The Athletic "Breakout Candidate for Each Team"

[Yuma]

Yeah, but I think we'll find out someday (or not) how much control Keim and Michael were exercising over who was playing where, especially in their last season as the wheels started coming off. It started with Wilks, who bristled under the micromanagement, and then continued and maybe intensified with Kliff, who didn't know any better.

Keim was obsessed with re-creating Dansby and Washington and likely would have resisted that kind of experimentation.



Ertz is 33 years old and coming off a season-ending knee injury. He likely won't practice much in training camp or play in the preseason. He's unlikely to be on the roster in 2024. If McBride isn't getting at least equal snaps with Ertz, it will be a total miss by this coaching staff.

Young and backup QBs love tight ends because they're the biggest and closest targets. Expectations for this offense should be really low.

It looked to me like McBride was slow out of the gates, but was becoming a decent TE by end of the season. I think he will be OK.

 

[kerouac9]

It looked to me like McBride was slow out of the gates, but was becoming a decent TE by end of the season. I think he will be OK.

TEs take time to adjust to the NFL; they're one of the most unpredictable prospects to draft and develop.

I have little doubt that McBride will be at least a Zach Allen-level professional. I think his production late last year is inflated by being one of the top two skill-position players on the offense at that point in the season.

 

[Snakester]

Simmons should stay at linebacker. He has the speed to go sideline to sideline. Only a moron would play him as a slot CB. If they are just determined to play him at safety at 6-4 240 then make him an inside the box safety.

I personally would use him as a free style LT type linebacker that moves around whether blitzing or stopping the run. Playing close to the LOS he could still cover a RB or TE but he has no business at his size covering wide receivers. VJ was an idiot for doing that. I hope the new coaching staff is smarter.

 

[BritCard]

It's not like Simmons has been invisible when he's gotten snaps. He's been super-inconsistent (and sometimes just bad), no doubt, but to be fair, he's also made a lot of big plays.

It's almost like he's been playing out of position so far in his career... hmmm...

If you want to take the under on him (so to speak), fine, but would it be super shocking to see him succeed with someone besides VJ coaching him? I don't think so.

It's hard to predict what some of these guys are going to do with the new staff and scheme, and it will interesting to see if Gannon and Rallis can maximize the productivity of some of these really physically talented young players we have on the team.

What you describe, for me, are the symptoms of a great athlete that isn't good at football. He makes plays sporadically where his athleticism gets him the win. But on a down to down basis there's just something missing mentally. He can't process right. He looks like a headless chicken sometimes.

There are guys in the league who are not great athletes but their understanding and natural instincts for the game compensate for it. Simmons is the opposite.

There's a shot he might improve but I wouldn't bet on it. If they are moving him to safety how much is he going to play over JT and Budda? How many snaps is he going to even play?

 

[BritCard]

Ertz is 33 years old and coming off a season-ending knee injury. He likely won't practice much in training camp or play in the preseason. He's unlikely to be on the roster in 2024. If McBride isn't getting at least equal snaps with Ertz, it will be a total miss by this coaching staff.

Young and backup QBs love tight ends because they're the biggest and closest targets. Expectations for this offense should be really low.

With you on this.

Ertz is gone next year and McBride is the future. In a expected rebuild year McBride should be a major feature.

I expect Ertz to still get play though when healthy because he's a solid, reliable player and I expect lots of 2 TE stuff. But McBride should get plenty of targets.

 

[Crimson Warrior]

If they are moving him to safety how much is he going to play over JT and Budda? How many snaps is he going to even play?

Just have to hope that Rallis and Gannon figure out a way to get their best eleven on the pitch.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

I don't trust Simmons in run support at all. I also don't believe that Baker is best used as an Earl Thomas ball hawk. Simmons never seems to have that enforcer attitude that Chancellor had -- for whatever reason, this secondary hasn't had much of an attitude since Patrick Peterson's PED suspension. Baker is a good tone-setter, but he doesn't have the magnetism maybe of some other top leaders.

I find this statement interesting. In his short career I think Simmons has more splatter tackles than anyone else on the roster. Including budda.

 

[Krangodnzr]

I find this statement interesting. In his short career I think Simmons has more splatter tackles than anyone else on the roster. Including budda.

My issue with Simmons is his failure to make routine plays.

 

[Carolinacacti]

O ye of little faith. It's Rashard Lawrence

 

[TruColor]

Aaron Brewer

 

[RON_IN_OC]

O ye of little faith. It's Rashard Lawrence

Leki Fotu about to take the league by storm.

 

[CardNots]

Leki Fotu about to take the league by storm.

If so, it would be a gift from the football gods…