Can Polk be fixed?

[PatsFan2]

THank you, Thank you, Thank you. I have been waiting for MONTHS for this thread to happen. I have rarely seen a guy go from being someone people are really excited about seeing at the start of TC to a guy who made NKeel Harry look like he had a ROY type first season.

And of course we had no real idea WHY??? We just *****ed and moaned and blamed it on the player/coaches. teammates, etc, depending which side had the rash that day. NOW for the first time we start to understand at least what was happening to the kid and why as usual, it's never just one person's fault why it happening.

BUT - the great news, is that this is not unredeemable and we might VEVRY much get the player we hoped for, over the next few seasons and the wildly desperate chase so many of us want to join the posse for, might not so be so desperate after all. Maybe what we need to be doing is spending our efforts trying making the players we have already on the roster better, before we rush to dump them and get new ones at the first sign of displeasure.

That is to say, lets not spend too many of our assets chasing WR's just for the sake your are saying you are, chasing WR's

Because I'm not holding my breath on Polk and Baker. I would like a Combo in FA of either Deebo - Slayton or Higgins/Slayton. We Need Players who can grasp a Playbook: both Polk and Baker Struggled in that aspect. Not good for Rookies who had all TC to get it right.

 

[Patsfan1645]

I don't think you can compare bringing in a rookie WR to a rookie QB. There is no comparison that the QB has to learn more in the system such as adjusting protections and when to change plays. I truly think if we had a decent line Maye would have started in game #1 and only when the noise became so loud did it force the organization to put him in regardless of who was playing on the worst line in the league.

But as far as Polk is concerned I'm willing to give him another year to see if he starts progressing. In fact I would give all rookies who had to endure the poor coaching last year a clean slate to get some quality coaching and see if they can be productive for the team.

 

[PatsFan2]

David Givens comes to mind.

Here's also a couple going way way back...guys who made the jump.

Isaac Bruce Career Stats - NFL - ESPN

Complete career NFL stats for San Francisco 49ers Wide Receiver Isaac Bruce on ESPN. Includes scoring, rushing, defensive and receiving stats.

www.espn.com

John Taylor Career Stats - NFL - ESPN

Complete career NFL stats for San Francisco 49ers Wide Receiver John Taylor on ESPN. Includes scoring, rushing, defensive and receiving stats.

www.espn.com

 

[JohnJH]

I'm hoping that one of the things that Josh learned before he came back here (and that Vrabel will insist upon), is that he does a much better job of simplifying things for the WR's and other skill position players until they show that they can handle more complex work. To me, this is crucial.

 

[Drunken Cicerone]

Very rarely do guys have a bad rookie year and recover to be good. Polk's rookie year was awful. There is the caveat that Mayo and AVP were the coaches and we do not know how bad they really were, so maybe this is an unusual situation.

That’s not really true, and to be at least somewhat fair to Polk it’s not like he was just being fed the ball constantly and not doing anything with it. Guys like Roddy White and Davante Adams come to mind.

Granted you can find twenty underperforming rookie WRs who do nothing with their careers for every one who turns it around, but there is some hope.

 

[patfanken]

Because I'm not holding my breath on Polk and Baker. I would like a Combo in FA of either Deebo - Slayton or Higgins/Slayton. We Need Players who can grasp a Playbook: both Polk and Baker Struggled in that aspect. Not good for Rookies who had all TC to get it right.

I get where you are coming from, P, but I think it is really too presumptive to make that judgement about the learning capabilities of Baker and Polk based on the one year AVP experience. You might end up to be correct, but that is the risk you have with every WR coming out. That risk doesn't change no matter who you pick, you cannot predict possessing speed. only leg speed

 

[Steve102]

The homework doesn't get any easier at the WR position with McDaniels at the helm.

That's true, but the professor teaching the class is going to be able to reach his students better. No more first year teachers who don't have a clue. Kid N Fekkin' Play was the WR coach. What the hell did we all really think would happen?

 

[Lansdowne]

I think anything is possible, and Smith brings up a valid point about the lack of proper coaching. But history typically isn't kind to WR's who don't show at least something in their first season. Especially someone like Polk who had under 100 total receiving yards despite playing in 15 games and 436 snaps. Givens is an outlier but a nice example of best case scenario for Polk. If Polk can buy in to the coaching he receives under Vrabel's staff, and stop whining and sulking on social media like he did this past season, clean up the mental errors, he could still be a contributor. I don't get N'Keal Harry vibes from him. Not yet at least. There's still time for a bounce back and for him to be the reliable possession receiver and WR2 that he was projected to be for this offense. I just think the optics are terrible considering who the Pats could've had instead. I'm more hopeful than optimistic. I don't have much hope or optimism to spare for Baker.

 

[PatsFan2]

I get where you are coming from, P, but I think it is really too presumptive to make that judgement about the learning capabilities of Baker and Polk based on the one year AVP experience. You might end up to be correct, but that is the risk you have with every WR coming out. That risk doesn't change no matter who you pick, you cannot predict possessing speed. only leg speed

I get it but Polk lost his confidence and Baker was just flat out dumb. IF I had to bet I would lean on Polk making it: but Baker not so much.

 

[Steve102]

Here's also a couple going way way back...guys who made the jump.

Isaac Bruce Career Stats - NFL - ESPN

Complete career NFL stats for San Francisco 49ers Wide Receiver Isaac Bruce on ESPN. Includes scoring, rushing, defensive and receiving stats.

www.espn.com

John Taylor Career Stats - NFL - ESPN

Complete career NFL stats for San Francisco 49ers Wide Receiver John Taylor on ESPN. Includes scoring, rushing, defensive and receiving stats.

www.espn.com

Thanks for posting this. I remember seeing someone say that it wasn't uncommon for WRs to make a jump. I think it might have been Jerry Rice, but I really don't know. It was a long while ago, so I am sure I won't find it if I try to look.

 

[PatsFan2]

That's true, but the professor teaching the class is going to be able to reach his students better. No more first year teachers who don't have a clue. Kid N Fekkin' Play was the WR coach. What the hell did we all really think would happen?

Don't you make fun of me: Don't you Steve.

 

[Brotherblues]

Well I'll be... there's hope for Polk after all.

 

[Clonamery]

That's true, but the professor teaching the class is going to be able to reach his students better. No more first year teachers who don't have a clue. Kid N Fekkin' Play was the WR coach. What the hell did we all really think would happen?

Kid better get his head right and no more sulking especially if you have the best hands in the NFL. McDaniels will give him some rope but that won't fly even with the pigs because it will be...✌ out.

 

[PaulThePat]

Call me crazy but I have visions of Polk on a duck boat. Whether as a tourist or a Champ, time will tell.

 

[dliverey44]

The homework doesn't get any easier at the WR position with McDaniels at the helm.

That is true, but McD is a much better teacher. I read that in the 1st or 2nd year for Bourne that they needed to take it slower with him and that McD sort of held his hand through the learning process. I was not a fan of the Polk pick but now that he is here I think that McD will get a lot out of him. Once he is just playing and not thinking about everything it will be night and day.

 

[dliverey44]

Can pigs fly?

My brother threw Bacon at me one time, so kinda yea

 

[imahobgoblin]

Boutte has more promise IMO.

Boutte has earned his way. Can't say anything bad about him.

 

[imahobgoblin]

Call me crazy, but I don't have hope for the worst receiver in the entire NFL. Hard to root for him when the gulf between his off the field talk and on the field play was so immense.

The good news is he cannot really get any worse.

 

[Patsfan1645]

The good news is he cannot really get any worse.

Sure he could...but only off field could he get worse. On field would be difficult

 

[Patsfan1645]

Actually it could be worse.....he could be like this guy.