The LRZ tracker thread (/general IPP thread)

[TommiG88]

Surprised no one has commented.

He looked cool as **** with his bryllcream look and drinking from a Gatorade cup at the weekend on the sideline at the weekend

 

[ChicagoKid]

2 cents. Wade had a significantly higher chance of making an NFL roster than LRZ.

 

[Groundhog]

Apparently Aaron Sexton of Ulster is going to try the International Player Pathway.

Broke records in the 100 and 200m as a schoolboy, but really hasn't made it happen in rugby.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Apparently Aaron Sexton of Ulster is going to try the International Player Pathway.

Broke records in the 100 and 200m as a schoolboy, but really hasn't made it happen in rugby.

Bit of an odd one - 25 by the time next season roles round, doesn't seem (on paper) particularly big

Maybe has an eye on a special teams role like how Kansas used LRZ? Essentially wanting a fast guy who can also tackle well, as the new rules encourage recieving teams to run it back


On LRZ: talk that he's getting released when Jaguars season is done (so about 2 months ago lol) - be interesting to see if he sticks it out in America/anyone else takes a punt on him because he won't be eligible for IPP spot anymore (I think? Think it only lasts for one year?)

 

[Groundhog]

Bit of an odd one - 25 by the time next season roles round, doesn't seem (on paper) particularly big

Maybe has an eye on a special teams role like how Kansas used LRZ? Essentially wanting a fast guy who can also tackle well, as the new rules encourage recieving teams to run it back


On LRZ: talk that he's getting released when Jaguars season is done (so about 2 months ago lol) - be interesting to see if he sticks it out in America/anyone else takes a punt on him because he won't be eligible for IPP spot anymore (I think? Think it only lasts for one year?)

Yeah, will be trying for a kickoff/returner role basically. He will go into the IPP so ok chance he makes a random practice squad briefly. I’d say he will be billed as a WR. Genuinely rapid human being, but think he’s had some injuries. Curious to see his 40 time next summer.

Really I think he knows his rugby career is a non-starter so wants to take a (long)shot at something else and have some fun doing the IPP thing, combine etc. Even if he doesn’t make it, it’s a bit of an experience.

 

[irisht]

Apparently Aaron Sexton of Ulster is going to try the International Player Pathway.

Broke records in the 100 and 200m as a schoolboy, but really hasn't made it happen in rugby.

going nowhere up north.

seems a desperate move.

 

[Welsh Exile]

Bit of an odd one - 25 by the time next season roles round, doesn't seem (on paper) particularly big

Maybe has an eye on a special teams role like how Kansas used LRZ? Essentially wanting a fast guy who can also tackle well, as the new rules encourage recieving teams to run it back


On LRZ: talk that he's getting released when Jaguars season is done (so about 2 months ago lol) - be interesting to see if he sticks it out in America/anyone else takes a punt on him because he won't be eligible for IPP spot anymore (I think? Think it only lasts for one year?)

I had a dream the other day that we had LRZ on one wing and IFW on the other.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I had a dream the other day that we had LRZ on one wing and IFW on the other.

The "if Gatland had got Andy Farrell after he'd worked with him on a winning Lions tours" dream.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I had a dream the other day that we had LRZ on one wing and IFW on the other.

Still lost though I imagine

 

[dirty harry]

Speaking to a big NFL guy I used to work with, who is still based in New York (well technically New Jersey) who claims LRZ is done.

Jags fancy beating the Titans and Colts upcoming, no chance they'll risk a newbie against 2 teams they've already beaten.

His IPP dream is all but over unless he gets an offer in the new year, which to be fair isn't unthinkable because of his potential marketability (which is pretty much the point of the IPP).

Interesting to see what he does in January though

 

[dirty harry]

So little update if anyone is interested...

Jaguars season is over, LRZ as predicted failed to register any game time, probably expected by his team also tbh, however there are some interesting happenings...

- Jags head coach has just been sacked. Good news bad for LRZ. Although LRZ was brought in on a commercial reason, Pederson didn't fancy him.
Bad news, LRZ will have to learn all new plays if he stays, good news is whatever happens he will have to learn new playback lol.

- GM Baalke has kept his job, a touch surprising. GM brought LRZ in, and my be more influential in his utilisation with a new head coach, especially a younger one.


- LRZ was the only wide receiver not to play this season. The other 7 were all given gametime in a struggling team with an injured QB. It seems Jags used a lot of their squad in general.

- Rumour has it there is an offer in the works from another NFL team, who will use the off season to camp him. Problem with this is 2 fold.
- He will have to now sit and wait for that offer, and if its from a team still involved it will take some time.
- Even if there is an offer, it will be of a summer program only, with no guarantee at the end of it. Meaning he will wait until March for an offer to arrive, start April camp and then hope in 3 months there's an offer at the end of the rainbow.

My conclusion, this is a tough decision. It really will depend on how determined he is to make it to the NFL. Will he throw away a Lions year, for a summer camp?

He spoke previously about this being a multi year plan, but went straight from that to 'I'm best friends with Mahone' attitude.

I'm genuinely conflicted as to what will happen, and I genuinely think it will depend on the family's current lifestyle, his dad is a huge influence, and if they are all enjoying life, and LRZ is happy to go for it for another year then he'll wait. If however, the idea of a return, Lions tour seems a safer option than sitting and waiting, we'll I'm sure Gats and a number of clubs are waiting... if not in contact already!

 

[stus768]

So little update if anyone is interested...

Jaguars season is over, LRZ as predicted failed to register any game time, probably expected by his team also tbh, however there are some interesting happenings...

- Jags head coach has just been sacked. Good news bad for LRZ. Although LRZ was brought in on a commercial reason, Pederson didn't fancy him.
Bad news, LRZ will have to learn all new plays if he stays, good news is whatever happens he will have to learn new playback lol.

- GM Baalke has kept his job, a touch surprising. GM brought LRZ in, and my be more influential in his utilisation with a new head coach, especially a younger one.


- LRZ was the only wide receiver not to play this season. The other 7 were all given gametime in a struggling team with an injured QB. It seems Jags used a lot of their squad in general.

- Rumour has it there is an offer in the works from another NFL team, who will use the off season to camp him. Problem with this is 2 fold.
- He will have to now sit and wait for that offer, and if its from a team still involved it will take some time.
- Even if there is an offer, it will be of a summer program only, with no guarantee at the end of it. Meaning he will wait until March for an offer to arrive, start April camp and then hope in 3 months there's an offer at the end of the rainbow.

My conclusion, this is a tough decision. It really will depend on how determined he is to make it to the NFL. Will he throw away a Lions year, for a summer camp?

He spoke previously about this being a multi year plan, but went straight from that to 'I'm best friends with Mahone' attitude.

I'm genuinely conflicted as to what will happen, and I genuinely think it will depend on the family's current lifestyle, his dad is a huge influence, and if they are all enjoying life, and LRZ is happy to go for it for another year then he'll wait. If however, the idea of a return, Lions tour seems a safer option than sitting and waiting, we'll I'm sure Gats and a number of clubs are waiting... if not in contact already!

Surely lions tour ain’t gonna happen even if he came back now?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Maybe this is why Bath released Grace

I imagine at this stage LRZ will wait until next season to make a decision. Seems unlikely that he'll make it in the NFL but the chances of him making another training squad, while slim, aren't zero
Hes probably made enough from the training squad salary plus the new endorsements that he doesn't need to rush into a decision right now

 

[dirty harry]

Surely lions tour ain't gonna happen even if he came back now?

Is there a glutton of world class wingers around right now?

Van der Merwe, Keenan, Freeman, Graham, Lowe, Hansen, Dyer...

not exactly a group that sets the world alight, van der Merwe, the best of the bunch, is a unit, but gets exploited in defence.

I think LRZ would stand a pretty good shout ait.t.

 

[dirty harry]

Maybe this is why Bath released Grace

I imagine at this stage LRZ will wait until next season to make a decision. Seems unlikely that he'll make it in the NFL but the chances of him making another training squad, while slim, aren't zero
Hes probably made enough from the training squad salary plus the new endorsements that he doesn't need to rush into a decision right now

Or Arundell...

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

LRZ will do another season

 

[TRF_Olyy]

LRZ will do another season

Doesn't he lose his free-spot eligibility after one year, though?
So now he's fully competing against college grads and released pros

Then again Alex Gray did two (or three?) seasons on a practise squad and wasn't anything special

 

[stus768]

Is there a glutton of world class wingers around right now?

Van der Merwe, Keenan, Freeman, Graham, Lowe, Hansen, Dyer...

not exactly a group that sets the world alight, van der Merwe, the best of the bunch, is a unit, but gets exploited in defence.

I think LRZ would stand a pretty good shout ait.t.

But he won’t have enough time to get back into high level rugby. Let alone play any international games.

 

[Groundhog]

Doesn't he lose his free-spot eligibility after one year, though?
So now he's fully competing against college grads and released pros

Then again Alex Gray did two (or three?) seasons on a practise squad and wasn't anything special

Nah not a one year thing I'm almost certain. If anything they're trying to encourage every team to use international spots. Whereas they selected certain teams to be eligible for an international player slot on the practice squad in the past they have now expanded it so any team can use this slot now.

Basically any international player qualifies for that free practice squad spot. The definition of an international player is basically a non-American who played less than two years of high school football, so not very restrictive. They don't even have to have come through the IPP thing that LRZ did, the teams can scout their own people if they want.

LRZ will probably get another year, he got taken straight off waivers by the Jags because of their UK connections. It's absolutely zero risk for a team to stash him in the practice squad. I have zero dog in this fight, but he has by no definition failed, this was always going to be his trajectory. He was never in a month of Sundays going to play a regular season game for an NFL team.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

That's what I get for believing angry people in the WalesOnline replies on twitter for my NFL knowledge