We’re wrapping up the defensive side of the ball for the PFT Heroes with the prize given to the best safety from the prior season.
The award, named for former Cardinals safety Pat Tillman, will go to one of four finalists (unless one of you convinces us to include someone else): Darren Sharper of the Saints, Ed Reed of the Ravens, Mike Furrey of the Browns, and Brian Dawkins of the Broncos.
Furrey has entered the fray for reasons other than his performance as a safety. First, he was one of the three finalists for the NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, something that carries a lot of weight with us. Second, he has played both offense and defense throughout his career, catching nearly 100 passes in 2006, a year after he was a full-time safety with the Rams.
In 2009, he started two games at receiver and two at safety, playing in all 16 of them. As the season wore on, he spent more and more time on defense, and his emergence as a consistent NFL performer started with the XFL, continued with the Arena Football League, and resulted in a spot with the Rams in 2003.
And who knows? Maybe he’ll win the Tillman Award. Much of it will depend on the input of the other PFT writers -- and the things you have to say about the situation below.