Comments on: Buzz: Will Gholston Be Shut Down for Remainder of Season?

By: SackDance99

SackDance99 — Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:28:57 +0000

I hated the whole idea of drafting VG and was flamed daily for it. My criticisms have all panned out. He was a component part of a great defense and was not “the Man” at OSU. That’s a big red flag for me because that discounts his stats. His pass rushing was strictly a speed edge rusher, the easiest pass rush for an NFL LT to stop. He was not a good form tackler. I never thought he would have a rookie impact and I thought he would be an expensive project, especially because the weak side OLB is the premier position among 3-4 LBs. No way VG was ready for it.

Now, what can the Jets do? They more or less have to hope he pans out. He needs a lot of remedial work and the desire to make himself a good NFL player. IMO, he cashes out and goes back to body-building.

By: Fred

Fred — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:35:13 +0000

While I have been disappointed with VG’s play (or overall lack of impact), calling him a bust at this point is ridiculous. He was junior and due to OSU’s late graduation, didn’t have much mini-camp (other OSU juniors have had same issue). Throw in (i) a position change, (ii) complex defense, (iii) not that much time on the field, and (iv) more limited blitzing on d, I would cut the guy some slack. Let’s give him another year or so before writing him off.

By: matthewm

matthewm — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:44:37 +0000

All the intangible questions about VG point to issues about character, etc., which is where Tangini is supposed to be better than the rest. Remember all the draft talk about wanting “football players.” Clearly, unless they took VG simply to spite the Patriots (not a bad assumption), VG passed big time on the intangibles that Tangini demands in a high draft pick. So what went wrong? What then explains, for example, why he is a terrible special teamer, where a raw talent would be fine, I presume. Go through some options: he has some injury we don’t know about? Possible, but not likely. He is neither an LB nor a DL player, something they only figured out in camp? Again, not likely. He’s a head case? Hard to judge from TV and radio. He’s lazy? What explains his gym-rat status? My guess, barring other leads, is that he has off-the-field issues and is swimming in the speed and complications of pro football. But it’s much too early to give up on the guy, unless you want to write off $21 big ones. Before they draft a guy, doesn’t he work out with some pros who then pass along reactions? At work, everyone gets to interview “the new guy.” In the NFL? But then a lot of smart guys wanted in on Ryan Leaf.

By: Harvlis

Harvlis — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 20:15:43 +0000

When I see Gholston do absolutely nothing in pre-season and regular season, it is shocking. I would love to blame this on coaching but, if I was playing and the coaches were putting me down and placing me in bad positions — I would play like an animal, to get myself into the starting line-up. When I see Gholston play, he shows no enthusiasm. I think I agree with david i. – he might not want to play. The other option is drugs – lack of steroids or ingestion of illegal substances. You never know. I guess we will find out next year. I agree with the first post.

By: steviek

steviek — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:08:48 +0000

anyone hear LT on wfan with fatcessa last week? he said he liked what he saw in gholston and thinks he’ll be “a real good” player.
told a story that parcells had asked him to work with ware during ware’s rookie year in dallas, and LT’s response was work with what?
said gholston was ahead of ware in his rookie year and how this is a very difficult defense to pick up for a rookie making a position change.
in other words, still way too early to judge. year 3.

By: Dan

Dan — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:05:13 +0000

Greg and Electric Ham, he’s not playing… he’s not sniffing the field. Seriously, how does that help his lack of experience?

And LOL about the Demarcus Ware analogy – Ware had 58 tackles and 8 sacks in 2005 (his rookie year). Vernon’s had 12 tackles so far and that projects to 13 by end of year if Mangini plays him.

I don’t give 6th overall picks the benefit of the doubt. I’m a Jets fan. B.U.S.T. BUST BUST BUST until proven otherwise and lets baby step with playing time and take it from there.

By: greg

greg — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:33:02 +0000

Sorry, 6th pick, not round.

And I am not agreeing, you cannot call someone a bust when you don’t know what his future holds, but to this point it was a pretty silly comment when we all know what he has(n’t) accomplished to this point.

By: greg

greg — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 16:32:08 +0000

A 6th round pick not playing much at all through 15 weeks and Dan breaks the news that he is a bust. Well done.

By: subwayfare

subwayfare — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:25:16 +0000

It wouldn’t surprise me if Gholston is done for the year. Whether he’s’ going to thrive in year two or end up a bust, he obviously hasn’t shown enough to gain Mangini’s confidence in sub packages as the stakes get higher.

This late in the season, the starters are more worn down and backups may wind up with more key snaps. As Mangini is fond of saying, games can turn on one play. He’s going to play the guys he feels are most likely to contribute, or least likely to cost the team on a mistake.

By: Electric Ham

Electric Ham — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:14:20 +0000

Dan – Demarcus Ware sucked his first year be careful what you say