Skins rookie wide receivers weren't in shape for TC

[Randall]

From La Canfora's Skins Blog

Zorn Jabs Rookie WRs; Wade, Heyer Out 2 Weeks

 

Jim Zorn said rookie WR Malcolm Kelly will remain in Florida today after having arthroscopic knee surgery Monday and admitted that the team's diagnosis that he will miss two weeks after getting 'scoped was "ambitious." Kelly and Devin Thomas, who remains out with a hamstring injury, were labeled as a bit brittle in college by some scouts I've spoken to, and Zorn said today that both showed up for camp in less-than-stellar shape.

 

"He wasn't in condition to go through a training camp like this," Zorn said of Kelly. "He really wasn't."

 

Kelly and Thomas could not pass the team's conditioning test and their bodies quickly wore down with two-a-day practices, Zorn said (players have to perform a timed shuttle run within certain parameters). Both will miss several more weeks of the preseason and will be quite far behind. Zorn said it will be difficult to count on them to have mastered much of this system by the start of the season - if they are healthy - and they will very much be behind.

 

"I've had this happen in other places I've coached," Zorn said of the rookie WRs getting hurt, "and it's very difficult [to get caught up]."

 

Zorn said he told the youngsters that he would be jabbing from time to time about their conditioning, attributing part of it to their being selected so high in the draft. "If you can't pass that physical test that we give," Zorn said, "then something's not right." Zorn said that if his knees would allow it, he would take the test himself right now. "It's sort of a pride issue," Zorn said.

 

Kelly and Thomas may each find a niche in the offense early on in a particular situation (maybe Kelly in the red zone and Thomas on some fly routes), but Zorn has made it clear that James Thrash is definitely the No. 3 WR, and he isn't counting on the rookie receivers for much early on.