Dwight Lowery Getting First Crack At Starting Free Safety Spot

If you weren't expecting a lot out of free agent Dwight Lowery, it looks like you should be surprised. What looked to be an underwhelming signing could net Atlanta a cheap starter in 2014. There was earlier some talk that CB Josh Wilson might push for safety, but literally no one has talked about Wilson since he was signed. Be honest... did you remember Wilson was on the roster?

Lowery, who has experience at free safety and field security, was called a "Secret Superstar" for the Atlanta Falcons by Pro Football Focus. PFF noted that Lowery was their 10th ranked safety in 2012 before a bad concussion took him out of 2013 after only three games. For reference, Thomas DeCoud was their 18,742nd ranked safety in 2013, coming in after Bobby Boucher but barely beating out the Queen of England.

Our own Jeanna Thomas wrote about Lowery recently and she came away impressed with his OTA performance and his straight-forward discussion of the 2013 Falcons.

According to Daniel Cox of atlantafalcons.com, Lowery has been running with the first team defense

Lowery was added in free agency during the offseason and has been putting in time opposite William Moore during OTAs. Lowery has ties to Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff dating back to Lowery's days at San Jose State and it was there that the safety played cornerback as well. With Atlanta's defense routinely fielding five or more defensive backs, it will be critical that the DBs on the field are versatile and can defend the pass.

Lowery has been a pretty solid free safety in the league but has struggled with injuries. At the very least, Lowery can try to hold off Southward this season and provide some non-blown coverage we have been missing for years.

Rotoworld had some good things to say about Lowery playing with the starters.

The ex-Jet and Jaguar is practicing with the first-team defense alongside SS William Moore. Lowery has a checkered injury history, but range to cover center field and plus ball skills. Signed to a one-year, $760,000 deal in April, Lowery could end up one of GM Thomas Dimitroff's shrewdest offseason moves.

I look forward to seeing Lowery hopefully improve on our terrible 2013 free safety spot. Anyone else getting slowly excited about Lowery?