Did XL Get Benched?

[dep]

one can only hope

[Jackie Lee]

43 minutes ago, Waldo said:

Hopefully. He has earned it and maybe it would help him see how much he has to work on because up to now he hasn't shown any care about improving his game that I can see. As a project player that's beyond concerning. 

On top of that he will be 25 this month, brain is pretty much fully formed already lol. It's not like he's a 20 year old freak athlete that needs a couple years to adjust, he is who he is already. 

[Shotgun]

The real question is why did he ever start? Cant players earn their starting position for this team? The egos of our front office must be really fragile to just pencil in starters because of draft position. Lets try to win for a change.  

[Waldo]

26 minutes ago, Jackie Lee said:

On top of that he will be 25 this month, brain is pretty much fully formed already lol. It's not like he's a 20 year old freak athlete that needs a couple years to adjust, he is who he is already. 

Not putting any effort in after that first year leaves little hope for me. 

I do think people can learn regardless of age. Look at the QBs that took years to turn it around. Hell Norman was closer to 30 before his play ever hit good here.

XL just comes off as dumb ( at football) and lazy (effort all around). 

 

[Jackie Lee]

5 minutes ago, Shotgun said:

The real question is why did he ever start? Cant players earn their starting position for this team? The egos of our front office must be really fragile to just pencil in starters because of draft position. Lets try to win for a change.  

Why did he get a custom sandwich in the stadium before he even played a snap this year? After a mediocre rookie season?

[Waldo]

9 minutes ago, Shotgun said:

The real question is why did he ever start? Cant players earn their starting position for this team? The egos of our front office must be really fragile to just pencil in starters because of draft position. Lets try to win for a change.  

Because sitting a first round pick when an undrafted guy is on the field makes his in-house backers look like fools. 'We traded up for his 5th but he can't beat out the guy we got off of the discount pile' probably doesn't sound great to the bosses.

Edited 2 hours ago by Waldo

[Jackie Lee]

1 minute ago, Waldo said:

Not putting any effort in after that first year leaves little hope for me. 

I do think people can learn regardless of age. Look at the QBs that took years to turn it around. Hell Norman was closer to 30 before his play ever hit good here.

XL just comes off as dumb ( at football) and lazy (effort all around). 

 

Yeah those guys usually seem genuinely frustrated that they can't figure out what's not clicking yet, and put a lot of work in. All I see from XL in the offseason is running as fast as possible on a treadmill or something which actually looks super dangerous and pointless

[Jackie Lee]

11 minutes ago, Shotgun said:

The real question is why did he ever start? Cant players earn their starting position for this team? The egos of our front office must be really fragile to just pencil in starters because of draft position. Lets try to win for a change.  

Just like Bryce they traded up to get him so you have to prove yourself right I guess. If you just sat and took what came your way you could explain your case as to why you took them but they might need more time. Trading up in the first you gotta own it as a pick you think is an impact player. Obviously neither one have lived up to that billing

[PadresPanthersFan]

Honestly I didnt/wouldn't notice if he was benched/hurt or if he just continued his trajectory of suck

[Shotgun]

1 hour ago, Waldo said:

Because sitting a first round pick when an undrafted guy is on the field makes his in-house backers look like fools. 'We traded up for his 5th but he can't beat out the guy we got off of the discount pile' probably doesn't sound great to the bosses.

Doubling down and playing the worse player makes them look way more foolish though. Do they not know that? I can understand making a bad draft pick, but to start that player over a better player is maddening.

[strato]

2 hours ago, coffee said:

Weird question that I'm sure some of you will hate:

I don't know the legalities of this.  If the Steelers lose, they're eliminated.  Doesn't that put Adam Thielen out there with no strings attached?  Wouldn't we be able to bring him in for the playoffs?  He wanted to go out with a bang and he already knows the system plus has a great connection with Bryce.  I sure would feel better about TMac/Coker/Thielen as our top three and let Legette sit more/all out if we were going to have any shot of making noise postseason.

Interesting idea I don’t know the answer to. I think he is with Pittsburgh unless they release him. 
I wouldn’t want them to take him back, personally. 

[Jackie Lee]

24 minutes ago, PadresPanthersFan said:

Honestly I didnt/wouldn't notice if he was benched/hurt or if he just continued his trajectory of suck

I only notice when Jimmy Horn is on the field and instantly gets like 5 yards on a sweep. Don't know for sure but I'm assuming they take XL off or he's not even a consideration for a target when that happens. They could probably just switch Horn and XL's roles and Horn would actually be an addition to the passing game and XL could do the stupid sweeps

[Waldo]

12 minutes ago, Shotgun said:

Doubling down and playing the worse player makes them look way more foolish though. Do they not know that? I can understand making a bad draft pick, but to start that player over a better player is maddening.

It's the standard in the NFL. They can mask it if another guy is going gangbusters (SF Lance/Purdy) or hope to hide that behind other successful picks (hopefully Tet to XL for us) or hope he is forgotten (that wasted 2nd on Brooks). 

Year 2 is hard to avoid without rocking the boat but now year 3 looks foolish for this crew so either they think he will try more or it's dumping time...if they can find a dance partner because it's got to be terrible, like charges or something, to have him leave without any compensation. Have to save face in the media and with the owners. 

[Shotgun]

2 minutes ago, Jackie Lee said:

I only notice when Jimmy Horn is on the field and instantly gets like 5 yards on a sweep. Don't know for sure but I'm assuming they take XL off or he's not even a consideration for a target when that happens. They could probably just switch Horn and XL's roles and Horn would actually be an addition to the passing game and XL could do the stupid sweeps

XL will freak out and try to pitch it if they let him run the sweep. lol