Official Colin Branch Sucks Thread

[>>he was never ever someone who was feared as a hard hitter or as a ball hawk.

Agree here, but I'd note that I never said otherwise. He got people to the ground consistently, which I'll take over getting on jacked up.

>>he was still making plenty of mistakes in coverage ... which is why he was allowed to "get away."

Disagree here, of course. 1.5 million isn't chump change. Hell, its more than Fields made. And I'll be the first to admit Fields is better.

>>My primary issue with him playing FS is I don't think he has the range or the instincts to make up for his lack of range.

Insticts aren't great, yet at least, but he has decent range IMO. He's displayed more of that than he's displayed of what you are hoping he will develop. Agility, side to side quickness, athleticism, things that are generally needed to develop cover skills, that he doesn't have, and won't get. Nor is he going to grow any, 5'11 is as tall as he gets. Someday, I'd like to cover a freaking TE.

Speed, well, he's got some of that. A good bit of that. If he has a bead he can make a play. He's a fairly smart player, and I didn't notice him out of position too much at all for a rook. Better instincts can come with experience. He is a strong kid, so if he learns to stop ducking that head, take better angles, and wrap up more, he can play.

But its as a free.

 

Maybe the side to side is an issue. But he has great body control and very good at turning directions up and down and in his back peddaling. Great leaping ability too. He can become a good cover with these skills, but maybe not great with the weaknesses you have pointed out, Piper.

 

See that bold in your quote? These are things that help him at Free Safety.

He's good in the backpeddle, which you need to keep things in front of you and still break out on a ball in front. And yeah, short man can get up. along with his speed, these things got him drafted where he was and play into him being a free safety in our scheme.

His weaknesses rule out being a SS, however.

 

I agree.

 

A first.



And just to clarify, when I mean coverage, I mean man.

 

Disagree. Actually, I can't think of many times he'd get thrown at, and he'd actually contest passes, at the sideline, at the hash, wherever. And I don't remember him ducking from anything.

 

I'd like to see him be able to read and shift to the ball so he can contest a pass in free or in zone. I'm fine with a FS that's not great in man coverage, Grant's was simply a luxury. We didn't really blitz enough to make use of it.

And you're right. Supposedly, we were willing to go the same length of contract and overall value as Jacksonville did, we just weren't looking to give out bonuses (we didn't give out bonuses of worth other than our extensions). So agreed that we didn't just "let him get away." That's revisionist.

 

Agreed. Being able to tackle, regardless of what Thelt thinks, is obviously something we need at every position, but a FS must be able to get to his man and contest a pass. We don't get that much out of the position right now, where we're used to seeing 4-5 picks and 12-14 PD. It'd be great if we had a playmaker at FS so we could shift the coverage to one side (a zone double, in effect) or be able to keep Minter in the shorter middle 1/3 (giving more blitz room). Right now, we have a hard time doing that, and have to go straight C3.

And as for Minter, I'm all for him staying, but I'm assuming he'll play out his contract and that'll be it. He'll be way too expensive, but it suggests that we're not going to put that money into him long term. The only problem with Mike is, other than the plays not coming this year, is that at his size, we've always had problems covering the TE.

That's not a coincidence, and that's why when everyone screams that Minter was a Pro Bowler all those years, he was getting looked over. He's actually not been great in coverage either. If we could have someone the size of Wesley, but without the problems Dante has, then that'd be perfect to replace him. Maybe that guy's in the draft, and we'll give Minter another year.

 

The play at Tampa showed he could do this, just needs to do it more. He recognized the 7 route, got his butt over thier, made a good, well timed verticle jump and made a pick.

After that, I looked a bit a more of his profiles, and it bolstered more what I saw.

If he recognizes in time, has the ability to break on a ball. And he can cover some ground.

More consistentcy you expect should come, because he showed it at one level, and has flashed it here. Better tackling could come, and had better, with dedication.

Those are some big ifs, though.

 

recognition is a plus. About the only time I remember him making a play on that, though. Instinct is gonna be a hard one with him, and that's why some want him at SS - same basic concept, he's just being told what to do a little more.