Archuleta comfortable with move to free safety

[RamDez]

Martz is impressed with what he's seen

BY STEVE KORTE

News-Democrat


ST. LOUIS - Adam Archuleta hopes moving from strong safety to free safety will mean more freedom for him to make plays for the St. Louis Rams.
Archuleta has played strong safety for the Rams for the past four seasons. He has been lining up as a free safety with rookie Jerome Carter at strong safety during the team's training camp, which opened this week.
"I feel good about it," Archuleta said of playing free safety. "I embraced the idea. In the years past, the way we did our defense, even in training camp, I never worked deep. I never worked coverage. I was underneath because we knew no matter what, (free safety) Aeneas (Williams) wasn't going to go into the box.
"Now this is an opportunity to actually be more of a complete safety."
Rams coach Mike Martz said Archuleta's size makes him better suited to playing free safety.
"For Arch to be a strong safety, we're going to ask him to be around 225 pounds," Martz said. "They are down in the (box) a lot more than the free safety. There's a lot more pounding to the body. He's at his best weight when he's at 205 pounds. That's when he is his strongest, his fastest. He has that great speed and agility to be a free safety. He just needs to get back there and play."
Archuleta has been used more like a linebacker than a defensive back in recent years. He has only two career interceptions, but Martz said he was confident that Archuleta could learn to cover receivers.
"In terms of being an athlete and being able to move and do all those things, I am not worried about that," Martz said. "Taking the proper angle, breaking on the ball, ball recognition, he just needs snaps back there doing it."
The Rams' definition of free safety and strong safety has changed under defensive coordinator Larry Marmie. It's now more like right safety and left safety, with both positions responsible for defending against the deep ball or defending against the run depending on the situation.
"Free safety, strong safety -- the terminology means different things depending on who you talk to, and really it doesn't mean anything," Archuleta said. "You look at teams like the (Baltimore) Ravens, Ed Reed is considered a strong safety, but he plays the deep ball most of the time.
"In the past, you used to see me up in the box a lot and Aeneas (Williams) back deep. Now we have two safeties who are more interchangeable, and we are going to be able to disguise things more."
Martz said he thought Archuleta looked natural at free safety during the first two days of training camp.
"He's ahead of where I thought he'd be when he came in," Martz said. "He's responded very well. He's taken charge back there. He's very loud in his calls. He's firm in his decisions. He looks like he has been there for a while, which is really unusual. I think he has found a home back there, I really do."
Archuleta is coming back from a herniated disc in his back that limited his effectiveness last season. He still finished with 123 tackles, second on the team behind Pisa Tinoisamoa's 145 tackles.
"I have to get my confidence back on the field," Archuleta said. "As far as walking around and being a human being, I feel great.
"Now it's time to get into the competitive aspect of playing football, and getting confidence back in my body."
Archuleta said he feels like he just has to leave last season behind.
"I have to prove myself to me, my teammates and everybody else," Archuleta said. "I had a down year last year."
Archuleta said he talked with the 37-year-old Williams, who has been his mentor, in June.
Williams remains unsigned as an unrestricted free agent. He also has yet to announce his retirement.
"He said he thought he had more to give in this league," Archuleta said. "Obviously, he truly never makes a decision until it's time to make it, so I wouldn't want to speak for him. But, he said he feels like he has more to give."
Asked if he thought Williams could end up back with the Rams, Archuleta said, "I have no idea. Obviously, he is valuable. It would be great, but that's not my job. My job is to figure how to get my hands on the ball."

[UtterBlitz]

Archuleta said he talked with the 37-year-old Williams, who has been his mentor, in June.
Williams remains unsigned as an unrestricted free agent. He also has yet to announce his retirement.
"He said he thought he had more to give in this league," Archuleta said. "Obviously, he truly never makes a decision until it's time to make it, so I wouldn't want to speak for him. But, he said he feels like he has more to give."
Asked if he thought Williams could end up back with the Rams, Archuleta said, "I have no idea. Obviously, he is valuable. It would be great, but that's not my job. My job is to figure how to get my hands on the ball."

Yes Arch must figure out how to get his hands on the ball and how to "catch" the ball. We don't want the ball knocked away all the time. We want interceptions.

So does anyone else think that there is a possibility that we may see Williams back in a Rams uniform this year?

[RamDez]

I think if we see Williams back in uniform it will tell us all something ..... We are in trouble.

Now dont get me wrong, I would love to see Williams go out with a Superbowl ring but ........... I just dont think its his time any more ...

[psycho9985]

Well at least the Rams got him to the SuperBowl.It wouldnt have happened in Arizona.

[RealRam]

Interesting: this would be a decisive year for Adam Archuleta as well as for Aeneas Williams.

I'd like to see AW play this season, sporadically. I just think he still has talent to give to the benefit of our defense. A couple of interceptions from him wouldn't hurt and his presence in the D huddle is serious motivation.

Borrrow back the No. 35 jersey from Corey Ivy. :football:

[DJRamFan]

Archuleta needs a breakout year after last year. I hope he has the speed and hands to take care of the new position. I've always liked him and he should do well.

Aenaes is done and he had a great career. If he comes back it won't be a good sign.