Quote:I think Cyp is trying to simply do too much, I think the football people know we need another safety next to him. I don't think his play has leveled off. Gratz is a guy whose play has leveled off a little bit, although I think a new FS would do wonders for him too. Sanders hasn't declined, he doesn't play anymore because we have more talented WRs.  He is also where he should be in the role of a punt returner.  Shorts has been who he is, I think he's been a guy who has been overrated by people on this board.  

 

Brown? As in Mike Brown? There isn't even a Brown on the current roster, so I don't know why you included his name. Paztor has also battled injuries this entire year, he has been an average RT.  He was also an average RT last year.  

 

As for Joeckel, how has his play declined? He's been at pretty much the same level this entire year.  This is his first year in the LT role, also it takes most LTs more than one year to reach a good level of play.  For instance, Eugene Monroe.  I remember being at the Eagles game here in 2010 and watching Trent Cole destroy him. His play climbed the next couple of seasons after ward.  Be patient with Joeckel.  Hes playing the second hardest position in the NFL.  

 

To conclude, the players you listed all haven't declined.  Id give you Cyp and Gratz, but I think they can relax if we give them help this offseason.  It's also hard to say 1st and 2nd year players have leveled off when they are already inconsistent players and trying to establish their level of play.  This is why drafts are judged after three years.  Not after 1 or 2 seasons.

 

Your assessments of the list agree pretty closely with mine, so let me move on to the declines.


 

Cyp was playing better at the end of last year, and the beginning of this one, than he is now. Since he has the same FS he did last year that's not the reason.


 

Gratz has clearly declined. He was very good last year, this year he has been torched repeatedly.


 

Sanders is getting less play because of the rookies, but he was pretty good as a receiver last year, and has shown nothing when he has played this season. He also sucks as a punt returner, but I think that's always been the case.


 

Shorts wasn't a drop machine last year like he has been this year. That's a decline.


 

Yes Mike Brown. He was pretty good last year, but did nothing when given the opportunity this year due to injuries, and was recently cut. I'd call that a decline. You could make the argument that neither Brown nor Sanders have had enough play this year to accurately evaluate them. Maybe that's true.


 

I thought Joeckel was playing better earlier this season. Maybe that was just due to the opponents exploiting the hole at RT. In any case he hasn't improved over the course of the season. Pasztor was much better last year. No one was calling for a free agent RT to replace him like they are this year. Frankly, I'm hoping that it's due to injury, that he heals completely and gets back to his 2013 level of play. I just have a hard time believing that a hand injury that had six weeks (and more) to heal is the difference.

 

We'll know more by next year. In the meantime, I'm disappointed in the player development so far.

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