The Distraction of Bell Hides the Real Issue of TE

[LakecrestSteeler]

All this talk about how great Bell is or isn’t, pay Bell or don’t pay Bell, Bell is wrong Steelers are right or vice versa, or whether Conner can or can’t has totally camouflaged the most glaring part of the Steelers’ offense!

The TE, in my humble opinion is what is really hurting the offense. We need a big athletic TE that is on the field. That should have been priority number 1 for the PS in the draft and off season. We have not had this absolute necessity, if we are being honest, since Heath Miller minus his last season.

You can moneyball the RB position, but you can’t moneyball the TE; in this case they are mutually exclusive. The TE is the one position that sets the end for the RB and chips the mad rusher into the tackle and it is the one position that when they are big enough, fast enough and have hands that have touched God’s balls can be unstoppable, and provide the Madden video game play that you can run 5 times in a row and nobody can stop, only it’s in real life.

Until they address this glaring hole the offense will never be able to deliver when they absolutely have too. Scrap the current crew of TEs as they are too slow or too injury prone.

Trade Bell and get the TE and the returns on investment will be so worth it!

And don’t forget TEs are mudders too! Would have been perfect yesterday.

[Havoc]

Trade Bell and get the TE and the returns on investment will be so worth it!

I would do this in a second if possible.

Good point on the TE position, Lake

JJ has turned into a steady reliable target but he is pedestrian not dangerous.

When McDonald steps on the field for this team he instantly changes the offense.

[jeemie]

All this talk about how great Bell is or isn’t, pay Bell or don’t pay Bell, Bell is wrong Steelers are right or vice versa, or whether Conner can or can’t has totally camouflaged the most glaring part of the Steelers’ offense!

The TE, in my humble opinion is what is really hurting the offense. We need a big athletic TE that is on the field. That should have been priority number 1 for the PS in the draft and off season. We have not had this absolute necessity, if we are being honest, since Heath Miller minus his last season.

You can moneyball the RB position, but you can’t moneyball the TE; in this case they are mutually exclusive. The TE is the one position that sets the end for the RB and chips the mad rusher into the tackle and it is the one position that when they are big enough, fast enough and have hands that have touched God’s balls can be unstoppable, and provide the Madden video game play that you can run 5 times in a row and nobody can stop, only it’s in real life.

Until they address this glaring hole the offense will never be able to deliver when they absolutely have too. Scrap the current crew of TEs as they are too slow or too injury prone.

Trade Bell and get the TE and the returns on investment will be so worth it!

And don’t forget TEs are mudders too! Would have been perfect yesterday.

No one is going to give us a good TE for Bell now that they have to pay him his franchise tag this season...which Bell would have to sign anyway before such a trade would take place.

And Bell, because he can't now negotiate a new contract with what would be his new team, has zero motivation to help the Steelers.

[Legacy User]

what the fuck is the pussy mcdonalds deal? is he made of glass?. he's worse then ledarious green getting action! I agree. get a fucking tight end.

[LakecrestSteeler]

All this talk about how great Bell is or isn’t, pay Bell or don’t pay Bell, Bell is wrong Steelers are right or vice versa, or whether Conner can or can’t has totally camouflaged the most glaring part of the Steelers’ offense!

The TE, in my humble opinion is what is really hurting the offense. We need a big athletic TE that is on the field. That should have been priority number 1 for the PS in the draft and off season. We have not had this absolute necessity, if we are being honest, since Heath Miller minus his last season.

You can moneyball the RB position, but you can’t moneyball the TE; in this case they are mutually exclusive. The TE is the one position that sets the end for the RB and chips the mad rusher into the tackle and it is the one position that when they are big enough, fast enough and have hands that have touched God’s balls can be unstoppable, and provide the Madden video game play that you can run 5 times in a row and nobody can stop, only it’s in real life.

Until they address this glaring hole the offense will never be able to deliver when they absolutely have too. Scrap the current crew of TEs as they are too slow or too injury prone.

Trade Bell and get the TE and the returns on investment will be so worth it!

And don’t forget TEs are mudders too! Would have been perfect yesterday.

No one is going to give us a good TE for Bell now that they have to pay him his franchise tag this season...which Bell would have to sign anyway before such a trade would take place.

And Bell, because he can't now negotiate a new contract with what would be his new team, has zero motivation to help the Steelers.

They don’t have to pay his franchise tag. Bell’s agent can simply draw up a contract that says Pittsburgh Steelers agree to rescind franchise tag at which time Bell agrees to be traded to Philadelphia Eagles for 4 years $61 million with whatever $ guaranteed, and the PS could throw in a million or 2 to sweeten the pot, and the Philadelphia Eagles agree to send one Dallas Goedert to PS. All three parties sign and deal is done!

[jeemie]

All this talk about how great Bell is or isn’t, pay Bell or don’t pay Bell, Bell is wrong Steelers are right or vice versa, or whether Conner can or can’t has totally camouflaged the most glaring part of the Steelers’ offense!

The TE, in my humble opinion is what is really hurting the offense. We need a big athletic TE that is on the field. That should have been priority number 1 for the PS in the draft and off season. We have not had this absolute necessity, if we are being honest, since Heath Miller minus his last season.

You can moneyball the RB position, but you can’t moneyball the TE; in this case they are mutually exclusive. The TE is the one position that sets the end for the RB and chips the mad rusher into the tackle and it is the one position that when they are big enough, fast enough and have hands that have touched God’s balls can be unstoppable, and provide the Madden video game play that you can run 5 times in a row and nobody can stop, only it’s in real life.

Until they address this glaring hole the offense will never be able to deliver when they absolutely have too. Scrap the current crew of TEs as they are too slow or too injury prone.

Trade Bell and get the TE and the returns on investment will be so worth it!

And don’t forget TEs are mudders too! Would have been perfect yesterday.

No one is going to give us a good TE for Bell now that they have to pay him his franchise tag this season...which Bell would have to sign anyway before such a trade would take place.

And Bell, because he can't now negotiate a new contract with what would be his new team, has zero motivation to help the Steelers.

They don’t have to pay his franchise tag. Bell’s agent can simply draw up a contract that says Pittsburgh Steelers agree to rescind franchise tag at which time Bell agrees to be traded to Philadelphia Eagles for 4 years $61 million with whatever $ guaranteed, and the PS could throw in a million or 2 to sweeten the pot, and the Philadelphia Eagles agree to send one Dallas Goedert to PS. All three parties sign and deal is done!

I don’t think they can do that, but I could be wrong.

Eagles love Goedert btw and while they may not be 100% at RB now that Blount has moved on, they’d never do that deal.

Nor would Bell take it...Iggles like their RB by committee.

[Nick79]

Trade Bell and get the TE and the returns on investment will be so worth it!

I would do this in a second if possible.

Good point on the TE position, Lake

JJ has turned into a steady reliable target but he is pedestrian not dangerous.

When McDonald steps on the field for this team he instantly changes the offense.

That I could agree with, but if I trade Bell, I'd want not a Vance McDonald who is ALWAYS hurt, you'd have to get an all pro, established TE plus a high draft pick, or at least some guy who had like 50-60 catches last year, stays healthy PLUS a #1 pick. Bell after all tells us he's equal to a #1 RB and a #1 WR, so I want a lot for him or don't make the trade.

[Legacy User]

1000% correct

JC is a great substitute for Bell -- I wish Tomfuck would use a committee approach at RB

TE is killing this team -- we don't have a single NFL starter right now.

[franco32]

I don't have an all 22, but I could tell AB was being doubled a lot and Juju was heavily bracketed. They had zero fear of Justin Hunter (WTF is up with him starting?). That left Jesse James space to carve them but he wasn't getting open. It led to Ben holding the ball too much, especially in the 2nd and you know the result.

[Scunge]

They don’t have to pay his franchise tag. Bell’s agent can simply draw up a contract that says Pittsburgh Steelers agree to rescind franchise tag at which time Bell agrees to be traded to Philadelphia Eagles for 4 years $61 million with whatever $ guaranteed, and the PS could throw in a million or 2 to sweeten the pot, and the Philadelphia Eagles agree to send one Dallas Goedert to PS. All three parties sign and deal is done!

It does not work that way LakecrestSteeler, what you propose just does not happen.

A player is either under contract or he is not. A player is either franchised or he is not. It would be against the CBA to do what you propose.

The only way a trade COULD have happened is if Bell had signed the tender. And when he signed that tender he could have had it written in that he had the right to refuse a trade, that he had to be happy with the trade partner and for the money of the contract. But Bell did none of that, he refused to play the game.

Jarvis Landry of the Browns he was franchised by the Dolphins, he was seeking a large contract that Miami did not want to give him. Jarvis signed the tender and Miami traded him to Cleveland and he is $75 million richer. Bell could have done the same thing, the exact same thing.

Landry signed his tender days after it being applied to him, this was well before the NFL draft, well before the free agency period had started. Teams were flush with money, that was the best window for Bell to get his money. He blew it.

In terms of the TE, I think you need to chill. McDonald will play this season, the Steelers like him, they just restructured his contract to free up some money, they look at him as a long term player, even if you do not, get used to it.

[LakecrestSteeler]

When a team is in man and you put trips on one side of the field and then have them run 3 yard, 5 yard and 7 yard in-routes and then have the TE from either strong side or weak side position run through the wash of those trips receivers, it is an uncoverable play!

As long as you have a TE who has the speed to chip block and get through the wash of the receivers it is an easy 5-7 yards every play.

We don’t have that weapon in our arsenal!

We have the “defense says fuck covering the TE” and then JJ gets open TE routes.

Tight End Rankings:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2754254-nfl1000-ranking-the-top-tight-ends-of-2017-season#slide0

Bad news when the Jesse is #37 and Vance McDonald is #27. Surely to god there is some combination of a team with a top 10 TE with promising stable of TE and a shitty running game. Get this Bell saga over with as soon as possible and get a top 10 tight end!

The Bell saga a 100 yard fuse with a truck full of TNT in the middle. Bell lit in on one end and the Steelers lit it on the other end. Heinz Field is where it is parked and nobody will win when it finally goes off. Both parties will be damaged! It is pretty damn close to going off....about a yard of fuse on either side of the truck.

Get a TE, get rid of Bell and everyone is better off than they were last week!

[Scunge]

Did you just miss the entire 10 catches for 112 yards that McDonald had in the playoffs against Jax? Even Heath Miller never did that!

McDonald is a weapon as a receiver and as a blocker, yes, he missed this last game, so what. If he was almost ready to play and then the Steelers see this swamp game, unending rain, and wanted to shut him down and not risk his recovery then good for them.

You are freaking out too early about the TEs.

[jeemie]

When a team is in man and you put trips on one side of the field and then have them run 3 yard, 5 yard and 7 yard in-routes and then have the TE from either strong side or weak side position run through the wash of those trips receivers, it is an uncoverable play!

As long as you have a TE who has the speed to chip block and get through the wash of the receivers it is an easy 5-7 yards every play.

We don’t have that weapon in our arsenal!

We have the “defense says fuck covering the TE” and then JJ gets open TE routes.

Tight End Rankings:
https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2754254-nfl1000-ranking-the-top-tight-ends-of-2017-season#slide0

Bad news when the Jesse is #37 and Vance McDonald is #27. Surely to god there is some combination of a team with a top 10 TE with promising stable of TE and a shitty running game. Get this Bell saga over with as soon as possible and get a top 10 tight end!

The Bell saga a 100 yard fuse with a truck full of TNT in the middle. Bell lit in on one end and the Steelers lit it on the other end. Heinz Field is where it is parked and nobody will win when it finally goes off. Both parties will be damaged! It is pretty damn close to going off....about a yard of fuse on either side of the truck.

Get a TE, get rid of Bell and everyone is better off than they were last week!

It was just confirmed to you that we can’t do that.

[Stosh-67]

All this talk about how great Bell is or isn’t, pay Bell or don’t pay Bell, Bell is wrong Steelers are right or vice versa, or whether Conner can or can’t has totally camouflaged the most glaring part of the Steelers’ offense!

The TE, in my humble opinion is what is really hurting the offense. We need a big athletic TE that is on the field. That should have been priority number 1 for the PS in the draft and off season. We have not had this absolute necessity, if we are being honest, since Heath Miller minus his last season.

You can moneyball the RB position, but you can’t moneyball the TE; in this case they are mutually exclusive. The TE is the one position that sets the end for the RB and chips the mad rusher into the tackle and it is the one position that when they are big enough, fast enough and have hands that have touched God’s balls can be unstoppable, and provide the Madden video game play that you can run 5 times in a row and nobody can stop, only it’s in real life.

Until they address this glaring hole the offense will never be able to deliver when they absolutely have too. Scrap the current crew of TEs as they are too slow or too injury prone.

Trade Bell and get the TE and the returns on investment will be so worth it!

And don’t forget TEs are mudders too! Would have been perfect yesterday.

Thats a great TE you are looking for. Sounds like a freak of an athlete. Super strong to block OLB's. Almost WR fast, can run deep seams.
Needs to be double with a man on his hip and a safety over the top always needs to keep an eye on him.
Big target, QB's safety value.
A big body that you can throw to even if he is blanketed. Turns 50/50 balls into 70/30.
You describe a 1st round talent. A high first round pick.

The PS over the last 3-4 years have been below average on defense and needed to grab high pedigree defensive players early in the draft.

How many of these guys exist in the NFL.
Not many.
The TE weapon is also trending towards faster smaller guys.

[LakecrestSteeler]

They don’t have to pay his franchise tag. Bell’s agent can simply draw up a contract that says Pittsburgh Steelers agree to rescind franchise tag at which time Bell agrees to be traded to Philadelphia Eagles for 4 years $61 million with whatever $ guaranteed, and the PS could throw in a million or 2 to sweeten the pot, and the Philadelphia Eagles agree to send one Dallas Goedert to PS. All three parties sign and deal is done!

It does not work that way LakecrestSteeler, what you propose just does not happen.

A player is either under contract or he is not. A player is either franchised or he is not. It would be against the CBA to do what you propose.

The only way a trade COULD have happened is if Bell had signed the tender. And when he signed that tender he could have had it written in that he had the right to refuse a trade, that he had to be happy with the trade partner and for the money of the contract. But Bell did none of that, he refused to play the game.

Jarvis Landry of the Browns he was franchised by the Dolphins, he was seeking a large contract that Miami did not want to give him. Jarvis signed the tender and Miami traded him to Cleveland and he is $75 million richer. Bell could have done the same thing, the exact same thing.

Landry signed his tender days after it being applied to him, this was well before the NFL draft, well before the free agency period had started. Teams were flush with money, that was the best window for Bell to get his money. He blew it.

In terms of the TE, I think you need to chill. McDonald will play this season, the Steelers like him, they just restructured his contract to free up some money, they look at him as a long term player, even if you do not, get used to it.

You are probably correct on most of your points. I do not think you are professing to be a CBA attorney, nor am I, so I will not argue your points and just agree with them.

However, if they sign an agreement to end WWI and WWII, I am sure some lawyers and agents representing three parties could hammer out an iron clad contract that would appease all three parties and not violate the CBA. Bell can just sign the franchise tag and then get traded. A trade could get put together that hinges on that signing. The Steelers can still franchise him next year, so everyone is still over a barrel and should be open to all offers.

There also might not be a solution out there in terms of available money, TEs, and Bell liking the city, but I hope they are exploring.

I like the duo of McDonald and Grimble and think they would solve the TE problem, but how can I chill on the TEs when they are never on the damn field.

I am not ragging on Tomlin or Colbert, I am just offering up a solution to our TE mess and the Bell problem. My bet is that McDonald and Grimble will get hurt again and again this year. I hope I am wrong.

Ben has not had a quality and dependable TE since 2014 season! The Steelers FO gets a B or B+ for effort, but I think they need to hit the reset button again. Shit happens when you hire people, and nobody has a crystal ball. So hit the reset button and call the TE injuries a trend and start over with a blockbuster trade.

[LakecrestSteeler]

Did you just miss the entire 10 catches for 112 yards that McDonald had in the playoffs against Jax? Even Heath Miller never did that!

McDonald is a weapon as a receiver and as a blocker, yes, he missed this last game, so what. If he was almost ready to play and then the Steelers see this swamp game, unending rain, and wanted to shut him down and not risk his recovery then good for them.

You are freaking out too early about the TEs.

I agree with you about McDonald being the weapon we need. I hope you are right and I would have kept him out due to the weather too if the scenario you suggest is accurate. I think Grimble might even be better than McDonald. I just don’t get why their injuries always seem so cryptic.

Ben gets hurt you know when he will be back and what happened. Brown gets hurt and you see him limping in his driveway. The TEs get hurt and they are taken away like ET the extra terrestrial! Where the fuck is the flower pot that tells me when these fuckers will be back.

I am not freaking out about the TEs, just want the Bell mess to go away before his value is lost forever for the Steelers and Bell’s sake.

[Stosh-67]

They don’t have to pay his franchise tag. Bell’s agent can simply draw up a contract that says Pittsburgh Steelers agree to rescind franchise tag at which time Bell agrees to be traded to Philadelphia Eagles for 4 years $61 million with whatever $ guaranteed, and the PS could throw in a million or 2 to sweeten the pot, and the Philadelphia Eagles agree to send one Dallas Goedert to PS. All three parties sign and deal is done!

No way Eagles, coming off a SB victory, do this and bring in the high salary and social media distraction with a substance abuse suspension on his record.
A guy that has more than football, and winning as a team, on his mind.
Knowing they can't throw huge money at the position knowing the players on that team, the players on most SB winning teams, will start to get paid.

Eagles are a well coached team that deploys a 3 back system and roster 4 RB's.
At a total cost of $4.4 million, for those 4 running backs.

No way do the Eagles give up a #1 pick, and then sign Bell to make him the highest or second highest paid Eagle.

[Scunge]

Lake crest, no I am not a CBA attorney but I have read that a long term deal cannot be made now that the season has begun.

Technically, yes, Bell could come in and sign his tender and the Steelers could find a trade partner and trade Bell, but guess what?

That team that traded for Bell cannot work out a long term deal, it is forbidden under the CBA once the season has begun, they can only sign him to an extension until AFTER the 2018 season, they would be taking a chance because they would really only be guaranteed of having him for this season and then they would be faced with the dubious proposition of having to slap the franchise tag on him or compete for his services with all of the other teams next offseason.

So, what team is going to be stupid enough to give up a draft pick or draft picks for a player that they may only have for one season? And even then just a partial season if he draws this out for a length of time? No team is going to do that?

No, Bell screwed himself by thinking he was clever, or too smart for the system. If he had signed his tender early enough, as Jarivs Landry did or even as late as Kalil Mack did, with time to spare before the season begun, maybe something could have happened, but it didn't and it won't, end of story.

All he can do now is spite the nose on his own face to the tune of $855,000 per week, and sit out the entire season or show up after the 10th game and then be in a position to force the Steelers to franchise him at the QB number of $27 million next offseason. That will never happen by the way, Bell is gone, gone, gone in 2019.

I know people are frustrated and grasping at straws trying to figure out a way to trade Bell, to get some value, but it is impossible, Bell made it that way, he made it more difficult on purpose, he wants to break the Steelers, make them an example, somehow he fancies himself as some football equivalent of a social justice warrior, he is doing this for a higher purpose, a higher calling if you will. It isn't just about the money!!!

[Legacy User]

They don’t have to pay his franchise tag. Bell’s agent can simply draw up a contract that says Pittsburgh Steelers agree to rescind franchise tag at which time Bell agrees to be traded to Philadelphia Eagles for 4 years $61 million with whatever $ guaranteed, and the PS could throw in a million or 2 to sweeten the pot, and the Philadelphia Eagles agree to send one Dallas Goedert to PS. All three parties sign and deal is done!

No way Eagles, coming off a SB victory, do this and bring in the high salary and social media distraction with a substance abuse suspension on his record.
A guy that has more than football, and winning as a team, on his mind.
Knowing they can't throw huge money at the position knowing the players on that team, the players on most SB winning teams, will start to get paid.

Eagles are a well coached team that deploys a 3 back system and roster 4 RB's.
At a total cost of $4.4 million, for those 4 running backs.

No way do the Eagles give up a #1 pick, and then sign Bell to make him the highest or second highest paid Eagle.

I just don't see anyone betting the farm on Bell. Oh, I'm sure some idiot team will, but still.

Remember when Ditka sold the farm to marry Ricky Williams? How did that work out. And Ricky was a pothead just like Bell. And Bell is cranking out the singles now that he has free time. He's not training. He's not preparing his body for football this season. His "comeback" will be even more short lived than Ricky's, and probably less productive.

[jeemie]

They don’t have to pay his franchise tag. Bell’s agent can simply draw up a contract that says Pittsburgh Steelers agree to rescind franchise tag at which time Bell agrees to be traded to Philadelphia Eagles for 4 years $61 million with whatever $ guaranteed, and the PS could throw in a million or 2 to sweeten the pot, and the Philadelphia Eagles agree to send one Dallas Goedert to PS. All three parties sign and deal is done!

It does not work that way LakecrestSteeler, what you propose just does not happen.

A player is either under contract or he is not. A player is either franchised or he is not. It would be against the CBA to do what you propose.

The only way a trade COULD have happened is if Bell had signed the tender. And when he signed that tender he could have had it written in that he had the right to refuse a trade, that he had to be happy with the trade partner and for the money of the contract. But Bell did none of that, he refused to play the game.

Jarvis Landry of the Browns he was franchised by the Dolphins, he was seeking a large contract that Miami did not want to give him. Jarvis signed the tender and Miami traded him to Cleveland and he is $75 million richer. Bell could have done the same thing, the exact same thing.

Landry signed his tender days after it being applied to him, this was well before the NFL draft, well before the free agency period had started. Teams were flush with money, that was the best window for Bell to get his money. He blew it.

In terms of the TE, I think you need to chill. McDonald will play this season, the Steelers like him, they just restructured his contract to free up some money, they look at him as a long term player, even if you do not, get used to it.

You are probably correct on most of your points. I do not think you are professing to be a CBA attorney, nor am I, so I will not argue your points and just agree with them.

However, if they sign an agreement to end WWI and WWII, I am sure some lawyers and agents representing three parties could hammer out an iron clad contract that would appease all three parties and not violate the CBA. Bell can just sign the franchise tag and then get traded. A trade could get put together that hinges on that signing. The Steelers can still franchise him next year, so everyone is still over a barrel and should be open to all offers.

There also might not be a solution out there in terms of available money, TEs, and Bell liking the city, but I hope they are exploring.

I like the duo of McDonald and Grimble and think they would solve the TE problem, but how can I chill on the TEs when they are never on the damn field.

I am not ragging on Tomlin or Colbert, I am just offering up a solution to our TE mess and the Bell problem. My bet is that McDonald and Grimble will get hurt again and again this year. I hope I am wrong.

Ben has not had a quality and dependable TE since 2014 season! The Steelers FO gets a B or B+ for effort, but I think they need to hit the reset button again. Shit happens when you hire people, and nobody has a crystal ball. So hit the reset button and call the TE injuries a trend and start over with a blockbuster trade.

If he signs the tag, the team that gets him in a trade CANNOT sign him to a long-term deal. That much I know...it’s too late for that...the team picking up in trade would have to pay him his franchise tag money and then hope Bell negotiates in good faith next year. Who’s going to take that risk?

And I am almost certain...and another poster confirmed...that forging a trade that occurs when the Steelers rescind his tag also is a violation of the CBA...and Bell wouldn’t do that anyway...nor would a team that wants him. What possible motivation would the other teams have to do so?

[Kodiak]

And I am almost certain...and another poster confirmed...that forging a trade that occurs when the Steelers rescind his tag also is a violation of the CBA...

The only plausible scenario is an NFC playoff contender has an injury or could use an upgrade at RB in it's playoff push.

Steelers looking at an R3 comp when Bell leaves after the season.....outside chance this trade happens for that team's [likely] late R2 pick, possibly PIT would have to ship their R4 or R5. On the other hand, the cap savings plus a late R3 THIS year would have to be considered if you're PIT.

If said team was considering entering the Bell sweepstakes anyway, and has the cap...they could still tag him next year hoping to make a long-term deal.

[Scunge]

The only monkey wrench in that plan Kodiak is that I believe the next team would STILL have to pay him the highest paid avg position which would be QB, because that is supposedly what happens when a player is franchised for a 3rd time in a row. It is not just the average of the RBs it is the highest paid average period, which would be the QB number.

So, would a team take a chance on giving up a draft pick for Bell for this season and then be faced with having to deal with a franchise tag number of some $27 million?

Again, I don't think so. Bell has made a real mess of things, he has painted himself into a corner every step of this process. He has given himself and the Steelers no options.

[Legacy User]

TE has been neglected for way, way too long by this team.

It was similar to their neglect for the CB and S position in years past. It took a long time to fix that. Now it's a strength.

It's my hope they'll take someone worthy with a high pick this year and move into the 21st century. I understand the desire to have WRs perform this role, but I just think it's too easy for a team with a good large pass catching threat to dominate in certain offensive situations. They have stubbornly eschewed this.

[Stallworth16]

Outlaw is better than people think. He’s the same age as Heath Miller was in his 2nd year, 24 years old. He still has upside. His blocking continues to improve.

That drop was a hot potato with a wet ball on a high pass. James didn’t have time to get two hands on the ball.

James has good hands. It’s like people here didn’t even see this very positive play:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ7hh5eurqg[/youtube]

[LakecrestSteeler]

Outlaw is better than people think. He’s the same age as Heath Miller was in his 2nd year, 24 years old. He still has upside. His blocking continues to improve.

That drop was a hot potato with a wet ball on a high pass. James didn’t have time to get two hands on the ball.

James has good hands. It’s like people here didn’t even see this very positive play:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MQ7hh5eurqg[/youtube]

His hands are pretty solid, it just seems he can’t get them downfield quickly enough, consistently enough, and deeply enough into the sweet spot of coverage.

Vance looks like he might play this Sunday. Just watch how the dynamic of the game changes with him on the field. It is a completely different game. It is just different when you have the dynamic tight end in. It will help Conners and it will help Brown, and it will completely boost the the 3rd down and red zone conversion percentages too.

I will cross my fingers and hope he lasts the season and that Grimble can get in too. Jesse James easily goes to number 3 on the depth chart when those two are healthy.

And lastly the only reason JJ is number one is because he seems to be a beast in the Cal Ripken department, which is worth a lot. I respect James way more than I did 2 seasons ago.

[955876]

JJ is a decent #2 IMO. He was a 7th rounder for a reason.

Hard to fault the guy. I’d place more blame on the front office for him being the go to option these last several years.

Sure they traded for McDonald last season but that guy make Kendrell Bell look like Ripken Jr. in terms of durability.

[Havoc]

Good play by JJ and good play by Ben

Ben earned all the criticism thrown his way for the opener debacle... but I expect him to play at a high level this season when he gets dialed in + when we open up the offense more.

Coaches might be forced to open up the offense more vs Chiefs on Sunday. Lets hope it all starts Sunday.

[Kodiak]

If MacDonald can stay healthy, JJ is a hell of a luxury as a #2 TE. He is not elite, but there are nowhere near 32 TE's better than JJ.

As the 4th or 5th option, few teams do much better than JJ. And, practically speaking, JJ would only be a package guy. AB, JuJu, Washington, Bell/Conner and MacDonald should be featured. With the exception of possibly Samuels, there's a big drop-off to the back-ups.

[Jobu]

JJ is a decent #2 IMO. He was a 7th rounder for a reason.

Hard to fault the guy. I’d place more blame on the front office for him being the go to option these last several years.

Sure they traded for McDonald last season but that guy make Kendrell Bell look like Ripken Jr. in terms of durability.

5th rounder...

[955876]

My mistake. For some reason thinking he was a 7th.