QB Grips/Let's talk about 'dem hands

[davos]

Yay another Quarterback thread.  So it's funny, after being a discussion point and something analysts will typically knock, I'm very surprised so many are looking past this hand thing with Pickett.  Maybe it's because they feel Burrow's success makes it less of a concern or the way more modern QBs (Mainly just Mahomes) palm the ball, but it gives me huge pause.

Let's get technical about it:

Pickett barely grips a football 1-3 (Meaning 1st+3rd lace).  Sometimes it's almost like a 2-3. It's essentially the pinky to ring finger displacement for holding that sucker. Larger the hands, typically the larger the differential, more coverage for gripping the ball. See below:  

Now why are we caring? Am I just getting overly critical? Nope.

I.E.--Brady was a 1-4, hell, Baker manages 2-4.  Most QBs are 2-4 or 2-5 (largest hands).  That alone is pretty easy to see why (a) he wears gloves & (b) why that ball is not secure.  Joe Burrow for example who supposedly had smaller hands at 9" manages a 2-4 (although gets a bit loose with his pinky like Rodgers, but it's a firm grasp on the ball)

Exhibit Brady:

 

Here's the players themselves talking about the grip:

 

Again, just look at this--how will this ever be secured on a blindside hit? (Larger NFL sized ball in this pic).  His hands can barely even be seen wrapping the ball:

 

That's my hands argument and why this concerns me.  If they were larger, I'd likely view him in a WHOLE other light.

Edited February 13, 2022 by davos

[saX man]

One thing I’ll say—Brady holds that hall so we’ll. Look at that ball grasp. Firm. Grasp. Ball.

[Panthercougar68]

Doesn’t Mahomes have a funky grip? Not even an issue of hand size he just holds it differently and it works for him.

[Panthercougar68]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/patrick-mahomes-joe-burrow-chiefs-bengals-hand-size-11643255556
 

lol thanks Wall Street journal. ESPN ran a bit on it last year but I couldn’t find that I just remember a nfl live segment on it.

[Shocker]

2 minutes ago, saX man said:

One thing I’ll say—Brady holds that hall so we’ll. Look at that ball grasp. Firm. Grasp. Ball.

Wha?  

Anyway…if he didn’t have infant hands that would be better.  What about the fact that he didn’t do anything before this season and will be a 24 year old rookie?  I think we are picking him so we better get used to him regardless 

[LinvilleGorge]

If Kenny Pickett had hands the size of catcher's gloves I still wouldn't want him. 

[saX man]

1 minute ago, Shocker said:

Wha?  

Anyway…if he didn’t have infant hands that would be better.  What about the fact that he didn’t do anything before this season and will be a 24 year old rookie?  I think we are picking him so we better get used to him regardless 

Phonage cellular corrections Delphi of cellulite 

[ForJimmy]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/pittnews.com/article/162514/sports/kenny-pickett-announces-return-for-fifth-year/amp/
 

He seems to hold it better in the pictures in this article. Everyone loves a good ball holder… 

[Adb6368]

If you are worried about a qb holding onto the ball when blindsided… maybe have precautions in place to not let him get blindsided 

[Pejorative Miscreant]

I hate to go to the hand size argument but I can’t see how this would jive with Rhules analytic reasoning.  BC can’t be a LT because he has arms a 1/4 inch shorter than an elite LT. If that’s your analytical approach then wouldn’t the rational and consistent reasoning cause you pass on Pickett because of his hand size? 

 

[LinvilleGorge]

Just now, Pejorative Miscreant said:

I hate to go to the hand size argument but I can’t see how this would jive with Rhules analytic reasoning.  BC can’t be a LT because he has arms a 1/4 inch shorter than an elite LT. If that’s your analytical approach then wouldn’t the rational and consistent reasoning cause you pass on Pickett because of his hand size? 

 

Did he recruit Slater at Temple or Baylor? That seems to trump analytics.

Meanwhile, it's worth pointing out that Pickett fumbled 26 times during his college career.

[rayzor]

College QB with small hands in a bigger NFL ball is a bigger deal than an LT with slightly shorter arms.

How much is it going to take a defender to knock that ball out? How much struggle is he going to have in the rain? The concerns go on. 

And I just don't see trust him to succeed. Imo, coin toss to whether he becomes a good QB or the next Sammy. 

I just don't want any part of that gamble.

[Mr. Scot]

8 hours ago, Pejorative Miscreant said:

I hate to go to the hand size argument but I can’t see how this would jive with Rhules analytic reasoning.  BC can’t be a LT because he has arms a 1/4 inch shorter than an elite LT. If that’s your analytical approach then wouldn’t the rational and consistent reasoning cause you pass on Pickett because of his hand size? 

Matt Rhule doesn't have analytic reasoning. He has excuses.

As for me, I'm not that interested in the hand size thing.

I'm also not a huge fan of Kenny Pickett, but that has nothing to do with his hand size.

[Ja Rhule]

The most important aspect for QB is release time.  Hand size don’t matter if release time is amazing.

Pickett actually have a pretty decent release time.  He also got good fit and movement in the pocket.

Edited February 14, 2022 by Ja Rhule