More draft analysis. TJ Vasher

[buybuydandavis]

Pollard played extremely well last year
In two years he’s avg 4.8 yards per carry and has 43 catches
Sound like a guy we need to get rid of lol
By the way pollard averages more yards per carry than Hunt, last year and for his career
And he’s a heck of a lot cheaper
Hunt makes nearly 5 times what pollard makes

I like Pollard, expected more from him last year, but just didn't see it. Note that you took his career ypc than last year's meh 4.3ypc. Despite all his speed, didn't do much as a receiver either. And had a high drop rate too.

With Lamb showing up, and Jarwin coming back, my dream of Pollard as our 5th man RB/WR hybrid just ain't gonna happen. On paper he was the tweener gimmick back Garrett looked for for years. Legitimize size and speed for both WR and RB. But Garrett is gone, and that role may be gone too.

 

[Dalmations202]

What you aren't considering is a the WR might take a roster spot away from a player the team feels it needs at another position.

So we need a 4th TE, or a 4th RB or some other player that never sees the field? Maybe a 11th OL? 24 to 26 on O and D and 3 ST. A 6th WR is standard with many teams who don't keep 4 TE.

Besides, realistically, what is a red zone specialist? Is it a guy that can out jump defenders on a ball thrown up for grabs? That's a nice skill, but overall how many TD's a year does a team score on that kind of play, and if that player really is one dimensional, how long would it take for opposing tams to figure it out and decide how to defend it?

Let's say he get 6TD's before they figure it out, since none of your WR's got 6 last year, I'd say it would be GREAT. An actual threat, just one more weapon. And if you defend it, you either play both sides which takes 2 defenders, or you man up and hope he doesn't out jump your defender. Double several of them, and how easy is it for Zeke.....

Drafting specialist is very important. A returner that actually gets you great field position and breaks a couple a year is valuable -- turns momentum and changes games. You already know every year they have a specialist Kicker, punter, and deep snapper. Why not just get one guy to do the kicking and not allow a specialist to take a roster spot away? Because you need specialist IF they can do the job.

 

[OmerV]

So we need a 4th TE, or a 4th RB or some other player that never sees the field? Maybe a 11th OL? 24 to 26 on O and D and 3 ST. A 6th WR is standard with many teams who don't keep 4 TE.



Let's say he get 6TD's before they figure it out, since none of your WR's got 6 last year, I'd say it would be GREAT. An actual threat, just one more weapon. And if you defend it, you either play both sides which takes 2 defenders, or you man up and hope he doesn't out jump your defender. Double several of them, and how easy is it for Zeke.....

Drafting specialist is very important. A returner that actually gets you great field position and breaks a couple a year is valuable -- turns momentum and changes games. You already know every year they have a specialist Kicker, punter, and deep snapper. Why not just get one guy to do the kicking and not allow a specialist to take a roster spot away? Because you need specialist IF they can do the job.

Why is it restricted to roles you chose to fit your argument? Why can’t it be an extra DB for when opponents run 3, 4 or 5 Wr sets? Why can’t it be for special teams standouts? Why can’t it be added protection at positions where injuries have been a concern? The team could decide to keep a 6th receiver, but there are only so many spots that can go to a specialist, and the team has to decide where those needs are, not a guy online who is looking at one position with tunnel vision.

I’m not going to say a guy gets 6 TDs before other teams figure out he is only being used in specific situations and specific plays. That’s like saying it takes 6 times being hit over the head before you realize the other guy is holding a club. Maybe once you know what hit you, but by the 2nd time it’s pretty obvious. Besides, how many times does one guy, even an every pay down WR, get 6 jump ball TDs in a season, much less a guy that only does that?

The kicking and punting and deep snapper question are poor analogies. Teams know these needs a lot better than you. The Cowboys generally have 5-6 guys on the field at any time that can score a TD. Not so with kickers, punters and long snappers. Only one guy can do those things on a given play. And those girls peraform those duties multiple times a game. A guy isn’t going to catch multiple jump ball passes every game.

 

[Dalmations202]

Why is it restricted to roles you chose to fit your argument? Why can’t it be an extra DB for when opponents run 3, 4 or 5 Wr sets? Why can’t it be for special teams standouts? Why can’t it be added protection at positions where injuries have been a concern? The team could decide to keep a 6th receiver, but there are only so many spots that can go to a specialist, and the team has to decide where those needs are, not a guy online who is looking at one position with tunnel vision.

I’m not going to say a guy gets 6 TDs before other teams figure out he is only being used in specific situations and specific plays. That’s like saying it takes 6 times being hit over the head before you realize the other guy is holding a club. Maybe once you know what hit you, but by the 2nd time it’s pretty obvious. Besides, how many times does one guy, even an every pay down WR, get 6 jump ball TDs in a season, much less a guy that only does that?

The kicking and punting and deep snapper question are poor analogies. Teams know these needs a lot better than you. The Cowboys generally have 5-6 guys on the field at any time that can score a TD. Not so with kickers, punters and long snappers. Only one guy can do those things on a given play. And those girls peraform those duties multiple times a game. A guy isn’t going to catch multiple jump ball passes every game.

So 11 Db's instead of 8-10 ? ? Keeping 6 WR means you have 3 starters and 3 backups. I just think they could better utilize some of these guys instead of just getting some backups that don't contribute.
You may be correct that "Teams know these needs a lot better than me"......Then again --- I might know more than you do. Whose to say?

Specialist are not poor analogies to the point I was making. Even when they are kickers, or snappers, or return specialist -- some teams have even employed kick-off specialist. Teams every day use pass rushing specialist that only come in on third downs.....2 down LB's and NT's.......I don't understand your inability to conclude that IF, and I do repeat IF this guy has an insane ability to go up and come down with passes in the end zone --- how he wouldn't be worth a spot on the team--- even if this is the ONLY thing he did better than every other WR on the team ie specialist.

Either way, I will just agree to disagree with you. No matter whether I like any player or dislike any player........this is Jerry's team and he gets to make the decision. The rest is just discussions.

 

[fivetwos]

I’m a huge Texas Tech fan who saw every game TJ Vasher played his entire college career. I’ll be very surprised if he makes this team. I like Vasher a lot, but he’s got some big holes in his game that most fans around here have never seen.

Vasher often made highlight, circus catches which excite many. But he also had a bad habit of dropping routine passes just as often. Here is a detailed look at his strengths and weaknesses.
STRENGTHS

• Size- He’s 6’6” and has long arms and strong hands
• His hands and vertical make him capable of many circus catches.
• Good red zone target. Fights for the ball well with people on him.
• Long strides help make up for lack of natural speed.

WEAKNESSES

• Way too many drops of routine throws.
• Tall, but is rail thin and not very strong. (He did add about 20 LBs this off season)
• Not that fast or particularly quick off the snap.
• Has tendency to take plays off.
• Not much of a candidate for STs play- at Tech he never returned punts or KOs, nor covered kicks.

TJ Vasher has some skills and can make some plays. But he also has huge holes in his NFL game. He would be at best a practice squad long shot IMO.

Someone can teach him how to catch.

No one can teach that size, so he fits into the category of a player to keep on the PS, as he will probably get through waivers.

I expect them to try to keep several WR on the PS, with Lamb being the only one who hasn't at least been mentioned to not be on the team after 2021.

I'd suspect they would keep one of Cooper/Gallup in addition, but the overall depth is a concern for 2022.

Would be nice to finally be ahead of something and not have to overpay for WR 3-6 moving ahead.

 

[OmerV]

So 11 Db's instead of 8-10 ? ? Keeping 6 WR means you have 3 starters and 3 backups. I just think they could better utilize some of these guys instead of just getting some backups that don't contribute.
You may be correct that "Teams know these needs a lot better than me"......Then again --- I might know more than you do. Whose to say?

Specialist are not poor analogies to the point I was making. Even when they are kickers, or snappers, or return specialist -- some teams have even employed kick-off specialist. Teams every day use pass rushing specialist that only come in on third downs.....2 down LB's and NT's.......I don't understand your inability to conclude that IF, and I do repeat IF this guy has an insane ability to go up and come down with passes in the end zone --- how he wouldn't be worth a spot on the team--- even if this is the ONLY thing he did better than every other WR on the team ie specialist.

Either way, I will just agree to disagree with you. No matter whether I like any player or dislike any player........this is Jerry's team and he gets to make the decision. The rest is just discussions.

So, they 8-10 DBs, but by adding one more it goes straight to 11, not 9-11? Seems you just toss around whatever numbers you feel look good. lol

Yes, teams use pass rushing specialists, and they may play 40-50% of all defensive snaps. A jump ball specialist would not play even close to that many offensive snaps. He is not going to put Lamb, Cooper and/or Gallup on the bench even remotely that much.

And yes, the specialists you named are poor analogies. A team can run alternative plays to accomplish a TD. A team can't run alternative FG plays to accomplish a FG, for example, and the team isn't keeping an inferior punter to kick certain kinds of punts.

And, again, I'm not saying keeping a 6th WR is impossible. It's not unprecedented. I'm only saying the team is looking at the overall picture, and not just focusing with tunnel vision on one thing like you are. Certainly that 6th receiver would have to be a quality special teams guy to even have a chance.

 

[jnday]

Except you can’t spend a ton on a red zone specialist. A deep snapper is a much more critical position because all FGs and XPs are dependent on a good snap. Having a poor deep snapper can cost you a game.

TJ is kind of a one dimensional player. With the guys ahead of him on the depth chart, and with his lack of special teams skills, he’s a long shot at best to make this team. As a Tech fan I hope he has a great camp and makes some plays in preseason games. But realistically I just don’t see him having the skill set to make this team. Hope I’m wrong.

A deep snapper has no value in Dallas. They had a LS that was perfect every year and they cut him. That is the appreciation and loyalty that is shown to a LS that never had a bad snap.