Devin Gardner waived

Submitted by Michigan4Life on

https://twitter.com/ProFootballTalk/status/631188266113454080

Steelers lost their starting kicker for the season and had to sign a new kicker. They waived Devin Gardner to make room.  It's expected since the Steelers are deep at WR and they already spent a draft pick on Sammie Coates.  Devin's inability to make catches in preseason doesn't help either.

Mods, can you embed this tweet since I don't know how to do it?

Gofor2

August 11th, 2015 at 10:14 PM ^

Lost his job to a kicker. Lol. Great choice to be a bad QB while in college. He can thank Hoke for letting that happen. Also thank the UM fans for encouraging it. At least at first, till his suck became to public to ignore

Coldwater

August 11th, 2015 at 3:48 PM ^

It was a long shot anyway for him, but he gave it his best effort. Not catching those passes in the preseason game hurt. I don't know if he'll hook up with another team and or get on the practice squad. Maybe this is the end the the NFL road for him. Best wishes to him either way

Michigasling

August 11th, 2015 at 6:52 PM ^

The Michigan product, who previously spent time in the offseason with the Patriots, has been waived with the “injured” designation. If he clears waivers, Gardner will revert to the team’s injured reserve list.

That could mean they want to hold on to him for the future, perhaps to add him to the practice squad when he gets healthy.  And if he really was injured, maybe that had something to do with his play.  (Positive thinking.)

Additional tidbit:  The kicker they added to take Devin's spot beat out Jay Feely in try-outs.  (Of course Feely had 14 years in the NFL, so nice to know he's still out there kickin'.)

RockinLoud

August 11th, 2015 at 3:54 PM ^

I don't know if this is wrong or not, but part of me is screaming "Fuck Hoke!" for ruining the potential of this gifted athlete.

Whatever happens DG, know that I'm rooting for you!

chunkums

August 11th, 2015 at 10:35 PM ^

This may be an unpopular opinion, but I think Borges did a pretty good job with Devin. The OL  and subsequent QBPTSD was the entire problem. He was a very productive QB until he started getting his skull caved in every week by giant men who were unblocked, and he still occasionally put up monster numbers when the team decided to block

Nuss on the other hand? I'm not exactly sure what that guy was doing. The running game got better, but Jesus that passing offense was anemic. Did we have a pass longer than 7 yards in the playbook?

funkywolve

August 11th, 2015 at 5:44 PM ^

Gardner's stats for his junior season are pretty rediculous.  Gardner 2013 is all over the record books, and near the top in most catagories for single season stats (int's too of course).  His decision making was definitely questionable but his performance under Nuss was significantly worse then his performance under Borges.

Tater

August 11th, 2015 at 4:23 PM ^

Don't scream, "Fuck Hoke;" scream, "Fuck David Brandon."

Brandon fucked Denard out of at least one Heisman when he fired RR.  He ruined any chance of Devin fulfilling his potential.  Harbaugh was smart enough to know he didn't want to work for Brandon.   Everything bad that has happened to the program in the last six years is because of David Brandon.  

The only good thing that happened during Brandon's tenure was when he "resigned," giving Michigan a serious chance at hiring Harbaugh.  

Hoke gets a free pass.  He was offered his "dream job" but then he found out it was a job as DB's sock puppet.  Hoke left in a classy manner.  He didn't pull a Carr and tell his kids to transfer, either.  He even went out of his way not to do that. 

Hoke was overwhelmed with bullshit.  But it was David Brandon's bullshit.

Above and Beyond

August 11th, 2015 at 3:57 PM ^

I'm putting my post here because I replied in the second thread about this topic and believe that one will get deleted since it was posted after this one.

 

I can see Devin's becoming a coach if he doesn't make it in the (overrated) NFL as a player. He should seriously consider becoming a graduate assistant somewhere and work his way up to being a coach a la Mike Hart. Clearly he will continue to try to get on an NFL roster, but I'm sorry to say that I just don't see it happening.

mgoblue0970

August 11th, 2015 at 9:53 PM ^

Uh... because Morris has started only two games, with shitty coaching, a poor game plan, a moron who left him in concussed, and an even worse offensive line.  

The sample size is too small I think to compare the two yet.

Come back in November and see if you still have the same take on Morris.

True Blue Grit

August 11th, 2015 at 4:41 PM ^

I'll always wonder what could have been with DG if the situation here had been a different reality for him - instead of the chaotic, f-ed up situation he had to go through with bad coaching decisions, no decent line to block for him, an offense ill-suited for him, no position switch, etc.   He did have his positive moments here though for sure, and for that I'm very grateful.  I'm also proud of the way he held himself.  No bitching or whining or talk of transfer.  He just did what he was asked and more, and got his bachelors degree in a little over 3 years, then masters.  I'm pretty darned sure he is going to be a big success whatever he does in the future. 

LBSS

August 11th, 2015 at 4:56 PM ^

Here's hoping he catches on with a team that's less stacked at WR. Pittsburgh is gonna score like a bajillion points this year.

UMProud

August 11th, 2015 at 5:01 PM ^

Hearing this really pisses me not only at Hoke for his utter lack of player development but Brandon also for hiring him!  Beating a dead horse I know...but if DG had stable & quality coaching during his college years I think he would have been better prepared for the NFL.

Poster below is right...Hoke AND Brandon should cough up some of their buyout cash.

MotownGoBlue

August 11th, 2015 at 5:09 PM ^

Though it would be great for DG to play in the NFL, I'm sure he'll be successful wherever his path takes him. Working with, whether it be teaching, coaching or mentoring youths, while giving back to the community, really seem to be his forte. Outside of football, I believe that's been his goal all along.