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So, Does Shanny's Pet Squirrel Survive?

Chris said:
Chick Hernandez ‏@CHICKatCSN
Here's the answer to the biggest question ! Source close to @speedybanks16 confirms to me he's on the 53 man roster. Stone cold lock. Boom!
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Le sigh...
 
If true, that's a mystifying move in my book.
 
Uncomfortable, questionable? Yes, but possibly not all that mystifying,Boone.

I'll have to dig around and find the article again but I remember reading an interview with someone who used to be either a scout or a member of the coaching staff in Denver describing how Shanahan evaluates players-he's a heavy film watcher and his perspective is to watch a player's best moves on the field, his best productive highlights and if he believes those can be used or molded to his system he is at that point interested in the player based on his trust of the system and his-and his staff's-ability to coach that player to a level at which what were the "best" performances become more the normal level of play for that player. Given this scenario his keeping Banks around isn't totally inexplicable-just a point at which I would be pointedly asking him how well he thought the "coaching up" has performed.

The one I questioned was Reed Doughty until I thought about it a bit. Even given his minimal athleticism and near-glacial speed he is a reliable wrap-up tackler-something especially useful on ST and a possible mitigating factor in having him as a backup safety.
 
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servumtuum said:
The one I questioned was Reed Doughty until I thought about it a bit. Even given his minimal athleticism and near-glacial speed he is a reliable wrap-up tackler-something especially useful on ST and a possible mitigating factor in having him as a backup safety.
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I did too until I recently heard about his leadership within the team and his knowledge of the game. I think the coaching staff wants him around for those reasons.

Apparently one of the rookies that had an interception against the bucs was quoted saying that as they were lining up Doughty turned to him and told him exactly what the play was, where the ball was going, and where to be.

Sure enough the ball went that way and he came down with it.

Now that one instance in a preseason game against a QB that wont start a game this year doesn't make up for his speed and athletic shortcomings, but I've been hearing all week about his intangible traits and I've changed my mind on him. We're just not a good enough team to justify cutting a guy with those qualities yet.
 
Doughty is a special teams demon, but I hadn't heard that story about the interception. That's awesome! Reid is one of those guys you just have to cheer for...until he's one-on-one with Andre Johnson with the game on the line...
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Sounds like Reed has the potential to join the coaching ranks in some area once his playing days are done-if he'd be interested, of course.
 
I really think Shanahan sees this guy as the current incarnation of Devin Hester, a gamebreaker on STs who can contribute on offense. I think he COULD be a difference maker on STs, though he clearly needs to be at optimum health to make that kind of difference. But I don't think he has a chance to contribute much of anything on offense. Ever. I don't think his hands are good enough, and I think he is too small.

Nothing would make me happier than to be proven wrong though.
 
To me Banks is a guy who makes a 5-11 team and stays on it as it rebuilds.

A team with a talented set of wide receivers and playmakers doesn't have room for a 5'7 150 part time player.

That's just the truth.

Banks leaves when Garcon, Hankerson, Robinson, Briscoe or other players who are performers on the regular units start producing enough that carrying an extra roster spot for a lightning bug in a bottle is no longer deemed necessary :)
 
I think you're right Goal - I just don't get it. Banks has NEVER done enough to inspire that kind of comparison by anyone. If he's lightning in a bottle, we've got a surplus of bottle, and a dearth of electricity :)

Since he's apparently made the team, I hope this is a breakout year for him. Short of that, this is a very questionable move. I'd rather we kept a 75% Cooley.
 
Fear The Spear said:
What about a WR screen play ?
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I thought about that Fear. Perhaps. But I don't think his hands are good enough. I think there is a chance we could throw a couple WR screens early in the season and then use him as a decoy. Hester had a couple pretty good seasons as a WR; Banks has done nothing. Nothing.

I hope I'm wrong. I just don't think I am.
 
If his hands are not good enough to even catch a screen pass, that speaks even more volumes to Shanahan's stubbornness and/or competence.

Okay, let's take it a step further, then.

How about a reverse with Banks, as we've done with Moss ?
Are his hands too small and fragile to take a handoff on a reverse ???
 
Sure, he could be a gimmick player, why not? Don't get me wrong, I think he can catch the ball, but I think his problems derive from the fact that he is looking to make the huge homerun play instead of just knocking in singles, everytime he touches the ball.

Gimmick players are great. But I don't like the idea of relying on them for anything other than gimmicky type plays, and I also don't like giving them a roster spot instead of a player that might be able to help +/-50% of the plays instead of the +/-2% that Banks affects right now.
 
If you're a DC and you see Banks come into the game (or for that matter, any opposing player with half a brain), you know it's not going to be a simple pass play. That's the problem with the guy...when you aren't a consistent threat on a typical pass play, the element of 'surprise' is almost gone before the ball is hiked.

And that's not even touching the issue of whether you trust Banks to manage the ball on a complex play.
 
Well I'm not arguing that he deserved a roster spot. I'm just sayin that now that we're stuck with him on the roster, maybe there's other creative and effective ways we can use him to make the most of the space he's taking up, besides the obvious or standard plays.
 
Boone said:
If you're a DC and you see Banks come into the game (or for that matter, any opposing player with half a brain), you know it's not going to be a simple pass play. That's the problem with the guy...when you aren't a consistent threat on a typical pass play, the element of 'surprise' is almost gone before the ball is hiked.

And that's not even touching the issue of whether you trust Banks to manage the ball on a complex play.
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The element of surprise isn't always necessary, for an effective play.
A lot of times a defense knows what ball carrier is going to get the ball, and what the play is going to be, and they still can't stop him, which is a reflection of the talent on the offense's side of the ball, especially the ball carrier.

And perhaps Banks can be used in a similar way ; Just because a D.C. knows who is going to get the ball, it doesn't necessarily mean their defensive players are going to be fast or quick enough to catch Banks before he makes a substantial gain, assuming he just holds onto the ball.
 
Everything I have said so far comes with the caveat that I do not have access to game tape, or see what the coaches see or know what they know, etc. Same here.

Having said that, I don't trust his judgment. He seems too willing to come out of the endzone every play, on the off chance he will take it to the house, instead of just kneeling sometimes. We joke about the Napoleon complex Snyder has, but it may be that Banks has one too, where he feels he has to prove to the world that he belongs on a football field, I don't know.
 
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