“Diamonds in The Rough”

Practice makes perfect, and Repetition builds confidence, especially if you’re a rookie and looking for your shot. Bruce Arians and his staff plan to give them that. Arians made it very clear in his introductory press conference that OTA’s this spring would contain a large staff and two practices in order to make sure that the rookies get as many reps as the veterans.

“You can’t find a diamond in the rough if he’s sitting on the sideline watching,” is what he said in his press conference. If you watched the opening press and this slipped past you, you should know, it’s a very big deal. Most of his staff are players and coaches he’s worked in the past, so he trusts their judgment and ability. “Don’t tell me what they CAN’T do, tell me what they CAN do.”

For rookies, who do not get much playing time or practice snaps or is very limited, having this kind of opportunity is invaluable. It gives them a chance to stand out where others would watch star players take the majority of the snaps and cut a very capable player because “he didn’t fit the scheme.” Arians will make his own scheme with the players he and his staff evaluate. A team sculpted to make the playbook built to the strong suits, and this all starts with practice so they can show their ability. Arians will, without a doubt, find at least one diamond in the OTA’s rough, and with the pressure he applies, he’s bound to squeeze a few more.

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