I have been thinking and wanted all you guys to weigh in... It's no mystery that Hill has ALL the physical tools to be a top flight WR in this league. And, to say that he has underachieved is an understatement to say the least. Also, it would be safe to say that the ONLY reason he remains on this roster is because he's cheap. I honestly believe that this is it for him...if he doesn't VASTLY improve through training camp he is probably a roster cut for 2014's team. Having laid that ground work...do you think that this kid will be impacted with the addition of Decker? Let's face facts...who has the kid had to learn from? Holmes?? I don't think so...Holmes is a "me first" guy all the way...so who else? In my personal opinion Sanjay Lal sucks...how he remains the WR coach is beyond me. But, if I'm Hill I move in with Decker and do everything in my power to learn absolutely everything I can. Thoughts?? If the light bulb could come on for Stephen Hill that would be fantastic! I know it's a reach but two weeks before the draft and I'm looking for anything new to talk about...and it really did strike me as a pretty decent topic to kick around...I mean really.....WHO has he had to learn from?
I have some sympathy for Hill because, let's face it, there's no way he was ready for the role he has been thrust into in his first 2 years. That said, he hasn't improved and still looks like the raw rookie he was. Perhaps buried on the depth chart he can develop, but he'd better do it quickly. If he doesn't show significant signs at every stage of pre-season I think he'll be gone.
They say not to give up on a wr after only 2 years, but besides two good games against Buffalo, he hasn't even showed potential. Usually i have optimism, but with him i say cut him in August if he doesn't look very improved..and i don't want to hear that bull again this July about all this improvement he has done, and work put in, only to be exactly the same as he has been since the beginning.
The only person who can save Stephen Hill is Stephen Hill. When they hear the footsteps coming that early in their career, it usually isn't a good sign.
There will be no spot for Hill except as a scrub if the Jets draft another WR in the 1st or 2nd rounds..he may even be cut.
I had a decent amount of hope for Hill going into last season. I felt like he missed a lot of time due to injuries including training camp in his rookie season. I think the only positive thing anyone can say about him is that his blocking isn't bad. It's not incredible either but it's probably the highlight of his game. And that's pretty sad. I hope he turns it around and has a great camp but I'm much less confident that will happen this year than I was last year. I wouldn't be surprised if he got cut this year, let alone sticking on the roster and getting cut next year. But, hey, stranger things have happened.
We're entering year 6 for Stephen Hill since he arrived at Georgia Tech. He's never caught more than 29 passes in a season. Why would anybody think that the beast is suddenly going to get set loose? Why would anybody think there's a beast in there in the first place? It's not all about what you can physically do. It's about the ghost in the machine that drives you to do it. The reason I rate Beckham Jr below Lee and Cooks is that he has never actually been the #1 in LSU's offense. Maybe he can get there but he's going to have to change the way he approaches his job, because the job he's been doing isn't going to translate into a #1 NFL WR.
He's fast and he's tall. Both great qualities. However, I've never seen a player look more awkward running routes than Stephen Hill. I like him. I want him to succeed. I would give him more time on the team as a #4 or #5, but there's nothing that says he has to be anything more than that. If he matures into a #1 or #2, then great. Just because he was a 2nd round pick doesn't mean it has to be he either becomes awesome or we cut him. There can be a middle ground. So there's nothing wrong with drafting a WR early that hopefully becomes a top flight WR for us and keeping Hill down in the pecking order until (if) he learns how to play the position better. I don't think he has stone hands as some have said, but instead, a rather unorthodox way of catching the ball that doesn't work well in traffic. It's not even just that he catches with his body. It's that he looks tremendously awkward doing anything at all on a football field. Might not be his fault, but he's not ready to step up yet. Still, doesn't mean it's time to cut him either unless they see absolutely no progress.
I'm moving in with Decker too. You know, to look after the wife while he's at work. Just trying to help.
I am shocked at how critical everybody is of Stephen Hill. The kid is about to turn 23 years old, the age a lot of players enter the NFL. And people want to give up on him? That's absurd, he's only had two (injury riddled) seasons in the league. I don't think he's looked as bad as this thread is making it sound, but regardless, how you can even consider cutting this kid before his third season is mind boggling. He's definitely shown flashes of being able to get open, and I'm wondering if a few drops in some fairly big spots are weighing heavily on everyone's mind. By all accounts he seems to have a strong work ethic and desire to become good, and it is rare that someone of his size and speed does not turn themselves at minimum into a serviceable (deep threat) player. He might amount to nothing or he might develop into something very very good. If I had to guess it would be somewhere in between, but damn, give the kid a chance to stay healthy for a year and show us something. I don't see any reasonable way that Hill is not on the team at least this year and probably next year. It's laughable in my mind to call last season (a 22 year old's second season) his make it or break it year.
i think we go into the season with decker nelson kerley hill ford and a rookie. either him or the rookie sits each week. i know hill has underperformed, but only because we needed him to take on a much bigger role than he was ready for. he was drafted as a project; a guy with great measurables but not much else. if you were looking for him to produce from day 1, like he was asked to do for the jets, well, you must be pretty disappointed. i dont blame you, its just that he is not that guy. he is supposed to be situated somewhere between the 4th and 5th spot in your rotation. 4th if he starts to get it, but really hes a guy that you keep on the team in the hopes he gets it in a few years and can become a real weapon. hes had two years now, its his time to show hes starting to get it, but hopefully he does that with limited appearances on field because we arent relying on the project to produce like a finished product
His roster spot is going to come down to whether or not he's playing special teams IMO. He'll have the opportunity to earn a starting spot but likely won't win that.
It's quite easy to envision actually. There will be 5 other WR's on the team, who are going to be better than Hill. If you play brilliantly when healthy, teams can afford you a little wiggle room to get up to NFL speed. Hill has never played brilliantly and he hasn't been healthy.
I think he should be given a chance to sink or swim in his 3rd year. Most receivers tend to take a huge step up in year 3. And he's still in his early 20's. I believe he's the wild card. With Kerley, Nelson and Decker, and a draft pick, Hill will be in a reduced role and I think he could thrive as a 4th/5th receiver.
by all accounts Holmes has been great to the WRs, I don't buy that excuse for Hill. This is his last shot, he has shown flashes, he has the tools now let's get it done. He doesn't have to light it up but he has to become a reliable target.
After drafting a WR I would still keep Hill around at a minimum this season. Ford and Nelson are exactly known for being healthy. Injuries happen and Hill is better than Clyde Gates.
Why would he ever be given a chance if we have 3 or 4 receivers that are better? Do you mean in practice because he will never see the field if that's the case? Right now Decker, Kerley and Nelson are all better. Ford has a shot to see the field on some sort of wildcat plays and if we draft another WR which everybody assumes we will there is no place at all for Hill.
You don't give up on 23 year old receivers with his physical tools entering his 3rd year. You have receivers entering the draft at 23. Hill was a raw project player that was thrust into a role he wasn't ready for. I'm not expecting him to be Calvin Johnson but if he can be a consistent contributor, he'd make our receiving corp go from solid to really good.
He shouldn't need to learn from anybody,This is why we have a coaching staff.Hill was always a reach and a project from day one.He looks the part but can't play the part at a high level on a consistent basis.He's the kind of guy that a Peyton Manning or Tom Brady would turn into a superstar because there just that good.I mean look at who he has had throwing him the ball Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith in his rookie season.Bad qb play isn't doing Hill any favors or making him any better.