Demi wrote:
That was because of the Packers depth at WR, not because of Nelson. They had two productive veteran receivers, the Vikings had none last season. Patterson was given a starting job and still couldn't produce. Nelson also didn't lose his starting job to a practice squad player from another team. Nelson started as many games in his first three years as Patterson did in his first. You think if Nelson had started 13 games his first two seasons he wouldn't have had the numbers Patterson did? I don't remember ever hearing about mystical WR gurus and hell's trainers trying to teach Nelson how to play the game after his second season. I don't remember the "B" word ever being brought up about him. There's no comparison at all between the two, or their situations.
I think Patterson is moving into Ponder territory when people start bringing up Pro Bowlers to compare him to. Because "maybe". Find a receiver who was given a starting role after being drafted in the first round, struggled to play the position, was benched for a no one from another teams practice squad his second season, and didn't become a bust.
Michael Irvin is another who had a gew poor years before breaking out.
Zimmer likes what wide receiver Cordarrelle Patterson has done so far in offseason workouts. Patterson is looking to bounce back from a shaky season after showing great promise as a rookie in 2013.
"He's really done well,'' Zimmer said. "He's running routes good; he's working hard. So we just need him to continue to do those things and continue to keep getting consistent and keep improving. I've been impressed with the things that he's done.''
Patterson had 45 catches for 469 yards in 2013 before slipping to 33 grabs for 384 yards in 2014 and losing his starting job. Veteran wide receiver Greg Jennings had talked last December about taking Patterson under his wing, but Jennings was released in March after the Vikings traded for Mike Wallace.
So which player could replace Jennings as a possible mentor to Patterson? Could it be Wallace?
"Hopefully, (offensive coordinator Norv Turner) is his mentor and I'm his mentor,'' Zimmer said. "Sometimes that's way overrated, guys mentoring other guys.''
"Hopefully, (offensive coordinator Norv Turner) is his mentor and I'm his mentor,'' Zimmer said. "Sometimes that's way overrated, guys mentoring other guys.''
I love that quote, probably because I've felt the same way for a long time.
Thanks for the link. I'm glad to hear Zimmer is impressed with Patterson's progress.
Mothman wrote:
I love that quote, probably because I've felt the same way for a long time.
Thanks for the link. I'm glad to hear Zimmer is impressed with Patterson's progress.
Yeah, I mean a lot of the time you're "mentoring" a guy who's trying to steal your job. In Jennings case okay because he's older and it seemed like a big part of why we signed him WAS to mentor Patterson but these guys should not NEED another player focusing on helping them when they have themselves to worry about.
mondry wrote:Yeah, I mean a lot of the time you're "mentoring" a guy who's trying to steal your job. In Jennings case okay because he's older and it seemed like a big part of why we signed him WAS to mentor Patterson but these guys should not NEED another player focusing on helping them when they have themselves to worry about.
Learning from a veteran's experience can undoubtedly be helpful too but I think sometimes people put too much stock in it. The coaches are really the primary teachers.
By the way, they signed Jennings before Patterson was drafted. I think the main goal there was to just to upgrade the WR position, replace Harvin and add a good target for Ponder. Getting a veteran who could help their younger receivers may have been more of a bonus.
As far as any coach mentoring CP I would hope the WR coach is playing a large role. I seriously doubt Zimmer or Turner have any real context for the physical nuance of actually playing the position...which is also where having a vet guy is a boon.
Moss got to play alongside Cris Carter every day for a few years....once Moss was traded our vet WR receiver morphed into couple of seasons of Michael Jenkins then Jennings.
It was absolutely amazing the impact Brent Farve had on Sydney Rice too. Vets can play a big role when it comes to translating the X's and O's into on field reality.
It's great we have Greenway and Smith on D....hopefully AD will bring something similar back to the offense, and it looks like TB might have a natural quality in that sense.
excited about this team
Last edited by The Breeze on Thu May 14, 2015 11:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.
The Breeze wrote:As far as any coach mentoring CP I would hope the WR coach is playing a large role. I seriously doubt Zimmer or Turner have any real context for the physical nuance of actually playing the position...which is also where having a vet guy is a boon.
Moss got to play alongside Chris Carter every day for a few years....once Moss was traded our vet WR receiver morphed into couple of seasons of Michael Jenkins then Jennings.
It was absolutely amazing the impact Brent Farve had on Sydney Rice too. Vets can play a big role when it comes to translating the X's and O's into on field reality.
It's great we have Greenway and Smith on D....hopefully AD will bring something similar back to the offense, and it looks like TB might have a natural quality in that sense.
excited about this team
Cris
"My anterior orifice is forever causing me extreme difficulty;
therefore, I shall endeavor to acquire some self-control."
fiestavike wrote:
Let's see what happens this year. If he can learn the position within this offense at even a competent level he has enough athletic ability to be a force. If he doesn't, he'll be a good kick returner and gadget player for a couple more years for the Vikings.
.
Excellent point and well stated.
Even if he busts at the WR position (which unfortunately I think he will though I am still hoping I'm wrong), he is still a great KR and gadget player.
If this is the case, does it mean we gave up WAY too much to get him? Absolutely. But he still has value to this team in my humble opinion.
sorry man...I always botch that one
Good one.
