Not really an Xs and Os type question, but why do you think people are so infatuated with Kenbrell Thompkins? He did really well at the beginning of the season but seemed to fall off and out of favor with the coaching staff while Dobson and Boyce were getting more playing time. People are convinced he’ll have a bigger role on the team in 2014, but I don’t see it. He’s going to be 26 (LaFell will only be 27) and showed little development. I see him as a 53-man roster cut.

I haven’t really seen these people who are infatuated with him, but I agree that he’ll very much be in a fight for his roster spot. He had quite the interesting rookie year. He burst onto the scene in training camp, with everyone there singing his praises. We all thought he was going to be a big part of the offense.

He flashed a bit early in the season and I liked some of what I saw, especially his quickness off the line where he could beat press man, a rare feat for most rookie receivers.

But the drops started to add up and he kept seeming to leave his feet every time he even caught the ball. Good stat from Nick Underhill of Masslive.com:

Thompkins left his feet on 22 of the 48 passes thrown his direction (Thompkins has been targeted 56 times, but I removed the passes he no chance on). He also used a “double catch” on seven passes. It’s hard to tell if those dives were necessary, but at least a few were the result of Thompkins putting himself in poor position to receive the ball. 

He was a non-factor after the bye despite six catches against the Broncos in November.

Perhaps no other player is more at a crossroads this season. Can he live up to the training camp hype of last season? Or was that just how he looked in practice and in reality there was a reason he wasn’t drafted – that he’s really just not that good.