Danny Woodhead: Stay or Go?
I think Danny Woodhead is the kind of guy everybody wants to root for. There aren't many 5'8" guys from a Division II school who have a chance to make it in the NFL. He put up a 158 yard rushing effort in the final game of the preseason, seemingly securing a roster spot. He survived the final cuts but was cut a day later and was later signed to the practice squad.
Woodhead was signed to the active roster midseason. The team officially changed his position to wide receiver, but he spent a good chunk of his playing time in the backfield as a third down back attempting to replace Leon Washington. He caught 8 passes for 87 yards and ran 15 times for 64 yards.
This is difficult because I want to see Woodhead succeed, but I haven't seen much out of him to make me think he'll be a big contributor for this team in the future. He hasn't impressed me as a route runner, not surprising considering he's a natural running back. It's wouldn't seem hard to find a guy further along.
He also hasn't really blown me away as a back that final preseason game notwithstanding. He tends to go straight down the second he is met with contact. He doesn't have the lower body strength to break tackles. In the past I was intrigued by his 4.3 40 speed, but there aren't many plays where an offensive player runs 40 yards in a straight line. It doesn't look like Woodhead is elusive or makes moves quickly enough to make an impact as a back.
Danny was a major pass catching threat in college and has good hands. I say the Jets should look to develop him as a receiver and stash him on the practice squad. That's how I vote.
How do you vote?
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This is a tough one to distinguish between what you want to see because let’s face it, everyone loves an underdog, it’s why Dodgeball was so successful ;-) and what’s best for the team. I wouldn’t mind seeing him with an off-season’s worth of coaching as a receiver, it’s pretty difficult making that kind of transition mid season. If he wants to stay a back, I don’t think it will be with us. I say sign him to the practise squad, bring him in for an off-season of receiver drills, and then evaluate him at the end, if progress is being made, then all for keeping him on board, if it’s not then he doesn’t have a plane with Leon coming back.
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Gang Green Nation
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Hate to say it but... cut him.
Theres no room for him at RB. And we could get a WR to play WR.
Kind of agree.
"Relax, all right? Don't try to strike everybody out. Strikeouts are boring; besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls. It's more democratic."
- CRASH DAVIS
Special Teams
Unfortunately, I don’t think I’ve seen Danny make much impact on special teams either. I’m rooting for the guy, but I’m also rooting for David Clowney, Brad Smith and Wallace Wright.
and the home of the... JETS!!!
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Cut him
The only purpose he made have had last year was to pose as Wes Welker in practices leading up to Patriot games. I even think Rex took a shot at him after the first lost to Miami. Woodhead was supposed to pose as Ronnie Brown in the wildcat and Rex said the practice squad did a poor job after the game. He did nothing in real games except that third down catch he had from either Sanchez or Clemens, I can’t remember.
by chrebetsthebet on Feb 20, 2010 11:17 AM EST reply actions
Woodhead at times seemed overmatched last season but watching him I couldn’t tell why. Was it because he was physically overmatched at this level or was it because of his lack of experience playing at the speed of the NFL game?
Who knows, I don’t see him developing into a solid NFL player, at least not at this point, so whether he gets a roster spot IMO depends on if the Jets can keep him on the roster without hurting themselves at any other position.
If there’s room for him keep him, if keeping him hamstrings the Jets by leaving them shorthanded in another area adios muchacho.
I'll go with the majority on this one
I vote to keep him. I like the way he plays the game. I
also heard that in the last playoff game he was not active. Clowney was instead. I don’t understand that decision, espcially with the game plan being ground and pound with a banged up TJ. We could have used him in that game. It seems like the smaller guys are not given a fair shake in the NFL They have to prove that they can play and no one will give them a shot. See Flutie.

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