# (American) football question: cornerback vs. safety **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 25, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-question-cornerback-vs-safety/203744 "2003-09-25T13:56:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ac91a4/32.png) [@Knighted\_Vorpal\_Sword](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knighted_Vorpal_Sword)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-question-cornerback-vs-safety/203744/1 "2003-09-25T13:56:44Z")
For the life of me, I’ve never been able to figure out the actual differences between cornerbacks and safeties. Are there physical differences between the people who play the positions (i.e., is one faster, bigger, and/or stronger than the other)? Can players readily switch back and forth between the positions? ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-question-cornerback-vs-safety/203744/2 "2003-09-25T14:16:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Knighted Vorpal Sword \* > \*\*For the life of me, I’ve never been able to figure out the actual differences between cornerbacks and safeties. Are there physical differences between the people who play the positions (i.e., is one faster, bigger, and/or stronger than the other)? Can players readily switch back and forth between the positions? \*\* It’s pretty variable nowadays. At various times in the past, it was in vogue to have strong safeties heavier than cornerbacks. A lot of times, the strong safety was essentially an extra linebacker, especially on running downs, and 240-pounders were not uncommon at the position. Free safeties traditionally were (and often still are) responsible for covering a lot of area behind the cornerbacks against the passing game, so footspeed and range was important. Free safeties, therefore, were roughly similar in weght to cornerbacks – though an ideal free safety would be somewhat taller and lankier than an average cornerback. Keep in mind that a cornerbacks prime responsibility is to cover opposing wide receivers (or cover short to middle sideline routes if in zone defense). This is not usually true of safeties, whose prime role is to backup the linebackers (strong safety) or cornerbacks (free safety) if they get beat. When an offensive team brings in 3 or 4 wideouts, the defense normally counters with dropping linebackers and adding a 3rd and 4th cornerback, as opposed to just letting a safety cover any extra receiver. Nowadays in the NFL, a lot of the traditional distinctions are blurred. Many defense don’t require a clear-cut physical distinction between a strong and free safety, so most pro safeties are now roughly the same size. More specifically, you no longer have 260-lb monsters like David Fulcher playing strong safety. Safeties still tend to be larger than cornerbacks, as agility and short-area quickness are more important in the latter than size. Additionally, you see safeties today often taking the prime responsibility for covering good pass-catching running backs or tight ends – especially when it’s a back like Marshall Faulk, who will run pass patterns downfield. ---
**Author:** ![Survey1215](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@Survey1215](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Survey1215)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-question-cornerback-vs-safety/203744/3 "2003-09-25T14:38:32Z")
**Bordelond** makes most of the relevant points. One difference I would point out is that safeties are generally better tacklers and much harder ‘hitters’ than corners. There was a reason noone would throw at Deion Sanders’ side of the field but running backs usually went right at him - the man was a lousy tackler. A hard-hitting safety, meanwhile, can give receivers cause for thought if they’re running a crossing pattern and the receiver knows he’ll get crushed should a ball come his way. Corners usually have better hands and pass-defense technique than a safety, the better to intercept a ball or at least bat one away from a receiver. A safety is more likely to just blast a receiver after they catch it. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-question-cornerback-vs-safety/203744/4 "2003-09-25T14:53:36Z")
[Excellent site](http://www.nflhs.com/tipsDrills/InteractivePlaybooks/NFLTeams/default.asp) showing samples of individual NFL teams’ playbooks, complete with optional Shockwave graphics. I selected the following four snippets to show examples of how the roles of cornerbacks and safeties may vary: > [@](#): > > \*\*New Orleans Saints > > Nickel Package\*\* - In passing situations, the Saints implement their nickel package to match up with opposing offenses’ three and four wide receiver sets. New Orleans replaces a linebacker with an extra defensive back to put five defensive backs in the game. The Saints play combinations of zone and man coverages, as well as blitz from this nickel package. The Saints often play a 2-man, where the underneath players are in man coverage with the safeties responsible for the deep halves of the field. The Saints rush four defenders in this defense. If either the tight end or running back stay in to block, the defenders responsible for them will rush to engage and try and free another defender. The underneath players in coverage look to cut under any inside or outside route looking for the interception. These defenders have to have confidence in their safeties to defend the deep pass. > [@](#): > > \*\*Tampa Bay Buccaneers > > Defensive Secondary Run Support\*\* - Tampa Bay prides itself on stopping the run. The best way to control the running game is by involving the secondary. Tampa Bay has one of the premier safeties in the league in John Lynch. Lynch may be the best tackler in the NFL and is often called upon to be the eighth man in the box to help defend the run. The Buccaneers have a very good front seven that is able to hold its own against the run. Most of the time there is a gap left undefended that is the responsibility of the strong safety. Lynch (47) has great awareness of where he fits in the scheme of the defense. Tampa Bay disguises its coverage and moves Lynch closer prior to or just at the snap. This makes it difficult for offenses to account for Lynch in their blocking schemes. > [@](#): > > \*\*New York Giants > > Blitzing from the Secondary\*\* - The Giants use a variety of pressure packages. Many of these packages involve secondary players in the blitz. The ability to pressure the quarterback from a variety of positions creates confusion for the offense and provides the defense with big play opportunities. New York does a good job of disguising their base look on defense. By disguising their looks, the quarterback can’t get a good pre-snap read of who may be blitzing. Cornerback Jason Sehorn (31) disguises from a bump and run look. Just prior to the snap Sehorn cheats down and blitzes off the edge. The Giants can still play zone coverage if they chose. The free safety (43) rolls over to defend the weak 1/3 of the field. > [@](#): > > \*\*Jacksonville Jaguars > > Zone Blitz\*\* - Jacksonville often pressures opposing quarterbacks using the zone blitz. The zone blitz enables the Jaguars to apply pass pressure from different positions on the field, either linebackers or defensive backs. The blitzing positions are replaced in coverage with defensive linemen. Jacksonville brings two linebackers through both “A” gaps. One LB is lined up on the line and the other comes from his base alignment. Both defensive ends come off the ball and step toward the line, then they bail back out looking for the first inside receiver coming through their zone. The secondary plays a base zone, defending the deep thirds with the corners and free safety, while the strong safety plays the strong side curl to flat. [Further reading](http://www.nflhs.com/TipsDrills/InteractivePlaybooks/HSTeams/11_d_43.asp) about basic defensive sets used in football, also with Shockwave graphics. The roles of cornerbacks and safeties in each set are demonstrated in the graphics. ---
**Author:** ![Jake4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bc8723/32.png) [@Jake4](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake4)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-question-cornerback-vs-safety/203744/5 "2003-09-25T16:03:52Z")
That is an incredible site, **bordelond** (and a nice cite, too!). Note that “defensive back” is the same thing as “cornerback” AFAIK. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-question-cornerback-vs-safety/203744/6 "2003-09-25T16:38:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jake4 \* > \*\*Note that “defensive back” is the same thing as “cornerback” AFAIK. \*\* Actually, the term “defensive backs” normally encompasses both safeties and the cornerbacks. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-football-question-cornerback-vs-safety/203744/7 "2003-09-25T17:26:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by bordelond \* > \*\*Actually, the term “defensive backs” normally encompasses both safeties and the cornerbacks. \*\* So-called because they’re on defense and they play back behind the line of scrimmage. (Unlike, um, the defensive _line_. ;)) –Cliffy