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At nearly 25, he's old for a player who is so raw, has so little NFL experience and has shown a lack of ability to participate in the complex route running and decision making that is part of an NFL offense.He better improve in a hurry if he is going to be a contributor.
Aren't "bad hands" always mental?I mean most NFL receivers hands work fine and in a similar fashion,
Concerning his hand-eye coordination... that may be an issue with respect to the corrective lenses and whatever else he was apparently trying out all season long. Hopefully, this can be addressed in the early offseason and he can catch thousands of balls with near-perfect vision before next season begins.Like Ahrn said, it's too early to declare BUST, but nothing we've seen so far is super-encouraging. However, Nate Washington had a number of notable drops his first few seasons and also threw in the occasional mental lapse. He turned out to be effective especially as a field stretcher this year.
If I didn't read the title of the thread, I would have thought you described Brand Lloyd perfectly.
Sweed also dropped a pass on a deep route late in the Divisional Round win over the Chargers. Both playoff drops were on deep routes in night games -- again perhaps a matter of vision still needing to be improved.As for the 0 drops, while that might be true officially, that's pretty generous scoring, as I can remember one drop on a semi-tough pass in the regular season as well; can't remember the game, but it's a catch most average NFL receivers make and Sweed did not.
Though the one thing in his favor is he is going to have an opportunity. I think it is unlikely the Steelers will re-sign Nate Washington which means the #3 spot is Sweed's to lose (and there isn't much competition behind him).
I think everyone is just remembering the terrible wide open drops in the playoffs because they have little else to go by.I wasn't too high on Sweed coming in, but if you did draft him in a dyansty you have to give him a little more time then one season. Hell I have Earl Bennett and Devin Thomas rostered. If I beleived in them pre-draft, I'm going to give them more than one season. Most WRs don't burst on the scene, we get spoiled by guys like Desean Jackson and Eddie Royal.
Maybe but the Patriots have had their fair share of high round busts. Chad Jackson instantly comes to mind and the jury is still out on Maroney but so far he has been a disappointment.
Do you have a link to a story about this vision problem? I have a hard time believing a star athlete doesn't somehow have his vision corrected before the age of 25. How hard can it be?
From what I hear, this is the case... but not exactly in the way this thread is taking it.Mental more as in, he doesn't understand the playbook... which might be the hardest thing to overcome.
When I hear about teams doing this, I almost wonder if it's a placebo effect strategy - get the kid new contacts or lasik and then he'll feel like the problem is solved and relax out there.
I could buy that.
Don't agree with bolded part. I wouldn't write off Ward just yet. I recall Rod Smith producing for a number of years after he was supposedly "done". Ward brings so much more to the team than just being a WR.
It's obviously hard to judge the effect without knowing the severity of the problem but I have a hard time believing that it's that big an issue. If he has a severe amount of astigmatism, then certainly it would have an effect but he also would have likely known that he had not "outgrown it". If it's just a "little" as he suggests, it likely has little effect, but then you correct it and it's over. There's just little chance that if he knows about it in July, he's still having trouble getting it corrected in December.
He also came back and made a nice catch for a 1st down later in the game. As others have said he is going to have an opprtunity to show what he can do next season. It should be interesting to see how he does...
Uh....Ward's days are about done? What?He just had one of his best seasons in a few years in 2008. I certainly have not seen any drop in play at all from him this last year, and I've seen every Steelers game. He has another good 3-4 years left in him.
Barring serious injury, he can essentially play as long as he wants. He never had the type of speed that you lose as you get older, making deep threats ineffective. He blocks, he runs good routes, he has good hands, he makes clutch plays. These skills fade a lot more slowly than footspeed.
True, but the physical wear and tear still catches up with every player, and with his style, perhaps more quickly. Exactly how long he can maintain his current level and how long before major productivity dips occur is pure speculation, but the game takes its toll on everyone.
Are you saying a fantasy WR4 or the Steelers 4th WR? Unless the Steelers re-sign Nate Washington or another FA receiver, both of which are unlikely, the Steelers #3 WR spot is Sweed's to lose.
I was almost bamboozled by these other posters blowing smoke about Sweed's catching. For a rookie to drop a pass in a playoff game--that's no surprise. I love his opportunity next season as the likely WR3 on a team that has a good QB. None of you really know because we didn't see him play enough. The Steelers don't use four WRs often so he just wasn't on field that much. And it sounds like he didn't drop the ball nearly as much as some of you are pretending.Incidentally, a 60% conversion rate on targets is very good and definitely above average for a rookie WR. I can remember one year when TOs was around 43%.
I fully expect the Steelers to sign a vet WR to compete with Sweed for WR3 if Nate leaves.
There isn't much out there after Housh and they certainly won't sign him. I don't see anyone else out there who is much of a threat to steal too many looks.
Just saw Marty Booker was cut today, Jerry Porter yesterday and Mike Furrey last week. I'm sure there will be at least 5-10 similar vets that will be available at minimum cost. Those are solid WR3 competition for Sweed if Nate departs.There isn't much out there after Housh and they certainly won't sign him. I don't see anyone else out there who is much of a threat to steal too many looks.
And you see these guys as threats?Booker got cut from the Bears. What did he do last year?Porter got cut by the Jags. What has he done ever? He had one year a long time ago when he came close to 1000 yards. He has never been that good.Booker will be lucky to sign with any team at all. Porter will for vet minimum but he isn't that young or that good.Furrey is 31. He had one good, but not great year in 2006. He will sign somewhere and he will compete and have a chance to be a starter but I doubt anyone is going to hand him a starting job.Frenchy Fuqua said:Just saw Marty Booker was cut today, Jerry Porter yesterday and Mike Furrey last week. I'm sure there will be at least 5-10 similar vets that will be available at minimum cost. Those are solid WR3 competition for Sweed if Nate departs.There isn't much out there after Housh and they certainly won't sign him. I don't see anyone else out there who is much of a threat to steal too many looks.I fully expect the Steelers to sign a vet WR to compete with Sweed for WR3 if Nate leaves.
Its worse than that. Booker is pretty much done. I would say Furrey has close to a zero chance of being a starter. And Porter may be such a locker room poison that no one will sign him until in-season when hit by injuries.And you see these guys as threats?Booker got cut from the Bears. What did he do last year?Porter got cut by the Jags. What has he done ever? He had one year a long time ago when he came close to 1000 yards. He has never been that good.Booker will be lucky to sign with any team at all. Porter will for vet minimum but he isn't that young or that good.Furrey is 31. He had one good, but not great year in 2006. He will sign somewhere and he will compete and have a chance to be a starter but I doubt anyone is going to hand him a starting job.Frenchy Fuqua said:Just saw Marty Booker was cut today, Jerry Porter yesterday and Mike Furrey last week. I'm sure there will be at least 5-10 similar vets that will be available at minimum cost. Those are solid WR3 competition for Sweed if Nate departs.There isn't much out there after Housh and they certainly won't sign him. I don't see anyone else out there who is much of a threat to steal too many looks.
What is the Seinfeld Kramer quote? "You just blew my mind"
