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

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Lotus

Don't forget that, for all of the reasons you mentioned, we should expect Thomas to have growing pains. For all of the reasons you mentioned, it would be foolish to expect Thomas to be a tiger out of the gate.

He came out of college early. His peers are still going to frat parties every weekend. He has growing up to do.

I'm not saying he will be a star. But if he is to become a star, we likely should expect the situation with him to be as it has been.

Understood, of course, and I certainly can't dispute anything you've said.

But I do think that makes significant progress this year all the more critical than say Malcolm Kelly. Devin Thomas smelled like a bust pre-draft 2008. He didn't "smell" right. Last season, he "looked" like a guy who simply was overwhelmed by the game.

This year, he's going to play. And the thread title has to do with how long we keep him. So if he looks like a bust, smells like a bust, and this year, he plays like a bust...I think the answer is, we don't keep him any longer.

If he looks and smells like a bust, but shows a few signs of development this season...well, now it's a lot more complicated. Because he is still likely a bust...but you don't want to cut him loose only to have him breakout with a different team. So with even minor improvement, he gets a third year.

Malcolm Kelly is different. His first year is totally written off to injury, IMO. Gone. So if he has a meh year, but stays healthy, he gets a third season. If he's hamstrung by injuries again this year which limit his production, I'd still give him a third year, but I'd definately lower the ultimate expectation.

My general philosophy is that it's better to cut a player one year early than one year too late, but being incorrect on a young player can have huge consequences, so you've just got to be right as soon as possible. Given the rookie years, this duo has not earned the benefit of the doubt. Somebody needs to bring the results right now.