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Chase Claypool Szn?

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by Maddog78, Oct 14, 2021.

  1. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    Tyler Boyd plays out of the slot a lot. Doesn't strike me as a lateral shifty guy.
     
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  2. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    More so than Chase IMO.
     
  3. MadtownDruankard

    MadtownDruankard Well-Known Member

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    - First of all we already move WR's all over depending on the formation to get miss matches and possibly confuse defenses. Even college teams do this.

    - We need Claypool to continue progressing as a route runner. Asking him to change his routes now by moving him will likely cause more problems and delay his progress mastering the position he has. Not saying we can't still use him in the slot position at times to find those miss matches but it would be a mistake to change his role now. I'm also not sold on his blocking or ability to take the abuse of a slot wr. Guys like Juju, Ward, etc were either tough or quick in tight places so they could better handle the role. I think we have other WR's on the roster that can handle the position just as well.

    - My final thought is this... This is an opportunity finally use our TE's like they should have been... specifically Pat. Instead of using Claypool to exploit miss matches why have we not been using our TE's to do this. Ebron can't catch so IMO he hurts us as much as he helps. But Pat has the hands and size to kill opponents in the middle - short and medium routes. I'd rather see two TE sets with Claypool and Johnson wide. We could kill them with our TE's and Harris as receivers if defenses put more focus on our wideouts. Losing Juju's blocking ability is what hurts us the most IMO. A TE should be able to fill that role better than another WR.
     
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  4. CK 13

    CK 13 Well-Known Member

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    They can use Claypool out of the slot just not a steady diet.You telling me DJ wouldn't flourish in the slot? Washington would be my choice with again Claypool or DJ taking snaps their as well. I want to see Freiermuth get more thrown his way.

    They have plenty of weapons. The QB needs to find them, wherever they are on the field.
     
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  5. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    Very well said. You made my point more effectively than I did. Lol
     
  6. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    Who? McLeod? DJ?

    Claypool is a natural fit with his physicality.
     
  7. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    From various draft profiles of CC. Not sure why people think he'd be a fish out of water in the slot.

    "Will eat up off-man coverage and will be a mismatch from the slot. "

    "Claypool has limitations to be mindful of, but he can fulfill a niche role as a big slot that provides a complementary weapon for an offense that features speed and separation specialists to draw coverage away from Claypool and provide spacing for him to work. "

    "Chase Claypool projects as a big slot or traditional X-receiver at the NFL level. Claypool has ample catch radius and effective physicality ā€” he's able to claim space with aggressiveness and hand fighting in order to create separation. I'm not sold on his vertical push to create soft coverage on underneath routes but this is a big body who is fearless over the middle of the field and will bring ample toughness as a blocker in the slot or on the boundary. A potential starter but limited upside."

    "Teams that might view Claypool as a hybrid tight end, or as more of big slot receiver, have film of him thriving in that position and making plays over the middle."

    "He's a vertical challenger outside, a possession receiver as a big slot, an outstanding run blocker"
     
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  8. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    Anthony Miller's draft profile

    Strengths:

    • Superb route runner
    • Tremendous slot receiver
    • Good speed
    • Exellent hands
    • Very competitive, gritty receiver
    • Tracks the ball well
    • Dangerous yards-after-the-catch receiver
    • Elusive in the open field
    • Cutting ability
    • Consistently generates quick separation
    • Can challenge defenses vertically
    • Outfights defenders for the ball
    • Excelled against good competition
    • Raises level of play in crunch time
    • Will put his team on his back
    • Thick build
    • Work ethic
    • Leader
    • Limited to being a slot receiver
    • Quicker than fast
     
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  9. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    My point in posting AM's draft profile is that a draft profile is pretty much meaningless after the draft is over. I could post Brady Quinn's draft profile as well. It doesn't mean I want him starting at QB this week.
     
    Last edited: Oct 15, 2021
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  10. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    He was very good there and why they played him there this year even after he asked to play more outside.

    https://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2021/07/06/steelers-slot-wr-juju-smith-schuster-nfl-2021/

    I think you have a very specific idea of what a slot receiver is that is not entirely accurate. And Iā€™m not suggesting that Claypool play exclusively in the slot but he should see a healthy does of snaps there as he is a matchup nightmare. JuJu, DJ and Claypool all have the ability to play the slot.
     
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  11. MadtownDruankard

    MadtownDruankard Well-Known Member

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    Anyone of our WR's can play the slot. This idea that only physical wr's can play the slot is not accurate. I recall us using plenty of speedsters in the slot with success. My point was use our TE's more and give everyone of our WR's snaps in the slot position. Either someone will shine or start feeding the ball to TE's and Harris more.... Fill the slot with who ever can block the best.

    You take claypool totally out of his role then you need someone to take his role...so now instead of just replacing Juju you are now replacing 2 spots. Thus creating more issues of inconsistency .
     
  12. MadtownDruankard

    MadtownDruankard Well-Known Member

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    Washington was wanting a trade because he did not believe he'd have a chance to shine. Well now is his chance. Start catching the tough to catch balls and stop dropping the passes that hit you right in the hands.

    I'm of the the opinion if we dont start featuring Pat and Harris more in the passing game then the OC and Tomlin should be fired for incompetence. It's blatantly clear those two are the best play makers on this offense right now.
     
  13. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    Claypool: 4.42
    Freiermuth: 4.72

    Thatā€™s why. He just lit a team up last week and people want to go away from it. Let him fall on his face before taking away a possible big weapon in the slot.
     
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  14. TuRnDoWnForWaTT

    TuRnDoWnForWaTT Well-Known Member

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    I do have a very specific idea of what a slot guy should be, especially in terms of what the Steelers offense currently is.

    I would much prefer a quick shifty receiver to fill the slot role. Ben likes the ball out of his hand quick, especially when he senses pressure. When Ben is pressured he is looking for guys that are open in that 5yds from the line of scrimmage range. I am not sure Claypool is the guy to do that. I see Claypool as a guy that would best be utilized in intermediate routes and beyond.

    Honestly I can say the same for JuJu, just maybe not to the same extent. I wouldn't say JuJu has been very good in that role this season. JuJu was at his best when he played opposite of AB, and he played far less from the slot then than what he has the last two years. His numbers have declined pretty steadily ever since.
     
  15. MadtownDruankard

    MadtownDruankard Well-Known Member

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    Again...I'll point out that Claypool and all of our WR's have ran plays from the slot position.

    You think a defense will not put a corner and or safety on him? If it was this easy every team would put their fastest WR's in the slot. lol

    40 yard times are probably more relevant to running deep routes not SLOT WR positions. Precise route running, Size, hands, body position, and quickness in short bursts are more relevant than a players 40 yard times.
     
  16. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    Of course they do, no one has stated otherwise but the last two years, its been primarily JuJu there. IMO, the WRā€™s were at their best when they were moving them around more.

    You donā€™t think Claypools speed is an advantaged after the catch? Again, I point to last week for evidence. Why stop something that worked because of ill-conceived ideas of what a slot WR is. James Washington is a better outside receiver than slot receiver so let him man that exclusively and move Claypool and DJ in and out of the slot.
     
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  17. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    You said you weren't sure CC would block or take the abuse of playing slot, how are smaller, less-physical WRs going to be better suited?

    And Claypool's current "role" is to run deep and try to flag down Ben's ducks. Washington is a more natural deep route runner and can do that just fine, as can DJ.
     
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  18. steel machine

    steel machine Well-Known Member

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    Never heard of him or the college he plays for until BF posted it. Looked him up. I can see he is a running QB but when he throws he does OK. 13 TD's, 3 INT. not so bad for a guy who only throws 20 times a game. All 3 of his INT"s. came when he threw 30 times. I can see he is a winner but not sure if the competition is all that great in College ball????? I know Syracuse was only loss.
     
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  19. steel machine

    steel machine Well-Known Member

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    Reading that you'd think the guy was a shoe in for MVP every season. He may have liked to have had Ben instead of Trubisky.
     
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  20. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    Diontae and Najee are their two best playmakers.
     
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  21. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    Ben said this week he needs to get Freiermuth more involved in the offense, he better now that JuJu is injured.
     
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  22. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    Dude can pass, heck of a catch too.



    This one remind you of anyone? Only Willis is a zillion more times athletic then Ben.



    I get the competition concerns but this guy oozes talent.
     
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  23. jeh1856

    jeh1856 Beer is good

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    Does it have an actual meaning?
     
  24. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    "Season".
     
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  25. lewisha

    lewisha Well-Known Member

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    That's what's I appreciates about you Maddog, yous has the pulse of the youngins.
     
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