loafoftatupu":3uex31j4 said:
I can see making additions to the OLine every year, until they are solid with depth. It is the key to so much offensively and we know how quickly an injured line can be exposed. That is why I think that one should be drafted in the first 3 rounds every year along with one longshot in the later rounds.
LW?? The guy is pretty versatile, but I think he is looking for the home-run on every play. Even the wife can't stand watching him run backwards looking for a hole. Last week, he cost a few yards doing that and then the PR from the end zone? He was lucky to make it to the 21 that time.
I say let Leon return for the season and if still hoses it, then look at Tate. Tate is a fantastic runner at times, tough and makes people miss. Leon works hard in the few carries he sees and is a good receiver out of the backfield, I am just not ready to call him washed up yet.
Oh I vehimently disagree with letting Tate return kicks, and it's not that I think he'd be bad at it (far from it, I think he'd be great). No, if Walter Thurmond has taught us anything, it's that you don't throw a vital starter to the wolves by having him return kicks (yes, Tate is a vital starter). T3 has never
really recovered from that horrible knee injury he sustained returning a kick in college. Kick return is like the fricken Thunderdome. Let a back up change of pace guy like Leon do the deed for sure, but your starting WR? No way. Tate is proving to be
way too valuable for the offense. I bet
Earl Thomas would be amongst the very best returners in the whole entire
league, but he is way to valuable to our defense to have him out there playing demolition derby returning kicks.
Unfortunately, I think the change in the kick off rule
really screwed Leon. He just doesn't get the opportunities to earn the incentives in the contract we gave him (our defense being amongst the league leaders in points against probably isn't helping him either - not that I'd complain). A quick look at his stats on Profootballreference.com actually shows that for all his kickoff returns are way down from years past (he's on pace for 26 returns on the year compared to 50 every full year he's played - not counting his first year or the injury year) but his average return is actually way
up (30 yards per return vs. about 25 in years past). He just hasn't taken one to the house yet since they changed the kickoff.
I'd maybe be on the lookout for a replacement burner returner (is that like hitter tackler?) because Leon ain't getting any younger, but I don't think it's a glaring need right now. Leon's still Leon as far as I'm concerned...