Oct 12, 2014; Cincinnati, OH, USA; Carolina Panthers cornerback Antoine Cason (20) looks on before the game at Paul Brown Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
The Baltimore Ravens, never ones to sit on their thumbs, added veteran cornerbackAntoine Casonto replace the injuredDanny Gorrertoday according to theBaltimore Sun. What Cason’s role will be remains to be seen. He could possibly be inserted right into the starting lineup, replacingAsa Jackson, or he could fall as far as the dime back behind Jackson andRashaan Melvin.
Based solely on his film, Cason looks a bit like a better version of former RavenChykie Brown. That will probably send shudders down fans’ spines.
Like Brown, Cason is an interesting case, as he is athletically above average but very slow to react to the action on the field.
The mental/instinctive side of the game seems to be a struggle for Cason. He was often slow to react with the ball in the air, resulting in him allowing a lot of yards after the catch.
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On one play against the Cincinnati Bengals,Andy Daltontargeted a slant pattern at Cason. Because of the coverage the Panthers were in, the pass was easily completed. Where Cason failed was in bringing down the receiver, as he allowed about eight yards after the catch. Because of his slow reaction, an eight-yard completion was turned into a 16-yard gain.
Taking the right angle also seemed to be a struggle for Cason. Unfortunately, that is an instincts thing that is difficult to teach. Cason just doesn’t seem to have the instinct to properly gauge a ball carriers speed and take the proper angle to bring him down. Specifically, Cason tended to overestimate his own speed against the Bengals.
There were definitely some positives to Cason’s game. He was rarely out of position in coverage against the Bengals, showing the athleticism to stick with guys like Mohamed Sanu andBrandon Tate.
Further, Cason is pretty good in run support, showing a willingness to stick his nose in to the fray and make a tackle.
Cason played primarily on the left side in Carolina, where he played a mixture of off man coverage, press man and zone. He did his best work in press man, showing a solid jam and the speed to make up for mistakes. He was at his worst in off man, when his slow reactions really hurt him.
Whether or not Cason is any kind of upgrade remains to be seen, but in a secondary starving for healthy bodies, Cason fits the bill. He may end up victimized at times, but a change of scenery could also do him some good. There is clearly ability here, and Dean Pees needs to find ways to maximize it.
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