Post Draft: Who do you want at WR2 / X Receiver?

[skinsnut]

So, here's the dilemma if we sign no one.

Terry is the X #1 hands down.

Antonio Williams is a Rookie, and my guess will not start game one due to complexities of the position and reading defenses and having to make choice routes, one mistake in slot and its a pick 6, game over. So, safest start for him to play early is outside, but I doubt it.

Treylon Burks, another projection like Williams. He hasn't produced. Why? lack of separation. He "should" be a starting #2 Z. The reality, he is better as a red zone situational Z to box out and use his big frame to win, he is similar to a wide TE, so in a way a Deebo type without end around ability. I don't see him as a full field Z.
He does offer size for blocking. But if he is situational, that's an advantage for the defense.

Van Jefferson is the opposite of Burks in this way. He is a technician who never drops the ball, frankly, I bet he is the best hands and route guy we have other than Terry. He is dependable, but has limited separation skills, he is probably the best of the rest, at least technically. His only crime? He is 30. I see him as our most of the time Z receiver because he can do it all and is not limited, but the organization doesn't want that, because they hope to develop anyone else who is younger. But he could be the majority of the field Z until Antionio Williams can figure it out. Jefferson is an excellent backup in my eyes, but he is the safest bet to start at Z based on his track record. (Although he can play all 3)

Dyami Brown, well, he's a one trick pony deep threat who drops. Somehow, he hasn't learned the NFL route tree either. If you put him out there, the defense knows you are running him deep, likely to target others underneath. His limitations are severe unless a lightbulb goes off NOW. I can't see any team relying on him as a starter, end of game, down by 10? Sure, why not. Feast or famine, perpetual backup with high upside. But dang, how many years has he wasted not learning the basics? Sad.

McCafferty? Unsure, he seems to get open (against zone) he is a huge wildcard. Should he start? Probably not. He is leaning though, he is an ideal backup. But if he is Terry's backup foe more than 1 game, we're in trouble, since he seems to have a separation problem against man, the slot or Z is probably better, he needs to be schemes open. I like him, as a backup.

Jalen Layne- where are you? It says a lot. He seems destined to be a special teams guy, another that hasn't yet learned the NFL route tree, duh. Perhaps a slot type Dyami who never develops beyond his physical attributes. But he is new, so who knows. But he is buried on a depth chart of ok guys, so he better get special teams TDs

So this is what I see at #2 Z
They want it to be Burks, but it will be Jefferson with Burks subbing in on short yardage and red zone heavy package
Dyami only shows up when down by 2 scores.

The slot should be McCafferty. They will scheme him open, he is smart. Jefferson also schemed open with a lot of motion. Heck, Jefferson could occasionally be on the line and Terry off the line in motion too. I see that trio most of the time early.
Antonio Williams won't see the field initially, and if they do, they may try him outside instead if Jefferson (who has great hands)

I wouldn't be surprised if they put Burks in tight occasionally as a huge slot on 3rd and 5.

All this to say, we have players that have some attributes to play Z, but none have all of them, so we are bogged down with 3 roster spots for 1 dude.
Depth is pretty good, but when every wr is some sort of specialist, the defense knows what you are doing. That is what makes McClauren so great.
Route tree? Check, separation? Check, clutch hands? Check
No one else has this.
Antonio Williams has potential, but until we see it, he is a backup, no better than Lane was

The troubling part is the rumor about us using play action suggests we want to disguise what we are doing on offense. If we have specialists at WR, we are making ourselves easy to defend. Not only are we doing that at WR, but we are doing it at RB too. Which is why everyone wants Bill to learn to pass block and catch passes. We also have this issue at TE. Bates can block, but doesn't catch much for instance. Why are we wanting so much defensive flexibility to disguise what we are doing, but on offense put short yard RB, Bates and Burks in? I mean, duh, I know what is coming. Doesn't that defeat the concept of play action? Yes you may be able to get some separation with motion, but when Dyami is on there, they KNOW he is going deep or will drop it.
We need well rounded players that can do it all, looking at you Sinnot, and Rachaad White and Terry and our QB of course. Unless Bill can pass block and catch or if Fatty can catch a few. I think White may surprise out of scheme necessity