Does Niles Paul Make the Final Roster?

[Conn]

I think the only threat to him making the 53 is if Bolser is a ST's demon.

I think Gruden loves that Niles is great on ST's and that he's willing to mold his body however the team wants for whatever position.

Niles suffers some fan hate for three reasons:

1. Shanahan set the expectations high and he failed to reach them.

2. He doesn't have great hands. He's really not much of an offensive player.

3. He was forced into being a KR due to injuries and lack of talent, and he just wasn't suited for it.

But he's a team player and he loves contributing on ST's. He'd play any position Gruden asked as long as it meant he'd make the team as a ST'er.

I could easily see him sticking around for 4-5 more years and slowly building his rep with fans as a relentless ST'er, until he's on that Lorenzo Alexander level of niche fan favorite/role player.

[Voice_of_Reason]

Anyone with a pulse.

You free?

Hail.

I knew his thread would "poke the bear"

[Riggo'sRangers]

Yes, he will make the team.  HTTR

[AlldaySkins]

They're signing most of these TE's to compete for a Special Teams spot. I feel Niles has it locked-in at the 3rd spot. Bolser will most likely be practice squad if not cut. The other guys that we signed will most likely be gone in a few weeks. Don't overthink it too much, just camp bodies to compete with the 53. Like others already stated, Paul is one of our best special teams players and isn't too bad to have as a 3rd TE.

[Gibbs Hog Heaven]

I knew his thread would "poke the bear"

Mildly stirred.

If I was remotely assed we'd be 4 more pages deep in a community free for all by now

But as I'm neither doing nor have any interest in Redskins football until the third pre-season I'll return to mouuching around in the background

Hail.

[SWFLSkins]

Mildly stirred.

If I was remotely assed we'd be 4 more pages deep in a community free for all by now

But as I'm neither doing nor have any interest in Redskins football until the third pre-season I'll return to mouuching around in the background

Hail.

 

Well at the least we can halt the silver alert, the long distance was killing my framily INT. LD plan. 

[Koolblue13]

Isn't he going to be the Captain on our ST unit? No Reed or OMG, I would think that would put him in the pole for that.

 

I know he was asked if he wanted to compete as either a WR or TE. He has a unique skill set, if he can put it together.

 

I would think a new coach would be excited for what he COULD bring to the table.

 

He has also been on the field a lot in the preseason, so maybe he turns a corner this year, with our better coaches, like the way AR15 seems to.

 

Also, why does our fan base never let hopeful compliments go? Yes, he was compared in possible talent to Sharpe. So what? 

[acuratl1984]

I would think a new coach would be excited for what he COULD bring to the table.

 

He has also been on the field a lot in the preseason, so maybe he turns a corner this year, with our better coaches, like the way AR15 seems to.

 

The one thing about this off-season is that we got what seems to be better coaches. I'm still on the fence on Haslett, but lets see if he turns it around without Shanahan.

 

AR15, definitely seems like he turned the corner. If AR15 and Grant turn out as good as they did in preseason game 1, That would give us a really good 5 man WR corp.

 

In terms of Niles, I think our TE group is a lock, Reed, Paulsen, and Paul. I believe theres 6 captains, Paul and Hayward are the likely selected for ST.

[Voice_of_Reason]

If Niles didn't make the team, probably 10 other teams would look to pick him up just for his ST ability.

He's the exact type of guy who you want as your 47th guy on the active game-day roster.  Beast on ST, tough guy, brings attitude, and, in a pinch, won't embarass himself at his position if he's forced to take snaps because of injury.

 

Do I think that Gruden is going to be staying up at night figuring out ways to get Niles the ball as a TE? No. But as your 3rd TE and ST guy, he's really pretty ideal.  Every roster needs guys like this.  Role players at the bottom half of the roster.  

[Darc Requiem]

I don't understand why anyone thinks he isn't making the team. Improving our special teams is paramount and you don't do that by getting rid of one of the few good ST players we had last year.

[Alexa]

He's one of our best special team players. Not sure if that's saying much but I think he makes the team because of that reason.

[Burgold]

Right now, unless Bolser or someone else takes a huge stride Paul seems to have a job (which surprises me)  You can't have no back ups at tight end and Paul technically can back up tight end and receiver as well as being a pretty good special teamer. That makes him valuable.  He has been a disappointment in general, but I sometimes wonder how much of that is because of the expectations that Shanahan generated when predicting that he'd be the next Sharpe.

[Voice_of_Reason]

Right now, unless Bolser or someone else takes a huge stride Paul seems to have a job (which surprises me)  You can't have no back ups at tight end and Paul technically can back up tight end and receiver as well as being a pretty good special teamer. That makes him valuable.  He has been a disappointment in general, but I sometimes wonder how much of that is because of the expectations that Shanahan generated when predicting that he'd be the next Sharpe.

 

I agree with part of what you said. I think that Shanahan really screwed him.  But I don't think he's been a disappointment.

 

Niles was a 5th round pick in 2011. 

 

He has been a major contributor on ST in his 3 years here.  He has backed up the TE and WR positions.  He also brings a certain degree of toughness and grit to practice and to ST play, that the team needs.  I think he's been a ST captain, maybe last year? (not saying much, but when you consider the ST coach was Dopey, and the other players on ST were Larry Mo and Curly...)

 

For a 5th round guy, I think he's met expectations.  Solid contributor on Special Teams, reasonable backup, does what you ask him to do.

 

Shanahan really screwed with him by moving him from WR to TE, and then set significant expectations for him. 

 

As a 5th round pick, if he was released after this season, you would have gotten 4 years out of him, with good contribution.  That's a win any way you look at it.

[Burgold]

I agree with part of what you said. I think that Shanahan really screwed him.  But I don't think he's been a disappointment.

 

 

For a 5th round guy, I think he's met expectations.  Solid contributor on Special Teams, reasonable backup, does what you ask him to do.

 

Shanahan really screwed with him by moving him from WR to TE, and then set significant expectations for him. 

 

As a 5th round pick, if he was released after this season, you would have gotten 4 years out of him, with good contribution.  That's a win any way you look at it.

5th round matters in the rookie year.  Maybe the year after that.  Remember Brian Mitchell was a fifth rounder.  Remember all the HOFers who went undrafted.  By the time you reach your third year plus you are a football player and draft status is irrelevent.  You just have to be good.

 

He's had too many disappointing drops for me to call him good, but he's also had enough quality returns and special teams plays that I can't call him bad.

[Darc Requiem]

5th round matters in the rookie year.  Maybe the year after that.  Remember Brian Mitchell was a fifth rounder.  Remember all the HOFers who went undrafted.  By the time you reach your third year plus you are a football player and draft status is irrelevent.  You just have to be good.

 

He's had too many disappointing drops for me to call him good, but he's also had enough quality returns and special teams plays that I can't call him bad.

 

I disagree. There is level of expectation you have for a player depending on the round they are selected. Just because the occasional gem is found in the late rounds doesn't mean every low round pick should have that expectation. 

[Burgold]

I disagree. There is level of expectation you have for a player depending on the round they are selected. Just because the occasional gem is found in the late rounds doesn't mean every low round pick should have that expectation.

Does that mean that you still judge Tom Brady on a qualified draft basis? That would be silly. At some point a first round bum is a bum and a sixth round gem is a gem. Paul is at the stage of his career where his football deeds and potential matter not his draft status.

That's not to say a good special teamer and back up isn't valuable. It's to say that he stands on his own merit at this point and needs to be valued strictly upon what he can bring to te table.

[Redskins3D]

I don't understand why anyone thinks he isn't making the team. Improving our special teams is paramount and you don't do that by getting rid of one of the few good ST players we had last year.

Failure to meet unreasonably high expectations?  Niles seems to have hit his rather low ceiling. We need guys like him on the team, but it makes sense that people's eyes will tend to look for someone with more upside. 

 

That said, he's close to a lock. 

[Voice_of_Reason]

Does that mean that you still judge Tom Brady on a qualified draft basis? That would be silly. At some point a first round bum is a bum and a sixth round gem is a gem. Paul is at the stage of his career where his football deeds and potential matter not his draft status.

That's not to say a good special teamer and back up isn't valuable. It's to say that he stands on his own merit at this point and needs to be valued strictly upon what he can bring to te table.

 

See, I judge players based on what I expect from them. Sometimes they exceed those expectations, sometimes they fail to meet them, and sometimes they are smack on what I expect. Now, the thing is that a player can re-set the expectations by performing well, or extremely poorly.  Brady clearly re-set the expectation based on his play. (This is why I still claim that Lavar was a draft bust.  Because at the #2 overall pick, my lowest expectation is that you play for 10 years and make the pro-bowl a few times And while he made a pro-bowl, he never lived up to his draft status.)

 

And I use when the guy was picked as a barometer for draft picks, and contracts as a barometer for FAs. 

 

So, in my mind, Niles is 5th round pick in his 4th year, and he's about where I would expect him to be.  He hasn't exceeded expectations, and he hasn't failed them either.  He's a contributing member of the team.  Shrug.  That's what he is.  

 

Morris is a 6th rounder.  Clearly he has wildly exceeded expectations. He has now managed to set a new bar for himself that he will be judged against.  The bar for Griffin is astronomical.  He was off to a phenomenal start in 2012. But he almost has to perform at that level for a decade to meet expectations.  Which is going to be tough to do. 

[Burgold]

I don't mind that VOR as long as in that fourth year we aren't making excuses for the player.  By the fourth year, I can't say "Oh, what can you expect he's a low round guy." With that much experience he's a player.  When he gets on the field I want to act like he belongs and make the plays he's supposed to make.

[Paul Cumberland]

you know how much i would love a 5th rd pick or later to make our team long term?  or even an undrafted free agent?  it just doesn't happen that often in today's nfl....  with that said, god bless niles paul... we need a few more of him....  albeit with bigger hands....  haha

[jflow78]

Mildly stirred...Hail.

Hot DAMN!  About time to hear from one of the missing Godfathers.  

[Califan007 The Constipated]

Outside of special teams, I don't see this team or its fans missing Niles Paul during the season if he were to be released. And if enough of the bevy of ST players that have been brought in this offseason start panning out, we may not miss him much on teams, either. I have zero problem with him making the roster, though.

[Laxpunk2006]

Outside of a serious injury to Niles I don't see a situation in which he isn't on the 53 this year. Between his special teams prowess and his ability to backup WR, FB, and TE he had a lot of value to our team. As a few posters have already mentioned these are the kinds of players every team needs at the back end of their roster.

You may not want him starting at any offensive positions but the fact that he can line up in three spots without completely embarrassing himself allows the team to save roster or gameday spots for other positions. That's going to be especially important this year when we're looking at ways to fit a third QB/fourth RB/sixth WR.

[roanoker]

5th round matters in the rookie year.  Maybe the year after that.  Remember Brian Mitchell was a fifth rounder.  Remember all the HOFers who went undrafted.  By the time you reach your third year plus you are a football player and draft status is irrelevent.  You just have to be good.

 

He's had too many disappointing drops for me to call him good, but he's also had enough quality returns and special teams plays that I can't call him bad.

Agree. His play has been a disappointment except for ST. The question becomes is he worth a slot as was done for Brandon Banks.

[Koolblue13]

See, I judge players based on what I expect from them. Sometimes they exceed those expectations, sometimes they fail to meet them, and sometimes they are smack on what I expect. Now, the thing is that a player can re-set the expectations by performing well, or extremely poorly.  Brady clearly re-set the expectation based on his play. (This is why I still claim that Lavar was a draft bust.  Because at the #2 overall pick, my lowest expectation is that you play for 10 years and make the pro-bowl a few times And while he made a pro-bowl, he never lived up to his draft status.)

 

And I use when the guy was picked as a barometer for draft picks, and contracts as a barometer for FAs. 

 

So, in my mind, Niles is 5th round pick in his 4th year, and he's about where I would expect him to be.  He hasn't exceeded expectations, and he hasn't failed them either.  He's a contributing member of the team.  Shrug.  That's what he is.  

 

Morris is a 6th rounder.  Clearly he has wildly exceeded expectations. He has now managed to set a new bar for himself that he will be judged against.  The bar for Griffin is astronomical.  He was off to a phenomenal start in 2012. But he almost has to perform at that level for a decade to meet expectations.  Which is going to be tough to do. 

Draft positions value, ends the second the draft does. Once you're on the team, where you were drafted, what you're being paid, expectations, all of it, becomes second to production IMO.