FanPost

Why the Jets should keep Stephen Hill

I'll give you all a moment to catch your breath, what with all the belly-laughing and all... good to go? composed?? Ok then...

It seems the writing is on the wall, IN CAPS, in respect to Stephen Hill's future with the Jets. Although there are a number of thoroughly valid arguments to the contrary, I believe the Jets should give the 84 roller coaster one more go, and here's why...

Let me preface my argument by saying that I am fully aware that Stephen Hill can be every bit as annoying as a drunk white girl. He drops balls, he's fails to gain any kind of consistent separation, he gets muscled off his routes far too easily and he always seems to be hurt. Right now, it looks like the Jets may keep Saliim Hakim over Hill mainly due to his Special Teams abilities and while that might be the safer, more productive short term play, I'd stick with Hill.

For me, it comes down to metrics. We all know Hill has the physical tools that offensive coaches covet. We know that when he was drafted, there was a 2-4 year developmental period expected for a player who's "polish" coming out of GaTech was more like a patina. We also know that, even considering these facts, he has fallen far short of expectations. My argument lies in that dangerous, enigmatic bed called... upside.

For all of Hill's well documented failings (one part of his game he has seemed to master is the "Lam Jones Jump-n-Drop"), guys with his natural abilities are simply not a dime a dozen. No disrespect to Hakim or Greg Salas but there are plenty of guys hanging around the waiver wire with similar skill sets. They may not be quite as fast as Hakim but there are any number of guys who could come in off the street and fill his possible role as a 6th WR/KR. Plus, it's not like he has flashed much in the small sample he's been provided. He obviously has tremendous straight-line speed but doesn't look like terribly fluid runner to me and I haven't heard a peep from camp about his possible value as a WR.

Back in the spring I was very high on Stephen Hill. Unfortunately training camp has brought me back down to the reality of what he's been in green... a tease. He's like the stripper who really likes you. I'm no longer confident that he will become even a serviceable WR in the NFL but what do we have to lose by waiting just a little bit longer to see if the light goes on? Saliim Hakim or Greg Salas? I'm cool with that risk.

I was expecting to have more hard rationale for my argument but I feel myself running out of steam. Ultimately it comes down to the Jets' current WR personnel. If a former, recent second round pick with Hill's measureables shook loose from another team in final cuts, how many of us would be clamoring to give him a shot in green and white? It's clear that we have improved at the position since last year's god-awful group but there's still an utter lack of game-breaking ability. While I'm no longer confident that Hill can fill that role, is there anyone else currently on the roster who conceivably could? Unfortunately Hill still seems our best bet in that department.



This is a FanPost written by a registered member of this site. The views expressed here are those of the author alone and not those of anybody affiliated with Gang Green Nation or SB Nation.