Should the Chargers Trade for Deone Bucannon

Arizona Cardinals strong safety Deone Bucannon (20) celebrates a stop against the Minnesota Vikings during the second half of an NFL football game, Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)

 

Should the Chargers trade for Deone Bucannon?

 

So far this year it seems that the NFL is showing that teams are becoming more willing to make trades at the trade deadline. For the most part in the past the league and teams alike hold onto their draft picks like the most important asset and hardly make any trades. While the amount of trades has been more than usual it is still hardly a staggering amount. However if a team is in a position to make a true push for super bowl contention then why not make a trade to address a weakness that could potentially make a world of difference? The next question would then be what position needs to be addressed most? I would agree with the majority this time around and say the free safety position.

 

Earl Thomas was one player rumored to be in play for the Chargers to make a move on earlier this year before his season ending injury. It would have been a perfect fit as he was demanding the team to trade him along with the fact that he already knows the bolts defensive system because of his history with defensive coordinator Gus Bradley during their time together in Seattle. However that point is past tense no matter how good it sounds. After the team inexplicably landed first round pick Derwin James in this year’s draft adjustment had to be made so that James could not only fit in but get inserted right away. That lead to Jahleel Addae, former strong safety being moved to free safety. The results have been shall we say under whelming. In this system a single high safety is implored as the strong safety is asked to do multiple tasks on any given package including blitzing and usually up closer the line of scrimmage.

 

Enter the possibility of Deone Bucannon. A safety out of Washington State who was moved to coverage linebacker because of his hard hitting ability mixed with mental and physical toughness. Although he was a four year starter with the Arizona Cardinals he has fallen out of the starting rotation for the simple fact that the new coaching regime has switched its base defense to a more basic 4-3 front. Since then the team has been shopping him around and it makes me wonder that if he could be had for say a 5th round pick why wouldn’t the Chargers consider it. He has the ability to play that outside coverage linebacker position that Adrian Phillips has been filling in so well for and also the ability to move to free safety, as that is more of his natural position. He has much quicker hips and reaction times than Addae and is a much more constant tackler. He has 7 career forced fumbles and would honestly become the second hardest hitter on the team behind only Denzel Perryman. Although the team drafted Kyzir White to play that similar type role, the team seems more set on him being more of a full time linebacker. Not to mention he has been hampered by injury. Even so if he returns soon bringing in Bucannon gives the team not only depth at the linebacker and safety position, but also gives the defense flexibility to either upgrade Addae outright or potentially Give Bucannon Adrian Phillips role and let Phillips take over as the single high safety. Even if the team wanted to continue letting Jahleel Addae man the free safety spot, Bucannon would also be an upgrade over Phillips outright. This is high praise as Phillips has been coming up big and playing really well despite not possessing the hard hitting abilities of Bucannon.

 

I personally would like to see this defense turn into one of more feared defensive teams in the league. While they seem to be so close to accomplishing that a trade like this would help speed up this process as Buchanan brings that big bad bully mentality to the field along with being well liked by teammates. What do you guys think, would you be happy to see this trade if the value is right?

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