Sammy

Knight

Knight doesn’t like it, saying he’s one of the top safeties in the league. The Dolphins hope to have Yeremiah Bell on the field for at least one quarter on Sunday.

Kansas City has been the most popular destination for free agent defenders this offseason, although they’ve only signed one player.

The eight-year veteran wasn’t even a full time player for the Dolphins at the end of the 2004. That said, he creates as many turnovers as any safety in the league. Coming off a ''down year’’ (96 tackles, 4 INTs), he should be a solid value in IDP leagues. Kansas City safeties usually rack up tackles because the front seven is embarassing.

This is surprising since Nelson, the Jags first-round pick, was expected to be the starting free safety with Sensabaugh at the strong safety slot. Now the 11-year veteran Knight, who was signed in early August, is the top strong safety with Sensabaugh moving back to his natural free safety role.

Nelson will continue to start going forward and should be considered in deeper IDP formats. Sensabaugh actually left early with a shoulder sprain and was replaced by Sammy Knight.

The Jags likely hope Knight will mentor first-year starters Reggie Nelson and Gerald Sensabaugh. Knight is naturally a strong safety, so he might make a push for a starting job if Sensabaugh performs poorly early in the season.

Sensabaugh, a restricted free agent, was a fifth-round pick in 2005. The Jags can probably get away with tendering him at the lowest level after he spent most of 2007 on injured reserve. Free agent Sammy Knight will likely walk.

The team has three better options (Michael Johnson, James Butler, Kenny Phillips) and R.W. McQuarters can play safety too. Knight may have only made the club because his $1.25 million signing bonus would’ve been hard to eat.

Knight is only a league average starter at this stage in his career, but this offer may not get it done. Mitchell played for just $1 million last season.

The Giants’ safeties are mostly interchangeable (coordinator Steve Spagnuolo uses his free safety like Brian Dawkins), but it’s unclear which spot Knight will play. The 32-year-old had four picks and 11 pass breakups as a Jaguar in 2007. He still is someone to avoid in shallow IDP leagues behind a Giants front seven that soaks up many tackle opportunities.