Clarifying the Buffalo Bills roster status with running back Christian Wade

[oldmanfan]

Have McCoy and Gore retire.  At minimum.

[Flip Johnson]

Learn pass protection

Edited August 23, 2019 by Flip Johnson

[DaBillsFanSince1973]

What is Christian Wade's roster situation?

[Rc2catch]

I would say there is nothing he can do to make the 53, unless he’s taking a baseball bat to the top 3 running backs legs. 

He is living on the practice squad all year guys, sorry. 

[Bleeding Bills Blue]

33 minutes ago, golfball323 said:

learn how to recognize and pickup blitzes better than the guys that have been doing it their whole life.

 

Love what the guy has shown, but putting him on the 53 is imprudent, to me.

 

That is gonna take at least a year - if he wanted to make THIS team he should be focusing on being a gunner on special teams. 

[Da webster guy]

return kicks and play special teams.

 

unfortunately for Wade we have one of the best return guys in the league.   

either way i would be giving this guy all the returns and a ton of RB reps in these next two meaningless games.

 

roster spots are precious.   every team wishes they had 60 instead of 53 right now.

 

if we don't give him a spot, it's probably gonna be Andy Reid and his staff that grab him or Indy.   i just have a feeling....

 

 

 

 

[jimmy10]

I'm pretty sure Wade can't crack the 53 while Terry and Kim own two franchises in the same city. 

[Bongo]

9 minutes ago, Da webster guy said:

play special teams.

 

9 minutes ago, Da webster guy said:

 

This. I don’t think he can crack it, unfortunately (as a former rugger myself). But as a fast guy who likely can tackle given his background, maybe he could cover kicks while he learns the running back position. That’s about the only chance I see unless we trade away some backs.

 

 

 

 

[Freddie's Dead]

I don't think Wade clears waivers.  He makes the 53 or he's GAN.

[Bongo]

Not sure why I showed up as a Webster quote. Sorry DWG.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

7 minutes ago, Freddie's Dead said:

I don't think Wade clears waivers.  He makes the 53 or he's GAN.

 

But he has to make another teams 53, and for the same reasons he won't make our 53, likely would apply to other teams too with the exception of some other team that's hit by many injuries in back field.

[Freddie's Dead]

18 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

But he has to make another teams 53, and for the same reasons he won't make our 53, likely would apply to other teams too with the exception of some other team that's hit by many injuries in back field.

 

Somebody will find a spot for that guy, too much raw talent.

[Rocket94]

This thread will pick up tonight...pack a lunch!

[starrymessenger]

23 minutes ago, Freddie's Dead said:

 

Somebody will find a spot for that guy, too much raw talent.

 

If what Bargepole said was true he will prolly be playing rugby in a different hemisphere. 

[Jimbo72]

I don't know much about NFL, mostly rugby having played it my whole life. But I reckon Wade can make it. He may need a bit of time though. Rugby players can bring something different to football, skills current players don't have or don't utilise. In the small amount of football I've watched, I've noticed few running backs use a fend or an effective fend (handoff), they take the tackle. In rugby you don't want to get tackled, because if you don't have support you will lose possession. This means players are more motivated to evade would be tacklers. And I've noticed football players don't step (I think you guys call it cut) in the same way rugby players do i.e a good player like Wade will step and not lose pace or slow down, break his stride, whereas I've seen football players kind of stutter as they change direction, slowing down, allowing the defence to catch them. Also the tackling seems pretty poor, technique is all over the place, something Wade could take advantage of. Playing international rugby, you miss tackles, you're out of a job. 

 

As far as adapting to the game, I've read that pundits have said that he's missing 15+ years of experience. Which isn't quite true. There are a lot of cross over skills, some very similar running lines and also moves e.g the snap. As a wing, Wade would have run a very similar move as blindside wing. And rugby is a very complex game, with a lot of players needing a varied skillset. Wade would be expected to kick, catch high balls, tackle and run all sorts of different running lines. So coming into football, being given different lines to run or different skills to adopt is not going to be a foreign concept for him. Rugby players are used to having to adapt to new skills. As a wing, he would naturally look for open space, whereas football he runs for the blockers. Kind of counter-intuitive,  for him, but also rugby players at times deliberately aim for a tackler, rather than space. So they are very adaptable and pretty smart. You have to be switched on to play rugby at the highest level. 

[PromoTheRobot]

What do we make of Wade not playing at all? Trying to limit his hype?

[BillsDude]

24 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

What do we make of Wade not playing at all? Trying to limit his hype?

 

Could be any number of reasons:

 

They already see enough potential in the guy or have made a decision on him and so no purpose putting him in with the scraps.

They wanted to give Murphy one last shot

They do not want the fans to pressure them to put him on the 53

They do not want other teams to see him for some reason

They were worried he would roar at Detroit if he scored a touchdown

[NewEra]

21 hours ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

 

But he has to make another teams 53, and for the same reasons he won't make our 53, likely would apply to other teams too with the exception of some other team that's hit by many injuries in back field.

He would make the dolphins 

[eanyills]

29 minutes ago, PromoTheRobot said:

What do we make of Wade not playing at all? Trying to limit his hype?

 

He has no shot of making the team.

[HOUSE]

There will be over 50 RBs waived at the final 53, I think he is safe on the PS- JMO