Reiss draws parallel between Crable and other late-bloomers turned solid players

[Patspsycho]

When the third time is the charm - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

Drawing comparsion between Crable and other players who have been late bloomers but have turned into solid contributors. I think this is good food for thought.

 

[Commander Shears]

I certainly hope Crable pans out, but there's a big difference between a late-round pick or undrafted guy who climbs up the ladder and a third round pick who was inactive for eight weeks despite playing an area of desperate need. Two years on the practice squad for a project is one thing, two years on IR - and thus not being allowed to practice - is another.

 

[BelichickFan]

He didn't even mention James Harrison who had no tackles in his first two years while in and out of the NFL.

 

[BelichickFan]

I certainly hope Crable pans out, but there's a big difference between a late-round pick or undrafted guy who climbs up the ladder and a third round pick who was inactive for eight weeks despite playing an area of desperate need. Two years on the practice squad for a project is one thing, two years on IR - and thus not being allowed to practice - is another.

Half the players Reiss listed were 3rd round picks or higher.

 

[Commander Shears]

Half the players Reiss listed were 3rd round picks or higher.

Who spent their first two years on the roster, not on IR.

There is no shortage of 3-4 conversion linebackers who took several years to develop, but I don't know of any who did so without the benefit of practice.

 

[Deus Irae]

This is probably an article Reiss wishes he could have back.

 

[BelichickFan]

Who spent their first two years on the roster, not on IR.

There is no shortage of 3-4 conversion linebackers who took several years to develop, but I don't know of any who did so without the benefit of practice.

J. Harrison was on the PS various times but was signed 4 times by the Steelers in his first two years and had short stints with the Ravens and the Rhein Fire in between. If you want to argue his first two years were more conducive to development than Crable's, have at it, but Harrison is a perfect comp to show that you can do nothing for two years, be cut and re-signed over and over in fact, and still become a pro bowl OLB.

 

[Kontradiction]

Eh, I'm not expecting anything from Crable. I've had my psyche trained so that anything he does produce (if anything, should he even be able to get on the field) will be a bonus for me. Even if it's just 3.0 tackles and 1 pass defensed in the entire season.

 

[Commander Shears]

J. Harrison was on the PS various times but was signed 4 times by the Steelers in his first two years and had short stints with the Ravens and the Rhein Fire in between. If you want to argue his first two years were more conducive to development than Crable's, have at it, but Harrison is a perfect comp to show that you can do nothing for two years, be cut and re-signed over and over in fact, and still become a pro bowl OLB.

By your logic, Troy Brown was a "perfect comp" for Chad Jackson through three years. Harrison was an undrafted project who developed after several years of repetitions (and maybe certain modern training methods), not a third round pick at an area of little depth who still couldn't crack the 45.

Crable was healthy for eight weeks and couldn't make the active roster despite the fact that his one supposed strength was also the team's biggest need. Since then he has barely been allowed to practice. Of course it's possible that he could emerge this year, but anyone who sees the last two as reason for optimism needs their head examined. You can't treat the exception as the rule.

 

[WhiZa]

Who spent their first two years on the roster, not on IR.

There is no shortage of 3-4 conversion linebackers who took several years to develop, but I don't know of any who did so without the benefit of practice.

Very true. I'd like to see if there were any players who were on IR and then in year 3 started producing.

 

[PatsChamp88]

I like his optimism but clearly not his best piece

 

[BelichickFan]

Very true. I'd like to see if there were any players who were on IR and then in year 3 started producing.

You'll never find two exact same situations but J. Harrison was signed by the Steelers 4 times in his first two years; that means he was let go three times. At least Crable has been with one team the whole time, I would put the odds of a player on IR years one and two as better than a player released three times years one and two.

 

[Schmo]

This is probably an article Reiss wishes he could have back.

I agree. A very lazy and irrelevant article from a thorough and smart writer.

 

[Underdog]

I agree. A very lazy and irrelevant article from a thorough and smart writer.

Early warning signs of Bristolitis...

 

[PatsChamp88]

Early warning signs of Bristolitis...

YouTube - The Office- Michael Scott No God No

 

[Off The Grid]

I like his optimism but clearly not his best piece

ReiB is clearly a better read than the debris he left behind, but, yeah, I'd agree that he DID get a bit carried away, here...not that I'VE ever done so!!

I do give him props, though, for a VERY refreshing angle on things: an Uncommon Angle on Upside.

The vast majority of Writers ~ and posters ~ tend to fall DRAMATICALLY short of a real understanding of how players can develop from their 1st year to their 5th...and beyond. But Wes Welker's Ascension, one of many examples, should not have shocked any Student of the Game.

***

When I'm evaluating a Prospect, there're many things to look at, but there're 4 things above all which I consider absolutely critical to his prospective success, with varying degrees, depending on position.

3 of them have well-known measuring sticks, one does not, and NONE of them...are his "40" Speed. They are:

1 ~ Processing Speed ~ No Current Measuring Stick
2 ~ Explosiveness ~ 10 Yard Split
3 ~ Lateral Velocity ~ 20 Yard Shuttle
4 ~ Elusiveness ~ 3 Cone Drill

Processing Speed ~ the ability to Read + React Correctly, Decisively, and Instantaneously ~ is listed 1st for a reason...but is very difficult to measure, and it is, above all, what I look for when reading Game Tapes.

It is what makes Tom Brady a FAR better QuarterBack than Peyton Manning, despite Peyton Manning being a better Passer.

It is why I was PRAYING for us to draft Brandon Spikes, even though I knew, damned well, that there was no way in HELL that was gonna happen!!

And it is why it KILLS me that we didn't scoop up UFA Joique Bell, the Brandon Spikes of 2010 Running Back prospects.

***

Crable's numbers on the Cones and the Shuttle were HORRIBLE...and his 10 Yard Split was breathtakingly Average.

However, he WAS a PlayMaker in College. An HUGE PlayMaker.

I've looked at his Game Tapes, but I'm simply not good enough ~ not yet, anyway ~ to offer valuable analysis of his Processing Speed, based on them.

But playmaking ability ~ particularly against top flight competitions, such as Michigan tends to face ~ DOES, in fact, speak very well to Processing Speed.

So I'd say he's got a prayer.

3 Strikes and you're out, Brother Crable: It's time to shytte...or get off the can.

 

[Kontradiction]

I like the optimism but the article is flawed. For one, the guys that he listed all seemed to "get it" (such as Welker), had good work ethic, and were fits in the system. As of right now, we don't know for sure if Crable has any of the three. We won't know until he gets on the field. On top of that, he only talked about one guy who only "sort of" played the same position as Crable. He did leave out Harrison. That's a smaller flaw in the article though.

I'll give Reiss te benefit of the doubt. He's a solid writer and it's the dead part of the offseason.

 

[signbabybrady]

For one, the guys that he listed all seemed to "get it" (such as Welker), had good work ethic, and were fits in the system. As of right now, we don't know for sure if Crable has any of the three.

1) "Get it" if by this you mean you now have hindsight and now they were successful than fine but not sure what you are saying other than that.

2) had good work ethic - by all reports he seems to have a good work ethic. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe he has hung around despite being IRed so that he could learn and there were reports though tough to confirm that he had bulked up prior to last TC and again this year.

3) Crable seems to be a fit right size at least. Again the fit thing is kind of a hindsight thing less so than the "get it" phrase because you cetainly can identify guys who don't fit but just because a guy seems like a fit doesn't mean it will work out in the end.

I think it is an interesting idea for an article but has little value as he didn't find anyone with two consecutive IRed seasons to go onto success but did find guys with tumultous first 2 years to go onto success and that is where the value lies.

Lets put it this way we dont much about Crable that we know about any rookie. He should have added knowledge of the system and he has health issues other than that he is IMO on the same ground as a rookie. And what Reiss adds is that there are players who have had strange beginings to their careers to go on to have sucess.

 

[Kontradiction]

1) "Get it" if by this you mean you now have hindsight and now they were successful than fine but not sure what you are saying other than that.

"Get it" as in had a good football IQ.

2) had good work ethic - by all reports he seems to have a good work ethic. Correct me if I am wrong but I believe he has hung around despite being IRed so that he could learn and there were reports though tough to confirm that he had bulked up prior to last TC and again this year.

I've heard it too and I hope he knows the playbook, but we shouldn't assume anything. Remember that Chad Jackson also hung around for a couple of years too despite injury issues.

3) Crable seems to be a fit right size at least. Again the fit thing is kind of a hindsight thing less so than the "get it" phrase because you cetainly can identify guys who don't fit but just because a guy seems like a fit doesn't mean it will work out in the end.

Again, his fit in the scheme shouldn't be assumed until we see him on he field for something more than a few series in a preseason game. At this point, he should still be looked at as a rookie, so to speak.

Lets put it this way we dont much about Crable that we know about any rookie. He should have added knowledge of the system and he has health issues other than that he is IMO on the same ground as a rookie. And what Reiss adds is that there are players who have had strange beginings to their careers to go on to have sucess.

These players are exception and not the rule. There have been quite a few players that have had success after tumultuous/injury plagued first seasons in the league. There have been more who have just washed out of the NFL altogether. Like I said, I like the optimism. I hope Reiss can one day include Crable in a piece like this. But we shouldn't get too overhyped on him.

 

[BelichickFan]

I like the optimism but the article is flawed. For one, the guys that he listed all seemed to "get it" (such as Welker), had good work ethic, and were fits in the system.

Not Meachem. He didn't get it at all and was a significant disappointment with work ethic early on. And speaking of flaws in arguments, I have never heard a work ethic or "getting it" issue with Crable, just a problem with staying healthy.