I just need to correct some general misconceptions by assorted pundits first here:
1: Denzel Ward was not neccessarily Dorsey's favorite player at fourth overall. He was definitely Gregg Williams' favorite, and Dorsey drafted the guy he wanted.
Dorsey is "owning" the pick now, as he should. GMs rightfully take the credit and the blame for their draft picks.
I personally still think Dorsey would have drafted Chubb absent Williams' input.
2: Denzel Ward is not a quarterback. He will almost certainly start in game one. As I explained in my last post, man corner is not rocket science, and even if it were, he has to practice against Gordon and Landry.
Terry Pluto mentioned that Hanford Dixon didn't start at first. Terry must be younger than I am: Dixon wasn't as quick or fast as Ward, but was bigger and taller. The two players are very different.
Dixon used his muscle and brains to overcome his (comparative) limitations.
A better comparison for Terry would have been Frank Minnifield. Minnifield was actually shorter and lighter than Ward, but was fast and could jump out of the gym.
Terry said that in his opinion, in the OTA sessions open to the public, Baker Mayfield looked great hitting his first read, but not that good when he had to check down.
Being Terry, he was quick to point out that Mayfield is making a big jump from his Oklahoma offense to Todd Haley's playbook, even as he drills on taking snaps from under center.
I can take this further: As the quarterback retreats from under center, he can only see about half the field. His pads and helmet don't let him look over his left shoulder.
When he plants his feet, he can see the left half of the field, but he may have been tracking a receiver already, or expecting a guy to be open on a left-to-right slant or cross.
Sometimes it doesn't work out that way, and for a guy used to seeing the whole field from the snap, it can short-ciruit him.
Mayfield has the mental hardware to adapt, but needs a lot of reps.
It now seems pretty smart to me that Hue Jackson declared Tyrod Taylor the starter, period. Hue was second-guessed on this by a lot of smart people (along with a few dumb ones) on NFL Radio.
Really, this is about public relations, and managing expectations: Even I was more optimistic than I should have been about Mayfield's readiness to start.
I had bad influences like Phil Simms et al who think baptisms by fire just separate the wheat from the chaff (Phil scoffs at all this "loss of confidence" stuff...and so do I, kinda...I mean, if you can't overcome those early set-backs; if you're not strong enough to keep grinding and progressing, this gig aint for you anyhow, is it?)
But Tyrod Taylor is here, and baptisms by fire are unneccessary. And for Phil (and Brian Billick), somebody carved in stone that any quarterback drafted first overall who doesn't start immediately is a wasted pick.
They think that Mayfield has to start game one, or else "why did you draft him there?".
They're kind of deranged. And irrational. Both of these guys would laugh if I suggested that Baker Mayfield could take this team to the 2018 Superbowl, but agree that he'd have a shot in 2019.
They only think he has to start as a rookie because of where he was drafted (regardless of Tyrod Taylor, who they both respect, and gives them a better chance to win in 2018)
Billick was fortunate to have Ozzie Newsome looking out for him, and Phil...
Nevermind anyhow Terry Pluto was also impressed by the chemistry Tyrod Taylor and Jarvis Landry already have with eachother.
He described several specific plays, and those plays were for more than ten yards each.
This isn't surprising, since Jarvis Landry is every quarterback's "go-to" guy, and Tyrod Taylor never had anybody like him...and because Denzel Ward is on Gordon and not him........
Is Briean Boddy-Calhoun covering Landry? He should be, if Landry is the slot guy...
Coverage of OTAs is shallow and general (including my man Terry P).
I've got to guess that Jarvis Landry is humiliating Boddy-Calhoun here (so far).
I can't get too concerned about it, however: Jarvis Landry has humiliated everybody else who tried to cover him too. It doesn't mean Calhoun suddenly sucks, or can't keep stifling lesser slot receivers.
Indeed, it's great if Landry is humiliating him, because it will force Briean to get even better.
I'm even starting to re-think my criticism of Dorsey trading for and then overpaying Jarvis Landry with Duke Johnson already here.
I'll have to get back to that later (it's last call) okbye
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