Let me take a few steps back and clarify my stance on Duece.
Im not a hater. He seems like a great kid. He's worked hard. He had a good college career. Hes tough. Classic under dog story.
My evaluation of Duece is two fold. Does he translate to the NFL and if so, where does he fit?
My obvious take is that he doesn't translate to yhe NFL. Many think he does. Im not rehashing that debate.
So lets focus on your assumption that he does translate. So where does he fit in on this roster?
Im going to over simplify here, but bare with me.
22 starters. 22 backups to those starters. 3 ST only guys. (Kicker, Punter and LS) Thats 47 of your 53 man roster right there. Leaves 6 open spots.
Backups are potential replacements for starters. Younger, cheaper. Guys you're grooming.
Do you see Duece as a fulltime starter, ever, at this level? Even the most staunch supporters of his would most likely say no. If you think he can be, read no further.
Lets now focus on those last 6 spots. We know we keep more than 2 WR and 2 TE. Which is what my first determination was based on. Traditionally we've kept 5 WR with Turpin as the 6th and returner. And we've kept 4 TEs. I'll address TE next, but lets go with 6WR and 3TE for now. So thats an additional 5 spots. Now we do go short on the oline by 1, so lets call it 4 spots. So that leaves 2 remaining. Now if you think Duece replaces Turpin, read no further.
So if you're still reading, we have two spots open at this point.
On defense we go long at DT, Corner and short at LB. Original Defensive numbers for starters were based on 2 DT, 3 LB and 2 corners. If we count Micah as a LB and assume Fowler sticks, that means if we go five LBs that frees up a spot for the 5th DT. But we are still short 1 corner, if we go 5 deep. So that takes away 1 of the remaing 2 spots we had left.
So those that have hung in there to this point, we now have 1 spot available.
This is assuming we have the following:
1. 3 TEs
2. 2 RBs
3. CJ Goodwin as the 5th CB
4. Fowler as the 4th DE
5. Really only 4 LBs as Parsons plays far more DE than LB
6. 9 OL
7. 5 DT
Those are the positions you can play with. Go 8 OL to free up a spot? Cut Goodwin to free one up? Cut Fowler?
Lets assume they don't do that and we still just have 1 spot. Sell me why Duece should get it...
More valuable than a 4th TE? We kept 4 last year. And if we do only keep 3, doesn't it make more sense to keep a guy like Hunter who could possibly play some TE in a pinch?
As a third RB who offers no special teams value, no potential as a true backup. No return ability.
Is he more valuable than a 6th corner? We saw what happened last year being short there.
More valuable than a 6th DT?
I understand he has his fans. But it comes down to actual roster management when it comes to predicting who makes it or not. These iron clad guarantees that he makes this roster are just not based on the real life decisions this team needs to make.
Ive provided my assertions. Based on logic. If you simply want to believe hes a roster lock because he had a good college career, well you probably stopped reading long ago or didn't read this at all.
For those that did, I hope you appreciate the fact that I in no way hate this kid. And if he makes this team I will chear him on the same way I do all players on the team.
) now if he handles that give him more by mid season..ease him in..
