"Gettis back in the game" by Stickland @ panthers.com

[top dawg]

A positive write-up on David Gettis for the 2013 season. It's been a long time. At this point I'd say that Gettis is the master of his own destiny.

 

Gettis had already been feeling good about his progress behind the scenes prior to Friday, when he got the chance to flash the form he routinely displayed in 2010. That year, he ranked fourth among NFL rookie wide receivers with 508 receiving yards and fifth with 37 receptions.

 

Here most of the Huddle (myself, included) was writing Gettis off after hearing all the negative reactions from camp, and Gettis was being his obviously positive-minded self.  Kudos to Gettis.  And, the fact that he had a fairly impressive rookie campaign has been pushed farther and farther into the back of our minds. There once was a time when we debated as to who would ultimately have a bigger impact, Gettis or Brandon LaFell. Yes, Gettis and "starter" were not unheard of.

 

Gettis was slated to [team up as a starter] with Steve Smith and fellow rookie Brandon LaFell in 2011, but he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a practice late in training camp. Since then, he's only been able to watch while LaFell and other wide receivers from the draft class of 2010 like Dez Bryant and Demaryius Thomas have further established themselves.

 

Through all the doubt (of others), physical and emotional rehab, and just plain old rust from just being "out there just to be there", Gettis seized upon his first real opportunity to show that he's ready to get back to his rookie form, and hopefully better.

 

"I was kind of able to sit back, watch the game from the sideline and learn. Now I'm applying it to this year and seeing where I'm at," Gettis said. "Health is definitely not a concern for me right now. I'm ready to go full throttle."

 

Good to see him just worry about playing the game, and trusting his knee, and from the looks of Friday's  Bears match-up, his speed is none worse for the wear.

 

A track standout at Baylor, Gettis said Sunday that he's fully regained the speed he showcased as a rookie. Against the Bears, he showed how the threat of that speed as well as his improved route running can cause problems for opponents with two catches deep over the middle and one to the outside.

 

And Gettis' team leading receiving effort did not just disappear by the wayside. Not only was Rivera quoted in this article, in another interview Rivera said the same thing, and noted how it was finally nice to see Gettis appear like the Gettis of old...the Gettis (that Rivera noted) before he got here...the Gettis that most of us should remember as a promising, speedster with all the desired measurables  who put up decent numbers in his rookie year.

 

Panthers head coach Ron Rivera said he was pleased with Gettis' effort Friday. Rivera also said he was very pleased with Smith and LaFell and was excited about seeing Armanti Edwards and Ted Ginn in action. 

 

But, as the writer alluded to, Gettis is hardly a lock to make the team. At the same time, if Gettis continues to showcase his pro-level ability and productivity in the final preseason games, I wouldn't bet against him.

[koolkatluke]

Gettis has the most Raw talent of any WR on this roster. If he can get it going between his ears. He should be on this roster.

[Herbert The Love Bug]

I love how everyone forgot about the season he has in 2010 playing for crappy QBs and have been bashing him ever since. Now they want to act like they have supported him all along. Well I am one of the few that remembers how awesome he was and I have actually supported him. I know the talent that dude has and can't wait to see him fully healthy. I was way better than LaFell their rookie years

[top dawg]

Gettis has the most Raw talent of any WR on this roster. If he can get it going between his ears. He should be on this roster.

 

From a pure physical standpoint, including his speed, if Gettis can put it together, then we could turn out being the better value than either Dez Bryant or Demaryius Thomas. And, yes, at this point that statement may seem like me selling waterfront property on the Okefenokee, but G-man always said that some of the answers may already be on the roster. I want Gettis to be one of those answers in the worst kind of way, but I am loath to get my hopes up too high. All this doghouse talk (that I think you started) has taken its toll on my hopes in regards to Gettis. But, you can't keep a good man or wide receiver down.

[PanthersAlv]

If I recall it was said that Gettis and Cam (early in TC in 2011) were starting to show some chemistry together... But then RR brought in Legadu because he wasn't sold on LaFell or Gettis. Then Gettis got hurt.

 

I hope Gettis is just on that "not a practice player" route or something... Because we have seen him play in the NFL. He has proven he can play. Now, if he keeps it up in the Preseason and shows health isn't an issue anymore, I hope it will keep him on the team.

 

 

[PhillyB]

Gettis has the most Raw talent of any WR on this roster. If he can get it going between his ears. He should be on this roster.

 

getting it going between the ears implies it's mental with him, and i don't think that's ever really been the case (unless you're suggesting he lacks the mental fortitude to properly rehab.) 

[TheRed]

Armanti plays well, it's dismissed as a fluke. Yet Gettis catches a pass in a live game for the first time in nearly three years, and he's the second coming again. I want both these guys to succeed, but we need a larger sample size.

[Proudiddy]

We better keep him.

[PanthersAlv]

Armanti plays well, it's dismissed as a fluke. Yet Gettis catches a pass in a live game for the first time in nearly three years, and he's the second coming again. I want both these guys to succeed, but we need a larger sample size.

 

Armanti's progression from QB to WR since day one has been bumpy, but has been a progression. And this season seems to really be showing that all that time was worth it and paying off.

 

Gettis was there... got hurt after playing well with crappy QB's and a coach that pretty much gave up in his last year... got a new coaching staff and a new QB.... and got hurt while the new HC wasn't sold on anyone but Smith as a WR.

 

I agree we need to see more of him showing progress in games. But, he's there before. He needs to show he's still ready to be there. And I think he will.

[lovelett]

I do not think anyone is holding him down besides himself. If you want him to make the team it seems he needs to be more of a practice player or he will not be here.

[top dawg]

I love how everyone forgot about the season he has in 2010 playing for crappy QBs and have been bashing him ever since. Now they want to act like they have supported him all along. Well I am one of the few that remembers how awesome he was and I have actually supported him. I know the talent that dude has and can't wait to see him fully healthy. I was way better than LaFell their rookie years

 

Kudos to you for supporting him all along, but don't think that others haven't wished Gettis the best. I think that it's more a case of him being a non-factor more than anything else for the last couple of seasons.  I don't fault others for mentally moving on from Gettis because, after all, what's best for the team comes first for most of us, and a football player can't really showcase what's fact or fiction from the sidelines.  Add this to some negative reports/tweets from observations of camp, and you really can't blame someone for losing faith.  Now that Gettis has alluded to the fact that he is 100 percent healthy, and appears to be hungry to get back to where he left off, in the next couple of weeks hopefully we will be able to say that "Gettis is the truth!"

[PanthersAlv]

Kudos to you for supporting him all along, but don't think that others haven't wished Gettis the best. I think that it's more a case of him being a non-factor more than anything else for the last couple of seasons.  I don't fault others for mentally moving on from Gettis because, after all, what's best for the team comes first for most of us, and a football player can't really showcase what's fact or fiction from the sidelines.  Add this to some negative reports/tweets from observations of camp, and you really can't blame someone for losing faith.  Now that Gettis has alluded to the fact that he is 100 percent healthy, and appears to be hungry to get back to where he left off, in the next couple of weeks hopefully we will be able to say that "Gettis is the truth!"

 

Just as a counter point... Ginn has been looking good in practice and looked like crap in the game as WR...

 

Not argue'n... cuz I agree with you. Just making a point.

[PanthersAlv]

Sorry TD, I meant to quote Lovelett

[koolkatluke]

getting it going between the ears implies it's mental with him, and i don't think that's ever really been the case (unless you're suggesting he lacks the mental fortitude to properly rehab.) 

 

No I stating that it's mentally hard for some players to come back from injuries.

 

Special Track runners and Knee injuries. I think he let his knee effect his game.