Our WRs in 2009... My Thoughts

[MTK]

So Devin Thomas needs to get away from football for a while huh. Wow, not good to hear at all. I understand that all players need a break after the season, but this guy better grow up quick. We need him to be working his ass off this offseason. Anyone remember the little comments that JC and Cooley made at times last year about guys not working hard? I'm convinced they were talking about Thomas now.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

So Devin Thomas needs to get away from football for a while huh. Wow, not good to hear at all. I understand that all players need a break after the season, but this guy better grow up quick. We need him to be working his ass off this offseason. Anyone remember the little comments that JC and Cooley made at times last year about guys not working hard? I'm convinced they were talking about Thomas now.

They were actually talking about Anthony Mix...though they may have also been talking about Thomas

[MTK]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

They were actually talking about Anthony Mix...though they may have also been talking about Thomas

JC made some comments pretty recently though long after Mix was outta here.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

JC made some comments pretty recently though long after Mix was outta here.

Oh, missed those. Thought you were talking about their comments during training camp

[SBXVII]

I would suggest, dare I say, bring back Maurice Mann, Mix (yes I said Mix), McMullen, and go grab Marcus Monk (since he was cut by the Giants) and ...hire a more knowledgable WR's coach and work these guys as well as Thomas and Kelly's butts off and let them know Moss and ARE are on the team the rest of the positions are available for them if they can prove themselves. Then I would invite any undrafted WR's to come and show case their talent. If we are keeping 6-7 WR's on the team then work them to death over the off season and hopefully they work out.

Mix ...I would advise to lose weight and work his ass off. Maybe it's just the working part he doesn't like but working out might lose the weight for him.

[44Deezel]

Was Antonio Bryant available last year? He was a beast for Tampa Bay and they only had to pay the veteran minimum to get him. A guy like him is all the Skins needed last year. I know he's had his issues, but if they got him they could have used their picks to beef up the lines.

Just a thought.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by 44Deezel

Was Antonio Bryant available last year? He was a beast for Tampa Bay and they only had to pay the veteran minimum to get him. A guy like him is all the Skins needed last year. I know he's had his issues, but if they got him they could have used their picks to beef up the lines.

Just a thought.

We should have gotten Bryant instead of Lloyd. Al Saunders' biggest mistake in the NFL to date.

[Meks]

package EL & BETTS in a trade for draft picks.

and heavily pursue TJ

[SBXVII]

44Deezel, I agree with everything you said in your earlier post. Your #3 was in regards to the RB's being used to catch balls. I was confused the whole time Gibbs was here and was slightly confused this year as to why we didn't use it more. Especially with teams like the Giants who have a good D-line and pass rush with their LB's. I could not figure out why we were not running the RB around to get behind the LB's and throw a short pass to them and allow them to gain YAC.

Your #4 was in refernce to having a 2-3 back system. We already have 3 backs. I for one don't understand why we didn't use more split formations or off set formations. We mostly used I-formation and it was with Sellers or Cooley as a lead blocker. When we did use split or off set formations they stayed in the back field and blocked.

You also mentioned this:
The Skins had less pass interference calls than any other team in the league and couldn't outscore the first team to go 0-16. Maybe if Zorn gave Campbell the green light to take more chances, he would be more willing to throw into tight coverage. This would solve his problem of holding onto the ball too long. Single coverage is open in the NFL.

The bottom line is that the wide receivers aren't the problem. Most of the biggest and baddest receivers in the game will be sitting this year's Super Bowl out while a guy like Ricky Sanders or Deion Brach could very well be the difference maker.

I really don't know why we didn't try and go long more often. I felt it might create some situations where we would get pass interference call pushing us closer to the goal line.

You mentioned that we had small WR's in Gibbs first term...ie; the smurfs. I recall those years. I truely believe we don't need any tall WR's but they are nice to have. Keep in mind we probably had one of the best WR's coach in those days. Hixon was pulled from the college ranks by Gibbs. He was liked cause he did so well in the college ranks. I have no problem with them trying him and if he has done more then he has I would be defending him, but he has not. I feel it's time to move on from that expierment and get a qualified WR's coach. I totaly agree with you in regards to Lloyd and Patten. Then there has been all the WR's we have picked up from the draft usually late round and probably would not amount to much anyway but Hixon should have been able to find a servicable WR in the 5 yrs he's been here to develope. He has not. All go on the practice squad and then get let go. Our best WR's are Moss, ARE and Thrash. All three trained elsewhere prior to coming here. I think thats the ony reason they are any good. I'm not sure if it's the way Hixon is wanting them to run their routes or his lack of coaching them to get open and get the ball but we have had problems since he has been here. We keep hearing how our WR's can't get open, can't get off the line, don't run good routes, screw up the routes, and forget their assignments. I honestly believe thats a reflection of the position coach, Hixon. I think Zorn needs to bring someone else in that has talent in developing WR's and building QB/WR combinations. I really don't care who it is but we have no WR's worth a darn waiting in the wings because of lack of develpement and the WR's we do have show lack of production. Time for a change.

[SirClintonPortis]

Reid throws all the time at the goal line and third and short because he has no power running game. There was that debacle earlier in the season where the opposing defense had a goal line stand because he called to run plays in a row and couldn't get in.

[shack]

Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina.

As bad as we need help on both lines of scrimmage, I've seen this guy play all year and he's a bona fide play maker. Looks like a young T.O. with better hands. This guy runs like a deer, had 68 catches -1222 yards - 18.0 average per reception - and 12 touch downs last season, his junior year.

I covet him for the burgundy and gold.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by shack

Hakeem Nicks, WR, North Carolina.

As bad as we need help on both lines of scrimmage, I've seen this guy play all year and he's a bona fide play maker. Looks like a young T.O. with better hands. This guy runs like a deer, had 68 catches -1222 yards - 18.0 average per reception - and 12 touch downs last season, his junior year.

I covet him for the burgundy and gold.

He's a freak for sure. Too bad we blew our wad on pass catchers last season.

[The Goat]

Gonna sound a little corny but I think the WR situation @ Redskins Park requires some very effective communication. First to Thomas. WTF "i'm a rookie who got drafted earlier than I should have but now want to take a break from the game." The entire braintrust from Danny/Vinny to Zorn/Hixon (or whoever should replace Hixon) ought to sit him down and thoroughly make a psych evaluation. If DT is really "burnt out" and unwilling to totally commit to a rigorous offseason working w/ JC (who we all know will spend the time) and commit to OTAs etc... then I honestly believe we ought to cut him yesterday and go get someone. Whatever potential he's got, which may be elite for all we know, won't mean shit unless he works hard, based on his struggles w/ routes/playbook/everything thus far. Pretty simple IMO.

Kelly's situation is different because it requires frankness with/from the medical staff and trainers. If his knees look like the degenerative type one has to seriously question whether he's worth the massive investment of time/resources for what would be a short career. Or maybe his knees are healing and he'll be ready. The powers that be have to know for sure and make some wise decisions on Kelly.

Davis looks more promising IMO than his two colleagues at this point, though the braintrust probably needs to consistently communicate (maybe demand) effort in the offseason and OTAs.

I think WR looks more precarious now than it has in several years. The best 16 or so defenses seem to have our number when Moss/El are on the field together. New talent seems essential and our best two roster prospects have huge question marks looming.

While I don't think anything will ever come of it, if by chance Thomas and Kelly are draft busts there would no longer be a reasonable argument for Vinny C keeping his job (or probably any job with any franchise for that matter). But like I said, he's got nothing to worry about.

[44Deezel]

Originally Posted by The Goat

Gonna sound a little corny but I think the WR situation @ Redskins Park requires some very effective communication. First to Thomas. WTF "i'm a rookie who got drafted earlier than I should have but now want to take a break from the game." The entire braintrust from Danny/Vinny to Zorn/Hixon (or whoever should replace Hixon) ought to sit him down and thoroughly make a psych evaluation. If DT is really "burnt out" and unwilling to totally commit to a rigorous offseason working w/ JC (who we all know will spend the time) and commit to OTAs etc... then I honestly believe we ought to cut him yesterday and go get someone. Whatever potential he's got, which may be elite for all we know, won't mean shit unless he works hard, based on his struggles w/ routes/playbook/everything thus far. Pretty simple IMO.

Kelly's situation is different because it requires frankness with/from the medical staff and trainers. If his knees look like the degenerative type one has to seriously question whether he's worth the massive investment of time/resources for what would be a short career. Or maybe his knees are healing and he'll be ready. The powers that be have to know for sure and make some wise decisions on Kelly.

Davis looks more promising IMO than his two colleagues at this point, though the braintrust probably needs to consistently communicate (maybe demand) effort in the offseason and OTAs.

I think WR looks more precarious now than it has in several years. The best 16 or so defenses seem to have our number when Moss/El are on the field together. New talent seems essential and our best two roster prospects have huge question marks looming.

While I don't think anything will ever come of it, if by chance Thomas and Kelly are draft busts there would no longer be a reasonable argument for Vinny C keeping his job (or probably any job with any franchise for that matter). But like I said, he's got nothing to worry about.

RE: Thomas. Where are the leaders on this team? Imagine if the Ravens used a second round pick on a linebacker who said he needed a break. What do you think Ray Lewis would do? Think the coaches would need to sit that guy down?

Who's our high-paid veteran leader on offense? Portis? Please.

[The Goat]

Originally Posted by 44Deezel

RE: Thomas. Where are the leaders on this team? Imagine if the Ravens used a second round pick on a linebacker who said he needed a break. What do you think Ray Lewis would do? Think the coaches would need to sit that guy down?

Who's our high-paid veteran leader on offense? Portis? Please.

Excellent point. You're right about CP on leadership. As much as I admire him as a pure baller he is not a real leader. JC is becoming the leader on offense from what I see, but with DT being a WR it should be Moss (or maybe ARL) to straighten him out. I wonder if either vet has really tried to mentor him in a serious way and how he's responded.

To answer your question about what Lewis would do... bad things man, bad things.