SmootSmack
02-13-2005, 02:52 PM
ESPN Insider now has the 2005 Free Agent Profiles up, here's what they have on Burress and Porter.
Plaxico Burress
Grade: 84
Burress possesses a great combination of size and speed but he has yet to maximize his potential and can be inconsistent at times. He has very good, deceptive speed for his size and is a vertical threat on every snap. He has rare height and can adjust to the ball while it's in the air and is capable of making acrobatic catches in traffic. He does a nice job of using his hands at the line of scrimmage and has the upper body strength to consistently get a clean release when working against press coverage and rarely gets muscled around. Provides a big target on slant routes and skinny posts and does a great job of shielding the ball from the defender. Will catch the ball over the middle and has proven to be a tough receiver in traffic. However, Burress has not been a consistent "pro", will take plays off and has not become the great red zone threat that he should be. He lacks a great work ethic and does not play hard on every snap, particularly if he is not the primary target. He will display bad body language if things aren't going his way and the look on his face is worth a thousand words. He is not yet a polished route runner and often just gets by with his imposing size and strength. He will drop some passes that he should catch and occasionally turns up field before securing the ball. He is an inconsistent blocker and does not always give great effort in this area and considering his size, he should be a dominant blocker. His physical presence and playmaking ability create some mismatches, but he has not possessed the commitment and focus of the elite receivers in the league.
Jerry Porter
Grade: 75
Porter has good speed, he shows a second gear when tracking the ball and he has the leaping ability to compete for jump balls downfield. He shows adequate awareness and he does a nice job of locating balls thrown over shoulder. He reads defenses fairly well and he generally locates the soft spots in zone coverage. He has the upper body strength to maintain separation from defenders, he has the quick feet to avoid contact and he rarely gets caught up at the line of scrimmage. However, he isn't a great short-to-intermediate route runner and he still drops some passes that he should catch. His footwork is inconsistent and he doesn't show great doubles moves. He will look upfield before securing the ball at times and he needs to show better focus. Overall, he isn't a sharp route-runner and he is inconsistent but he is a playmaker with excellent natural ability.
This is a tough call, I want to lean toward Burress. But some of the things that Insider says about Plax's weaknesses are very Gardner-esque, and I wonder how much he benefits from Hines Ward lining up on the other side. And I don't think it's a case of he needs more discipline or better coaching because he's been coached by Cowher his entire career. But on the plus side he puts up good numbers and the Steelers have an offense very similar to the Redskins'.
I guess I would say Burress. But one guy I really think we should take a look at is Derrick Mason, if he becomes a cap casualty as expected.
Plaxico Burress
Grade: 84
Burress possesses a great combination of size and speed but he has yet to maximize his potential and can be inconsistent at times. He has very good, deceptive speed for his size and is a vertical threat on every snap. He has rare height and can adjust to the ball while it's in the air and is capable of making acrobatic catches in traffic. He does a nice job of using his hands at the line of scrimmage and has the upper body strength to consistently get a clean release when working against press coverage and rarely gets muscled around. Provides a big target on slant routes and skinny posts and does a great job of shielding the ball from the defender. Will catch the ball over the middle and has proven to be a tough receiver in traffic. However, Burress has not been a consistent "pro", will take plays off and has not become the great red zone threat that he should be. He lacks a great work ethic and does not play hard on every snap, particularly if he is not the primary target. He will display bad body language if things aren't going his way and the look on his face is worth a thousand words. He is not yet a polished route runner and often just gets by with his imposing size and strength. He will drop some passes that he should catch and occasionally turns up field before securing the ball. He is an inconsistent blocker and does not always give great effort in this area and considering his size, he should be a dominant blocker. His physical presence and playmaking ability create some mismatches, but he has not possessed the commitment and focus of the elite receivers in the league.
Jerry Porter
Grade: 75
Porter has good speed, he shows a second gear when tracking the ball and he has the leaping ability to compete for jump balls downfield. He shows adequate awareness and he does a nice job of locating balls thrown over shoulder. He reads defenses fairly well and he generally locates the soft spots in zone coverage. He has the upper body strength to maintain separation from defenders, he has the quick feet to avoid contact and he rarely gets caught up at the line of scrimmage. However, he isn't a great short-to-intermediate route runner and he still drops some passes that he should catch. His footwork is inconsistent and he doesn't show great doubles moves. He will look upfield before securing the ball at times and he needs to show better focus. Overall, he isn't a sharp route-runner and he is inconsistent but he is a playmaker with excellent natural ability.
This is a tough call, I want to lean toward Burress. But some of the things that Insider says about Plax's weaknesses are very Gardner-esque, and I wonder how much he benefits from Hines Ward lining up on the other side. And I don't think it's a case of he needs more discipline or better coaching because he's been coached by Cowher his entire career. But on the plus side he puts up good numbers and the Steelers have an offense very similar to the Redskins'.
I guess I would say Burress. But one guy I really think we should take a look at is Derrick Mason, if he becomes a cap casualty as expected.