A Continuous Journey: 2024 NFL Offseason Thread

He and Kyle can help each other with questionable decisions in big games

 

Fields' future is going to depend on who can develop his playaction game. He comes from that Urban Meyer's offense and the one player that had some success in the pro level after being in that offense was Alex Smith. Smith had a bad first 4-5 lyears in the league and then Jim Harbaugh came in and helped him develop his playaction passing game. The Niners had some good skill guys in Michael Crabtree and Vernon Davis, so they focused on building a more physical run team behind Frank Gore (revamped the line, brought in Bruce Miller as a fullback and turned Delanie Walker into more of a H-back) and using the run to set up playaction gave Smith an identity as a passer, he got rid of the ball much quicker, his confidence grew, his interception numbers fell drastically and then he went to Kansas City and Andy Reid built off that.

All of those Urban QBs can't seem to do playaction for shit. Smith finally had a coach with the ability to teach it to him. Tim Tebow and Dwayne Haskins never developed that area of their game and were so bad at it, they never stayed in one place long enough to focus on it. Haskins, was extremely underdeveloped with just 13 or 14 CFB starts and Tebow had awful mechanics, a slow release and lacked zip on his throws.

So that leaves Fields. I think if he gets to a place that wants to have an identity as a run team, like Pittsburgh, he'll have a real shot. If he ends up in a place that wants to just throw him out there and hope his athletic tools can lead the way, he'll struggle. The good thing is that he can push the ball downfield and I think he still has some confidence. But he's going to have to focus on getting rid of the ball much quicker.

 

Scouts falling in love today at the combine with Joe Milton was as predictable as a clock. He’s born for non-game superlatives

https://x.com/lancezierlein/status/1764043095044178054?s=46&t=UH_wsfZqbkE5nNxvKsFjZw

 

Damn Xavier Worthy with a 4.25 and 4.22.

 

The greatest trick the devil ever played was convincing the world that the Combine matters.

 

Not while Joe Lunardi is plying his trade in December. /crossthread

 

To me, the only thing I'm looking for in the combine is how well a guy conditions in the off-season. Its a big part of the NFL. Granted, agents typically send their clients to "camps" to get them ready, do interview prep, almost "teaching to the test." So its a lot like those SAT prep courses, where how much you can assess how much a player actually WILL prepare in the off-season when he's not in a contract year is dubious at best.

 

Regan knows that. Bear QB busts rarely flourish elsewhere. McNown, Grossman, Trubisky...

Harbaugh's the only one, really. Made one Pro Bowl after leaving the Bears.

 

Didn’t Norm Van Brocklin start in CHI? (Only HOFer from our HS)

 

Nope. Rams then Eagles. Until Brady did it with Tampa, only man to win titles with two different teams. Still holds single-game passing record of 551 yards. It's amazing that particular record has lasted more than 70 years considering how the game has changed since then.