The Biggest Surprise of the Offseason

[mooby]

what the skins want for rod gardner is at least a fifth round pick. i wouldn't be suprised if nobody accepted those terms we trade him for a sixth or seventh round pick, i mean i want at least some value for the kid, like him or not, he could be a #2 wideout for some other team. i think it would be a dumb move because if we release him he might get picked up, given a great contract and all that and we get nothing. im sure there is a team out there willing to part with a seventh or sixth round pick.

[BossHog]

Royal was a great pickup coming out of LSU. And he has improved. It's starting to look like Gibbs and Co. don't know a rat's ass about scouting and drafting players to build a complete team. Gibbs was quoted saying he was looking for the next Antonio Gates but failed to draft a TE. The next hard lesson to be learned by Gibbs is that you can't turn a third string veteran WR into a pro bowl starter. Is this a sign for bad things to come?

[TheMalcolmConnection]

He DID look for the next Antonion Gates...

...and he got cut the next day. DOH.

[skinsguy]

I agree, I think Cooley is our "tight-end" even though he is an H-back. I keep thinking that Cooley could be moved to tight end but alot of people don't agree with me. What about the late round acquitions we got in the draft? And players we signed in the rookie mini-camp?

[jrocx69]

undrafted FA: William Palmer (ND) 6'3" 256
unrestricted FA: Billy Baber (TB) 6'4" 260
undrafted FA: Dave Kashetta (BC) released
unrestricted FA: Jabari Halloway (hold over from last season PS) 6'2" 262

[jrocx69]

Originally Posted by Ramseyfan

No, I'm not talking about Sean Taylor's recent arrest (I'm pretty much done with that until more information comes to light). I was convinced that the Redskins would acquire at least one free-agent tight-end and would draft another. Wow, I was wrong.

The major offseason moves are over and the only tight-end on our roster that is even worth talking about is Robert Royal (Cooley is an H-back). Robert Royal started to produce late in the season, but he's hardly a "quality" starting tight-end. Moreover, Royal is more of a pass-catching tight-end; not the prototypical Gibbs' TE.

Is anyone else as surprised as I am about the tight-end situation? What do people think will happen between now and the season-opener to improve our depth at tight-end? Does anyone know if any tight-ends of note on other teams might be released?

Billy Baber was a FA TE signed this year and as far as the draft we picked up two undrafted in Bill Palmer out of Notre Dame and Dave Kashetta out of Boston College. Dave Kashetta was released when we signed Warrick Holdman. Billy Baber should be a good edition, he blocks well and is ok with route running but especially good on ST's

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

I don't know anything about Baber or Palmer. Of course, I defer to Gibbs and his judgment about who's good enough to fill our roster and meet the needs of his schemes. Nevertheless, I am surprised about our lack of pursuit of a TE in the draft or free agency. I was absoltutely 100% convinced that we were going to get at least one new TE.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

If anyone wants to do some research on Baber and Palmer, please do so and post your results here. If your research results in anything interesting, I'll throw a reputation point your way!

[monk81]

Billy Baber, a third-year tight end who was most recently with the San Diego Chargers, was signed to the active Tampa Bay roster.
Baber, who entered the league as a fifth-round draft choice of the Chiefs in 2001, has spent most of his NFL career in Kansas City. After toiling on the practice squad as a rookie, he made the active roster the next two years and appeared in 29 games with two starts. Baber contributed three catches for 20 yards and a touchdown over those two seasons and also contributed heavily on special teams.

The 6-4, 260-pound Baber began this season on the Chiefs’ injured reserve list but was waived on November 2, which freed him to resume playing with any team other than Kansas City. He signed with San Diego a week later and spent three weeks on the Chargers’ roster before being waived on November 30.

Tight end Billy Baber signed a one-year contract with the San Diego Chargers, taking the roster spot of suspended backup fullback Andrew Pinnock.

Baber is in his fourth NFL season. He played in 29 games for the Kansas City Chiefs the last three seasons, making two starts. He began this season on the injured reserve list and was waived Nov. 2.


Dec 03, 2001, 8:26:00 AM
DEC 3 (morning)--Kansas City Chiefs President Carl Peterson announced on Monday that the club has promoted TE Billy Baber to the 53-man roster from the practice squad. Baber agreed to terms of a three-year deal. As per Chiefs policy, no further terms of the agreement were released.
Baber (6-3, 258) was originally joined the Chiefs as the first of their two picks in the fifth round (141st overall) in the 2001 NFL Draft. He was released at the conclusion of training camp, but was signed to the developmental squad on September 4th. He spent the first 11 weeks of the season on the practice squad before earning the promotion to the 53-man roster.

Baber joined the Chiefs from Virginia where saw duty in all 44 games (28 starts) during his four years. He finished his collegiate career with 54 receptions for 544 yards (10.1 avg.) with five touchdowns and was All-Atlantic Coast Conference honorable mention selection his final three years. In his final season on the Virginia campus he caught 18 passes for 216 yards (12.0 yards). He caught 17 passes for 118 yards and a career best four touchdowns as a junior.

A prep star at Western Albermarle High School in Virginia, he was a four-year starter at tight end and a two-year starter at defensive end. He was named Group AA All-State, All-Region, All-Jefferson District and All-Valley District as a senior when he caught 27 passes for 533 yards with 10 scores. He also collected 64 tackles and 8.0 sacks on defense.

[monk81]

Y'all will love this.......Billy Palmer, is former Giants QB Jesse Palmer of the infamous tv show "THE BACHELOR" Show..........

Palmer's brother Billy, a tight end at Notre Dame, warned him never to use the words "chemistry" or "connection" during the show.

Other info.........



Billy Palmer

Class:
Senior

Hometown:
Wyntree Heathrow, FL

High School:
Lake Highland Prep

Height / Weight:
6-3 / 256

Position:
Tight End

Birthdate:
01/27/1981








The returning starter at tight end ... had an excellent spring practice ... appears primed for a big year in his final season with the Irish in 2004 ... was the primary starter at tight end last season ... has earned two monograms with the Irish ... was selected in the 2004 Canadian Football League Draft by the British Columbia Lions, who claimed CFL rights to him when his Notre Dame career is completed ... a tough, hard-nosed player who has made major strides towards becoming a complete player over the last year ... made a one-handed grab of a Brady Quinn pass for a 30-yard gain in the 2004 Blue-Gold Game ... grew up as a rugby and hockey player in his native Canada and is still learning the game ... equally valuable as a blocker or receiver ... comes from a football family as his father played in the Canadian Football League and his brother, Jesse, plays quarterback for the New York Giants ... his brother starred this past spring in the ABC television series, "The Bachelor".

2003 (SENIOR): Played in all 12 games and started nine contests ... made one catch for 13 yards on the season ... was credited with four tackles (three solos) on special teams ... ascended into the starting job due to Gary Godsey's knee injury ... asserted himself as a great blocking tight end ... also played extensively on special teams ... served as a game captain for the first time versus Michigan State ... made his only catch of the season against the Spartans, a 13-yard catch ... served as a game captain for the Boston College game ... played 173:14 (most of any Irish tight end) and made 132 special teams appearances on the season.

2002 (JUNIOR): Played in all 13 games (started once) as a reserve tight end and on special teams ... made one catch for four yards on the season, that reception coming against Navy ... made first career start versus Southern California as the Irish opened the game with two tight ends ... played 81:28 and made 97 special teams appearances on the season.

2001 (SOPHOMORE): Saw action in one game (Navy) ... did not have a catch ... played 2:01 on the season.

2000 (FRESHMAN): Did not see game action at tight end for the Irish in 2000.

HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Lake Highland Prep in Orlando, Fla. ... helped lead the team to a 9-2 mark in 1999 as a senior, catching eight passes (one for a touchdown) while playing tight end, defensive end and offensive guard ... made more than 50 tackles and eight sacks as a defensive end in 1999 ... captain of his team as a senior ... a two-time all-league pick who won all-state honors as a senior ... grew up in Canada where his father, Bill, played in the Canadian Football League (linebacker and punter for four different teams) with former Irish athletic director Mike Wadsworth after playing collegiately at Bowling Green ... played tackle with former Irish All-America center Jeff Faine in 1998 at Seminole (Fla.) High School before transferring to Lake Highland Prep ... as a sophomore, he played football for a Canadian club team called Myers Riders ... a standout rugby player at St. Pius X High School in Canada ... chosen to the Team Canada under-18 national rugby squad in 1998, but did not compete because his family moved to Florida ... selected for the Florida-Georgia all-star football game and the all-Central Florida all-star game ... second oldest of three children ... born Jan. 27, 1981, in Ottawa, Ontario ... full name is William John Luke Palmer ... enrolled in Mendoza College of Business, majoring in marketing and economics.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Thanks MONK81!