Potential

[IndyTrav]

With FA and good debates going, I've been seeing the word potential being thrown around a lot. I myself have used it (Justice signing) and others have as well (Garçon signing), and it's got me wondering what everyones opinion as to what potential means to them and and what point potential turns to reality. It seems in some cases potential is reached very quickly, sometimes even in players first seasons. Other times it takes years. And in some cases it takes both years and different teams. At what point do people say that potential has been reached? Or squandered? Is it different times for different positions?

It's such a hard thing to quantify. For every Brees, Michael Turner, there is a David Boston, or Freddie Mitchell (kinda Charger heavy there).

Me personally, I break it down by position, circumstances, and production. But I also like to use age (28 seems about right to me) but in some cases injury makes that harder to judge.

Who are some players that have reached potential late in there career? Who are some that have never reached it?

[MTC]

Would Matt Flynn count?

[Gavin]

Ricky Williams, while he showed flashes of greatness Ditka sure thought high on him as evidenced by the big trade of draft pick never really reached his true potential, Barry Sanders while an AWESOME back retired in his prime and was close to setting the all time record in yards before Emmit eventually did, I watch highlights of him on youtube to this day, do I really even have to mention Ryan Leaf?, Jamarcus Russel?