Dri Archer has been cut

I don't think that he was shorted a chance to show what he could do, I think it was more that our offense took a turn when a few players broke out and kinda changed what we could do offensively. When Archer was taken, our starting WRs after AB were Wheaton (unproven second year guy) an aging lance Moore, newly signed DHB and rookie Martavis Bryant who was so raw he needed to be inactive for nearly half a season. Bell had just come off a strong rookie campaign, but he averaged under 4ypc and our offensive line wasn't the strong unit (when healthy) that it is today....

I actually understand what they were trying to do when they picked him. We could use his speed in ways to help us keep the D off balance and maybe get a couple big plays out of him. It just never materialized the way they planned.

I really think they intended to use the kid. IIRC, he did alright as a runner in a few situations early in the year. All of the sudden a few guys really broke out tho, and really eliminated the need for an "Archer" type player from our offense. First it was Bell ripping through the Browns and Panthers. Then the Houston game happened and showcased Bell's receiving ability, and was the beginning of a coming out party for Martavis. We now had a RB who was a special runner (over 5 YPC at the time), who could also split out as a WR to utilize good match ups. We also now have a freak who is a 6'4" deep threat who can take screens/slants for big YAC and could play jump ball in the red zone lined up opposite the best receiver in the game. Where would you put Archer? Whose touches would he take?

With all of this happening, he became limited to a KR only. With his struggles returning, I can see why they cut him loose. He was never going to see the field on offense with all of our weapons, so why not get someone else to return kicks that is better than Archer? I feel bad for the kid, but this was going to happen at some point. Hopefully he catches on with someone else.

 

that's what i thought. that age thingy makes me double think myself freak. LOL thanks freak.

 

It's like xmas morning....see ya Dri!!!!!!

 

This move was a desperate attempt to save our season loss on Sunday and the season is over

 

I saw Archer in one-on-one drills in his rookie year... Our LB's couldn't run with him in the open field.

The problem is when there are 21 other guys on the field you can't use just straight line speed, you need some wiggle.

Looking at his college highlights that's basically all he has, and it took him about 20 yards to get into that extra gear.

 

One of Colbert's dumbest moves ever was drafting Dri in the third round, a wasted luxury pick that didn't pan out. When you have a bad secondary you don't draft a gadget player no matter how fast he is, you take the best CB on the board. That's how you end up with a scrub CB in the fifth round Shaq Richardson.

 

Stop drafting these tiny fast guys for all purpose work.
It's like 0-3 or something.

 

Shd have been a camp cut

 

I am mistaken. Just the 1 1/2. Felt like he was here for another season the way he gets talked about......

 

Yeah you're probably right. I think kick returns are becoming a lost art. With the CBA and shorter practices and wanting to limit practice-related injury, I'm pretty confident that the only practice time one gets returning kicks is when they get a chance to do it in the actual games. Something tells me that the pros run things a little differently than we did in good old high school, where we ran full kicks at 100% speed in every practice.

If a player hasn't returned kicks in college I think the odds of him becoming a good to great returner in the NFL are now very slim. Might be a reason why they picked up Jones; he's had A LOT of practice at returning kicks.

 

i think the punt return duties had just as much as anything to do with dri being cut. he never was able to do that. if dri was able to do both he may have warranted that 3rd rd. grade as a returner with some ability as a RB and WR added. that's 4 duties for the price of one. dri also had a problem of running north and south. he did alot of good things in college. he was pretty electric for KSU but it just never translated to the NFL field.

i don't however hold it against just being his size. heck the honey badger isn't much bigger. golson isn't any bigger and we will need him to tackle big guys all day. some have it some don't. you can't fault an offensive guy for the troubles of a defensive guy and that's where i see most of the hate coming from. colbert's inability to draft corners has nothing to do with wanting to give the offense and ST's another weapon.

 

Dri's next stop, the cardinals!!!!

 

It's about freaking time. He showed he has no vision whatsoever and goes backwards more than he goes forward on kickoff returns. He was useless as a punt returner and useless as a RB. Why they kept wasting a roster spot on a bad kickoff returner is beyond me. At least Jones has some upside because he can return punts and kickoffs and get Brown off those punt returns. If they still use Brown on punt returns I will not understand this move. He has also shown that he is not a bad wide receiver as well.

 

I hope I'm wrong, but I don't expect to see Jacoby do anything but return kickoffs. He doesn't offer much as a WR, and the Steelers seem to love having AB return punts.

 

I expect to see him watch a few balls sail over his head, and then attempt some returns that go for 10-11 yards as the blocking lanes fail to materialize.

Just a hunch. I'll be happy to be proved wrong.

I think I said in the off-season that Archer's timing needed to improve, and that was how he'd get better. Pundits talk endlessly about Bell's patience, but it made a dramatic difference to his big play ability when he got properly in sync with his blockers. Archer didn't, and judging from his media comments didn't seem to be going about sorting that the right way.

Hopefully, Jones does better in terms of working with what he's got, and with a bit of wily veteran knowledge. But I still think we'll just see him in the back of the end zone most of the time. It's the nature of the receiving game these days.

 

"Wowzie, wowzie, woo woo!

 

This. Hope I'm wrong as well, but I've got the same suspicion with Brown on punt return duty. Either way, those thinking Jones will be adding anything to the WR corps are, imo, extremely optomistic (or perhaps pessimistic and expect a lot of injuries ) - 9 catches over 24 games with the Ravens and Chargers the past season and a half isn't inspiring to me. Tomlin needs to get over his fixation with players he really liked from days of football past - or at least Colbert needs to step in and start smacking his wrist.

 

I have a feeling Gholson's destiny will be the same as Archer's. They said Dri was too small to play in the NFL?? Gholson is smaller than Archer and Gholson plays defense at a position where height matters. We gotta stop wasting draft picks..

 

That's not correct.
Golson is 5'9'' 176lbs
Archer is 5'8" 173lbs

 

Did any one pick Dri up?, or is he another one of our many draft picks teams, have no interist in.. since Tomlin has become coach??

 

philly or the cards will pick him up