The kid is making huge money and the money is all based upon potential. So, let's use him in several different ways for the next couple of years and see if potential turns to reality, or not.
1 - TA needs to be BOTH the punt and kick returner. Yep, he's small, but he still has the potential to take the ball to the "house" like no other player on this team. If he gets hurt on a return, he gets hurt. I don't wish it on him, but it gives him likely 2 or 3 extra touches every game.
2 - Use him out of the backfield on 7-10 plays every game and make sure he gets the ball in his hands, whether via hand-off, toss or bubble screen, 4 or 5 times. He'll be an excellent decoy on the plays he's back there and doesn't get the ball.
3 - Put him on the outside and let him run. Mostly good things can happen with this, regardless of his size.
- He can run right by most CB (assuming he can get off the LOS)
- He is likely to draw double coverage even if he gets "even" with most DBs which, opens the field for other receivers.
- He can still be used in the slot at times to make sure he gets a free rel'ease, but even then, I'd like to see him running intermediate routes instead of short routes where he's surrounded by LBs and DBs.
- He can draw a holding or PI penalty. Let's face it, on deep balls, PI has almost become a "play call" in the NFL. If he can outrun someone, even with his height issue, if you throw the ball a little short and he fights back toward the ball, through the DB, that's a PI penalty 80% of the time.
The NFL is a passing league. All the rules of today's NFL benefit the passing game because they want more TDs to keep fans happy. I personally, liked the way DBs could play up until the late 70's. But times and rules have changed and teams need to use them and their players in the best manner that helps them win football games.
TA is being paid like a top WR so let's see what he's got. He may surprise us all and end up earning what he's being paid, or we may find out he's the highest paid KR & PR in NFL history. Either way, it's time to find out and if the coaches continue to limit him on where he plays and what he does, we're never going to know what TA really is.
I tend to think he'll rise to the challenge. Not to the point of being a true #1 WR, but to the point where he can truly make defensive coordinators have to plan for him in several roles. If he only makes teams roll coverage his way more often to open things up for other big plays, then there's value there, more than running him 5 yards down field, in between multiple defenders, to catch the ball at a standstill which negates his biggest asset, SPEED!
