Re: Looks
Once a chicken leg type player, always a chicken leg type player.
Why?
I respect your football knowledge, but not your understanding of proper physical training. Anyone can gain muscle mass in any area through correct training. Further, mass =/= greater strength. Sometimes long, lean muscle is actually stronger and more explosive. I don't worry about Crable's legs, really, or his lower body power. He just needs to improve his technique.
In fact, my concern is more about the Patriots strength and conditioning coaches than anything else; we seem to have a high number of joint injuries, and I question the overall flexibility of the team. I dropped by training camp this year while on a trip to Rhode Island, and I was shocked at how little time they spend stretching. They only held each stretch for 10 - 15 seconds, and no one seemed to know how to get past the stretch reflex and actually improve their flexibility. The S&C coaches are also middle aged, if I recall, and may be operating on outdated training methods. I genuinely worry about the physical health of the team.
As for Crable: he is highly athletic for a man his size, almost to an absurd point. I watched him run step for step with TEs and WRs during training camp, and he has better speed off the edge than TBC or Burgess. The issue seems to be that he has nagging injuries, not to mention difficulty setting the edge. Well, fine. Let him get healthy, play him in nickle sub-packages, and just have him drop into coverage or rush the passer full time until he develops the strength/technique to hold up in the running game.
People have no patience anymore. Most of the big-time playmakers from the 2000s took a few years to develop. That preseason a couple years ago was impressive and encouraging. I don't see why we can't build on it moving forward, while also taking steps to bring in other talent. I don't want to rely on Crable to be a starting OLB, but I certainly don't want to give up on him too soon, either.
