BoRnAndRaiSedSkinsFan Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 I was also disapointed in ARE's producton as a punt returner last year, but I'm not going to write him off yet. He struggled through injuris last year, and I think maybe that's why we saw more dancing. I remember early inthe season last year at home when we were in the redzone and ARE caught a ball and had a clea path to the endzone. Well one of the DBs from the ther team caught up to him and tackled him on the 2 or 3 yard line I think. With that injury he had last year, I think his usual burst of speed wasn't there. So I thik maybe he tried dancing a litte more than just turning on the jets. I wanna give him another chance and see what he can do. I'm also excited to see him in the WCO. Since YAC are a huge part of the system, who better to have than ARE catching the ball in field and gettng some yards. I think he stepped up and played well for us when Moss was out. He still has explosive play ability in him. I wanna see what he can do this year. I'm certainly rooting for him to have a good year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terpskins10 Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Open competition, as there should be at every position.Line em up, and see who wants it. Competition puts our best guys on the field....give anyone who wants a shot an opportunity in practice.....weed them down to the top 3, then give those three multiple opportunities during the preseason games. I agree about open competition, and there should be at every position. Except running back. :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubbs Posted June 16, 2008 Author Share Posted June 16, 2008 I agree about open competition, and there should be at every position. Except running back. :laugh: Shhhh, don't say that to McD, this will turn into a 300-post thread about Betts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RandyHolt Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 ARE is average on punt returns and does not fumbe. I think Moss should be returning punts, Thrash is a coverage guy. Certainly in our playoff games Gibbs could have used Moss a la D. Green and choose not to and left me wondering why not. For those that think we cant risk Moss getting injured, I thought we risked getting him injured more often being a number one WR at 5-9 185. He did get injured as a 1 and I for one think he should be returning punts in big games if ARE is not producing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redskins:Victory_or_Death Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 I dont want to risk his development as a WR to do punt return. I dont want to open up the season with him but i wouldn't mind a gradually change to him late into the season.Agreed. :applause: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redskins:Victory_or_Death Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Don't be so sure. Not only will Zorn likely want Thomas to spend as much time as possible focusing on becoming a starting wide receiver, but how many here want entrust a rookie to cleanly field punts? More importantly, how many head coaches want to do that?Imagine us being two games over .500 in December, right in the thick of the divisional race. Tied game, fourth quarter, freezing rain falling in terirble, wintry weather. Opposing crowd screaming, chanting, and trying to do everything possible to intimidate our returner into muffing a punt coming at him in the middle of all that precipitation. And that returner is a rookie, who has quite literally never played in a game this big in his entire life. I'll take Antwaan, thanks. Given that situation, yes, DT isn't the best option. Barring that however, as skinfan2k said, I believe that Thomas is a longer-term solution who should be developed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abu69 Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 I dont want to risk his development as a WR to do punt return. I dont want to open up the season with him but i wouldn't mind a gradually change to him late into the season. **** that. Risk his development? We need some gamebreakers out there; he needs to develop into a great WR and a great kick returner. I don't see how one cuts into the other, frankly. If he can't handle a little of everything, he's not the stud we all hope he will be. Let the kid play! I doubt he'll have any objections. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peregrine Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Better question: Will we start blocking on punt returns? Until we do, even if ARE goes straight ahead we will get about 2 yards per return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLongshot Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 People seem to not realize that Thomas didn't really return punts at Michigan State. Other than playing receiver, he mostly returned kicks. To assume that he's a great option for Punt returns is a big assumption by some. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubbs Posted June 16, 2008 Author Share Posted June 16, 2008 Given that situation, yes, DT isn't the best option. Barring that however, as skinfan2k said, I believe that Thomas is a longer-term solution who should be developed. Honestly, I'm not sure how much of a solution Thomas really is. I know he returned punts for Michigan State last year, but he doesn't seem to fit the usual mold of a punt returner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pedro Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Early in the season players like Rock and Tryon should be returning Kicks/Punts. Later in the season when/if Thomas and Kelly start getting to grips with the NFL, and assuming no injuries to Moss and Randle-El, we can put Moss/Randle-El/Thomas in for Kick/Punt returns if we feel we would get significantly more production from them. Until such time I'd rather our WR corps concentrate on the passing game with only an occasional return just to keep current in the role. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forever21 Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 I'll take ARE over Thrash any day. At least ARE is a THREAT to do something and has to keep the punt coverage honest. Thrash is at most a threat to get 15 yards. ARE is our best option at punt return right now and is a threat to score every time he touches it. I'm not saying he didn't dance around a bit too much last year. I'm just saying that he's the best we got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laxpunk2006 Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 I dont want to risk his development as a WR to do punt return. I dont want to open up the season with him but i wouldn't mind a gradually change to him late into the season. That's an interesting concern but I don't think it's a real issue. A lot of WR's start off as KR/PR's just to get on the field while they develop their route running or whatever it is they need to transition with. Steve Smith, Santana Moss, ARE, Wes Welker. Lot's of players do it, and it doesn't seem to hurt. I personally think Moss should be back there. Not every return but in big games our playmakers need the ball. Sure it exposes him to more chances to get hurt, but he's already hurt all the time anyway so why not get some production out of him. Especially if our new WR's can make some kind of contribution this year there should be less reliance on Moss as a WR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLongshot Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 That's an interesting concern but I don't think it's a real issue. A lot of WR's start off as KR/PR's just to get on the field while they develop their route running or whatever it is they need to transition with.Steve Smith, Santana Moss, ARE, Wes Welker. Lot's of players do it, and it doesn't seem to hurt. Actually, the main reason why starters are usually pulled from doing return work is that they don't want the additional workload to wear a player down. There might also be injury concerns as well, but I think it is more the former. Then again, there are still a few starters who play a lot of special teams, like Marcus Washington. Jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
[[ghost]] Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 I dont want to risk his development as a WR to do punt return. I dont want to open up the season with him but i wouldn't mind a gradually change to him late into the season. I actually think that its a great way to get him involved early. It'll take him some time to adjust to the DBs in the NFL. Him returning punts will only help his development as a WR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chanhillbilly Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Returning kicks isn't all about speed. Its also about hitting holes, reading the field and following blockers. B. Mitch was never considered to have blazing speed but made a career out of returning kicks and punts. Desmond Howard who looked like he played wearing cement shoes (or clown shoes if you like) here in D.C., but managed to shine a few times in GB on returns (granted I think it was due to fact everyone had been blocked and was on ground and he just ran around the bodies). Thrash has it in him still to return kicks, and play special teams. He just doesn't have it in him to be a receiver. ARE has no business returning kicks with the dancing around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fight for ole DC Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 ARE is no good at returning punts. I have screemed at the TV so many times watching him dance around, then get tackled after a 2 yard pickup. We have to get more production out of that spot this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recent Vintage Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 I'm pretty sure Danny Smith said in a couple interviews that they were trying to block some punts and that's why ARE was having such a hard time... Less blockers for the return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eljeasel Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 ARE is no good at returning punts. I have screemed at the TV so many times watching him dance around, then get tackled after a 2 yard pickup. We have to get more production out of that spot this year. I wouldnt go so far as to say hes no good because he has had some success in the return game just last year he was completely ineffective. Not really sure why that is, I leave that to those who specialize in special teams strategy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ucfSKINS Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 I rather have James Thrash doing full time duties. Damn skippy! James may not have the speed that ARE does, but he catches the ball and runs like the police are chasin him. If ARE doens't change his pansy returns, I say we put in ol Thrash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hubbs Posted June 16, 2008 Author Share Posted June 16, 2008 I'm pretty sure Danny Smith said in a couple interviews that they were trying to block some punts and that's why ARE was having such a hard time... Less blockers for the return. Wouldn't that be true about any team? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downbeat87 Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 i would think zorn will be as open with punt returns as his is about everything else. but i think el is the best option... its not like he forgot how to run straight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pjfootballer Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Yeah, as [Ghost] said, it was more than a minor irritation. ARE needs to stop dancing, hit the hole and take the 7 yards, because one time, he might break a tackle and go all the way. It was a MAJOR irritation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skinsinparadise Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Randle El seems to be a tale of two cities out there. Gutsy WR who isn't afraid to take a hit and was clutch in big games. Last season as a PR, the guy to me looked plain scared & didn't want to take a hit. Besides those dinky 3-4 yard returns, there were plenty of times where he'd call fair catch and let the ball go when he should have gotten after the ball -- he was as conservative as it gets as PR -- IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
downbeat87 Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 see thats where i think your onto something. were once again going back to the c-word in this era. mybe feild positioning was a bit more important for joe, thus fair catches and play it safe returns?? i dunno, i think we will be a bit more aggressive with what we have this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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