It's time to sit Coles...

I don't know about you guys, but I'm getting really tired of hearing about Laveranues Coles getting nicked and banged up in each preseason game. My heart always races when I see him catch the ball in a meaningless exhibition when everybody already knows what he's capable of.

Seriously, Coles doesn't need to prove nothin' to nobody. Can we all agree on that?

So why not sit him for the final two preseason games, get all the reps he needs in practice, and be totally fresh for the first regular season game?

Who's with me?

Not to be a smartass or anything, but with this logic we should sit the whole team and forfeit the last two preseason games.

I know what you're saying Beems, but if the coaches and team doctors don't have a problem with him playing who's to say he shouldn't be out there getting the reps? Why should we put Coles above anyone else on the team?

Coles isnt fragile, it's his toe injury everybody is worried about. he's already conceded to play with it all year.

while i agree that we should reduce the chance of him aggravating it every week, there's a whole new quarterback and passing system this year, and a whole new chemistry has to be developed. Coles has to practice the new playbook. Brunell and Coles have to learn each other out. Ramsey may have been here last year, but he has to learn himself out in this new system, then reacquaint himself with Coles in it. its not just about talent, its all about TIMING. and you can never practice that 'enough', you have to keep at it until it becomes second nature for it to be effective.

i say limit the routes that aggravate his toe, like sudden Ins and Outs, limit his vulnerability over the middle, but still get him some reps with the new guy and new system. save the painful stuff for real games.

i'd like to leave Lavar out another game or two though. his position isn't as symbiotic with other positions as QB+WR, and we can groom Pierce and Washington even further while resting that knee. man what a scare.

Not to be a smartass or anything, but with this logic we should sit the whole team and forfeit the last two preseason games.

I know what you're saying Beems, but if the coaches and team doctors don't have a problem with him playing who's to say he shouldn't be out there getting the reps? Why should we put Coles above anyone else on the team?

No, that logic does not follow. Coles is the most explosive player on this team. If something happens to him, our passing game takes a serious hit, and there's no one who can match his game breaking abilities at the wide receiver position. The rest of the team needs the game experience, Coles does not.

He's coming off a serious toe injury, a sore hamstring, bruised shin, and bruised ribs.

I stand by my argument. Get fresh for the Bucs, and get those injuries healed.

everyone has sore muscles and bruised bones from PRACTICE, let alone preseason games. and he's not coming off that toe injury, thats gonna be there the whole year.

again, its not about how talented Coles is, its about learning his QBs tendencies, when to turn around and expect the ball to be there, where to option when the play breaks down, this isnt about physical ability, its about time on the field and in game situations. if he's wearing down, then maybe rest him during practice, but our entire passing apparatus has to really develop more under the lights..

I agree with Ill, there are reasons Coles needs to be out there. A new starting QB, a new offense, all of that requires timing, game timing not practice timing.

sometimes players don't always reveal the whole truth about there condition to team docs. the coaches and docs need to know what the player is capable of so they can tell if that player is playing up to speed. that would hard for coach to tell, being new to the team and all but how about the docs. are they new to the team too? and does anybody know how they rate with other team docs?

Arrington is nicked up too... He's our most explosive defensive player. If something happens to him, our defense takes a serious hit. There's no one that can match his pass-rushing abilities at any position. Do you think we should sit him for the last two pre-season games?

Is this argument significantly different?

No, that logic does not follow. Coles is the most explosive player on this team. If something happens to him, our passing game takes a serious hit, and there's no one who can match his game breaking abilities at the wide receiver position. The rest of the team needs the game experience, Coles does not.

He's coming off a serious toe injury, a sore hamstring, bruised shin, and bruised ribs.

I stand by my argument. Get fresh for the Bucs, and get those injuries healed.

it is different. while LaVar has a relationship with the other Linebackers and DBs, it's not as nuanced as the relationship between a QB and a WR. that kinda thing takes repetition, and more repetition, but introducing the xfactors that only games offer, not practice.

LaVar's ability as a pass rusher is based on his enormous talent, not on his precise one-on-one timing with another player. while the LB schemes may be new, its not clockwork, and nowhere near as meticulous.

he's played, and played well during the preseason, he's not a questionmark like our passing game is. i think he should sit out for this upcoming game, and maybe even the next one.

While the QB-WR relationship is important, don't underestimate the importance of the LB's working together as a unit. We haven't had our starters out there together yet.