SI.com - Gibbs, 'Skins feeling more comfortable

[Monksdown]

We didnt get in the red zone much. And when we did, Patrick looked for Cooley. And he would catch it. 6 times. The downside was obviously his yardage.
314 yards on 37 carries. For all starting tight ends, he ranked 21st in yardage. Behind the likes of Ben Troupe, Jerramy Stevens, and a gentleman that calls himself Kris Mangum. Wow, what a bad ass!

If Patrick remains at quarterback through the entire season, then Cooley has a good chance of catching more than 6 td's this year. As for yardage, if they dont make a concerted effort to involve him before we get knee deep in their 20, then he will continue to be an effective endzone threat, and nothing else.

If Patrick is not starting for one reason or another, then his numbers are a toss up.

P.S. He averaged less than 20 receiving yards a game.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Monksdown, I respectfully and strongly disagree with your assessment of Cooley.

First, Cooley didn't even PLAY in 3 games last season (that won't happen in 2005).

Second, Gibbs has expressly stated that he didn't realize just how good Cooley was until mid-way through the season. Expect Cooley to get much more work in 2005.

Third, in the first half of the season, Cooley had 10 catches for 87 yards. In the latter half of the season Cooley had 27 catches for 227 yards and 4 TDs. If Cooley just plays at the level that he did in the latter half of the season for all of next year (which is highly likely given how piss poor our passing offense was last year), he projects to score 8 TDs on 54 catches for 454 yards - that's a damn good season. That sort of season would put him behind only the likes of Gates, Gonzalez, and Witten.

[MTK]

Cooley had 37 catches as a rookie and wasn't even thrown to much until later in the year.

Personally I think he'll have no problem topping 50 catches this year as his role in the offense should only increase over last year.

He's got soft hands, he knows how to get open, and he's got decent enough speed and power after the catch.

[Monksdown]

Ramseyfan - I yield.

[Sheriff Gonna Getcha]

Originally Posted by Monksdown

Ramseyfan - I yield.

Trust me, I'll yield on many other occasions.

[CooleyAsCanBe]

Ahhhh...I love where this thread has gone. Needless to say I am a Cooley fan, but my bias is not the only reason I agree with Ramseyfan when I say his numbers will go up.

I believe the biggest factor that will lead to an improved year is his relationship with Ramsey. They are good friends and Cooley's sure hands made him an easier target than, say, fiddy-fiddy. The trust Ramsey has in Cooley moves him from a second or third option to a first or second option. That is even more true in the Red Zone.

I don't expect him to make the Pro Bowl, but I think he will steadily improve over the next few years.

[offiss]

Originally Posted by TAFKAS

Off the top of my head I can't think of any TEs who hit sophomore slumps after a great rookie year

Winslow jr., last year he at least played the pre-season.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by offiss

Winslow jr., last year he at least played the pre-season.

LOL...walked right into that one

[offiss]

Originally Posted by Daseal

I don't know. We need someone that can get it done in the Redzone, I really don't want to rely on old man Dyson for those duties. He's a good solid vet, but how many games has he missed in the last two years? I think McCants will be okay.

Daseal, I think our red zone problems were more of a team problem, rather than a big WR problem. Our WR's [from all that I can gather from what's coming out of camp this year] couldn't get any seperation last year, and the word is these guy's can, big time.

As for McCant's, the dyson signing is an indictment on what Gibbs thinks of McCants, he just doesn't like the guy, it sound's to me like McCant's is not a big effort guy, and for a coach who believes effort is synonymus with winning that's a big problem, I am a McCant's supporter, and believe he's far better than Dyson, and a particular favorite target of Ramsey's, he's a player who can make the big play's, but if he doesn't see the field it's all for not.

Gibbs has made some mistakes on personel since his return, he has conceeded that Betts is a much better back than he first thought, hopefully he will come around to McCants, or McCants will come around to him.

[offiss]

Originally Posted by Daseal

I know the crucifiction is coming, but I think Cooley may have a drop off this year. Not that he's not a great player but how many TEs have great rookie years then hit the sophmore slump once some film gets out on em, etc. I think he'll be productive, but I could see him being a bit more tightly covered next year. I think we should have at least one big target on the outside. it takes a long time for Cooley/Royal to get to where you'd throw a fade to.

Daseal, I don't believe he will be more tightly covered, in fact I believe he will have more room to rome, if indeed our WR's start pressuring the secondary the way Gibbs I believe intends, that will force more double coverage on the outside and leave more room in the middle. With that said if he does drop off it will be more so because Ramsey will be throwing more balls to the WR's rather than the TE's and H-back's.

From watching Cooley this kid is a very smart football player, and he's second to no one in the hand's department, he's a hard worker who strides to get better, I think we will see an over all better TE this season especially in the blocking department, and keep in mind he's at this point Ramsey's favorite target, which means plenty of balls to Cooley.