dolfanmark
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Hartline has led the team in yards per reception and YAC each of the last 2 seasons. He was on pace for a 65 catch, 800 yard season last year when he broke his finger. That's a pretty terrific season for a guy who has to let Marshall and Bess get most of the targets.
Here's why Gates will not be the #2 WR this season. Brian Hartline has been the only receiver to learn all 3 of the WR positions (X, Z, and slot). Gates is coming from a Division 2 program. There is no way he is going to pass Hartline in knowledge of how to actually play the position. Gates has said that he had no idea the playbook was going to be this difficult. Gates will be better served in the long run by keeping his assignments simple as a rookie. If Gates is lining up as the Z, he is going to be going against a starting corner. Going from D2 competition to lining up against a starting NFL corner is a HUGE leap. He will be better served working as the 4th WR. And NFL offenses are predicated on option routes. That's what really makes the NFL passing game. Receivers run to a spot on the field, they read the defense, and based on what they read, they run one of 3 or 4 pre-determined routes. These routes require the receivers to understand reading defenses, to know where their fellow receivers are going to be, and to be on the same page as the QB. This is always the biggest hindrance to any rookie receiver. Most guys don't run an NFL route tree in college, and they don't run option routes. It is a huge learning curve. This is why many receivers don't blossom until their 2nd or 3rd season in the league. There is no way that Gates is going to be better at option routes than Hartline at this point in his career, and probably not even better than Roberto Wallace, who at least has had a year in the NFL. To get something out of Gates this year, they will need to keep his assignments simple.
Here's why Gates will not be the #2 WR this season. Brian Hartline has been the only receiver to learn all 3 of the WR positions (X, Z, and slot). Gates is coming from a Division 2 program. There is no way he is going to pass Hartline in knowledge of how to actually play the position. Gates has said that he had no idea the playbook was going to be this difficult. Gates will be better served in the long run by keeping his assignments simple as a rookie. If Gates is lining up as the Z, he is going to be going against a starting corner. Going from D2 competition to lining up against a starting NFL corner is a HUGE leap. He will be better served working as the 4th WR. And NFL offenses are predicated on option routes. That's what really makes the NFL passing game. Receivers run to a spot on the field, they read the defense, and based on what they read, they run one of 3 or 4 pre-determined routes. These routes require the receivers to understand reading defenses, to know where their fellow receivers are going to be, and to be on the same page as the QB. This is always the biggest hindrance to any rookie receiver. Most guys don't run an NFL route tree in college, and they don't run option routes. It is a huge learning curve. This is why many receivers don't blossom until their 2nd or 3rd season in the league. There is no way that Gates is going to be better at option routes than Hartline at this point in his career, and probably not even better than Roberto Wallace, who at least has had a year in the NFL. To get something out of Gates this year, they will need to keep his assignments simple.
