Gates no lock to make team?

[bess15]

Says the palm beach post....no way they give up on him after just one year....Right?

 

[SQuinn17]

He did nothing last year.

 

[Bumpus]

One would hope that all that speed finds its way onto our roster.

 

[DuderinoN703]

If true I wouldn't consider it them giving up on him. Wouldn't it be more about him just not being talented enough?

 

[Zounds]

He's definitely not a lock to make the team, but I think he will make the team simply becasue he is our only receiver with any downfield speed.

 

[zach attach]

Why would you ever tell a player he is a lock on the team?

 

[fishfanmiami]

i think Gates , Marlon Moore and Wallace all had better step it up a notch or go the way of Turner. None did much last year to justify there roster spots except some special teams and all had nagging injuries that limited thier play. The late round WR picks and free agents should give them all a run for thier money. There will also be many players cut by other teams that could come here and compete. Bess and Hartline appear to be safe but that's it.

 

[Eli_Manning]

believe in unemployment!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[J Tes]

I sure hope he's no lock. He's shown absolutely nothing so far. If he doesn't show considerable improvement in training camp I hope they cut him lose.

 

[Wildbill3]

I'd argue that outside of bess and hartline, (and I don't know that either of them is a lock to keep thier starters position), none of the rest are locks to make the team.

 

[circumstances]

he was a rookie last year, who played with a torn groin all year. he had a pretty decent average returning kicks, and towards the end of the year seemed like he was getting closer and closer to breaking some (torn groin and all). he may not be a "lock" to make the final 53, but i would be more than mildly surprised if he isn't on the final roster come opening day.

 

[mnphinfan]

I tend to think that with the lockout last year Gates was one of if not the most affected players on our team in terms of talent development. He only played 2 years of college football in Division 2 and dominated on talent alone. He probably has never received propper coaching on the finer aspects of route running and timing from a football standpoint. One thing that will help though in his development is his basketball backround, ie quickness, agility, footwork and explosion. Hopefully with a full offseason and more/better coaching he will become a better route runner because that is what the WCO demands and what he needs to improve upon to make/be a contributor for the team.

 

[Slim]

Hope he didn't spend too much on those BIM t-shirts.

 

[bassjk13]

How long was Pat Turner on the team? Pat White...(oh god, did I say that name?)

 

[TheWalrus]

It would pretty foolish of them to let him get away. Gates is a natural but he also never even played high school football (and has the reputation of not being the smartest player) so there's going to be a learning curve. He's my personal pick for the player I want to see have a breakout year but it's probably more realistic to expect that kind of a leap next year.

You simply cannot teach his blend of quickness and speed. He's literally the fastest short strider I've ever seen, which gives him just a lethal ability to beat press coverage and then run any kind of route (unlike Ted Ginn, who's a long strider without much short area quickness at all). Combine that with an ability to high point the football and he is a Mike Wallace or Desean Jackson type weapon just waiting to happen. If he can really put it all together mentally he has Marvin Harrison/Torry Holt (meaning: HOF) type ability. But few players in NFL history have had that kind of blend of physical and mental skills. I'll certainly settle for Mike Wallace, haha.