I just don’t see it with Duvernay yet - he’s awesome with the ball in his hands because he flies downfield but he’s limited almost entirely to the short game because of his lack of route-running - I definitely don’t trust him in the slot yet
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The 2021 Offseason Thread
- Thread starter rossihunter2
- Start date
I just don’t see it with Duvernay yet - he’s awesome with the ball in his hands because he flies downfield but he’s limited almost entirely to the short game because of his lack of route-running - I definitely don’t trust him in the slot yet
i like duvernay and feel he could have been better if we had a normal offseason in 2020. That being said he is a bit stiff and wasn't able to beat man coverage, which is why we had to scheme it to him. i think Higgins and Williams can absolutely help him.
Willbacker
Ravens Ring of Honor
yeah, yeah, yeah. That's the 2nd time I've done that, but the other time was in a text. Tee Martin.Higgins?? Close
UPennChem
Hall of Famer
Understood and agreed. I guess what I'm getting at is if we're adding more weapons in the form of better OLine, Sammy Watkins, rookies and Duv can work with some pretty prolific coaches in a real offseason, he might have a much better season. Like if he can really only have to be WR3 with Lamar as QB and time to throw, he can find his way open and he doesn't drop the ball. And he's electric with the ball in his hands. More than anything I'm rooting for him.
vs zone i agree - im currently watching rodarius williams vs texas 2019 and duvernay is constantly showing up for texas but it's almost all short manufactured stuff/run-adjacent stuff or it's him working himself free in zone coverage...
but it's not man coverage - and he's not shown that he can win vs man - because it doesn't matter how fast you are if the DB is just as fast and is able to just run with you without any fear of fakes or efficient cuts or any sort of nuance to your route-running that might threaten them
im not saying that duvernay is going to be a non-factor, there's already clearly a role he can fulfil in this offence with those end-arounds, screens, clear-outs, some other stuff vs zone (curls etc.) - and he's got some tools that could make him more lethal and i definitely expect him to improve but i dont think he's actually someone we can expect to be relied upon running a route vs man coverage out of the slot - as non-dynamic as snead was, you could rely on him getting to his route-depth and using his physicality at the break to create a throwing window at the sticks on 3rd down and i dont care how you get open vs man but duvernay isn't getting open vs man right now
duvernay for me is a nice complementary weapon - the ideal 4th WR who offers tons of value as a returner, occasional home-run weapon, can be dangerous when you have to get into 4 wide situations or coming in on those manufactured plays and getting you a big play - but he's not right now showing any signs that he can be a volume type weapon
UPennChem
Hall of Famer
If we can go into the season with Duv as the number 4, I'm going to be really excited for all of the reasons you just made. I'm just worried either because of the draft or because of Harbaugh, the job is already Duvs. Duv was a highlight real machine at Texas, but literally on none of his highlights is the corner playing man. He just torched people who gave him all the room in the world. I'm just hoping our coaches and an offseason can prepare him to be the number 3 if it comes to that.
i mean there's definitely a skill to being a zone-beater - but this offence has struggled vs man coverage and i dont see Duv as definitely being the fix for that in 2021
all im advocating for is someone else to take one of those top 3 WR spots - 2 of them will be Hollywood and Watkins and I think that 3rd has to either be James Proche making the leap and turning into a consistent slot or it has to be a rookie likely with a high(ish) pick
id be very happy just like you with Duvernay in that 4th WR spot - and all of a sudden this offensive skill position group looks massively different to what it did last year
we've got high-level playmakers at all the other skill spots, i think we just need 1 more WR to round out that group (and maybe a developmental guy too to hopefully add to the back-end of the corps)
the difference between a corps that looks like Brown, Watkins, Duvernay, Boykin and a corps that looks like Brown, Watkins, Bateman/Moore/Marshall etc, Duvernay is massive
Willbacker
Ravens Ring of Honor
Higgins just rolls off the tongue better. I knew what you meant but I just had to razz you some.
UPennChem
Hall of Famer
Yeah to me that is just intuitively true. I've just been nervous that we're gonna miss out on one of those guys you mentioned. I really hope Proche does get a shot though. One of my bold predictions last offseason was that Proche was going to have the better year. That certainly wasn't true. Can't wait to see.
if it's going to happen for proche, i think this is the year it happens - he's going to have a whole offseason with a route-running guru on staff and potentially an open spot in the slot for him to win - he showed some nuances in his minimal snaps last year that were promising - he has to build on that
im also worried that we'll miss out on all those guys - seems like all the guys i'd want in each round are gonna be gone when we pick until we get to the 4th round or so... or at least that's how it's seemed doing all those mock simulators...
that being said i think they'll find a way to manoeuvre themselves around the board like they do every year to get into position to get a guy - whether it's a guy i like is a different question lol
but finding talent at EDGE and OL looks like it'll be easy in day 2 for sure - OL is absolutely stacked, especially tackle and i've still got a few more guys i definitely want to get to
UPennChem
Hall of Famer
Yeah its going to be really interesting to see how the board falls. I've been the big we need a 1st round WR, but im not sure there's going to be value where we pick. I do think a trade back into round 2 could really change the complexion of the draft.
Oh, I can take it and the next time, will be the Pit of Misery for me. No worshipping Bengals players!
i'd be happy with any of the top 5 (on my board) at 27 - bateman and moore the only ones with a chance to get there
ultimately if we took marshall at 27 i'd also be fine with that albeit i dont think he'll be close to BPA on my board when we pick
but it's possible those guys are all gone by 27 - would be really useful if a team ahead of us fell in love with someone like Toney or Rondale Moore (or even better both)
UPennChem
Hall of Famer
Yeah I'm really hoping that Toney and Marshall go before Bateman. Would he crazy if Rondale Moore went before 27. Would love that.
Definitely not out of the question that either or both go before we pick. Stranger things have absolutely happened.
hard not to be excited about keith williams with the way sammy talked about him:
QuothTheRaven
Veteran
Like that interview. Really hope he finds his home here and plays his best stuff. The ceiling is pretty high - but then the floor is also pretty low!
it's only low if he can't stay on the field - based on his career he'll likely miss some games but it's also likely that he plays most of the season...
if he's on the field the floor is pretty high i think...