Camp Battles- The journey to 53

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

His only contribution to the team is as a punt returner and he's injured half the time. He's so small and fragile his NFL career will be no more than 4 years, if that. He's not worth the roster spot, not at the expense of another player who will be able to contribute on special teams and offense or defense for years to come.

Even if you're arguing that Niles Paul should have a bigger impact than Banks, I think any player (exception to Banks) who can't crack our top five receivers isn't in the long term plans anyway. So as a sixth receiver punt returning specialist who has little long term upside, Banks is exactly the kind of player you keep in that spot over a ninth lineman anyway.

It's not Niles Paul vs. Brandon Banks, it's the Erik Cook/Mo Hurt loser vs. Banks. Because they didn't keep nine linemen last year (they almost did, but they were a lot deeper last year), you can probably figure out which way they are going there.

The problem with the way the roster as constructed is that theres too many veterans at receiver to keep anyone who should be kept. Stallworth could always get Armstrong's spot as the 3rd WR, but assuming that he doesn't have all that realistic of a shot to take that, he was essentially forced off the roster at the point when we signed Moss and traded for Gaffney. Hankerson is a lock. And Austin is probably the 5th guy. If Paul is more in the long term plans than Austin, I have no doubt he'll make the roster over him, and TA will be a surprise cut. But because I'm not convinced there is a long term plan for Paul, I can't see him making the roster w/o an injury to Austin or Armstrong.