TruCane81
Senior
- Joined
- May 9, 2019
- Messages
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I said toughness making catches in traffic and run after catch are areas where he's lacking relative to most good slots.
I don't think I said he won't play better inside. He obviously has issues dealing with physical press coverage and that would alleviate some. The problem with moving Pope inside is he's a downgrade from Harley, and Harley outside is a downgrade from Harley inside, so now you're limited at all 3 WR positions with very flawed players.
Harley should remain a slot. He was the one mostly reliable WR Miami had last year. If his presence there gets in the way of Restrepo or Brashard seeing the field then you move Harley ahead of Rambo (at Z/flanker) and put someone else at X/split end. How many plays were missed last year because Wiggins and Pope were too soft on in-breakers or vertical shots? Rambo and Harley aren't any better in that department. We need to see if Payton can have a breakout, if Redding can be a Kelvin Harmon type, if Brinson can add weight and play like Dyami Brown, if Keyshawn Smith has alpha traits. I liked Worsham as a prospect but he's not a scheme fit anymore so I assume he's gonna transfer. Those are the options.
I see what you mean. Personally, I don’t want Pope starting anywhere.
But I think back to Berrios. He never showed his track speed or elusiveness before 2017. He caught punts well, but never looked dynamic. We squandered him on the outside and he was a ghost. Most on here maligned him as a bust. Moved him inside and he became a legend.
I think Pope has the same potential and he would settle down and show things we haven’t seen in the slot. The problem is the slot is crowded with Harley, Restrepo emerging, and Smith having elite potential.
But there is an easy solution: Run more 4 wide receiver sets. It will keep Mallory healthy and let us ease in the young tight ends. You get more opportunities for everybody to prove themselves on the field if they earned the reps in practice.
The thing is, it’s time to shorten the leashes and pull guys who aren’t performing well, even if it is only for a series or 2 to settle them down.