Players like Carroll and Clay...I guess we need to be more patient with the better athletes, I think why I underestimated them longterm is because those two players for their first two years were two guys not really knowing what they were doing in the scheme, just not sure of all their responsibilities, which in return inhibits their great athleticism and literally slows them down. Now once the mind gets comfortable, and the confidence improves, the athleticism begins to show up more and more, thus moving their bodies closer to point of making the play...You know some players that go thru that process of learning, and don't see the immediate results, go down the wrong path man, they start to slack on the physical training and just lose that focus to get thru it..it's the ones like Clay and Carroll who grind on their craft, so when the mind clicks, the great athleticism starts to show..we win...this is why work ethic coming out of college is so important.
I'm confident that we will see Dion Jordan do the same, which is pretty freakin exciting thinking about it.
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Carroll will get a big test on Sunday as Brady has victimized him repeatedly over the past few seasons. We're going to need a really good game from Grimes, Carroll, and Wilson. Clemons has been solid. Jones has been off all season. Hopefully they all stay healthy and play well. Worried about having to play the rookies or Wheeler and Ellerbe having another bad game. Wheeler got burned for a 14 yard TD last Brady game and they got 2 more on the ground rushing.
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It's just good that these guys seem to have the character to grind thru the mental pains so we can then see all that good stuff.GMJohnson likes this. -
I'd still be wary of Nolan Carroll, particularly if it comes down to the size of his contract as he is a free agent. I think he has definitely caught more flak that he deserves this season, but what he's done this season is something he has never even shown flashes of in previous years.
Charles Clay is a bit different. He has shown flashes admid inconsistency. His is a case of opportunity, IMO. If you look at his metrics from last year, you can get the idea that if given a chance he would produce.djphinfan likes this. -
To me athleticism and movement talent are two different things..
For example..I thought that tyronne Matthieu was a blue chip player..the most talented movement player amongst any secondary player in the draft..movement being the key word...he's already a probowl talent at this level, when he understands everything, he'll only get better.
Don jones with that type of athleticism, and some of the flashes we've seen, has a chance to improve
Greatly, we've seen some instincts in display, let the game come to him in a few years and lets see what that raw athleticism look like as a football player. -
Honey Badger tore an ACL
As for Carroll..not so sure, keep in mind our Secondary has outperformed it's prior talent level the past two years, perhaps a part of it is Coyle's scheme and understanding of Db's and coverages.
In Cinci, they even resurrected PacMan's career -
Speaking of... DJordan got more snaps during the Steelers game than before and more than Misi, Shelby, or Soliai...
http://www.thephinsider.com/2013/12...vs-steelers-recap-miami-defensive-snap-counts -
by the same token those "great" athletes need to start producing early and often. In other words, they have to earn patience by producing.
OV is a good example of a player developing normally.
Carroll is not.
Clay is an outlier. He was a beast in college. Should've been used more from day one. I don't understand why it took 3 years with Clay. -
Wait til it happens with our Qb...he's already starting to be consistent while he's dealing with the stuff upstairs. -
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This may side path things. Deej... but which players do you think are the best high-potential athletes coming out of college this draft class who are gonna be undervalued because they'll need some time to develop?
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I'd add Jimmy Wilson and Don Jones to the list of hard working guys that'll pay dividends in the future. Be patient through the downs, because the ups are worth it. All heart squad Tannehill, Hartline, Clay, Carroll, Wilson, D Jones, Jordan, Jenkins.
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I don't know if it's really a major improvement or one that can now stay consistent. This team pass rushes very heavily and play more coverage schemes. I think it's no coincidence that our secondary has improved at the same time our run defense has fallen off a cliff.