Area51 wrote:"Stability" and "Arland Bruce" should never be mentioned in the same paragraph, let alone in the same sentence. This is the guy you want "mentoring" the young WRs? Wow.
It's one thing to bring in a whack-job, self promoting WR in his mid-20's, but a completely different story when it's mid-30's. Unfortunately, the physical skills have eroded, but the flamboyant over the top showmanship is still as prevalent as ever. Bruce is a carbon copy of Randy Moss and Terell Owens - - all with the same me-first-ahead-of-team mentality that will gladly take a 15yd penalty if it means getting the chance to do a stupid on field celebration.
These kind of situations only end in disappointment, and I'd expect that at some point within the next 12 months Bruce will be quietly released by the Lions. Expect a great start for a half dozen or so games followed by a quick downward spiral.
http://www.thespec.com/sports/ticats/ar ... -bruce-era
Never the quickest or biggest guy on his teams, he was always able to get separation from his coverage in the past which got him open enough for his quarterback to find him. That enabled him to lead the Cats in receiving last year with 86 catches for 1,303 yards.
This year, that gap creation seems to be in short supply. Same with the vacuumlike hands that sucked in any ball near him. After four games — parts of which he missed with injuries which can be another sign of age catching up with a guy — he has just nine catches for 104 yards. Last week against Montreal he laid a goose egg. He’s nowhere near the league leaders this time around and is falling fast from even the top of the team’s leaderboard.
Not all that quick. Not all that big. At his best he got good separation.
"This year, gap creation seems to be in short supply."
"Same with the vacuumlike hands that sucked in any ball near him."
He might give us something for a few games.
Does anyone really think he will play at an all star level?
Does anyone think he will be back next year?
At best, a short term boost.
At worst, a long term failure of personnel work, team building, and chemistry erosion by the GM.