Short Passes A Hurdle For Kenny Bell?
May 7th, 2015
If Bucs rookie WR Kenny Bell can adjust to catching short passes, he may become a key contributor.
Like many NFL types, Joe was shocked the Bucs picked up Nebraska wide receiver Kenny Bell in the fifth round. There are all kinds of wide receivers who turn out to be studs drafted on the third day.
Of course, you have to perform.
Bell has shown an ability not just to catch the long ball, but to block.
Short passes? Well, Sam McKewon of the Omaha World-Herald believes that will take Bell time to adjust to.
At Tampa Bay, Kenny Bell finds himself in a similar situation. The Buccaneers have two clear top wideouts in Vincent Jackson and superstar-in-the-making Mike Evans, but those two guys are both 6-5, 230 pounds. While smaller — 6-1 and 197 — Bell is faster and can stretch a defense in ways Evans and Jackson may not. Bell’s primary competition will be Louis Murphy — a seventh-year pro out of Florida — and Tavarres King, a second-year receiver out of Georgia.
In short, Bell could be one of those fifth-round picks who plays a lot early.
But the pro-style passing game will be an adjustment for Bell, especially with Winston, a gifted thrower who’s also good at reading defenses. Winston has the arm, smarts and confidence to fire the ball into tight spaces — and his receivers had better be there to catch the ball, for Winston is not shy about jumping down the throats of teammates who don’t perform to his liking. Winston throws the ball hard, too, so while Bell is very good at judging and adjusting to deep passes, he’ll have to get better on shorter routes.
Now this is interesting. First, Winston only fires line drives when needed, as McKewon suggests, in tight windows. Winston throws a beautiful soft pass when guys are wide open.
Throwing quick, hard passes on short routes is smart because of the traffic in the short game. Soft passes there tend to turn into Son of Bob Specials pick-sixes.
Intriguing about Bell and short passes is he has the wheels to turn a short pass into a long gain. If Bell can adjust to catching short passes, then Joe is salivating at what could be.
May 7th, 2015 at 1:39 pm
I am looking for a Wes Welker type that can play the underneath routes, the crossing routes while the two big WR’s stretch the field.
May 7th, 2015 at 1:39 pm
McCown will doom Kenny Bell… Oh $hit I forgot… Jameis is the QB now.
May 7th, 2015 at 1:44 pm
Koetter will help tremendously with bell. No worries. If he can make Devon Hester and Harry Douglass look like pro bowl WR, he can make bell look the same.
May 7th, 2015 at 1:44 pm
Oh well!!! The Cowboys just signed La’el Collins!! That could have really solidified our offensive line. now we just have to pray that lovie and light drafted the right guys .
May 7th, 2015 at 1:48 pm
Wait… if you don’t trust L&L to draft the right guys (yes, jury still out), why would you trust them if they went and signed Collins? Same guys evaluating Collins would be the same guys evaluating the draft picks.
May 7th, 2015 at 1:49 pm
This kid looks like the real deal a FB player. He should be alright, can’t be any worse than herron.
May 7th, 2015 at 1:51 pm
I like Bell, but I think our UDFA signing Hall is better competition for him. I like Hall right now, but I’m biased. Murphy is not a slot receiver and King won’t make the 53-man roster.
May 7th, 2015 at 1:57 pm
> This kid looks like the real deal a FB player. He should be alright, can’t be any > worse than herron.
I expect Herro to be cut and probably a lot of bubble guys from last year. They were 2-14 so many have no right to be on this team.
May 7th, 2015 at 2:03 pm
I expect Herro to be cut and probably a lot of bubble guys from last year. They were 2-14 so many have no right to be on this team.
Aka charles sims
May 7th, 2015 at 2:05 pm
Good point Joe ! Still praying we got it right this year, it’s hard being a Cali. Buccs fan.
May 7th, 2015 at 2:12 pm
@WS99
Might be eating your words on Sims…..looking for big things with Koetter, Jameis….and Marpet blocking on screens….
May 7th, 2015 at 3:16 pm
People talking about Marpet like he has done something. He excelled against juco kids. Can we stop pumping him up until he shows something against the likes of NFL talent?
If Kenny Bell can actually catch the football instead of swatting at it like that wasted draft pick Herron (hat tip lapdog) then we are already way the hell ahead of last year.
May 7th, 2015 at 3:20 pm
Tbbf
Gladly bro but I doubt it. I’m not sure what they see in him. NO WAY in OBP that Sims is better than James or Rainey much less Martin. He may be able to find a hole for a few yards but he is seriously lacking in other aspects of the game like blocking and running in the open field.
May 7th, 2015 at 3:24 pm
Dallas check out bells highlights. Kid is a baller. Reminds me of a victor Cruz kind of guy. Great hands, good speed, oh and he BLOCKS, does he ever.
Go to YouTube now, grab some popcorn and enjoy.
May 7th, 2015 at 3:45 pm
So he is our Joe Jurevicius? I hope that kid has half the heart Joe had.
May 7th, 2015 at 3:46 pm
Careful Joe… Don’t go speaking too much logic to these guys.
You might start making sense…
May 7th, 2015 at 6:18 pm
So, Bell can track down and catch the 70 Yard bomb, but Winston will have to underhand him the 10 yard throws??? Am I missing something?????
May 7th, 2015 at 6:19 pm
Put him outside so he can take the top off defenses
May 7th, 2015 at 7:13 pm
Louis Murphy is not a slot receiver so let’s hope Bell can step in and I think he will, just think about how Harry D carved up our D – same “off” routes to Bell- how can a D not respect both Evans and Jackson….just like Jones & White
Herron was just plain HORRIBLE – drop after drop after drop, he needs to go!
May 7th, 2015 at 8:11 pm
Don’t see why some people rag on Sims. He was hurt half the season with a BAD injury and couldn’t really get into game speed till the end. Guess that doesn’t count to those of you thought that he would be a bust. He’s gonna be a good player.
May 7th, 2015 at 8:41 pm
If Bell plays, I’d rather see him outside and have VJax work the slot. He’s a crafty veteran who can play anywhere and I actually like him more inside. Herron will be cut before the Titans game IMO.
May 7th, 2015 at 10:43 pm
WS99- I just did what you said and have say I am so impressed. Just the sheer volume of production by this guy. He looked practically uncoverable. Can someone tell me what the knocks were on this guy that made him fall all the way to the Bucs in the 5th?
May 8th, 2015 at 8:05 am
He has good hands when they’re in position but he drops a ton of balls in the 7-12 yard range by failing to adjust his hands to the ball. It’s a very correctable technical flaw.
The guys who have consistent drops are the ones with concentration issues. Bell doesn’t have that problem.