Shanahan Tells Banks He Better Learn to Play WR

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by REDSKINS4ever

Both Renaldo Nehemiah and Willie Gault were considered dangerous return men during that era only because they both had world class speed. However, neither one of them never returned a punt or a kickoff for a touchdown during their playing careers. Brandon Banks is a cut above them because he's done both.

No they weren't. I remember both of them and thought your statement might have some merit so I checked the stats. ... They were both fast but that's as far as the comparison goes.

Nehemiah was barely a blip in the league. He played three years and had a total of 43 receptions in that time - that's not even averaging a catch a game. Further, according to Pro Football Reference, , he never returned a kick-off or punt. NEVER.

Renaldo Nehemiah NFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com

So, while I grant you Banks is a better returner that Nehemiah, that is just not saying much of anything b/c Nehemiah was never used as a returner.

On the other hand, Gualt was a dangerous player - at wide receiver. Gualt was primarily a WR who returned kicks on occasion. In his entire 10 year career, he returned only 9 punts and 45 kickoffs. All of his punt returns were when he was a rookie ('83). Most of his kickoff returns were in his rookie year (13) and in '85 (22) and there were 5 years where he didn't return a single kick off.

At wide receiver, however, Gualt was a deep ball threat. While he averaged only 33 catches a year over his ten year career, he averaged 19.9 yards per reception (amazing numbers even today!) and scored 44 touchdowns - 14 in his first two years in the league.

Willie Gault NFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com

So, while Banks may be the better returner (By the way, PFR shows he has only one TD on a kick off return and no punt return TD's - when did he get his PR TD?), he is not anywhere near "a cut above" Gault as a WR - Gault's primary position. Gault scored 13 more TD's than Banks at the same point in his career. As a returner, Gualt was pedestrian and, accordingly, wasn't used as such. So, like Nehemiah, the comparison is really not applicable and, in my opinion, not particularly persuasive.

Brandon Banks NFL Football Statistics - Pro-Football-Reference.com

Bottom line, Banks has yet to show he can consistently be a game breaker at returner like Hester and has shown nothing as a WR to date. I like the guy, but he will not be on this team come opening day and likely will be out of the league by next year's opening day.