I guess this is considered a hot take but Ivey will be the best longer corner on our roster next season (think couch is our best overall cover guy). People really overreacting to a few bad games/plays. This will definitely get heat but he is so much better than Blades at this point blades got real lucky last year cause his technique got him way out of position or flat out beat at times.
Respectfully disagree.
It wasn't just a few bad games it was most of the games he started, he was bad.
Ivey is not so much better than Blades, not even close. You can believe he may be better, but there is no tangible evidence that he's better, especially not based off last season.
Ivey gave up the most catches off targets, the most yards & TD's of any DB in our secondary last year & that's not up for debate. Blades had the best PFF grade amongst the CB's & has the best technique of the group. Blades issue is overall physicality at the point of attack & fighting off blocks, he's not a good tackler, but his coverage grade was better than Bandy's last year & he has better physical tools than any Corner on the roster.
Ivey has a long way to go before he can be labeled as "better" than anyone, he has very poor technique in Press man, his footwork is terribly inconsistent & his hips are stiff. He opens the gate unlike any CB I've seen in a long time, he gets beat really bad on any route that goes beyond 10yds, he plays with bad eye discipline & routinely got worked last year vs WR's with any kind of remedial skill.
Go rewatch him vs UNC, CMU, GTech, UVA, Duke, FIU & La Tech, WR's were putting a clinic on vs him & he was lost in coverage quite a bit. The UNC game exposed him, he's susceptible to the Deep ball bad & doesn't understand how to use his length to keep his man in front of him. UVA threw at him literally 7 plays in a row & he couldn't get a single stop.
Now, he has spent this offseason working on his feet with my man Scott & the coaches at Goldfeet so I' give him credit for that & maybe he improved a great deal & plays well, but until it actually happens on the field I'm not buying it. He's got a lot of work to do before anyone should say he's better than Blades.
Idk what yall are watching but Blades can cover really well, does he get beat? Yes absolutely. Does he need to also improve on many things? Yup, sure does. But he's a good pure cover corner & has yet to play his best ball. Blades is legit.