modern offensive trends & our #2 WR next year

Legs is one of the best route runners on our team, unfortunately. He's a good possession guy, underrated. I'd like to see him in camp and compete, and let the best guys take that spot, but ultimately, I want him back.

 

Teams like those have Manning, Brady, Brees and Rodgers. We drafted Newton and we saw how things opened up for us.

I think Jeffrey and Floyd are worth keeping an eye on, they fit the kinda WR Chud had at SD and the kinda guy we need, a red zone target like Jeffrey id have taken right now this time last year.

SC had some major issues at QB with Garcia, Jeffrey suffered because of that. I hear alot of rumblings about people calling him fat and stuff, i dont see it but i havent followed them alot this year. Didnt Lattimore go down early too?

I think Jeffrey is gonna be one of those guys that makes a better pro, he has the body type and ability to be great. His long stride gives him deceptive speed. He did a number on Nebraska #1 rated CR and Kirkpatrick too if i remember rightly.

 

Steve Smith is not getting any younger. That should probably be considered when looking at WRs. Without him our WR corps looks pretty sad.

 

I see both sides of the coin. I agree with the original intent of the thread that a modern offense excels with multiple threats. Also as Thelt says, Steve Smith won't last forever as awesome as he is.

However, I'm kind of stoked about what Gettis will do next year. Hell, he looked good with Jimmy fucking Clausen throwing the ball, can only imagine what it might be like with Newton and a real (not fromunda) offense. I realize he's still a wild card, but still.

I'd love to add more talent there, but really, unless it's Blackmon, I'm not sure it helps us a whole lot.

 

Nope, he blows. Way overrated and rightfully falling down draft boards due to poor conditioning and a lack of quickness.

 

Watched Jeffrey play a few games (TV), I couldn't see why he was so hyped.

 

I do like the critical analysis and the work put in. I recently did something similar for DL on my own nonsense.

I just don't agree. If the ideal is "WR ability in a vacuum", then absolutely. Naanee, for instance, really needs to be improved on, if the idea is that any WR needs to be able to do anything. If you want him to do what he does (short to intermediate, and blocking), he's good at those things, but has to get better at anything else (it's odd, because he has good speed).

LaFell and Gettis should, barring complications, both be good everything type WRs. Not great, but good, and improving. You have Smith, and if something happens to him, the concern is deep threat, and you have Pilares and Edwards there, along with Gettis and Lafell being deceptively good there.

This isn't a two-WR offense, this isn't Panthers 06 or 08-09. Look at other Coryell teams - SD, Chi, Dal, etc - you have, even when there are two good WR, a lot of guys getting the ball. When there aren't two good guys, you still have a wide distribution.

There will always be three or more WR in and out, two above average TE in and out, and two backs that will get pass reps. An upgrade at WR is useful but with the above players (even taking out a 3rd WR or its touches), you're talking about five touches a game on average, maybe ten where it legitimately matters that you upgraded total.

If this was either of the two schemes we initiated before - Davidson's, or Henning's weird Coryell, you wouldn't have backs catching. You'd have a big distribution to one or two WR and a lot more base O. You'd have a more legitimate need for two do-it-all guys and a lot less need for role players who can do these two or three things in situations.

The Smith thing is a legitimate concern, long term, but in the short term we need a lot more on defense. A different circumstance, and it'd be warranted, but even then at best we would be putting a 2 into it (I don't think Floyd or Jeffery are impactful enough at 8/9, but Jeffery will slide long term). And I'd prefer not at that point, either. If it's a huge issue, and we don't get anything out of our guys, you do that in 2013.

 

first of all, i think you're stretching things a bit about what we have behind Smitty

secondly, this is a decent point and something to ponder on.

Defense is an issue ... but i think it more a matter of filling a couple of big holes rather than a wholesale upgrade.


As to WR:

1) not good to have all your eggs in one basket. Smitty goes on IR early in the season, and the passing game becomes very difficult

2) Smitty is great and all but we could use a couple of guys that can really get up in the air and get it in the endzone. Been noticing that alot of teams are now throwing the high ball in the endzone i presume because if they overthrow it, it doesn't lead to an INT like it probably would in the middle of the field. Seems to be extremely tuff to defend when you have WRs that can really get up in the air.

3) How many times did Cam end up going to Legs at a critical point in the game only to see him make a valiant yet unsuccessful attempt at catching the ball. (Seems to me it was every other game). Cam likes to spread it. You have always been a big advocate of the need to spread. Seems logical then we need a really good option at 2. Someone besides Smitty that can make that awesome catch.

4) In an earlier post, I stated that I thought it would be good to get a good young WR to develop with Cam. But in reflection, I'm think I'm going to change my tune. Unless, you can get a Calvin Johnson / AC Green type of player I think Cam would develop better with a veteran that ain't making rookie mistakes. Doesn't sound like that type of WR will be available to us in this draft, so I now say grab a stud in FA at WR and draft D (hopefully along the line)(plus, I gotta believe that a lot of WRs around the league would jump at the chance to play for Cam now that they have seen what he can do). If not, probably OL. I would have no problem drafting a G with the first pick if he's a Mike Munchak type of player (I would love to see us can the option play and be able to run with our RBs). Don't want to draft a D player that's not already a beast and we are saying he's got "a lot of upside."

 

At this point, I think our defense is so bad... it'd be easier to add more to the offense to keep up