Penny on special teams.

[LudwigsDrummer]

It's a flippin' discussion board folks! If you just can't live without Kumbaya for 10 minutes then boy scouts or girls scouts may be a better choice. :2thumbs:

I liked the Penny pick and absolutely do not want him to fail, nor have I called him a bust. That does not mean I will turn a blind eye to the fact that we tend to fail with our early pick far too often either.

If there wasn't ever a 2nd side to each discussion then this board would die an instant death. Be careful what you ask for.

We all come here for our own reasons.
My reasons are because I come here to look for insight, news, stats I'm not aware of, injury updates, ect. I don't come here to read about other things I can gripe about.
I usually won't focus at all on how we do in early rounds because we do so well in the later rounds that it more than makes up for any deficiency of early draft picks, and believe me, I know how we do with all of our picks.
We can gripe about the Harvin and Graham trades, but I say trading for Marshawn more than makes up for the Harvin and Graham trade.
So, I like to look big picture. The whole thing, and it tells me the right guys are still in charge of our team. The way the team is playing now validates that.
So, if I want to complain, I can find plenty to complain about. I would rather focus on the things we are doing right, while being aware of the things that don't seem right.

 

[Seymour]

It's a flippin' discussion board folks! If you just can't live without Kumbaya for 10 minutes then boy scouts or girls scouts may be a better choice. :2thumbs:

I liked the Penny pick and absolutely do not want him to fail, nor have I called him a bust. That does not mean I will turn a blind eye to the fact that we tend to fail with our early pick far too often either.

If there wasn't ever a 2nd side to each discussion then this board would die an instant death. Be careful what you ask for.

We all come here for our own reasons.
My reasons are because I come here to look for insight, news, stats I'm not aware of, injury updates, ect. I don't come here to read about other things I can gripe about.
I usually won't focus at all on how we do in early rounds because we do so well in the later rounds that it more than makes up for any deficiency of early draft picks, and believe me, I know how we do with all of our picks.
We can gripe about the Harvin and Graham trades, but I say trading for Marshawn more than makes up for the Harvin and Graham trade.
So, I like to look big picture. The whole thing, and it tells me the right guys are still in charge of our team. The way the team is playing now validates that.
So, if I want to complain, I can find plenty to complain about. I would rather focus on the things we are doing right, while being aware of the things that don't seem right.

So then....what exactly did you expect to read in the "Penny on Special Teams" thread then?

Sounds like a good thread to "complain about the complainers" to me. :34853_doh:

If you want to focus mainly on things we are doing right, there is little room for discussion there huh?

 

[iigakusei]

Need to give it more time but early returns are not great.
Maybe he will just take time - look at Ifedi who looks like a Pro Bowler the past three weeks.

 

[jmahon316]

Need to give it more time but early returns are not great.
Maybe he will just take time - look at Ifedi who looks like a Pro Bowler the past three weeks.

I'd like to think by next year Penny will find his groove and we'll have a 1-2 punch like Kamara and Ingram.

 

[Seymour]

Need to give it more time but early returns are not great.
Maybe he will just take time - look at Ifedi who looks like a Pro Bowler the past three weeks.

This is no doubt true. In the mean time, while he develops, there will continue to be speculation. Especially given the McDowell top pick the year prior.

But...brace yourself folks. People may speak ear bleeding opinions about "your favorite player" from time to time. I will pray you may be able to find forgiveness in your heart.

 

[justafan]

I liked the pick when they made it and I still do. Im not buying that he is a bust or that he is afraid of contact.

What i love is we have the luxury of 3 backs. It would be easy for Pete to let salary and draft position determine the depth chart. Make him earn carries.

 

[xray]

Same vein of thought...Mckissic comes back who goes ? Prosise would be 1st pick to go. Penny stays being a utility player

 

[xray]

If you love Penny than you want Prosise to go because Mckissic is comming back...this kid is electric stuff..IMO

 

[rcaido]

well they got rid of marshalll....maybe slide prosise as a receiver.

 

[seahawkfreak]

The way I see it, Penny is in a great positon. Get a year or two under your belt, learn how to play in the NFL. Spend as much time as possible with Carson and Davis. Stay humble and don't get frustrated. Davis is a better pro player than he was in college so someone coached him up well.

Penny has size and skill, just needs more time and we are in a great place to let him have it.

 

[Hawkpower]

.....Some here have a constant agenda to slam the kid/slam the hawks for taking him where they did. Stop already. .... Quit trying to be "right" and just enjoy the riches we have at RB right now.

Rodger that Chief!!!

I'll be sure to PM all my posts to you prior to posting for your approval. :roll:

How bout you quit trying to control what others opinions are and when they can post them....considered that lately?

:snack:

The guy has averaged nearly 5 yards per carry the last two games. Just seems weird to be negative all things considered.

Let's see how he develops. We will have plenty of time to be angry and throw stuff down the road.

 

[mrblitz]

penny is going to be fine. he's definitely shown some ability to get good yardage.

rather than in the past where the running back cupboard has run bare, it's great to be so loaded now.

 

[erik2690]

I know those that say wasted pick etc, but we have learned the lack of depth lesson and as of right now we have it, but it can disappear quickly as we have seen the last few years.

So I'm not declaring him a bust by any means, but this argument of depth seems totally tangential to me. That would be a good argument if people were saying we shouldn't have picked up any RB. They aren't though they are making an argument about value of both the RB position and of a 1st round pick. You don't use a 1st on a RB depth pick up, if you go RB there you likely generational talent or close type guy that starts for 5+ years. The reason being a Carson shows up in the 7th or UDFA every year. No one is saying no more RB's just we need to make good value choices at deep position groups. Again maybe Penny still pans out but the argument is about value not just not taking a RB vs. taking one.

 

[Northwest Seahawk]

The Hawks 1st round RB pick has barely touched the ball on offense lately...delegated to kickoff returns...any thoughts on why?

Because he was taken 2 rounds too soon is my guess. Carson beating him out is acceptable. Davis beating him out is sad.
He isn't exactly even lighting up special teams either.

In his last 2 games in which he actually got touches on offense he has done pretty well.

Last Sunday in Detroit, week 8, he didn't get any touches on offense. Who knows why.

Week 7 was a bye.

Week 6 he had 9 carries for 43 yards, a 4.8 ypc average, and tacked on 2 receptions for 27 yards.

Week 5 he didn't get any touches on offense. Who knows why.

Week 4 he had 9 carries for 49 yards, a 5.4 ypc average, and while he had no receptions, he had 3 returns for 65 yards.

Again, who knows why he isn't getting any touches some weeks and is other weeks, but it seems like when he is getting touches he's doing pretty well lately.

Thanks for posting something real these numbers don't support calling him a bust.

 

[SpokaneHawks]

Penny and Shaqueem, right now, are looking like neither is NFL ready. Might be lack of skill, lack of heart, or hopefully, lack of "field" time. Time will tell though.

 

[Northwest Seahawk]

Penny and Shaqueem, right now, are looking like neither is NFL ready. Might be lack of skill, lack of heart, or hopefully, lack of "field" time. Time will tell though.

Penny could play and be productive not like Carson but he could get 3.5 ypc at minimum no problem.

 

[hawk45]

"Bust" is a determination I generally apply only if a player flames out his first contract for at least one team, and even that isn't universal. Drew Brees is a counterexample. Alex Collins qualifies as another although I still say he was the worst of our backs here the year we let him go. EDIT: Not worse than Lacy.

So Penny isn't a bust, but he is certainly a disappointment in his first year, and not providing expected value. Teams hope first round picks can contribute immediately. It isn't quite an expectation, as some positions don't lend themselves to this. Running back, however, absolutely carries that expectation and for good reason. If you draft a RB rd 1 who doesn't start, that's a disappointment.

Okay, fine, well at least he can spell your #1. Well...nope, Davis is the preferred option.

Okay, fine, well at least he can be the third down back. His YAC was obviously a mirage based on inferior athletes getting a hand on him while being mostly blocked, but his soft hands and route running are real. Well...nope, Davis is still the preferred option.

Quite honestly, Prosise is far superior in terms of athleticism and as a receiving option. And I'm not sure Penny would get more than 50% of the snaps if McKissic was the only other healthy option at this point.

So basically, the only thing Penny has is a body for depth. If Prosise could stay healthy Penny would be 4th on the depth chart or tied for 5th with McKissic.

That's a disappointment for our first rounder in his first year. Not just in my eyes but in Pete's eyes. Remember Pete tried him as the workhorse, then as the spell-back, the first few games before just deciding screw it he only touches the ball on special teams. I fully expect that if we contend for a wild card he stops being used on special teams as well because he's shown no more dynamism as a return back than as a tailback.

I would like to see what Penny would do with a few more carries behind Sweezy and Fluker is one thing I would say. Penny got his audition before those 2 came back. But Pete hasn't agree with me on that, at least the last couple of games. Probably because we're winning with the other backs who don't go down on first contact.

 

[Elemas]

I'm hoping Penny will come along. I just think the situation now is, we didn't know what we would have clicking run game wise.
New coaches...mostly the same line, and what we mostly had coming into the off-season was a back that performed well but broke his ankle early on. Maybe T. Rawls flashbacks for the staff?

Easy to say in hindsight but, of course I'd like to have that pick back. It's nothing against Penny but, knowing what we know NOW, I'd use the pick elsewhere.

Carson is a special player. He showed flashes of it before his injury but, how do you know how that pans out? Mike Davis stays hungry and I've been impressed with him as well.

Hoping Penny gets the experience and PT necessary to develop. But, it won't have to penalize the team now that the o-line and run game is clicking.

 

[Northwest Seahawk]

"Bust" is a determination I generally apply only if a player flames out his first contract for at least one team, and even that isn't universal. Drew Brees is a counterexample. Alex Collins qualifies as another although I still say he was the worst of our backs here the year we let him go. EDIT: Not worse than Lacy.

So Penny isn't a bust, but he is certainly a disappointment in his first year, and not providing expected value. Teams hope first round picks can contribute immediately. It isn't quite an expectation, as some positions don't lend themselves to this. Running back, however, absolutely carries that expectation and for good reason. If you draft a RB rd 1 who doesn't start, that's a disappointment.

Okay, fine, well at least he can spell your #1. Well...nope, Davis is the preferred option.

Okay, fine, well at least he can be the third down back. His YAC was obviously a mirage based on inferior athletes getting a hand on him while being mostly blocked, but his soft hands and route running are real. Well...nope, Davis is still the preferred option.

Quite honestly, Prosise is far superior in terms of athleticism and as a receiving option. And I'm not sure Penny would get more than 50% of the snaps if McKissic was the only other healthy option at this point.

So basically, the only thing Penny has is a body for depth. If Prosise could stay healthy Penny would be 4th on the depth chart or tied for 5th with McKissic.

That's a disappointment for our first rounder in his first year. Not just in my eyes but in Pete's eyes. Remember Pete tried him as the workhorse, then as the spell-back, the first few games before just deciding screw it he only touches the ball on special teams. I fully expect that if we contend for a wild card he stops being used on special teams as well because he's shown no more dynamism as a return back than as a tailback.

I would like to see what Penny would do with a few more carries behind Sweezy and Fluker is one thing I would say. Penny got his audition before those 2 came back. But Pete hasn't agree with me on that, at least the last couple of games. Probably because we're winning with the other backs who don't go down on first contact.

He hasn't played in more than a handful of games ukeface:

 

[sutz]

I think if you're "disappointed" by Penny your expectations were a bit high. Sure, he's a 1st rounder, but a late 1st rounder. Or, as I like to say it, an early 2d rounder.

The good thing is, we have 3-4 years for him to develop and improve, plus that option 5th year that 1st rounders get. That's an important bonus that some are perhaps not considering.

Meanwhile, he can catch kickoffs and do spot duty and I'm OK with that. Oh, and he's some pretty talented depth at RB. We've been thin there the last few years.