Omar at Mini Camp?

[BGfootballfan]

GO BROWNS!!!! Down with the Steelers!!!!

[JohnnySwoop '85]

Well they had enough weapons to win a Super Bowl...and Ben reaped enough acclaim and I assume it wasn't just because he could hand off to Willlie and the Bus.

Alex Karras to Richard Widmark in "Against all Odds": "well I guess if I was a lawyer then I wouldn't know s**t about football".

[saves]

Do you mean that they'll pass more than they did last season? They'll pass more than last season, but they are not going to be known as a passing team. That's not the strength of the O-Line. They also don't have the offensive weapons to be a passing team.

A a franchise QB, probowl WR, a first round WR, a first round TE, and one of the fastest RB's in the leauge= no weapons? What?

[dduncan]

I guess my point is, you just can't change the identity of the team and expect it to do well. They already tried that when Mularkey was the offensive coordinator and long term it failed. But eventually, Cowher and Whisenhunt figured out that run first to set up the pass works a lot better.

The strength of the OLine is run blocking. Cowher isn't about to abandon the running game that has always been a constant for the offense.

Take a look at their WRs. With the exception of maybe Santonio Holmes, they don't have a deep threat. You can't change your offense around a rookie who may or may not produce to expectation. An occasional play designed for Holmes will be thrown. But a major adjustment to the Steeler offense isn't the way Cowher and espeically Whisenhunt work.

[hammb]

Remember WR is probably the 2nd hardest (behind only QB) position to learn in the NFL. VERY rarely will rookie WRs step in and make major contributions. So to count on Holmes being a big part of revolutionizing the offense right away is probably not a good idea.

[UK Peregrine]

VERY rarely will rookie WRs step in and make major contributions.

Well that's a bit of an exaggeration. There are a number of high impact rookie receivers each year. Randy Moss and Anquan Boldin both won NFL rookie of the year awards. Boldin made 101 catches his first season and Moss had 17 TDs. Terry Glenn made 90 receptions in his rookie season. Larry Fitzgerald had a nice first year, as did Torry Holt. Both Keyshawn Johnson and Marvin Harrison had nice freshman seasons as well. There are more I'm sure, but these are the first that come to mind. Holmes may very well need a "break in "period, a la Chad Johnson's first year, or he may very well be the impact player the Steelers hope they have.

[saves]

I guess my point is, you just can't change the identity of the team and expect it to do well. They already tried that when Mularkey was the offensive coordinator and long term it failed. But eventually, Cowher and Whisenhunt figured out that run first to set up the pass works a lot better.

The strength of the OLine is run blocking. Cowher isn't about to abandon the running game that has always been a constant for the offense.

Take a look at their WRs. With the exception of maybe Santonio Holmes, they don't have a deep threat. You can't change your offense around a rookie who may or may not produce to expectation. An occasional play designed for Holmes will be thrown. But a major adjustment to the Steeler offense isn't the way Cowher and espeically Whisenhunt work.

Mularkey was pretty successful in Pittburgh. He was good enough to get himself a head coaching job from it. Not many poor o-coordinators get head coaching jobs.

They are a running team, and probably will be for a while. But you can run and still put the rock in the air successfully.

Ward is an excellent all around reciever, he has succesfully went deep when they called him too. Holmes is faster and a better WR than Randle El is, and if all they have him to do this year is run simple fades and screens, he will be an improvement over Randle El and his 1 TD. At the minimum Santonio should be an instant deep threat, its the consistent route running that will take him time to learn. And don't forget they have a very good pass catching TE.

I don't think that the identity of the Steelers is going to change. But I think they have the capabilities to open it up and beat you through the air when they have too.

[BGfootballfan]

Please don't ruin this nice forum about BG by talking about the Shitsburgh Squeelers.

Thank you

[hammb]

VERY rarely will rookie WRs step in and make major contributions.

Well that's a bit of an exaggeration. There are a number of high impact rookie receivers each year. Randy Moss and Anquan Boldin both won NFL rookie of the year awards. Boldin made 101 catches his first season and Moss had 17 TDs. Terry Glenn made 90 receptions in his rookie season. Larry Fitzgerald had a nice first year, as did Torry Holt. Both Keyshawn Johnson and Marvin Harrison had nice freshman seasons as well. There are more I'm sure, but these are the first that come to mind. Holmes may very well need a "break in "period, a la Chad Johnson's first year, or he may very well be the impact player the Steelers hope they have.

What you've listed are guys who are pretty much the exceptions to the rule. I think almost any NFL guy will tell you that WR is right up there with LT and QB for being the most difficult transition. When I said major contributions, maybe I should've stated major impact. I was thinking guys that have to be gameplanned around, etc. Guys with 1000+ yards and the TDs to go with it.

At the time Glenn's rookie year was talked about as the best a rookie WR has ever had. Moss & Boldin surpassed his numbers, but I think those might be the only 3 guys to ever have 1000 yards in their rookie year. What's more is that there are usually (this year being an exception) at least 4-5 WRs taken in the first round, so it's not like they aren't getting drafted high.

The AP has given out Offensive Rookie of the Year awards since 1967. In that time only 6 of them have gone to WRs.

Having a "nice" rookie year of 500-800 yards receiving is not uncommon. Oftentimes these guys are uber-talented and can be a deep threat for their team and pull in a few TDs as well. Still to get a major impact from a rookie WR is pretty rare, IMO. To get a major impact to the point of changing from a run first team into a more pass oriented team? I doubt that very seriously. There is just too much for a WR to learn in the NFL. In college they have a couple routes to learn and that's it. In the NFL every play gives the WRs countless reads and route switches they have to memorize. They have to recognize instantly to get to where they need to be at the right time or the QB cannot get them the ball. Then there's also the issue of timing between the QB and WR, which can take years to develop fully.

I would be very shocked if the addition of Santonio Holmes (who is likely not even a first rounder in most drafts) pushes Pittsburgh to become a more pass oriented team. Frankly, I think they'd be happy to get out of him what they got out of Randle El last year (minus the goofy trick plays).

[Germainfitch1]

Another Omar quote from the Steeler Web site.

Jacobs also showed good accuracy, but he did fumble two exchanges from center.

I assumed that there would be some growing pains in the under center transition. I think that is something that can be coached, though. Sounds like Omar is doing pretty well thus far.

Also pretty likely that he is not taking snaps from the first string center

First weekend of minicamps are generally rookies only, so unless Pittsburgh drafted a center he's likely taking snaps from some UDFA center that they signed. Or from another OL who is not even a center.

Or he may not be taking snaps at all, unless they are scrimmaging or doing shells

[Germainfitch1]

Do you mean that they'll pass more than they did last season? They'll pass more than last season, but they are not going to be known as a passing team. That's not the strength of the O-Line. They also don't have the offensive weapons to be a passing team.

A a franchise QB, probowl WR, a first round WR, a first round TE, and one of the fastest RB's in the leauge= no weapons? What?

Who is one of the fastest RB in the league?

[Germainfitch1]

VERY rarely will rookie WRs step in and make major contributions.

Well that's a bit of an exaggeration. There are a number of high impact rookie receivers each year. Randy Moss and Anquan Boldin both won NFL rookie of the year awards. Boldin made 101 catches his first season and Moss had 17 TDs. Terry Glenn made 90 receptions in his rookie season. Larry Fitzgerald had a nice first year, as did Torry Holt. Both Keyshawn Johnson and Marvin Harrison had nice freshman seasons as well. There are more I'm sure, but these are the first that come to mind. Holmes may very well need a "break in "period, a la Chad Johnson's first year, or he may very well be the impact player the Steelers hope they have.

What you've listed are guys who are pretty much the exceptions to the rule. I think almost any NFL guy will tell you that WR is right up there with LT and QB for being the most difficult transition. When I said major contributions, maybe I should've stated major impact. I was thinking guys that have to be gameplanned around, etc. Guys with 1000+ yards and the TDs to go with it."

Every rookie who contributes is the exception to the rule.

[UK Peregrine]

I was thinking guys that have to be game planned around, etc. Guys with 1000+ yards and the TDs to go with it.

At the time Glenn's rookie year was talked about as the best a rookie WR has ever had. Moss & Boldin surpassed his numbers, but I think those might be the only 3 guys to ever have 1000 yards in their rookie year.

That's fine. I guess I was just unclear as to what "major contribution" meant for a WR. As for other first rounders to include as "major contributors," Michael Clayton had over 1000 yards his first year. I would also include Braylon Edwards as a contributor before he got hurt. Also Andre Johnson had 976 yards, Lee Evans 843, and Roy Williams 817 yards in their first seasons, which is more that what Fitzgerald had his first year.

Sure there are lots of first year misses as well (cough, cough 2005 draft), but I think there are enough hits as well as to not so easily discount the possible impact a rookie WR can have on a NFL team. That's all. Just thought your prior statement was a bit strong.

[San Diego Falcon]

Code: Select all

Who is one of the fastest RB in the league?
[quote]

I think he's talking about Willie Parker.  Or it could be Franco Harris.[/quote]

[Germainfitch1]

Code: Select all

Who is one of the fastest RB in the league?
[quote]

I think he's talking about Willie Parker.  Or it could be Franco Harris.[/quote]

Willie Parker is not especially fast.