DMN JJT Blog: Danny Amendola's travails as a gunner

[Chocolate Lab]

That's kind of scary... The first thing I did when I read that blog was to double check Steve Tasker's height and weight.

But what do you expect from JJT except the most superficial type of analysis?

 

[Little Jr]

How often is a gunner gonna get a free run down the field without taking some kind of shot? Danny's pretty much always going to be going against two bigger guys as a gunner.

It's pretty simple to see why this probably won't work. If he were getting double teamed as a WR in the slot and they could basically throw him into the sideline, there would be little to no chance of him succeeding there either.

And there's nothing wrong with that. I wouldn't put him at RT either. He's not built for that.

I just disagree. How often do you see a gunner just run straight into the double team? I would take quickness and technique over size and strength at the gunner postion.JMO!!

He might not be cut out for it but it's not becasue of size. The 2 gunners on my high school team was the 2 smallest on the team. I was one of them. THey had us there becasue we was quick enough to get around them. Did we always win. No. But we won more than we lost. Now, does playing the position in high school make me an expert? NOT AT ALL!!!! I'm just saying you dont have to have sizie to do it.

 

[fortdick]

I'm sure you've heard of ... "draft status" and "upside potential."

Stanback was selected as a fourth rounder........

So was Skyler Green.

 

[peplaw06]

I just disagree. How often do you see a gunner just run straight into the double team? I would take quickness and technique over size and strength at the gunner postion.JMO!!

He might not be cut out for it but it's not becasue of size. The 2 gunners on my high school team was the 2 smallest on the team. I was one of them. THey had us there becasue we was quick enough to get around them. Did we always win. No. But we won more than we lost. Now, does playing the position in high school make me an expert? NOT AT ALL!!!! I'm just saying you dont have to have sizie to do it.

Sorry man... size will have a lot to do with it if he doesn't make it as a gunner. If you don't have the size, then you have to make up for it in heart. But if you have the size, you have a head start. I doubt you'd say Danny doesn't have the heart to do this would you?

 

[ABQcowboyJR]

If we don't sign this kid someone else will. I know he is low on the depth chart right now but you don't let good talent slip through your fingers. The kid can catch and run routes. Maybe we look a little farther down the road for this kid. IMO he can play at this level in the slot. Would not surprise me if within the next two year he earns is spot in the slot.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Sorry man... size will have a lot to do with it if he doesn't make it as a gunner. If you don't have the size, then you have to make up for it in heart. But if you have the size, you have a head start. I doubt you'd say Danny doesn't have the heart to do this would you?

I think if he doesn't make it, I think it will be because he lacks speed more than size. A big, slow gunner wouldn't fare very well.

 

[Echo9]

So was Skyler Green.

Right. Skylar Green was drafted to produce on special teams right away. HE came in fat and slow, so we cut ties pretty quickly.

Stanback was drafted with the intention of basically redshirting him due to injury for a year, then developing his athleticism. This is basically his rookie year (due to injury) and he's still learning nuances of the pro game. I don't see why people expect more from him at this point. It takes many top flight college WRs 3 years to be any good in the NFL.

Stanback is a long-term project who is progressing as expected. There's no reason to give up on him at this point. If Stanback were cut, he'd be a Dolphin as soon as Ireland cleaned his pants, maybe before.

I'd bet we are keeping 6 WRs. That 6th spot is for Amendola to take if he can. His competition isn't any of the 5 guys ahead of him, it's Jeffferson, Lowber and Polk.

Simple as that.

 

[jobberone]

People have said Amendola doesn't have the attributes to be a gunner since day one. He doesn't have the attributes to be a TE or a RT either. That doesn't take away from his abilities as a WR. I'm pulling for the kid to make it, too. But not being able to play STs will hurt his chances.

You have just got to love his heart. He's everyone who loved football but didn't have the size to play college or pro ball. And this kid has some skills. But when it gets to a numbers crunch is that going to outweight someone like Davis or Oglesby or Ball or a LB who can play STs and appears to have a chance to be a starter someday?

If he's a good enough WR then he'll make the team. But if he can't play STs then that is where he'll have to do it. Is he that good?

Maybe.

 

[jobberone]

Right. Skylar Green was drafted to produce on special teams right away. HE came in fat and slow, so we cut ties pretty quickly.

Stanback was drafted with the intention of basically redshirting him due to injury for a year, then developing his athleticism. This is basically his rookie year (due to injury) and he's still learning nuances of the pro game. I don't see why people expect more from him at this point. It takes many top flight college WRs 3 years to be any good in the NFL.

Stanback is a long-term project who is progressing as expected. There's no reason to give up on him at this point. If Stanback were cut, he'd be a Dolphin as soon as Ireland cleaned his pants, maybe before.

I'd bet we are keeping 6 WRs. That 6th spot is for Amendola to take if he can. His competition isn't any of the 5 guys ahead of him, it's Jeffferson, Lowber and Polk.

Simple as that.

I agree with everything except I don't think keeping 6WRs is a lock at this point. Esp with STs looking so bad. And I keep shaking my head over this idea that Amendola will get picked up at lightning speed if he gets waived. Maybe. But right now he's a great PS candidate. I'm hoping he will look so good they will want to have him on the roster gameday. If not then he may be forced to the PS. And I'm not saying he wouldn't be picked up only that it looks like a better than 50% chance he makes it thru waivers.

 

[bbgun]

http://img501.*************/img501/5903/hardknocks402oz0.jpg

 

[Disturbed]

Special teams will probably define final 53. This is the weak link on the team and an area that the coaches will likely focus effort and final picks.

So CB and LB will probably have a leg up on WR for final slots. But we will have to wait to see how the final preseason games go.....so far, the ST have really sucked.

 

[Echo9]

I agree with everything except I don't think keeping 6WRs is a lock at this point. Esp with STs looking so bad. And I keep shaking my head over this idea that Amendola will get picked up at lightning speed if he gets waived. Maybe. But right now he's a great PS candidate. I'm hoping he will look so good they will want to have him on the roster gameday. If not then he may be forced to the PS. And I'm not saying he wouldn't be picked up only that it looks like a better than 50% chance he makes it thru waivers.

Truth is, we really have no idea what the odds are for Amendola clearing waivers. Could be better than 50%. I really have no way of knowing otherwise. 6WR isn't a 100% lock, but it's pretty close. We've kept 6 the last few years as I remember. The number 6 WR will have to play ST, or be inactive. There are those 8 players that don't dress on game day.

Stanback, on the other hand, would be scooped right up by the first team that has a shot at him (Miami).

 

[InmanRoshi]

He might very well be picked up on waivers, but do you really think it will be that difficult to find another midget slot guy next year or the year after or the year after that if we let Amendola slip through our fingers? There are these kinds of guys in every draft class. The Dolphins probably have the worst WRs corps in the NFL, and they found two midget slot guys as undrafted free agents that they really like in Devone Bess and Jayson Foster. There's another white midget slot WR coming out of Texas Tech next year named Eric Morris. These guys are a dime a dozen.

 

[WoodysGirl]

He might very well be picked up on waivers, but do you really think it will be that difficult to find another midget slot guy next year or the year after or the year after that if we let Amendola slip through our fingers? There are these kinds of guys in every draft class. The Dolphins probably have the worst WRs corps in the NFL, and they found two midget slot guys as undrafted free agents that they really like in Devone Bess and Jayson Foster. There's another white midget slot WR coming out of Texas Tech next year named Eric Morris. These guys are a dime a dozen.

sacrilege

 

[ThreeSportStar80]

Amendola is the same size as Steve Tasker, whom many consider the greatest special teams player ever... So the point about size should go out the window.

 

[tomson75]

He might very well be picked up on waivers, but do you really think it will be that difficult to find another midget slot guy next year or the year after or the year after that if we let Amendola slip through our fingers? There are these kinds of guys in every draft class. The Dolphins probably have the worst WRs corps in the NFL, and they found two midget slot guys as undrafted free agents that they really like in Devone Bess and Jayson Foster. There's another white midget slot WR coming out of Texas Tech next year named Eric Morris. These guys are a dime a dozen.

Same could be said for 'athletic QB' WR's and 'ex-baller' TE's....and they're all equally useless....yet somehow evade your disapproval.

 

[WoodysGirl]

Same could be said for 'athletic QB' WR's and 'ex-baller' TE's....and they're all equally useless....yet somehow evade your disapproval.

I don't know, tom. He's been all over Bennett from the time he was drafted. Might want to scratch that example.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Same could be said for 'athletic QB' WR's and 'ex-baller' TE's....and they're all equally useless....yet somehow evade your disapproval.

Yep.

Didn't the Dolphins want Amendola, too, but he signed here instead?

 

[jobberone]

Truth is, we really have no idea what the odds are for Amendola clearing waivers. Could be better than 50%. I really have no way of knowing otherwise. 6WR isn't a 100% lock, but it's pretty close. We've kept 6 the last few years as I remember. The number 6 WR will have to play ST, or be inactive. There are those 8 players that don't dress on game day.

Stanback, on the other hand, would be scooped right up by the first team that has a shot at him (Miami).

Oh, I agree. There are 31 other teams and someone may have an eye out for him. Or not. Depends on what he shows in the preseason games. I don't think there are spies out there looking at our bubble players. There is always the possibility a coach does him a favor and makes some calls, too.

 

[tomson75]

I don't know, tom. He's been all over Bennett from the time he was drafted. Might want to scratch that example.

But why? Because of the situation? The Player? Because he played basketball?

There are reasons to dislike Bennett.

Fact is, up until the preseason game against the Chargers, few people had a legit reason to dislike this kid...and employing the 'I hate him because you guys have elevated him to a god-like status' is BS. No one did, his detractors just declared it so.