plus someone who was out all last season is returning this year to safety, TE was signed but he's 35. So hawks will likely draft a guard, a TE, a Defensive tackle to tie up the run in the middle and possibly another pass rusher...assuming draft is for position and not best player available (which tends to be their preference).

[Dysart]

No, I didn't take your assessment as too negative. I've seen Hamlin miss on some easy tackles trying to make the big hit, al la Steve Atwater. I don't think he's the best FS in the league but he's an upgrade here. These days you have to have some average to above average players who fit well into your overall scheme and compliment your superstars. Here, we have Ware and Williams in that role, defensively.

Who did Seattle obtain to replace Hamlin?

[highlander_UW]

Who did Seattle obtain to replace Hamlin?

Deon Grant from Jacksonville and Brian Russell from Cleveland, and the player returning from missing all of last season is Mike Green, formerly of the Bears. The primary starter should be Grant. The general Seattle view is that Grant is a big upgrade in coverage, maybe a slight drop on the line of scrimmage...same for Russell. The Grant signing got good buzz amongst the Hawk fans here, Russell a bit less as he's possibly backup, or in rotation. Seattle has excellent linebackers, 2 pro-bowlers and one with pro-bowl potential. We need our DT's to remain healthy or obtain quality backups...but with that we need better pass coverage from the safeties much more than playing up on the line...plus it's not like Grant is a liability there.

You mentioned that Hamlin is an upgrade in Dallas...that might be, he's not a terrible player...just not a good fit here.

[CaliPhant]

Wow, go easy on the Arkansas safties!

But seriously... it seems like Hamlin is a lot like Roy Williams, which might not be a good thing. I know Roy makes pro bowls, but I've seen him miss some tackles in going for the big hit, which some of you are saying Hamlin does also.

Hopefully Wade Phillips will be able to make a difference, but having two non-fundamental tacklers might be a problem for Dallas.

But yes, he is an upgrade for sure and they only signed him to a one year deal. It won't be the first round, but Dallas might look to drafting a safety of the future in the April.