Show and tell time... Is Kyle Williams this year's Slow Polk?

[jmt57]

Kyle Williams has been on the field for 122 snaps. Williams has been on the sidelines watching and learning? He has been on the field for over 20% of the snaps. 6 targets on 122 snaps is not encouraging when you consider that Maye likes to spread the ball around.

31 of those snaps were last week, due to an unforeseen injury.
He wasn't part of the game plan, and certainly not getting first team reps in practice.
Williams was Maye's #6 option in his progressions, behind Henry (51 snaps), Hollins (43), Diggs (41), Hooper (36), and Boutte/Douglas (34). And that doesn't count passes designed to Henderson (51 snaps).

Do I want to see Williams catching more passes? Absolutely.
But he is still a #5 WR, booted up to #4 for one game.


No need to hit the panic button - not yet.
Let's wait and see how the rest of the season unfolds before rushing to judgement on a third round rookie.

 

[maust]

It's a discussion board. We're not cheerleaders.

It's not like a thread criticizing Maye or the coaching.

As always I'm just having some fun with it. If we can't occasionally laugh at ourselves we have no place laughing at anyone else
(and if we can't laugh at Sam... well, I'm pretty sure that would mean we're dead)

 

[patfanken]

You don't think being on the field for 122 snaps in 9 games and having 6 targets for 1 or 2 catches is concerning?

No, did you expect him, DESPITE all the reports that noted his flaws, come out of camp, a smooth professional route runner with instant chemistry with his QB?

And having 2 catches on 6 targets is pretty much want I would expect. (and iirc, one of those incompletions was a catch, but just out of bounds)

At any rate, we will see, what we will see. He will at least double the 11 snaps he's been averaging. More importantly he will get many more snaps with Maye in practice. Hopefully he'll at least average the 2-4 catches most of the WR's have been seeing this year. I think 7 has been the most catches by any WR so far this year and it's only happened once each by Hollins and Diggs. Maye has been spreading the ball around

 

[Hugepatsfan]

We'll see what he does for the rest of his career, but he looks awful so far.

 

[TheRainMaker]

He was targeted 16 times in his first game, in Week 2.

By the time he broke his arm against TEN he was leading all rookies in receptions.

There was a reason for that and that was because Welker didn’t play in weeks 2 and 3. After that, Edelman wasn’t targeted more than 6 times per game as all the attention went to Moss and Welker.

From 2010-2012, Edelman was almost completely erased from the depth chart due to Gronk, Hernandez and Tate being drafted, Deion Branch returning, trading for Chad Johnson in 2011 and Lloyd signing in 2012. In fact, Edelman was on the brink of signing with the Giants had Welker returned and/Hernandez not gotten arrested.

The popular belief by posters I’ve seen was that Edelman needed years to develop which isn’t true.

 

[mike_usagisan]

I’m hopeful increased practice reps will help lead to production the next few games. But if it doesn’t, then it doesn’t. It won’t be the first WR that didn’t work out.

 

[mgteich]

We'll see what he does for the rest of his career, but he looks awful so far.

Perhaps the issue shouldn't be whether Williams was a good choice or whether he will be good contributor in future years.

Would it be terrible if he truly isn't ready for prime time YET and we REDUCED his tole after Boutte comes back?

 

[mgteich]

Obviously a mental thing. Either hasn't learned the routes yet or he's having a Polk emotional block thing or whatever that was. It needs to be a Brady thing where he hangs out with Drake 24/7 and they practice throwing and catching. I think some new players put too much pressure on themselves and want to prove right away they are superstars.

And if he hasn't learned his routes yet, perhaps there are better choice for using the active roster spot each week (AND still plan for him to be a major part of the future).

 

[imahobgoblin]

I suspect they are doing the exact opposite than what was done with Polk. Polk's psyche and confidence was just shattered, and I am not sure he will recover from that. Some guys can't. Josh has protected KW thus far and has allowed for him to grow at his own pace without any pressure. Polk had pressure from Day 1 of camp. I also think Josh's cerebral offense just takes time for rookies to adjust. The game is so fast on the pro level, but to then add in a cerebral system they never saw in college is just brutal. A player blossoms in this offense when it becomes second nature. That is what is happening to Drake. It is ok if KW is taking longer. It does not mean he is a bust or that he won't develop. Give the dude a chance to grow.

 

[mike_usagisan]

I suspect they are doing the exact opposite than what was done with Polk. Polk's psyche and confidence was just shattered, and I am not sure he will recover from that. Some guys can't. Josh has protected KW thus far and has allowed for him to grow at his own pace without any pressure. Polk had pressure from Day 1 of camp. I also think Josh's cerebral offense just takes time for rookies to adjust. The game is so fast on the pro level, but to then add in a cerebral system they never saw in college is just brutal. A player blossoms in this offense when it becomes second nature. That is what is happening to Drake. It is ok if KW is taking longer. It does not mean he is a bust or that he won't develop. Give the dude a chance to grow.

I kind of look at it as how they slowly brought Henderson along. Maybe they can ease him in with a few easy passes to get him going.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I mean it has to at least be considered if Williams can't look a little better during Boutte's likely absence.

He's looked awful, (I hate saying it), sort of Polk like so far.

I pray this thread will be laughed at and age poorly, but all the stuff we said last year about how it's tough to come back from a horrible rookie season are true of a 3rd rounder too.

In addition, Williams is benefitting from playing with a league MVP candidate, who frankly has elevated the receiver group.

If what we read about Polk's performance last year, and the chances of success after horrible rookie years, this seems like close to make or break with Williams to show at least some promise.

I hope K Williams can show something. I really liked him leading up to the draft.

I think a big problem is he hasn't picked up the complex McDaniels option route offense yet and is often not where Maye is expecting him to be. This will of course lower confidence in him and the amount of looks that he gets.

Kayshon Boutte being out is Williams' biggest chance to get starter reps and to impress. We will see how far he has come against the Bucs.

 

[imahobgoblin]

I kind of look at it as how they slowly brought Henderson along. Maybe they can ease him in with a few easy passes to get him going.

Ya, he will get snaps as the season progresses. The smart thing to do is keep Boutte out of Tampa. He said today that he will try to play. Let him rest and let's see KW step in a bit.

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

Polk was in a more simple offensive scheme
He couldn’t get separation or catch the damn ball
Williams can get separation
He just isn’t in the right spot on his read and react of a McDaniels scheme
Is he a slow learner or just a Ocho Stinko
We will find out soon

 

[Brotherblues]

So you're saying less targets means his rookie season is better?

You don't think being on the field for 122 snaps in 9 games and having 6 targets for 1 or 2 catches is concerning?

I only mean 6 targets offers a lot less conclusive evidence.

Also last year Polk was forcibly started over better players. Williams is getting no such treatment, hence the fewer targets.

He may well be as bad as Polk. You just can't determine that on just his first 6 targets.

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

I only mean 6 targets offers a lot less conclusive evidence.

Also last year Polk was forcibly started over better players. Williams is getting no such treatment, hence the fewer targets.

He may well be as bad as Polk. You just can't determine that on just his first 6 targets.

Thanks. Why was Williams only targeted 6 times on 122 snaps? That is only 5%. Why was he ignored 95% of the time?

I love his release and speed. I was hoping we would draft Williams and was excited when we did. I think he not only runs the wrong routes but also runs plays at the wrong depths/levels. Maybe he can learn with more time because he has all of the other skills. I hope it works out.

 

[n1997y]

No need to hit the panic button - not yet.

No.

We need to hit the panic button.

We. Must. Panic.

It’s in our Boston Sports Media PatsFans DNA.

If not about a third round rookie failing to light the world on fire halfway through a season in which we are unexpectedly in the running for the best record in football, then what and who?

If it’s not time to panic about Kyle Williams then we’ll have to find something else to panic about, and we’re already done panicking about the lack of trades at the trade deadline. (We are done with that, right?)

Nah, this is easier.

Time to panic about our WR6 lack of production.

The sky is falling! Get with the program! LFG!!!

/s

 

[raduray]

He gets his 1st touchdown this week. You read it here first. You can thank me later.

From your lips to Maye's ear

 

[Clonamery]

Being on the field for 122 snaps over 9 games is too small of a sample size? How many snaps is an adequate sample size?

So you're bollixed?

 

[One-If-By-Sea]

So you're bollixed?

I think I may have bollixed it. These things happen.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Some people simply don't understand the concept of developing players. A few weeks ago they were crying about Henderson, now it's Williams, bunch of f.ing idiots.