Alright let's see what people think about these guys: Roscoe Parrish a good punt returner with a long track record, he desire to play Wr as well, and the Bills are packed at Wr as well as having great kick returners behind him in Leodis McKelvin. Parrish also has a 3yr/12 million dollar contract But would the bills move him inside their own division, and what would they want for him, and might he be cut? Ellis Hobbs he was traded to the Eagles for a late round draft choice but finds himself as the 5th or 6th corner with Jeremy Maclin appearing to be their kick returner, Hobbs could be had for a one level lower draft pick, like a 5th. Hobbs was a great returner in New England, surprisingly good. Yamon Figurs He is on the outs in Baltimore, not much of a Wr prospect and with other players set to replace him, Figurs has barely seen the field this preseason. Figurs had a down sophomore season after a great rookie campaign, HC Harbaugh is a fmr Special Teams coach who apparently isn't feeling Figurs. This is my #1 prospect to bring into miami, he more than likely will be cut, but could be traded for on the cheap, as in a 7th rd pick, he is a leigit 4.2/4.3 guy who most importantly, doesn't turn the ball over. Best of the rest Stefan Logan he was in Miami for a brief time in 07, he more than likely sticks in pittsburgh...which means they won't trade for Roscoe Parrish whom they were rumoured to be looking at back in April Ryne Robinson just cut by Carolina, as rook he was good all around kick returner, an injured knee in 08 and he is a FA in 09 Clifton Smith last season's pro bowl kick returner, he is seeing less return time in the preseason due to the emergence of Sammie Stroughter, he would be a coup to pick up. It is not unusual for the pro bowl special teams players to switch teams in the offseason, for example the Ravens excellent Ayandebejo is on the roster bubble because he is not a good LB, but remains an excellent ST tackler. Feel free to add anyone.
Ginn is a terrible punt returner Tone_E. I sort of like the idea of Ellis hobbs simply because we could bounce Jason Allen and end up with the same roster slotting system.
I really hope we stay with Ginn for kickoffs. As for punts, I'd like to see them just stick Ginn there full time, I'm confident that he'd be great with some practice. Bess is fine, but he's never gonna give us much more than 15 yards.
I guess I interpreted "kick returner" the wrong way. If we are placing emphasis on punt returning, I'd have to go with Parish. He's the best punt returner of the lot, but I'd only pull the trigger if we can somehow re-negotiate his 3yr/$12M as reported.
Well, it makes more sense that if we acquire a "returner" he should do both at a high level, otherwise we are better off staying with what we have? He makes 1.4 million or so per year, you just know the Bills are not going to pay Parrish that only to see McKelvin and Fred Jackson return kicks.
The thing is, Smith is a kick returner. You don't see a lot of those guys move following a Pro Bowl season. Unless Stroughter is showing a lot as a WR, I don't see Smith being replaced. I think Stroughter would be the guy to be moved. Ellis Hobbs is a bit smaller than what we like at corner. And I believe he's only returned kickoffs. Figurs does both. Parrish has only done punts in the pros (probably due to size). But you're right though, I think we should expect someone to be added. They don't want to wear him down.
Parrish occasionally returns kick offs, he has maybe 10 total in his NFL career. As for Clifton Smith, he plays Rb and the Bucs are stacked, if they want to keep Stroughter he may have to move Smith off of the roster. Stefan Logan a CFL rb has made the Steelers per rotoworld, but they have moved him to Wr.
I think so, we would have to dodge 24 teams before Parrish made it to us, those are long odds. And most of Parrish's cost has been absorbed by the Bills, he signed a 3yr 12 million (some have that as 10 million) and makes 1.3/1.4, meaning the Bills paid him what...5 million in a signing bonus?
I think we are better of with who we have then. Bess was rated 10th in the league in average punt return yards. The only two ahead of him on your list were the league leader, Parish, and Clifton Smith, 2nd overall. Furthermore, the difference between 5th and 10th is 1 yard. Plus Parish and Smith only had a not so spectacular 1 TD each, but 4 yards over Bess. In this capacity, I would rather keep Bess and Ginn, and save the roster spot. To me, that makes sense. http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/sortab...fl-player-stats-punt-returning&dir=descending
That's not putting the "special" in Special Teams... Sufficient Teams doesn't have the same ring to it...
If Irish/Sparano/Bonamego want Yamon Figurs, he will be available: http://www.baltimoreravens.com/News/Articles/2009/08/Returner_Coming_Down_to_the_Wire.aspx They signed Chris Carr to a 2yr deal, and Webb is handling more kicks than Figurs or Foster (the same Jayson Foster we had btw), so with Figurs not even playing to try and make it as a Wr, he is a goner.
I don't know if you guys would like Figurs returning punts and kicks. Here's my background on him (he played here at K-State so I watched him) ... I'd say he has more straight line speed than shiftiness, so he'd need to "pick a hole and go" if he returns for us ... he wouldn't be able to create big returns on his own ... he'd need us to set up a wall of blockers and then let his speed do the rest. Is he better than what we have now? Sure, outside Ginn. Is he a Pro Bowl caliber return guy? Maybe, but he's not there yet. As a WR, he's probably maxed out in what he can do, I really don't see him developing into anything but a backup at the position. Again, he doesn't have the greatest feet so route running and things like that take a hit. But he can run a go route like it's nobody's business. I just don't want everyone to talk this kid up as the next Devin Hester, because he isn't.
To be honest VO, if Figurs was what Ginn was a rookie, and keeps Bess and Ginn off of return duties, I'd be happy happy with picking him up when he is cut. His career numbers parallel Ted Ginn to the proverbial "T" he was the pro bowl rep for the AFC in 07, in 08 he had a down year, but a part of that was due to a injured foot. If he is "free" then he would be worth picking up, he might be worth a 7th, but if we are going to trade for him we really should do so before Thursday.
In some ways he's a lot like Ted Ginn, not just physically but in the way he plays the game too, his fundamentals. I wouldn't mind him, but the other issue you run into in adding Figurs is you're going to likely be cutting 2 of the 3 following players: Brandon London, Lex Hilliard, or Lousaka Polite. So then it becomes a question of which players give us the most chances and the most plays per game.
Maybe, or we trade one of our soon to be cut players for him like Rod Wright or B London. I wouldn't mind trading Greg C for him the truth be known. Keep in mind VO, we have 10 days from playing the Saints this Thursday until we play Atlanta, that is more than enough time to get some run time with the ST unit for whomever (or if) we pick up to return kicks. Adn Figrus is from Hillsdale.
Didn't Ginn take something like 4 returns to the house 3 of which were called back due to penalties in his rookie year or something to that effect? I don't remember the exact number and don't feel like looking it up if anyone else would be so inclined. Wouldn't the above qualify as special? Everytime Ginn touches the football on a return he's a threat to change the game. He was in college and he's shown he can be in the NFL as well. I haven't the slightest idea why this is even a discussion for us fans or for our staff.
I do, simply because Chris Williams had such a shot at making it onto the roster as a sole purpose kick returner, CW did not have that opporunity by chance, Sparano knows we need to upgrade the return game as well.
What about Pat White......could throw a little razzle dazzle in across field laterals.................hmmmmmm A little wild kitty on the kick off and punt return if you will................
I'd like to see Pat White back there returning some punts and kicks...probably the most elusive guy on the team and this would be more ways to get the ball in his hands. Which we need to do in order to get some value out of him. JS
I disagree.. CW had a "chance" to be special at little or no real cost. Sparano and the team were just doing due diligence. I think we are plenty capable with our current roster and do not need to overpay for a "name"