Strike up the Banjo and bring us Deliverance from Sh!tty safety play

[Packers4Glory]

Sure he's young and will make some mistakes. But at least he'll make up for some of them by making quick decisions and sitting back and being 3 steps too slow because he's afraid to react. I can live w/ some mistakes of being aggressive...and from what I've seen and heard about the guy he's not afraid. He's hungry. Give him a shot and toss the other turds to the bench when Burnett gets back. Maybe M.D. McMllian would be a good safety but sadly that person does not exist.

[pbmax]

C'mon, Banjo is more likely the backup QB (everyone loves him til he plays) than he is savior.

[Packers4Glory]

we know what these other 2 bozos are. Lets see what the kid who plays fast and hard can do. Nobody thought Collins deserved to be drafted where he was, and he turned out great. I know its not an apples to apple comparison but the point is you never know until a guy gets an opportunity.

[Old School]

If our two safeties start out like they played Sunday, McCarthy needs to put Banjo and Hyde back there. At least we'll get 100% effort.

[Fritz]

If our two safeties start out like they played Sunday, McCarthy needs to put Banjo and Hyde back there. At least we'll get 100% effort.

If I am McCarthy, I do not play banjo.

Even if I'm not McCarthy, I do not play banjo.

However, here are the names of four safeties who were drafted in the sixth round, after Josh Boyd in the fifth but before Palmer in the sixth. Two, I think, played the first week.

Josh Evans, FS, Jax. I think he played last week.

Jamarri Slaughter SS Cleveland. I don't think he played.

Bacarri Rambo, SS. Wash. I think he played last week.

John Boyett. SS. Indy. Don't know if he made their team.

I fault Thompson for drafting Boyd instead of Bacarri Rambo, simply on the basis of the name. How can you not draft a guy named Bacarri Rambo??? And I think he even played last week! I don't know how well, but maybe we'll see come Sunday.

[MadScientist]

we know what these other 2 bozos are. Lets see what the kid who plays fast and hard can do. Nobody thought Collins deserved to be drafted where he was, and he turned out great. I know its not an apples to apple comparison but the point is you never know until a guy gets an opportunity.

I thought the knock on Banjo was his speed. In preseason his judgment looked good, but will he be able to handle things fast enough in the regular season to make up for his speed?

Bacarri Rambo, SS. Wash. I think he played last week.

I fault Thompson for drafting Boyd instead of Bacarri Rambo, simply on the basis of the name. How can you not draft a guy named Bacarri Rambo??? And I think he even played last week! I don't know how well, but maybe we'll see come Sunday.

I remember hearing Rambo's name called a fair amount on Monday, but I don't think he did very well. Here's a quote from the WP blog

Worst Open-Field Tackling: On first glance, using the television broadcast, I’m giving the award to Bacarri Rambo. There was a time Rambo faced Michael Vick in the open field. Vick got past Rambo, and remained in the open field.

We already have two safeties that can miss open field tackles.

[Bossman641]

If I am McCarthy, I do not play banjo.

Even if I'm not McCarthy, I do not play banjo.

However, here are the names of four safeties who were drafted in the sixth round, after Josh Boyd in the fifth but before Palmer in the sixth. Two, I think, played the first week.

Josh Evans, FS, Jax. I think he played last week.

Jamarri Slaughter SS Cleveland. I don't think he played.

Bacarri Rambo, SS. Wash. I think he played last week.

John Boyett. SS. Indy. Don't know if he made their team.

I fault Thompson for drafting Boyd instead of Bacarri Rambo, simply on the basis of the name. How can you not draft a guy named Bacarri Rambo??? And I think he even played last week! I don't know how well, but maybe we'll see come Sunday.

Rambo played like absolute shit last night. Not an easy job to do, but he had repeated attempts in space vs McCoy and Vick and was left holding his jock strap.

[run pMc]

I heard the word on Bacarri Rambo in the draft was: million dollar talent and fifty cent head. We already have Finley for that.

Seriously, I heard he did not interview well and there were questions surrounding his personality, maturity, choices, etc. Not saying he's Aaron Hernandez, but if he had his head on straight he had the talent to be drafted higher.
Great name though.

Looked up where the Niners took Eric Reid -- they took him 18th. I was disappointed TT didn't draft a safety, but I think he expected (hoped?) either Jennings and McMillian to ascend, and that Richardson could come back and give them something. Maybe that happens over the course of the season. Maybe Banjo can beat both those guys out and play with Burnett. Who knows...I think Banjo played like 8 snaps in the SF game, I expect that number to increase vs. WAS if things don't improve at safety. He's not ready to start IMO though.

[Packers4Glory]

I thought the knock on Banjo was his speed. In preseason his judgment looked good, but will he be able to handle things fast enough in the regular season to make up for his speed?

It was his size more than anything.

Banjo makes his mistakes at full throttle.

"He's a guy that if he's not quite sure, he's still going to go full speed. Whereas some guys when they're not sure, they go 70% or 80%. He's going to go full speed regardless. That's a great sign of a good football player. So we'll see. He did some good things the other night. Productive, instinctive, can run. People see his stature and they don't see a big guy but I think he's plenty physical."

That would be MD and Jerron 70%

Maybe the most intriguing aspect of Banjo's game is that he hasn't been a renegade safety, either. Perry says Banjo is "probably one of the smartest kids we've had in the room." He's making the right decisions on the back end.

This is a stark contrast to the 2 clowns we trotted out there last week.

Gusts or no gusts, Banjo has been making plays on the field.

He doesn't drown himself in Xs and Os. Hesitation that so often seals the fate of players toiling in NFL anonymity is absent from Banjo's game. Coaches say he doesn't overthink.

In years past, undrafted players like Tramon Williams, Sam Shields and Jennings did the same thing.

Maybe Collins isn't a great comp other than they both came from small schools.

We know what these other guys can, and mostly can't do. I don't see him being any worse and he could be quite a bit better now and over the long haul. He's hungry and he plays like he's hungry. I think he'd bring a bit more toughness to the D and better safety play. I just don't see how anyone who watched the SF game can sit there and say Banjo isn't any more ready than the 2 stooges. Both looked clueless and slow.

FREE BANJO!!!!!!!

[Fritz]

Rambo played like absolute shit last night. Not an easy job to do, but he had repeated attempts in space vs McCoy and Vick and was left holding his jock strap.

How many times must I lecture you two about facts and specifics, when you undermine the narrative being created? You're getting as bad as Patler.

Once more, in case you haven't been paying attention:

The Packer safeties sucked on Sunday,

therefore, either:

A. Capers coached them badly (The Wistian choice)
B. Banjo must be better because he didn't play and thus did not fuck up. It's the "It can't be any worse" theory (current theory of the thread), or
C. It's Ted's fault for not finding better players (my intellectual contribution)

First reminder: do not acknowledge that the Packers' best safety was hurt for the game.

Second reminder: the player Ted didn't pick is always better than the players we watched bumbling around Sunday. Whether they're better or not, they're better.

So don't be throwing those facts and pictures and all that shit out here. You're muddying the perfectly clear waters here. You're forcing me to confront the complexity of the situation, and that's not nearly as much fun as blithely blundering around making broad-sided accusations and offering thoughtless solutions.

[Packers4Glory]

That's right we were missing our best safety. Pair him w/ Banjo and I think we have something we can live with this yr and perhaps more years to come. If not, well we then know that TT must find one via the draft or ~gasp~ free agency or trade.

I've seen enough from those other two guys to know that I have zero confidence in either of them for long stretches of play. Like I said, if you could combine them, then that player would be half way decent.

[Fritz]

But you're assuming that neither Jennings nor McMillan will improve with time, while you seem willing to live with the same type of mistakes they made, as long as it's Banjo making them - because he makes them full speed or something?

Weird. Even weirder than my idea, and that was pretty weird.

[Packers4Glory]

But you're assuming that neither Jennings nor McMillan will improve with time, while you seem willing to live with the same type of mistakes they made, as long as it's Banjo making them - because he makes them full speed or something?

Weird. Even weirder than my idea, and that was pretty weird.

It's weird to give a guy, who by all accounts, outperformed the other 2 all camp? The only thing he lacked was experience which at this time the coaching staff values over talent. Yes, I'd rather have a guy be aggressive and live w/ some of the inexperienced mistakes as opposed to slow scared guys who have not shown much improvement over last season. That and the fact Banjo seems to pick up on things pretty quickly and maybe in a couple weeks he's rarely making a mistake in his assignments. That would be refreshing and paired w/ Burnett worth a gamble IMO.

It's a good thing Shields got his shot or we might not have won a title.

[MadScientist]

It was his size more than anything.

Maybe Collins isn't a great comp other than they both came from small schools.

We know what these other guys can, and mostly can't do. I don't see him being any worse and he could be quite a bit better now and over the long haul. He's hungry and he plays like he's hungry. I think he'd bring a bit more toughness to the D and better safety play. I just don't see how anyone who watched the SF game can sit there and say Banjo isn't any more ready than the 2 stooges. Both looked clueless and slow.

FREE BANJO!!!!!!!

Ok, I'm on board with giving Banjo a shot. I checked and his time was 4.50, not elite, but ok if he plays fast in pads. The other guys were playing slow.

How many times must I lecture you two about facts and specifics, when you undermine the narrative being created? You're getting as bad as Patler.

Once more, in case you haven't been paying attention:

The Packer safeties sucked on Sunday,

therefore, either:

A. Capers coached them badly (The Wistian choice)
B. Banjo must be better because he didn't play and thus did not fuck up. It's the "It can't be any worse" theory (current theory of the thread), or
C. It's Ted's fault for not finding better players (my intellectual contribution)

Your post sounded like you were against playing Banjo.

First reminder: do not acknowledge that the Packers' best safety was hurt for the game.

Second reminder: the player Ted didn't pick is always better than the players we watched bumbling around Sunday. Whether they're better or not, they're better.

So don't be throwing those facts and pictures and all that shit out here. You're muddying the perfectly clear waters here. You're forcing me to confront the complexity of the situation, and that's not nearly as much fun as blithely blundering around making broad-sided accusations and offering thoughtless solutions.

Banjo may fall in the 'can't be any worse' category, but Rambo could actually be worse in every way but name.

[Fritz]

Ok, I'm on board with giving Banjo a shot. I checked and his time was 4.50, not elite, but ok if he plays fast in pads. The other guys were playing slow.


Your post sounded like you were against playing Banjo.


Banjo may fall in the 'can't be any worse' category, but Rambo could actually be worse in every way but name.

Frankly, I am finding it difficult to live in my fantasy world when you guys keep throwing scouting reports and players' times and training camp performances into the mix.

On a serious note, though - I did not know that Banjo outperformed both Jennings and McMillan The Wife in camp. Where did that come out? I heard good things, but I thought it was just the rumblings about some talent that could eventually be developed - sorta what we heard about McMillan The Wife last year.

But hey, if the coaches really do think Banjo's better and they play him, I'm good with it.