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Expectations, not the transition, are Wade's biggest enemy in the NFL
Christian Wade is currently surpassing all expectations in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills.
The former Wasps wing has caught the eye with a couple of explosive plays over the last two weeks of preseason, the first an excellent cutback run that went 65 yards for a touchdown, the second a short pass over the middle that Wade turned into a 45-yard reception.
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To be doing that, despite having no American football experience prior to this year, is a phenomenal achievement. He might be going up against third- and fourth-string players, but those are third- and fourth-string players who have spent their whole lives playing the sport.
Beyond the highlight plays, the transition doesn’t seem beyond Wade, who has coped well with pre-snap adjustments being made by the quarterback, including shifting to the other side of the line of scrimmage on a screen pass and a fake on a quarterback run, in his most recent game against the Carolina Panthers. You only need to look at the swathes of video coming out of Buffalo to see that his new teammates have certainly taken to him, too.
Very few people would have expected such a quick uptake from the 28-year-old and it certainly bodes well for his future in the sport, although the brakes have to be pumped ever so slightly.
Wade may very well be embarrassing some of these defenders with his footwork, speed and power, something that has translated well from his time in rugby, but these aren’t, for the most part, the NFL defenders that he’d be facing in the regular season if he were to make the cut and be a part of the 53-man roster.
Panthers defensive end and fellow Brit Efe Obada may have had his tongue in his cheek when he told Wade prior to the game that “if I was the [defensive] end, I would’ve closed”, but there is plenty of truth to it. In the regular season, with the first- and second-string players on the field, the game will be played at a higher tempo and the opponents that Wade would face would be bigger and faster.
? I would've stopped you
?? The banter between @EfeObadaUK & @ChristianWade3 ahead of their preseason game tonight!
? Watch the Battle of the Brits; @BuffaloBills vs @Panthers FREE on Game Pass at midnight! pic.twitter.com/b7oK1soRa5
— NFL UK (@NFLUK) August 16, 2019
You can only play the opposition that’s in front of you and Wade has so far excelled doing that, although the prospective jump in level of competition is certainly worth factoring in.
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Then you have to consider the complexity of the playbook that Wade needs to learn, and not just learn but become so comfortable with that his teammates can have complete faith in him that he will know all the intricacies of it, the adjustments that can be made and then has the ability to go out and execute the play. The early signs are promising, but that’s a gargantuan task for a rookie who’s been playing football throughout high school and college, let alone someone transitioning from an entirely different sport.
The two big plays that Wade has so far made were directly attributable to his footwork, physical skill and eye for space. That will take you a long way in the NFL, although opportunities like that won’t show up quite so regularly in the NFL regular season.
CHRISTIAN. WADE. ?#GoBills | #BUFvsCAR pic.twitter.com/XEPKMQaEhQ
— Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) August 17, 2019
As a result of those plays, however, expectations have been raised among everyone watching Wade’s journey and the hope now is to see him replicating that in the final 53-man roster, something which few suggested a couple of weeks ago. That is an awful burden to put on Wade’s shoulders.
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Firstly, Wade’s place on the International Player Pathway (IPP) guarantees him a practice squad spot in Buffalo. The Bills have a roster exemption for him that allows them to carry 11 practice squad members rather than the usual 10, but this is not something which also applies to the active roster of 53 that the franchise takes into the regular season.
To crack that 53 will be unbelievably difficult for the man from Slough. He may be dazzling among the backups right now, but when franchise quarterback Josh Allen is under center, can he pass protect like modern day NFL running backs have to? Can he stop a defensive end crashing into Allen’s blindside and, potentially, derailing the Bills’ season in the process?
The open field play has plenty of crossover from rugby, but Wade has no experience of a skill like blocking. These are things that don’t show up in preseason highlights, yet will be front and centre in the minds of head coach Sean McDermott and general manager Brandon Beane.
#Bills running back sensation Christian Wade said his teammates gave him grief about not following the right blocks despite his crazy 48-yard run!! He said he still feels like he’s living in a dream. #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/RmPJ9hhyf4
— Matt Parrino (@MattParrino) August 17, 2019
Then you have to look at the rivals Wade has at running back for a spot in the team.
LeSean McCoy is number one on the depth chart, with the former Philadelphia Eagle having rushed for over 1,000 yards in six NFL seasons and is a six-time Pro Bowler. Then comes the veteran Frank Gore, who currently has the fourth most rushing yards in NFL history and only needs 522 more this season to go beyond the legendary Barry Sanders.
Third on the chart is Devin Singletary, who was a third-round pick for the Bills in this year’s NFL Draft. It would take something dramatic for Singletary not to make the roster, as it is almost unheard of for franchises to dispense with a player who they have invested that high of a pick in before their first season even begins.
Then comes TJ Yeldon, a former second-round pick out of Alabama, Senorise Perry and Marcus Murphy, all before you get to Wade. The Bills will only likely take three backs into the regular season, although if a fourth can help out on special teams as a return specialist or a gunner, then there could be scope for more.
When you break it down like that, Buffalo is both a great and terrible landing spot for Wade in the league. There is a wealth of experience for him to tap into and learn from, although there is also a congested group of running backs ahead of him, all vying for snaps. Whilst Wade’s story is delighting fans on both sides of the Atlantic, the Bills are invested in Singletary as the future at running back.
Furthermore, for all the Bills’ faults in recent seasons, being running back-needy is not one of them. The most likely outcome at this point is almost certainly that the Bills cut Wade when it comes time to trim their squad down to 53 on August 31st, and then sign him to their practice squad on September 1st, where they will then stash him for the season and continue to develop him, with the hopes he is ready to feature on the active roster in the 2020 NFL season.
There is, however, one other route into a 53-man roster for the Englishman.
If he is cut at the end of preseason, the other 31 teams in the NFL will have a chance to claim him on waivers. If they’re lacking for speed or an x factor talent in their group of running backs, they might view Wade as a risk worth taking, or a late injury may have them scrambling for some depth in the backfield.
In his first football game ever. On his first NFL touch.
Former England rugby superstar Christian Wade just scored a 65-yard TD!!!@ChristianWade3 #INDvsBUF pic.twitter.com/4You01TFXz
— NFL (@NFL) August 9, 2019
Should one of the Bills’ running backs go down during the season and there are no free agents they like the look of, they could opt to promote a player from the practice squad to the active roster. Unfortunately for Wade, players on the IPP are ineligible from being activated during the season, so if he doesn’t make a roster at the end of preseason, he will have to wait until the 2020 season.
And waiting till the 2020 season shouldn’t be seen as some sort of disappointment.
Wade’s play so far has exceeded what all but the most optimistic – and possibly one-eyed – of rugby fans thought would happen in his first NFL preseason. His speed and footwork have translated to his new sport and he seems to be coping well with all the technical learning, such as how to carry the football, and the verbiage of an NFL playbook.
In an extremely challenging transition, Wade has delighted NFL and rugby fans alike, as well as represented his former sport particularly well on a very different stage.
His journey is an enormously exciting one, although expectations need to be tempered. Wade was walking and now he’s jogging, let’s not be too quick to demand he start sprinting.
Watch: The Rugby Pod react to the England Rugby World Cup squad.
Comments on RugbyPass
I wonder what impact Samson has had on their attack, as the team seems less prone to trundle it up the middle, take the tackle and then trundle it up again. I lost faith in the coach last year as the Rebelss looked like a 2nd/3rd rate South African team. I also disliked Gordon standing back, often ignored as the forward battle went on and on. Maybe its our Aussie way of not getting off our A***’s until the enemy is at the gate.
83 Go to commentsThanks for the write up. Great to see the Rebs winning, I am a little interested in how they will go against the remaining kiwi teams, I think they’ve only played Hurricanes and Highlanders but how great to see these players performing!! I also see Parling has a job beyond June 30! A good move by RA? Also how do you fix the Rebels previously scratchy defence?
83 Go to commentsbe smart - go black
13 Go to commentsNext week the Crusaders hopefully have Scott Barrett back. Will be great to have the captain back. Hopefully he will be the All Black captain as well.
12 Go to commentsExciting place to be for the young fella. I expected he was French Polynesian when I saw him included in the France 6N squad (after seeing him in NZs), and therefor be strong grounds we might loose him to rugby down here. Good, in that he is good enough to warrant such a profile, and from a journalism’s fan interaction aspect, to finally get a back ground story on the fella. Hope he has settled into NZ OK and that at least one rugby country will fit with him to help his development, which, if so, he should surely continue for a few years, and then that he can experience France to it’s fullest with a bit more maturity and less reliance on family than you would have at his current age. A good 3 or 4 years before he would be ready for International duty if he wanted to wait. Of course he already sounds good enough to accept a call up, and to cap himself, in the more immediate future (he’d have to be very very good in the case of the ABs), and he’ll get a great taste of that being with the Canes who have a bunch who are just a few years further into their career and looking likely Internationals themselves.
13 Go to commentsI remember towards the end of the original broadcasting deal for Super rugby with Newscorp that there was talk about the competition expanding to improve negotiations for more money - more content, more cash. Professional rugby was still in its infancy then and I held an opposing view that if Super rugby was a truly valuable competition then it should attract more broadcasters to bid for the rights, thereby increasing the value without needing to add more teams and games. Unfortunately since the game turned professional, the tension between club, talent and country has only grown further. I would argue we’re already at a point in time where the present is the future. The only international competitions that matter are 6N, RC and RWC. The inter-hemisphere tours are only developmental for those competitions. The games that increasingly matter more to fans, sponsors and broadcasters are between the clubs. Particularly for European fans, there are multiple competitions to follow your teams fortunes every week. SA is not Europe but competes in a single continental competition, so the travel component will always be an impediment. It was worse in the bloated days of Super rugby when teams traversed between four continents - Africa, America, Asia and Australia. The percentage of players who represent their country is less than 5% of the professional player base, so the sense of sacrifice isn’t as strong a motivation for the rest who are more focused on playing professional rugby and earning as much from their body as they can. Rugby like cricket created the conundrum it’s constantly fighting a losing battle with.
4 Go to commentsOh wow… “But as La Rochelle proved in winning in Cape Town this season, a cross-continental away assignment need not spell the end of days.” La Rochelle actually proved quite the opposite. After traveling to Cape town and back they (back-to-back and current champs) got mercilessly thumped the next week. If travel is not the reason, why else would a full-strength powerhouse like La Rochelle get dumped on their @r$e$ one week later?
26 Go to commentsYou know he can land a winning conversion after the full time siren is up. (Even if it takes two attempts.)
5 Go to commentsA very insightful article from Jake. I would love to know how South African’s feel about their move to Europe. Do you prefer playing in Europe or want to go back to Super Rugby?
4 Go to commentspure fire
1 Go to commentsA very well thought out summary of all the relevant complications…agree with your ”refer the Cricket Test versus 20/20 comparison”. More also definitely doesn't necessarily mean better!
4 Go to commentsMust be something when you are only 19 y.o and both NZ and France want you. Btw he wasn’t the only new caledonian in french U20 as Robin Couly also lived in Noumea until 17. Hope he’s successful wherever he chooses to play.
13 Go to comments“Several key players in the Stade Rochelais squad are in their thirties” South Africans are going to hate the implications of that comment!
5 Go to commentsI know Leinster did a job on La Roche but shortly after HT Leinster were 30-13 ahead of them and at a similar time Toulouse were trailing Exeter. At 60 mins Leinster were 27 ahead but after 67 mins Toulouse were only 19 ahead before Exeter collapsed. That’s heavier scoring by Leinster against the Champions. I think people are looking at Toulouses total a little too much. I also think Northhampton are in with a real chance, albeit I’d put Leinster as favourites. If Leinster make the final I expect them to win by more than ten and with control.
5 Go to commentsHey Nick, your match analysis is decent but the top and tail not so much, a bit more random. For a start there’s a seismic difference in regenerating any club side over a test team. EJ pretty much had to urinate with the appendage he’d been given at test level whereas club success is impacted hugely by the budget. Look no further than Boudjellal’s Toulon project for a perfect example. The set ups at La Rochelle and Leinster are like chalk and cheese and you are correct that Leinster are ahead. Leinster are not just slightly ahead though, they are light years ahead on their plans, with the next gen champions cup team already blooded, seasoned and developing at speed from their time manning the fort in the URC while the cream play CC and tests. They have engineered a strong talent conveyor belt into their system, supported by private money funnelled into a couple of Leinster private schools. The really smart move from Leinster and the IRFU however is maximising the Irish Revenue tax breaks (tax relief on the best 10 years earnings refunded at retirement) to help keep all of their stars in Ireland and happy, while simultaneously funding marquee players consistently. And of course Barrett is the latest example. But in no way is he a “replacement for Henshaw”, he’s only there for one season!!! As for Rob Baxter, the best advice you can give him is to start lobbying Parliament and HMRC for a similar state subsidy, but don’t hold your breath… One thing Cullen has been very smart with is his coaching team. Very quickly he realised his need to supplement his skills, there was talk of him exiting after his first couple of years but he was extremely shrewd bringing in Lancaster and now Nienaber. That has worked superbly and added a layer that really has made a tangible difference. Apart from that you were bang on the money… 😉😂
5 Go to commentsNot sure exactly what went wrong for him at Glasgow but it’s pretty clear he ain’t Franco’s cup of tea. Suspect he would have been better served heading out of Scotland around the same time as Finn, Hoggy and Jonny!
1 Go to commentsBulls disrespected the Northampton supporters and the competition. Decide quickly, fully in or out.
26 Go to commentsI wonder if Parling was ever on England’s radar as a coach? Obviously Borthwick is a great lineout coach, but I do worry he might be taking on too much as both head coach and forwards coach.
1 Go to commentsJason Jenkins has one cap. When Etzebeth was his age he had over 80 caps. Experience matters. He will never amount to what Etzebeth has because he hasn’t been developed as an international player.
2 Go to commentsSays much about the player picking this gig over the easier and bigger rewards offered to him in Japan. Also says a lot about the state sanctioned tax benefits the Irish Revenue offers pro rugby players, with their ten highest earning years subject to an additional 40% tax relief and paid as a lump sum, in cash, at retirement. Certainly helps Leinster line up the financial ducks in a row to fund marquee signings like this!!! No other union anywhere in world rugby benefits from this kind of lucrative financial sponsorship from their government…
5 Go to comments