Is Pilares our best option as kick returner?

[PhillyB]

pilares has great top end speed that makes up for what appears to be a lack of shiftiness on the field. throw in some guys that can block worth a damn and pilares should be pretty good at hitting holes and finding lanes.

if he doesn't work we have a fourth-rounder invested in hogan so we may as well see if he's worth anything.

KR is the last thing we should be worried about right now.

[GamecockSmitty4]

Speed is so ridiculously overrated. The best guys are the ones who have good vision, tackle-breaking ability, and enough speed to run away from the defenders. Pilares has shown to have all of that. But since he doesn't run a 4.2 40 yard dash he isn't good enough...

[CharlotteBeer.com]

Speed is so ridiculously overrated. The best guys are the ones who have good vision, tackle-breaking ability, and enough speed to run away from the defenders. Pilares has shown to have all of that. But since he doesn't run a 4.2 40 yard dash he isn't good enough...

There's some truth to this.

Mark Jones was our best returner since Steve Smith.

[rayzor]

so the theory goes...

more to it than you'd probably like to believe. doesn't matter, though. the dude's body broke down after he left here so he quit being a factor anyways.

i've always been surprised at the loyalty people had for him when he was only here such a little while and the complaining that took place after he left when he was such a marginal player to begin with.

[the butch]

someone mentioned it, but i was going to suggest tj graham from state.

i'm not saying to get rid of pilares, but i am saying try out some different options.

[Davidson Deac II]

I wouldn't say speed is overrated. But by the time a player gets to the NFL, virtually everyone has speed. So judgement and ability to shift directions and break away from tackles becomes much more important.

Pilares has certainly shown he has what it takes to be a solid kick returner for us. Enough that I don't think its something we need to worry about during the offseason.

[bleys]

more to it than you'd probably like to believe. doesn't matter, though. the dude's body broke down after he left here so he quit being a factor anyways.

i've always been surprised at the loyalty people had for him when he was only here such a little while and the complaining that took place after he left when he was such a marginal player to begin with.

there isn't any crazy loyalty going on.. it's just an appreciation for a guy who brought some sort of return game to our team (top 5 in the league that year). which we had been missing for yeaaaars since Smitty quit returning kicks..

Removing the wedge could have been his downfall, but people go around saying it like that was what happened... when in reality, as you said, his body broke down before anyone had proof..

I just like pointing out a little appreciation for a solid guy who gets no credit for a top 5 return game that year.

[rayzor]

gotcha. i just don't see him as being as big a factor as others do.

the (anti)wedge rule made it completely necessary for returners to be a lot quicker and shiftier and all around more athletic. devin hester is the prototype. that just wasn't mark jones.

that said, straight-ahead speed and 40 times isn't necessarily important here and, like in most cases, it's just flat overrated.

[scarface]

7th?....imagine if he actually got blocking.

[Guest Irv]

Pilares is gonna live off that one touchdown return for a long time

[I am Hubby]

Keyshawn Martin from Michigan State. KR/PR/WR. He has elusivability, quickness, speed, and is tough as a Marine. He runs great routes, and never drops a pass. He could be Smitty junior, only a little bigger and faster.

Hey, everybody else is throwing out names. And Martin may be as good as I think he is.

[Jangler]

Indeed. The only thing I can figure is that there is some teams that just suck at special teams.

:lol:

[KillerKat]

i don't think anyone is advocating for goodson to return kicks.

we don't have to limit ourselves to one or the other. go out and get someone. i swear, people on here can be so shortsighted sometimes.

good, young returners are hard to find. Why do you think we've had trouble finding one for so long? When you find a good, young returner with VISION, you keep him. Vision trumps speed.

[Yaboychris28]

Definetely keep Pilares. AE i could care less. The fact that some of you guys want to get rid of Pilaris is ridiculous. What do you jabronees want the guy to do? There is no hester out there lurking around so stop day dreaming and realize we have a productive returner already.