Maybe once rhule is fired he's a clownI'd like to see people like CMC who have been abused with over usage since he arrived, he should be given a chance to line up and just catch the ball for a few weeks and not take the pounding of running the football every other snap.
Don’t love it for Deebo’s longevity. But NFL coaches are paid to win games so they will stick players wherever they can get the best results.
I would think that the Deebo gameplan would make it so that average WR's can thrive since defenses cannot double WR's or have 2 high safeties anymoreRelevant question: Why would players want to be the next Deebo/CPat? WRs are one of the higher valued positions in football (if QB is Tier 1 all by itself and edge rusher is Tier 2, WR is probably up there with CB/OT for Tier 3). RBs, meanwhile, are one of the lowest valued. So you have a greater risk of injury and a lower pay grade. I get that these guys all want to do what it takes to win, etc., but long-term I expect you'll see a lot of pushback if top WR prospects get overused as RBs.
I was just going to say - Patterson missed a couple of games. Deebo just hurt his groin.It probably will for a while. Then, I wouldn’t be surprised if WRs start dropping with injuries.
Perfectly said. And a great point.Relevant question: Why would players want to be the next Deebo/CPat? WRs are one of the higher valued positions in football (if QB is Tier 1 all by itself and edge rusher is Tier 2, WR is probably up there with CB/OT for Tier 3). RBs, meanwhile, are one of the lowest valued. So you have a greater risk of injury and a lower pay grade. I get that these guys all want to do what it takes to win, etc., but long-term I expect you'll see a lot of pushback if top WR prospects get overused as RBs.
Maybe not even that.How?
Players still run. Players still catch. Defenders still defend.
What it will change is how magic football hosting sites and leagues classify players.
He follows the CPat model and emerges as a star in 2029?These guys don't grow on trees. Patterson has special skills. He's a big fast guy with vision. Shenault was supposed to be a combo rb/wr, what happened?
Countering my own point a little, what are they going to do about it? We saw with Lev Bell what happens when players try to exercise leverage when they have none. Realistically, how would it play out if a WR tried to push back on his usage?Maybe not even that.
I think the question was in the spirit of how Steph Curry has changed the NBA - but like Steph, the fundamental game has not changed. Steph is a special player for more than his ridiculous ability to hit deep 3s. So he hasn't really changed the NBA that much other than being Steph Curry. Might he inspire a new generation of players who model their game in his image? Maybe. But as @ignatiusjreilly says, in the NFL this would actually be a disadvantage for both salary & injury risk
Or, assuming Pitts develops into that "next gen" TE everyone expects (once ATL has more weapons around him) what if he pushes back on his TE designation?Countering my own point a little, what are they going to do about it? We saw with Lev Bell what happens when players try to exercise leverage when they have none. Realistically, how would it play out if a WR tried to push back on his usage?
Exactly. The 2021 New England Patriots are not a particularly dynamic or explosive offense. But they do play sound, ball-control offense and have built a true bully on defense. They can disrupt even the best offenses in the NFL.Look at the list of Super Bowl champions... playing sound, fundamental football... good defense and traditional "pro-style" offense still brings home the title (always has).
Exactly. The 2021 New England Patriots are not a particularly dynamic or explosive offense. But they do play sound, ball-control offense and have built a true bully on defense. They can disrupt even the best offenses in the NFL.
That's why they're likely headed to the playoffs with a rookie QB. Nothing against Jones - he's a fine young QB. But his ceiling seems limited. Doesn't matter in NE. He's not losing them games. See: Stafford's recent pick-6 trend.
Patriots are amazing to me in that, as you describe, they are the "big fundamental"... all they do is win. From coaching, philosophy on paying players, to approach to the game... THIS is the "trend" other teams should be trying to copy. WRs playing RB just means that you'll be overspending on more RBs... which is a very proven way to NOT win a title.
Lamar Jackson carrying his team is a gimmick? Steve Young was a gimmick?And spending MORE on WRs because your WRs acting as a RB is going to get them injured (they always do).
Which is weird, because when you train all your life to be a WR that should translate to RB seamlessly.![]()
WRs playing RB is nothing but a gimmick. Just like quarterbacks who run. Shanahan is using Deebo like this to save his job, IMO.
Lamar Jackson
carrying his team is a gimmick? Steve Young was a gimmick?
Using your best player in a way that the other team doesn't expect and that they can excell in isn't a gimmick, it's smart strategy. The problem for other teams is that there's only a handful of guys who can play the wr/rb hybrid well, and a lot of square pegs are going to be jammed into round holes.
Lamar Jackson carrying his team is a gimmick? Steve Young was a gimmick?
Using your best player in a way that the other team doesn't expect and that they can excell in isn't a gimmick, it's smart strategy. The problem for other teams is that there's only a handful of guys who can play the wr/rb hybrid well, and a lot of square pegs are going to be jammed into round holes.
Lamar Jackson hasn't won anything yet.
Steve Young had these guys... Ricky Watters, Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens, others.
These two are not comparable IMO. Steve Young is bettered compared (in modern terms) to Russell Wilson.
I agree that the Ravens have designed a scheme around a QB with elite running ability. I guess we'll see which comes first - Lamar wins a Lombardi, or he loses a gear and it starts to unravel.
This is the worst argument. Eli has two superbowls, was he a good qb?Lamar Jackson hasn't won anything yet.
Steve Young had these guys... Ricky Watters, Jerry Rice, Terrell Owens, others.
These two are not comparable IMO. Steve Young is bettered compared (in modern terms) to Russell Wilson.
I agree that the Ravens have designed a scheme around a QB with elite running ability. I guess we'll see which comes first - Lamar wins a Lombardi, or he loses a gear and it starts to unravel.
This is the worst argument. Eli has two superbowls, was he a good qb?
I was talking about winning a superbowl being the measure of success at qb.Eli wasn't a running QB.![]()
This is the worst argument. Eli has two superbowls, was he a good qb?
Ultimately these guys are exposed once NFL defenses catch on OR they lose that running ability due to injury or age. Then we see how bad of QBs they really are.
NFL Teams should be drafting QBs to pass the ball first. Running should be secondary to their game.
This already happened a few years ago with Jimmy Graham. Saints wanted to tag him as a TE; he took them to arbitration arguing that based on his usage, he was effectively a WR. As I recall, one argument the team made was that his Twitter bio referred to himself as a tight end, which prompted Jordan Cameron to change his own Twitter bio to "All-Pro pass catcher for Cleveland Browns". In the end, the arbitrator ruled against Graham.Or, assuming Pitts develops into that "next gen" TE everyone expects (once ATL has more weapons around him) what if he pushes back on his TE designation?
Who wouldn't want their own Deebo?But ultimately, if it's successful every team will want to get "their own Deebo" and the players will be out of options.
Hence, you get what happened yesterday with Deebo - injured. Who really thought Deebo was going to last doing this? The good news is I have Kittle so this works out for me. Let Deebo take ALL of the RB snaps!