McClay (2017) on Rico in practice - "We can't stop him" against 1st teamers **merged**

[dwreck27]

Blah, blah, blah. Just cut the guy and let him find an opportunity somewhere else. We're not going to do anything with Rico so give him his freedom so we can suck at TE all year long. Maybe one of the other guys can improve over time.

I’m guessing your under the impression we won’t “suck” with Rico?

 

[lukin2006]

We have 4 TE's in camp ... the rookie makes the team 4 sure. Carry the best blocker and Rico ... if he proves that he is valuable then we keep him, if not release him. But this is another JG fail ... they hardly play him in the pre-season.

 

[HanD]

Tony Romo made a lot of guys look good.

laurent robinson anyone? he should be paying romo royalty checks to this day. Romo made that dude some money!

ok, so u r saying rico 'forgot' how to be "unstoppable".

or perhaps rico 'lost' his talent?

He might be unstoppable, when he is running the right routes....i think his issue isn't making plays, he clearly can. it is when he runs the wrong routes or can't block that will cause negative plays. this staff wants more consistency out of him. i think they should find a way to keep him but not sure at who's expense.

 

[HanD]

We have 4 TE's in camp ... the rookie makes the team 4 sure. Carry the best blocker and Rico ... if he proves that he is valuable then we keep him, if not release him. But this is another JG fail ... they hardly play him in the pre-season.

swaim is the best blocker. and schultz is being kept, i agree. i haven't seen enough of plays from jarwin to keep him over rico but i also haven't seen enough practice to know how either are playing down in and down out.

 

[lukin2006]

swaim is the best blocker. and schultz is being kept, i agree. i haven't seen enough of plays from jarwin to keep him over rico but i also haven't seen enough practice to know how either are playing down in and down out.

And if Rico can make plays, I'm sure some team slipped a TE on their practice squad. Or put Bennet on speed dial ...

 

[gimmesix]

During DallasCowboys.Com Cowboys Break, Steve Eatman asked Will McClay about Rico Gathers and everything sounds very promising. McClay even went on to say, “We can’t stop him”. And Rico/Romo were going against 1st teamers in byron jones, church and heath.

So his passcatching was called "unstoppable" against 1st teamers, but yet there are people who claim Rico is nothing special? That was in 2017, so people seriously now think he 'forgot' how to be unstoppable???

https://thesportsdaily.com/2017/05/03/will-mcclay-on-rico-gathers-we-cant-stop-him/

furthermore, Broaddus said during an episode of The Draft Show this week. “I will say this. I had people come up to me and say, cause I was always curious about Rico [Gathers], I had people come up to me and say ‘You ought-of seen what [Tony] Romo did with him today, ... Cause Romo was with him on scout team. And Romo just kept throwing him the ball because he was so much bigger. He was battling [Barry] Church, he’s battling [Byron] Jones, he’s battling [J.J.] Wilcox and [Jeff] Heath. The kid just kept making plays. The problem is not the athletic ability, it’s the mental side…he just hasn’t played football”

here is a video of a Mcclay gushing about Rico.

As disciplined as Romo became over the years, he always had that sandlot aspect to his game, where he could throw the ball wherever necessary even if players like Dez didn't run a good route. Someone like Rico benefits from that because Romo will give him a well-placed jump ball or put it where he is instead of where he is expected to be.

Prescott isn't comfortable with as many aspects of improvisation as Romo was. He doesn't like throwing jump balls or throwing into tight coverage and trusting his receivers to win the ball. We changed some coaches because we want to win more with separation, which takes more disciplined route running (since we don't really do rub routes). This does not benefit a tight end who has a lot to learn about the nuances of the game.

So to sum up, Rico isn't as good of a fit with a Prescott-friendly offense as he was with a Romo-friendly offense. He might eventually get there, but there are lapses that keep his superior physical ability from being the deciding factor.

Now, I'm of the opinion, that you keep him, use him in spot situations where he knows exactly what to do, and continue to try to develop him into a complete tight end. But what Rico can do with Romo at quarterback doesn't really reflect on what he can do with Prescott at QB.

NOTE: Please do not take this as a slam on Prescott. Not all quarterbacks have to be alike to have success and one method of performing the job isn't necessarily preferable over another.

 

[aria]

I’m to the point where I will have a “Cut Party” if Rico is one of them.

 

[Silver Surfer]

That's true. He could make me look good and I am only 5'10

Whoa... slow down there Sparky. He's not God you know....

 

[Avery]

My simple answer is 'Why isn't he now?'

No one has an agenda against him - JJ and the FO wants to see him excel so he can show everyone how smart he is, the coaches want him to shine so they can display their great ability of molding clay, and Rico wants to be the best because... well, wealth, fame, all that.

Time to stop making excuses and either nut up or shut up.

 

[waldoputty]

As disciplined as Romo became over the years, he always had that sandlot aspect to his game, where he could throw the ball wherever necessary even if players like Dez didn't run a good route. Someone like Rico benefits from that because Romo will give him a well-placed jump ball or put it where he is instead of where he is expected to be.

Prescott isn't comfortable with as many aspects of improvisation as Romo was. He doesn't like throwing jump balls or throwing into tight coverage and trusting his receivers to win the ball. We changed some coaches because we want to win more with separation, which takes more disciplined route running (since we don't really do rub routes). This does not benefit a tight end who has a lot to learn about the nuances of the game.

So to sum up, Rico isn't as good of a fit with a Prescott-friendly offense as he was with a Romo-friendly offense. He might eventually get there, but there are lapses that keep his superior physical ability from being the deciding factor.

Now, I'm of the opinion, that you keep him, use him in spot situations where he knows exactly what to do, and continue to try to develop him into a complete tight end. But what Rico can do with Romo at quarterback doesn't really reflect on what he can do with Prescott at QB.

NOTE: Please do not take this as a slam on Prescott. Not all quarterbacks have to be alike to have success and one method of performing the job isn't necessarily preferable over another.

r u saying dak cannot throw a fade at all
i think i have seen him get td's on those to dez
the dez fade was less of a threat with dak, but was that due to dez's decline?

 

[waldoputty]

My simple answer is 'Why isn't he now?'

No one has an agenda against him - JJ and the FO wants to see him excel so he can show everyone how smart he is, the coaches want him to shine so they can display their great ability of molding clay, and Rico wants to be the best because... well, wealth, fame, all that.

Time to stop making excuses and either nut up or shut up.

the point is rico has not gotten the reps.
there is a rumor that rico 'liked' a tweet that said fire garrett

 

[ghst187]

Tony Romo made a lot of guys look good.

JG

 

[Avery]

the point is rico has not gotten the reps.
there is a rumor that rico 'liked' a tweet that said fire garrett

Rico has gotten reps - maybe not tons of first team reps, but he's been seeing balls like every other TE in camp.

I'm just tired of this notion that CZ has somehow made Rico into a generational player based on some nice catches and being big and athletic. NFL history is littered with guys with that ability and 'combine warriors' and sometimes, the ending isn't a Disney story.

 

[Doomsday101]

My simple answer is 'Why isn't he now?'

No one has an agenda against him - JJ and the FO wants to see him excel so he can show everyone how smart he is, the coaches want him to shine so they can display their great ability of molding clay, and Rico wants to be the best because... well, wealth, fame, all that.

Time to stop making excuses and either nut up or shut up.

I agree. The notion that coaches or organization just do not like him is ridicules, he would have already been cut. Dallas has invested 3 years on Rico so I don't see this as some personal grudge so then we must ask ourselves what are they not seeing in Rico? Are reports that he does not understand or execute assignments correct? I don’t dislike Rico and if he ends up making the team I hope can help the team. I just don’t buy into the notion that they just don’t like him, guys they don’t like have already been cut.

 

[waldoputty]

Rico has gotten reps - maybe not tons of first team reps, but he's been seeing balls like every other TE in camp.

I'm just tired of this notion that CZ has somehow made Rico into a generational player based on some nice catches and being big and athletic. NFL history is littered with guys with that ability and 'combine warriors' and sometimes, the ending isn't a Disney story.

well against 1st teamers in 2017 - he was "unstoppable" per mcclay

yet he barely gets any reps in the 1st team this year.

 

[ESisback]

I agree that Rico and Romo worked better than the current Dak and Rico. He might NEVER reach his potential with Dak and the system Linnehan runs, and with every roster spot so vital, with bigger needs elsewhere, I can see the argument that says “Ditch Rico”. But we all KNOW that if we do, some NFCE team (or the Pats, Steelers or Packers) will scoop him up and develop him into a real weapon.

 

[Ranching]

During DallasCowboys.Com Cowboys Break, Steve Eatman asked Will McClay about Rico Gathers and everything sounds very promising. McClay even went on to say, “We can’t stop him”. And Rico/Romo were going against 1st teamers in byron jones, church and heath.

So his passcatching was called "unstoppable" against 1st teamers, but yet there are people who claim Rico is nothing special? That was in 2017, so people seriously now think he 'forgot' how to be unstoppable???

https://thesportsdaily.com/2017/05/03/will-mcclay-on-rico-gathers-we-cant-stop-him/

furthermore, Broaddus said during an episode of The Draft Show this week. “I will say this. I had people come up to me and say, cause I was always curious about Rico [Gathers], I had people come up to me and say ‘You ought-of seen what [Tony] Romo did with him today, ... Cause Romo was with him on scout team. And Romo just kept throwing him the ball because he was so much bigger. He was battling [Barry] Church, he’s battling [Byron] Jones, he’s battling [J.J.] Wilcox and [Jeff] Heath. The kid just kept making plays. The problem is not the athletic ability, it’s the mental side…he just hasn’t played football”

here is a video of a Mcclay gushing about Rico.

I think you have a Tight End fetish.......

 

[The Fonz]

Will McClay starting to sound like JJ.

 

[exciter]

During DallasCowboys.Com Cowboys Break, Steve Eatman asked Will McClay about Rico Gathers and everything sounds very promising. McClay even went on to say, “We can’t stop him”. And Rico/Romo were going against 1st teamers in byron jones, church and heath.

So his passcatching was called "unstoppable" against 1st teamers, but yet there are people who claim Rico is nothing special? That was in 2017, so people seriously now think he 'forgot' how to be unstoppable???

https://thesportsdaily.com/2017/05/03/will-mcclay-on-rico-gathers-we-cant-stop-him/

furthermore, Broaddus said during an episode of The Draft Show this week. “I will say this. I had people come up to me and say, cause I was always curious about Rico [Gathers], I had people come up to me and say ‘You ought-of seen what [Tony] Romo did with him today, ... Cause Romo was with him on scout team. And Romo just kept throwing him the ball because he was so much bigger. He was battling [Barry] Church, he’s battling [Byron] Jones, he’s battling [J.J.] Wilcox and [Jeff] Heath. The kid just kept making plays. The problem is not the athletic ability, it’s the mental side…he just hasn’t played football”

here is a video of a Mcclay gushing about Rico.

It was on the scout team in 2016, when Romo was recovering from the back injury. They're not actually sacking the qb, so Romo was playing street ball and waiting for him to uncover. It was discussed during camp last year ad naseum by multiple staff writers. In actual game situations he misses blocking assignments, runs the wrong route, and rounds off his routes. Hell, you can see him whiffing on his blocking assignments in the crappy NFLN feeds. Waiting for him to clear against 1st teamers isn't going to happen when there is an actual pass rush!

 

[Lutonio]

I can't wait for this guy to get cut.