Why Did We Draft Fred Davis?

[SolidSnake84]

I dont think the skins ever had a plan for Fred Davis at any point....

[CRedskinsRule]

Originally Posted by 30gut

I'm with you on that brotha, for a team that's as limited as WR as we are it makes no sense to have a starting caliber TE and only have targeted him 13 times that Sellers, Torrain and Keiland Williams have more 23, 17, 15 targets respectively. There's no way way a Fred Davis should have less targets then those guys.
Fred Davis is being criminally underused by Kyle.

It's hardly fair to compare your starting FB, RB and 3rd Down backs catches to the 2nd string TE's. The 3 guys you mentioned are on the field based on down and distance, and have other specific roles, and as such are dual threats at least. For FD to get on the field the play needs to be drawn up specifically to utilize a 2 TE set.

Further, FD was targeted twice on two point conversions and missed both, and I still remember a long pass play that he was targeted, don't remember the game, just that it was a sure TD if he catches it.

Could we be using him more, maybe, but I don't see that as the main reason our offense seems stagnant. Right now, I think we can be thankful to have at least one position where our depth is our strength. If he plays more fine, but at least if Cooley goes down, we know we aren't restricted when the backup goes in.

Don't take this to mean FD should never get targets, just that when he does get them he has to make the play. If he does that more targets will come.

[MTK]

He had a couple of chances in the red zone against the Lions on 2 pt conversions and couldn't come up with either one. Gotta make the most of his opportunities to earn more time.

Rumors are that he's struggled in picking up this offense, much like he did with Zorn. There's also talk that he lacks focus when he's not 'the man'.

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by drew54

Especially at TE while ignoring OL and WR in the draft for 10 years, even when they are a position of greater need.

We have not ignored WR, we just haven't drafted that position well:

2001: 1st round - Rod Gardner
2003: 2nd round - Taylor Jacobs
2008: 2nd round - Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly

Plus

2003: Free Agent - L. Coles
2005: Trade - Santana Moss

If any of the 4 WR's drafted in the first two rounds had become bonafide starters, we would have a decent WR situation with Moss still playing at a relatively high level.

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

He had a couple of chances in the red zone against the Lions on 2 pt conversions and couldn't come up with either one. Gotta make the most of his opportunities to earn more time.

Rumors are that he's struggled in picking up this offense, much like he did with Zorn. There's also talk that he lacks focus when he's not 'the man'.

His lack of focus protecting the right edge for the FG unit allowed the Texans to block a chip shot FG that would have put the Skins up by 10 with 5 minutes left - a HUGE factor in that loss.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

We have not ignored WR, we just haven't drafted that position well:

2001: 1st round - Rod Gardner
2003: 2nd round - Taylor Jacobs
2008: 2nd round - Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly

Plus

2003: Free Agent - L. Coles
2005: Trade - Santana Moss

If any of the 4 WR's drafted in the first two rounds had become bonafide starters, we would have a decent WR situation with Moss still playing at a relatively high level.

You forgot signing ARE and the big one....trading picks for Brandon Lloyd

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

You forgot signing ARE and the big one....trading picks for Brandon Lloyd

Ah yes, how could I forget. Lloyd and ARE may have scored 5 TDs combined as Redskins. That 2006 Free Agent/trade class that included Lloyd, ARE, Duckett and Archuleta ranks up there with the 2008 draft class as unmitigated disasters.

[over the mountain]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

His lack of focus protecting the right edge for the FG unit allowed the Texans to block a chip shot FG that would have put the Skins up by 10 with 5 minutes left - a HUGE factor in that loss.

idk, he blocked the inner guy as he is supposed to given the choice btw blocking the inner or outer rusher. but i suppose he could have chipped the outer guy but then in his attempt to block 2 guys he could have ended up blocking none.

[30gut]

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

It's hardly fair to compare your starting FB, RB and 3rd Down backs catches to the 2nd string TE's.

I'm not comparing their catches i was comparing their targets.
Which is the number of times a QB throws in his direction.

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

The 3 guys you mentioned are on the field based on down and distance, and have other specific roles, and as such are dual threats at least. For FD to get on the field the play needs to be drawn up specifically to utilize a 2 TE set.

Exactly.
Being that Fred Davis is a proven NFL TE he's already a much better receiver then any of the previously mentioned players and that Davis is much improved as a blocker to the point where he's on the field often in double TE situations as a blocker.
Its the job of the offensive staff and OC specifically to design plays and an offense that takes advantage of the weapons on the team.
Imo the staff is behoved to find away to not only get him on the field more often but to make him a bigger part of the passing game.
Personally i think his targets should be at least No.4 on the team behind Tana, Cooley and Armstrong not behind the RBs/FBs.

Further, FD was targeted twice on two point conversions and missed both, and I still remember a long pass play that he was targeted, don't remember the game, just that it was a sure TD if he catches it.

Even if all the plays you mention were completely his fault (they weren't but i don't want to quible too much but those throws were off target) would those mistakes be enough to erase/discount his production from last year?(48, 590, 6 TDs in basically half a season)

Could we be using him more, maybe, but I don't see that as the main reason our offense seems stagnant. Right now, I think we can be thankful to have at least one position where our depth is our strength. If he plays more fine, but at least if Cooley goes down, we know we aren't restricted when the backup goes in.

I don't think he's the main reason the offense is stagnant either.
But why have a weapon and not use him? Its a waste/misuse of talent from a football standpoint especially considering our lack of talent/depth at the WR position.

Don't take this to mean FD should never get targets, just that when he does get them he has to make the play. If he does that more targets will come.

No doubt he needs to make plays, but we already know he can.
It would be different if we weren't sure if he could make plays or not.
We already now that he can and therefore should be targeting him more.

[30gut]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Rumors are that he's struggled in picking up this offense, much like he did with Zorn. There's also talk that he lacks focus when he's not 'the man'.

If you've coached on any level rumors like this should make you cringe.
I have a hard time believing a coach would leak this type of information.
Imo when a coach points a finger at player for inability to learn or understand a football concepts there are 3 fingers pointing back at that coach for not being able to do their job and help a clearly talented player learn and produce within their scheme.

BTW somewhat off topis-(This is a problem i have with the whole Kyle and McNabb situation; IF they think/blame McNabb for not knowing the 2-minute offense or not knowing the plays as well as they want where is Kyle's culpability for not being able to have a talented QB like McNabb better prepared and more prducitve QB and to field a more productive passing offense (at least one that's more productive then last years passing game) with a more talented QB and offensive line.)

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

He had a couple of chances in the red zone against the Lions on 2 pt conversions and couldn't come up with either one. Gotta make the most of his opportunities to earn more time.

Rumors are that he's struggled in picking up this offense, much like he did with Zorn. There's also talk that he lacks focus when he's not 'the man'.

To be fair if I remember correctly McNabb did not give him a very good chance.

[Longtimefan]

It's obvious he wasn't drafted for need. VC considered him the best player on the DB at his position at the time of his selection. For some players it's difficult to remain focused when they're not contributing on a regular basis.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by firstdown

To be fair if I remember correctly McNabb did not give him a very good chance.

Hit him in the hands both times if I remember, or was at least very close on one of them. Ball came in hot but he's gotta make those plays.

[drew54]

Originally Posted by SouperMeister

We have not ignored WR, we just haven't drafted that position well:

2001: 1st round - Rod Gardner
2003: 2nd round - Taylor Jacobs
2004: ...
2005: ...
2006: ...
2007: ...
2008: 2nd round - Devin Thomas and Malcolm Kelly

Plus

2003: Free Agent - L. Coles
2005: Trade - Santana Moss

If any of the 4 WR's drafted in the first two rounds had become bonafide starters, we would have a decent WR situation with Moss still playing at a relatively high level.

Seriously 2004-2007, four years and not one WR drafted. Yes we brought in free agents, but that was "win now" mode. Then 2008 is catch up mode and and so far none of them have panned out.

It would be nice to see the Colts or Patriots model of drafting and building a team going forward. That is all I was saying.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Hit him in the hands both times if I remember, or was at least very close on one of them. Ball came in hot but he's gotta make those plays.

If remember right I was thinking why didn't McNabb just float it up for Davis to go get but instead he drilled a pass at him from a few yards away. It was like he was trying to but the ball where only Davis had a chance to avoid the int. but on the two points just get the ball there. The int does not matter.