The "I wish we had gotten that guy!" thread - 2014 Recap at end of thread.

[Voice_of_Reason]

sorry to see this but this guy along with clowney and watt were my worry for game one..

I know that Nix was one of the really popular guys with a lot of fans.

Unfortunate for him. Not saying he might not have an amazing career, but it's not starting out real well for him.

[Hunter_R]

Jace Amaro can't catch.

http://nypost.com/2014/07/31/heres-why-jets-tight-end-jace-amaro-cant-catch-a-cold/

[Voice_of_Reason]

Jace Amaro can't catch.

http://nypost.com/2014/07/31/heres-why-jets-tight-end-jace-amaro-cant-catch-a-cold/

I don't know squat about the guy, but seems like his head is swimming, and he's focused south on where he's supposed to be, he's not able to do the simple things.

But clearly his lNFL career is not off to a great start

[RG3Hunna]

The more these negative reports come out of rookies a lot of us (myself included) begin to come out the more i'm happy with our draft class. lol

[Hunter_R]

I don't know squat about the guy, but seems like his head is swimming, and he's focused south on where he's supposed to be, he's not able to do the simple things.

But clearly his lNFL career is not off to a great start

All I know is that he was considered one of the top TE prospects, and I would have been fine had he been taken. So far it looks like a bullet dodged.

[darrelgreenie]

RE: Jace

Read the article Hunter posted. Don't see anything that suggests that there is something wrong with Jace.

He's a rookie and like all rookies they tend to start slowly, I think its a bit early to say 'dodged a bullet' or make any judgement.

Seem like we're a little quick to down this player and I wasn't even remotely in favor of drafting Jace.

 

I've seen other draftees receiver greater praise then Jace has received negative, but not get mentioned.

*shrugs*

[Voice_of_Reason]

DG, I linked articles for the draft picks we're following in the OP, there was some good, some not as good.

IMHO, you're not going to know anything for a while, maybe years, so it's all just fun speculation.

I don't think Jace was on our list to track, but I can add him.

FA articles are coming later today.

[darrelgreenie]

I guess my point is shouldn't we post more substantive information negative/positive then that type of article as proof of a player doing poorly? (did you read the article?)

 

I'm gonna try to track all the players I wanted, but I haven't posted anything about them other then Hatcher starting the season on PUP.

[Voice_of_Reason]

Yeah, I read the article. Sounded to me like he's just a rookie. Rookie TEs tend to have a ton to focus on. Hard position to pick up.

So, he's having a little bit of a tough time with picking up the terminology, and so he's probably thinking a lot and not reacting, which is probably leading to drops.

I am trying to post articles with just any info I can find. Positive or negative.

I actually didn't think that article was all that negative, honestly. A rookie TE struggling to pick up an NFL system. SHOCKING.

[Voice_of_Reason]

Free Agents that we are tracking.  Some good, some PUP. One guy retired.  Too early to say anybody is a bust of a FA yet.  But some reading.

 

Oh, and one link to the SI Swimsuit issue. And it's completely Football related.  

 

Alex Mack - (CB) Browns - No real news
Darrell Revis - (CB) Pats http://nesn.com/2014/07/patriots-training-camp-observations-darrelle-revis-julian-edelman-shine/ Seems to be doing all he was brought in to do. 
Aquib Talib - (CB) Broncos http://gazette.com/klee-which-aqib-talib-did-the-broncos-get/article/1534406 Looks good so far
Al Woods - (DT) Titans - No real news
Vance Walker - (DT) Chiefs - No News
Antoine Bethea - (FS) 49ers - No News
Jairius Byrd - (FS) Saints - http://www.nola.com/saints/index.ssf/2014/07/new_orleans_saints_jairus_byrd_3.html Returns to practice. 
Chris Clemons - (FS) Texans - No News
Mike Mitchell - (FS) Steelers - http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/Steelers-safety-Mike-Mitchell-on-physically-unable-to-perform-list.html On PUP list
Brandon Spikes - (ILB) Bills - No News
Dekoda Watson - (ILB) Jags http://www.bigcatcountry.com/2014/7/22/5927805/ace-sanders-injury-jaguars-dekoda-watson-Alan-ball Apparently on the PUP list
Vincent Rey - (ILB) Bengals - No News
Geoff Schwarts - (OG) Giants - No News
Travelle Wharton - (OG) Panthers - http://www.panthers.com/news/article-2/Travelle-Wharton-retires/00899ce6-5a01-451c-9371-5688ee7a580b Retired.
Willie Colon - (OG) Jets - http://www.nj.com/jets/index.ssf/2014/07/jets_willie_colon_partially_returns_to_practice_works_double-team_blocking_with_breno_giacomini.htmlWas on PUP, being worked back into team drills
Penn - (OT) Raiders - No News
Tyson Clabo - (OT) http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000367647/article/tyson-clabo-houston-texans-agree-to-contract-terms Signed with the Texans last week. 
Darren Sproles - (RB) Eagles. No real news except that he's fast. 
Owen Daniels - (TE) Ravens - No real news but seems to be having a very eh camp so far. 
Ed Dickson - (TE) Panthers - No real news.  Seems to be doing well.
Pitta - (TE) Ravnes - No real news.  Questions about whether he or Daniels will catch more passes.
Andre Johnson - (WR) Texans - http://houston.cbslocal.com/2014/08/01/arian-foster-andre-johnson-out-of-texans-training-camp-practice-on-friday/Reported to Texans camp. But he's got a hammy and is not practicing. 
Hakeem Nicks - (WR) Colts http://swimsuit.si.com/swimsuit/models/ariel-meredith/photos/1 No real news on Nicks.  Except that he got engaged to Ariel Meredith, a SI Swimsuit model. The link is to Ariel's SI swimsuit page.  Because it was more interesting than anything about Nicks. All I can say is DAMN. 
Ted Ginn - (WR) Cards -  NoNews

[DMVLeGenD]

Even though we wouldn't have had a chance to draft him anyway due to being picked earlier than we were selecting (unless we traded up), I was one of Kelvin Benjamin's biggest fans, and he reportedly has been making a big impression in TC:

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000373086/article/kelvin-benjamin-returns-to-carolina-panthers-practice

 

Snippet from the article:

 

 

Wide receivers coach Ricky Proehl went so far as to tell ESPN's David Newton that the rookie already looked like a No. 1 receiver.

 

"Yes, he does," Proehl said. "It's obvious."

 

The coach hedged the optimism a bit saying that Benjamin still has a lot to learn, but admitted so far he liked what he saw from the rookie. 

 

"There are going to be some trials he's going to go through," Proehl said. "But if you keep making plays like he is right now they're going to come up and press him. How he adjusts and how he adapts will be his next step in being a No. 1 receiver.

 

"But every indication, right now ... he has a great feel for the game."

 

Part of what makes Benjamin such an intriguing receiver is his unbelievable catch radius.

 

"The catches he's made have been amazing," Proehl gushed. "You don't have to put it in a tight window. Just throw it up and put it in the general area and he's going to come down with it. That's what he brings to the table."

[Voice_of_Reason]

Even though we wouldn't have had a chance to draft him anyway due to being picked earlier than we were selecting (unless we traded up), I was one of Kelvin Benjamin's biggest fans, and he reportedly has been making a big impression in TC:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap1000000373086/article/kelvin-benjamin-returns-to-carolina-panthers-practice

Snippet from the article:

Good article. He could really help them out at WR. Remind me, what pick was he?

[DMVLeGenD]

Good article. He could really help them out at WR. Remind me, what pick was he?

 

#28

[MEANDWARF]

Watching the early part of the HOF game, Andre Williams 4th rd draft pick out of B.C. for the Giants is about to go on my list.

[Voice_of_Reason]

Watching the early part of the HOF game, Andre Williams 4th rd draft pick out of B.C. for the Giants is about to go on my list.

Chuckle. That's against the rules.

You had to identify the player before the draft. Otherwise hindsight will always be 20/20

[Hunter_R]

I forgot Cyrus Kouandjio was on the Bills. Apparently he didn't look so hot in the HoF game.

[MEANDWARF]

Chuckle. That's against the rules.

You had to identify the player before the draft. Otherwise hindsight will always be 20/20

Rules. Whoops. My Bad!

 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Rules. Whoops. My Bad!

And I'm happy to track him, but the purpose of this thread a while back was to capture the guys in FA or the draft that we wanted and went elsewhere and caused somebody to compare Bruce's intelligence to that of a gnat with a learning disability.

Kindof a way to grade all if us armchair GMs.

[Always A Commander Never A Captain]

All this thread is making me do is be sad, not in that we didn't get these players.  But that some I really wanted (such as Brent Urban) already have season ending injuries.  Rumors out of Ravens camp had him playing very well...and then he tore his ACL.

[Voice_of_Reason]

All this thread is making me do is be sad, not in that we didn't get these players.  But that some I really wanted (such as Brent Urban) already have season ending injuries.  Rumors out of Ravens camp had him playing very well...and then he tore his ACL.

 

There have been a lot of injuries.  More folks on the PUP list than I ever thought there would be.

 

Hopefully our guy gets off the PUP list soon.  

[darrelgreenie]

My draft: If we selected at 34: Marqise Lee (its too hard to pretend I don't know what happens) Jordan Matthews

Selecting from 47: Timmy Jernigan

66: Morgan Moses (armed with full knowledge Dez Southward or Christian Kirksey)

79: Terrence Brooks (Gabe Jackson if Dez Southward was selected above)

102: Martavis Bryant

142: Avery Williamson

186: Lache Seastrunk

217: Seantrel Henderson/ Yamin Smallwood

Rookie Tackles Get their Chance

With starting left tackle Cordy Glenn absent due to illness the Bills gave plenty of playing time to their newest offensive linemen. Seventh-round pick Seantrel Henderson certainly showed the on-field ability that many saw in him with a solid showing (+0.5 overall) against both the first- and second-string of the Giants’ defense. Foxed by one blitz in pass protection, Henderson otherwise kept a clean sheet and laid a couple of nice down blocks on Hankins in the ground game.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/08/04/refo-giants-bills-hof-game/

[Voice_of_Reason]

Rookie Tackles Get their Chance

With starting left tackle Cordy Glenn absent due to illness the Bills gave plenty of playing time to their newest offensive linemen. Seventh-round pick Seantrel Henderson certainly showed the on-field ability that many saw in him with a solid showing (+0.5 overall) against both the first- and second-string of the Giants’ defense. Foxed by one blitz in pass protection, Henderson otherwise kept a clean sheet and laid a couple of nice down blocks on Hankins in the ground game.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/08/04/refo-giants-bills-hof-game/

I was actually going to go back and look at the. Bills and giants and see if there were any notables. But hadn't gotten a chance yet.

Anything else stand out from the game? I didn't watch all of it.

[Paul Cumberland]

Minnesota Vikings DT Linval Joseph Injured in Shooting at Nightclub

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2157683-minnesota-vikings-dt-linval-joseph-injured-in-shooting-at-nightclub

 

Apparently he's ok and it's minor, thank God..  He was an innocent bystander from reading the article.  Police are still searching for the shooter.

[Dirt]

I'm 'partying' so to speak, perhaps a little loopy, and haven't read the whole thread, but I was having a discussion with a buddy about Peyton Manning, and it's still technically offseason, so screw it, i'm going to throw this in here:

 

If I remember correctly, we were at least in the discussion for free-agent Peyton Manning - the part my party-mind can't remember is how soon this was into the we-got-RG3 campaign.  I believe it was JUST around the time we made the trade for the 2nd overall pick.  Shannahan said something like "hell yes I would like to have Peyton Manning", and we can only imagine what coaches are thinking, but we as fans thought:  "Peyton Manning is great but old and we have this RG3 opportunity in front of us."

 

Now, I LOVE RG3.  Last year was the perfect, rare example of a wash, a mulligan.  I LOVE the idea of a young guy with elite potential.  He can, and WILL get it done under coach Gruden's plans.  But, if this thread is a wishlist, and a could-have, would-have, Peyton Manning solves every problem we, and every team besides the Broncos is facing right now.  

 

In a way, and without recent hindsight, it feels INSANE that EVERY team didn't do their best to land Peyton Manning.  The obvious fear was his neck situation, but when we're talking about gambling on certain kickers for crying out loud, it seems silly in comparison that you wouldn't take a chance with Peyton.  

 

I wanted him at the time.  For the reason I said above:  It eliminates a responsibility for the coaches and the team.  Allow me to gush:  While every other great quarterback struggles to make sure they make enough great plays per game;  Peyton Manning struggles to overcome the inadequacies of his teammates.  Tom Brady's on-the-field frustration is that his receiver didn't run the proper route.  Peyton Manning's on-the-field frustration is that the receiver didn't have a full understanding of the route before he ran it.  Peyton, through repetition and critical thinking, can see the future of a play while others, even very experienced, are more or less going through the motions.

 

Would have been the PERFECT thing for Shannahan.  Shanny is gone, so we have hindsight now:  Perhaps RG3 wasn't doing the things Shanny wanted.  But as we've gathered, almost ANY quarterback wouldn't have done what Shanny wanted.  He was a little TOO demanding as it seems.  

 

It would have been perfect for Shanny, and for Peyton.  Imagine it:  Shannahan's ridiculously convincing running game with Alfred Morris, and Peyton basically making Kyle Shannahan more 'Mike's son' and less of a 'pertinent to the offense' playcaller.  Like most playcallers, even the best, sometimes they look foolish when calling a toss to the right near the endzone.  Peyton would have been the only quarterback allowed to veto such plays, and instead, from the field, concoct some sort of touchdown pass.  It wouldn't have hurt Mike's ego, and it wouldn't have mattered if it hurt Kyle's ego.  

 

When we think of the convincing, brutal, booming offensive attack of 2012, we think of play action.  Even quick, not-selling-it-so-hard play action in 2012 resulted in a wide open Pierre Garcon in the middle of the field because linebackers had to respect not only Aflred's ability to break the first tackle, but Mike Shannahan's offensive lineman making a second block down field.  IMAGINE what Peyton freaking Manning could do with such an offense.  The read option was great, but only happened so often.  Peyton Manning, for the first time in his career, could be damn near SURE that the linebackers across the line would act with hesitation, taking his already-full understanding of the passing game to a whole new level. 

 

We hate Shannahan now, but what he did was make a ROOKIE shine, and more importantly, be comfortable doing it with the benefit of a convincing, demanding running game.  Peyton Manning would have been BEYOND comfortable, he would have been damn near bored.  Folks talked about defenses had to worry about RG3 running, which was beneficial, especially because of the running game, but PLEASE.  If you had to worry about Alfred Morris, and the AFTERTHOUGHT is Peyton Manning throwing the football?  Forget about it.  Extremeskins would be a nonstop discussion about defense;  how can we keep guys under 13 points while we're blowing them out. 

 

Sounds a lot like the Broncos right?  Out-scoring everybody?  The difference would be ....- ready for this?.... - Jim Haslett.  Mr.  "let's take chances, let's stand 10 yards off the line of scrimmage, anticipate plays...stand guys up in a crowd and force a fumble.  Haslett has done this.  DHall has made plays.  The problem is, these are too few and far between.  These plays mean nothing if your team can't control a football game in all phases for 16 games.  Peyton Manning would LOVE Haslett's defense.  Those opportunistic, game changing turnovers weren't so game changing when the other team wins 24-21.  But they are when your offense is putting up 30+ at will because you have PEYTON FREAKING MANNING and SHANNY'S RUNNING GAME.

 

"I wish we had gotten that guy".  I wish we had got Peyton Manning.  That's hard to say because, well, I can't decide whether it's because I love RG3 so much, because I love that we have a lot of young players which leads to a bright future, or simply because losing so much leads to new coaches, new beginnings, new behaviors from our owner, (which in comparison make Jerry Jones look more and more stupid), ....what we have right now makes thing very interesting, yet very promising for Redskins fans.  But...I thought it then, and thanks to this thread title I think it now:  Shanny, for all the reasons we hate him for his recent actions....love him for his past - and recent- actions in the running game (you know, the manly, in-the-trenches running game in which we have to admit he was masterful with)...and his shaky relationships with quarterbacks (which wouldn't have MATTERED with Peyton because only with Peyton can you RESPECTFULLY....no matter how proud you are...RESPECTFULLY defer to Peyron on QB matters.)........

 

......would have produced an exciting, convincing, scary, unstoppable, damn near unfair offensive display that would have been game-planning for the projected playoff opponents by week 8.  The Broncos did ALMOST what I'm talking about last year, but even facing last year's Seahawks in the Superbowl, a Shanny/Peyton offense would have AT LEAST eaten up enough clock with the run game to keep it from being an embarrassing blowout.

 

Shanny/Peyton.  2 incredible football minds that each just need ONE thing to push them to the top in today's football:  Peyton;  who needs a running game that, despite it's numbers at the end of the year, distracts linebackers every play, letting him have his way with the passing game.....and Shanny;  who needs a quarterback so good, so decisive and controlling... that he leaves him alone......

 

.....Superbowls.  Unfair Superbowl blowouts.  The thing all coaches aim to achieve:  Perfection.  

 

Too long, didn't read? ....Peyton with the freedom to pass along with Shanny and his freedom/ability to run.  An 'opportunistic' defense that usually fails, but doesn't in this case because the opponent is desperately trying to outscore you, and their desperate attempts to score are falling in your opportunistic defense's hands.  A football team that would have only lasted a few years, but would be remember for ages.  A building block for the Redskins moving forward, and a more deserving legacy for Mike Shannahan who ought to be remembered as a great football mind, not a team-wrecker.  

 

Like the thread title says:  "I wish".  As far as petty things get taken on this board, I'm surprised the Peyton thing wasn't blown up as much as it was.  It WAS there, that opportunity.  Now we're talking about Colt freaking McCoy.  And again, I LOVE RG3, LOVE that we clearly still have a dangerous run game, LOVE that we have a fun-house of options at receiver, and....LIKE...Haslett's 'opportunistic'  defense....but had the stars aligned differently, I'm telling you....if Shanny's ego is what ruined this team, WHILE we admit his run game is great...then Peyton Manning would have been the only thing to curb that ego.... and it would have been 2 guys...QB and coach, barely having to discuss anything as they had their way with defenses.  Would have been a team for the ages, even if just for a couple years. 

[Burgold]

In the end, Peyton wouldn't have worked for us. The line would not hold up for a truly immobile QB... even one with such a quick release, but more importantly, can you imagine the Shanahan's handing over the keys to the offense to Mannng?  They're micro managers and control freaks.  They would have been adjusting Peyton's footworks not allowing him to audible and basically taking away everything that makes him great. There would have been a mutiny on the team.