Let's discuss player development or lack of under ZT

[*bfine32*]

(12-19-2020, 09:11 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: That's misconception has always bothered me.  This board, and I'm sure plenty of other boards with plenty of other sports fans, are filled with people who have differing interests and talents beyond what you'd expect.

For example, I've been called "The Songbird of My Generation".

And I am The Pompatus of Love

[*ochocincos*]

(12-19-2020, 07:32 PM)impactplaya Wrote: Drew Sample

Is he though?
We really didn’t get to see him last year. He could have been just like he is this season.
And this season isn’t impressive from a receiving standpoint. He only has 322 yards.
If he takes the next step and gets 500+ yards next year, I’ll consider it an improvement.


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[Nicomo Cosca]

Wait, the Drew Sample answers were serious?

[*bfine32*]

(12-20-2020, 12:45 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Is he though?
We really didn’t get to see him last year. He could have been just like he is this season.
And this season isn’t impressive from a receiving standpoint. He only has 322 yards.
If he takes the next step and gets 500+ yards next year, I’ll consider it an improvement.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

And he only had 30 yards last year. 

I'm the first to raise my hand when we are asked "who thinks we need a better TE?" but he has developed since his rookie year. 

[impactplaya]

(12-20-2020, 12:55 AM)bfine32 Wrote: And he only had 30 yards last year. 

I'm the first to raise my hand when we are asked "who thinks we need a better TE?" but he has developed since his rookie year. 

If he had only 30 yds last year then.chances were in 2020
He was bound to have more yards recieving.
TEs are a integral part of offenses now.
They are now downfield threats.
Unless you  count Sample who isnt a downfield threat
Heck he cant even produce a TD in garbage time

[Devils Advocate]

(12-19-2020, 09:05 PM)Benton Wrote: Sorry, wasn't trying to imply that. I'm just surprised.

Side note: this is the only poetic thing about this team.

The tragedy’s are sort of poetic ... in a tragic sort of way.

[Devils Advocate]

(12-19-2020, 10:35 PM)bfine32 Wrote: And I am The Pompatus of Love

Only some people call you that, Maurice.

[*bfine32*]

(12-20-2020, 02:39 AM)impactplaya Wrote: If he had only 30 yds last year then.chances were in 2020
He was bound to have more yards recieving.
TEs are a integral part of offenses now.
They are now downfield threats.
Unless you  count Sample who isnt a downfield threat
Heck he cant even produce a TD in garbage time

So he developed from last year. That's all I'm saying,. 

He has not developed into Travis Kelce, George Kittle, or Darren Waller, but hye has improved over 2019. 

[*ochocincos*]

(12-20-2020, 12:55 AM)bfine32 Wrote: And he only had 30 yards last year. 

I'm the first to raise my hand when we are asked "who thinks we need a better TE?" but he has developed since his rookie year. 

Come on, you and I both know the reason he only had 30 yards his rookie year was because he was 3rd on the depth chart behind Eifert and Uzomah. Since Eifert and Uzomah both played in all 16 games last season, there was really no opportunity to play Sample. But he's the starter now when Uzomah went down in Game 2 this season.

I believe that if he had been the primary TE last season, he would probably be about the same production he's at now. It's really not difficult for the starting TE to get to 322 yards in 13 games nowadays.

I'm not ready to say he's truly developed until I see him next year.

[SunsetBengal]

(12-20-2020, 11:51 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Come on, you and I both know the reason he only had 30 yards his rookie year was because he was 3rd on the depth chart behind Eifert and Uzomah. Since Eifert and Uzomah both played in all 16 games last season, there was really no opportunity to play Sample. But he's the starter now when Uzomah went down in Game 2 this season.

I believe that if he had been the primary TE last season, he would probably be about the same production he's at now. It's really not difficult for the starting TE to get to 322 yards in 13 games nowadays.

I'm not ready to say he's truly developed until I see him next year.

I think that a lot has to do with how he's used.  He only has 3 drops on 48 targets (6% drop rate), 15 1st downs on 36 catches, not bad.  his catch rate of 75% (36 rec on 48 targets) is not bad either.  The biggest problem is that they aren't targeting him down field much.  His average catch before run is 4.8 yards, not his fault.

The way I see it, his development is going just fine.  The problem seems to be that the offense is only asking him to be a 5 yard out safety valve.

[*ochocincos*]

(12-20-2020, 12:05 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: I think that a lot has to do with how he's used.  He only has 3 drops on 48 targets (6% drop rate), 15 1st downs on 36 catches, not bad.  his catch rate of 75% (36 rec on 48 targets) is not bad either.  The biggest problem is that they aren't targeting him down field much.  His average catch before run is 4.8 yards, not his fault.

The way I see it, his development is going just fine.  The problem seems to be that the offense is only asking him to be a 5 yard out safety valve.

While I'm sure that's a reason for his lower production, I don't have a lot of confidence he has the ability to run those deeper routes (yet).
He was raw as a pass catcher coming out of college. He didn't catch a lot of passes or run a lot of routes. He was used a lot as a blocker, which is his forte.
I know he has enough speed (for a TE) and good hands though.
It's possible the team doesn't trust him to run the deeper or more complex routes.

I just don't see Top 10 TE in his future is all I'm saying. I think his ceiling is probably the likes of Vance McDonald or Jack Doyle. He might have a good receiving season every now and then but I don't see him as a consistent 600+ yard guy.

[THE PISTONS]

(12-20-2020, 11:51 AM)ochocincos Wrote: Come on, you and I both know the reason he only had 30 yards his rookie year was because he was 3rd on the depth chart behind Eifert and Uzomah. Since Eifert and Uzomah both played in all 16 games last season, there was really no opportunity to play Sample. But he's the starter now when Uzomah went down in Game 2 this season.

I believe that if he had been the primary TE last season, he would probably be about the same production he's at now. It's really not difficult for the starting TE to get to 322 yards in 13 games nowadays.

I'm not ready to say he's truly developed until I see him next year.

Yeah...at some level starters are going to put up numbers, but that doesn't mean they will be good Pros compared to their peers. Like at LB, we're going to have someone get 80 tackles probably...because someone starts. Would our LB's start on say the Steelers? Probably not.

Same with Sample. He'd be a 3rd TE on the Steelers. Uzomah is probably a 3rd TE on the Steelers.

So it all needs put in perspective.

[*rfaulk34*]

(12-19-2020, 09:11 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: That's misconception has always bothered me.  This board, and I'm sure plenty of other boards with plenty of other sports fans, are filled with people who have differing interests and talents beyond what you'd expect.

For example, I've been called "The Songbird of My Generation".

(12-19-2020, 09:27 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: And I’m a world class drummer.

I'm Rick, but you have to call me Dragon.