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Before 2017 he has zero picks and never started more than 8 games. Last year he missed 4 due to injury.
Players like that don’t get a big commitment.
Joyner not starting more games prior to 2017 is the fault of the previous coaching staff.
Wade is on record as saying when he arrived and reviewed tape of all the players, he said, "Joyner is one of the best defenders and needs to play every snap." That's why he moved him to full time starting safety.
Joyner then played like a top 5 safety.
I would say the word "fault" there is misused.
Joyner played a lot.
But the fact that he did not fit that scheme's version of a FS doesn't mean something happened that is blameworthy. It was just a different scheme.
For Wms the safety had to be the last line of defense for a team that blitzed frequently. A former LB, Mo Alexander, fit that profile and was assessed after 2016 as having played well. He did not fit Wade's scheme but so be it...a casualty of regime/scheme change.
Joyner nevertheless, as LMU points out, played a lot. As the nickel back he was more of a starter in Wms scheme than the OLBs were. And a versatile nickel safety he was too--effective not only in coverage but on blitzes too.
So in effect he did start. Just not at FS.
...
That's a valid perspective. I didn't like Fisher but I was a fan of GW and his scheme. Joyner not being a full time starter could likely be attributed to difference in scheme.
The main thing I was trying to convey was that it wasn't Joyner's bad play or being a bad player that was the reason for him not playing every snap.
