How long do you keep Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly if they don't produce?

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by Paintrain

It's kind of REDECULES to even discuss at this point, but you've got to give them their rookie contract duration. I posted something similar to this right after the end of the season but would you advocate cutting players that posted 1st season stats that were as follows?

10 catches, 154 yards, 0 TD
29 catches, 446 yards, 3 TD
20 catches, 309 yards, 2 TD
3 catches, 59 yards, 0 TD
35 catches, 520 yards, 4 TD
2 catches, 40 yards, 0 TD
14 catches, 186 yards, 0 TD
3 catches, 31 yards, 1 TD

If so, then you just released Steve Smith, Roddy White, Brandon Marshall, Vincent Jackson, Terrell Owens, Santana Moss, Derrick Mason and Donald Driver. That would be more than 1/3 of the top 15 WR in the league (statistically) from last year and 8 of the top 20. Even Vinny ain't that dumb.

Excellent job with these stats.

To answer the question, "To cut or not to cut," one must ask "why?" regarding production. If Kelly and Thomas are still developing, then you need to keep 'em until after 2010 at least. Many wide receivers don't really develop until their 3rd year, including folks on the list above. It would be a waste not to give them that kind of patience.

Then again, if the problem is with knees that just don't seem to get better - like possibly Kelly - then that is a problem which patience won't fix. The good news here was reported earlier in this thread - that Kelly's knees, for now, are holding up.