Wide Receiver Debate

[davos]

I've seen lively discussion here and there about the reasoning to add/not add another receiver.  Good arguments on both sides. From my view: It's not necessarily a strength but we don't really have a pressing need at the spot.  (We actually don't have many pressing needs as a team minus SS and backup spots at this point)

Here's the current 2016 group:

Kelvin Benjamin - Coming off major surgery, destroyed it rookie season and we're all hoping he can continue the awesomeness where he left off and then some. 

Ted Ginn Jr. - We know his story, can get the deep balls, can be incredibly frustrating but also break some great plays. 

Devin Funchess - Coming off a nice finish to a decent rookie season where he seemed to show good progress.  Hard to gauge.  

Corey Brown - This guy makes you a fan of his, then not, then again, then not, then again.  Philly, Corey, whatever, you be the judge of his play.  

--

Kevin Norwood  - We used a draft pick to acquire him, didn't receive much playing time and his first series was that tipped INT.  But...I can't hold that against him yet; we traded for a reason.  

Bersin/Hill/Cobi Hamilton/Etc.

 

Now, we lost Cotchery who accounted for 39 catches but KB is back.  I put the 2 dashes in the middle because outside of that top-4, the others are just not significant contributors and I don't see that becoming the case soon (I acknowledge the possibility).  So barring injuries, we've got 4 guys that have shown what they bring. 

People talk about possession v. speed guys, finding a true #1/2, etc.  Well, I'm curious to see what WRs in the draft you think would fit best with this group.  Who could contribute and start out ahead of Brown?  Nothing against Brown but I don't think it's that difficult.  Actually, would it be that hard to find someone more effective than Ginn or Funchess at this stage? Of course we're takling Ron/Shula getting them playing time but you catch my drift...and I don't think we should be complacent with any position minus P, K, FB, and PH. 

Our 4th most targeted receiver had 31 receptions last season.  That's not necessarily a small amount but we need to factor in KB getting 80+ however there are roughly 40 from Cotchery to be sorted.  

Edit:

To add from later in the thread--here's one of the better extensive WR class breakdowns you'll see anywhere (Matt Miller):

http://deslide.clusterfake.net/?o=html_table&u=http%3A%2F%2Fbleacherreport.com%2Farticles%2F2625326-nfl-draft-400-ranking-the-top-wide-receivers-for-2016

 

[Ricky Spanish]

I'm really not sweating it in regards to receiver this year. I wish they were all a little more sure handed, but I think we're in better shape this time this year than we were the past two. Funch has a year under his belt and progressed as the year went on. Brown was actually a solid contributor when added into the lineup and Benjamin is a legit #1 that we didn't have all of last year. Ginn, for as frustrating as he is, is a contributor as well and I still love him and just laugh and shake my head when he drops the easy passes he should catch. 

I think we're pretty solid depth-wise at receiver. I wouldn't put it past Gettleman to draft a guy if the value is there, but the need is not pressing like it has been in years past. 

[vanilla B]

I think we're looking for a good slot receiver.  Ginn, KB, and Funchess are better suited for the outside, not the clean and quick route running needed by a good slot receiver.  Brown's not bad, but he's not exactly great either, which makes me think that we'd be looking for an upgrade, or at least competition for that role.  I think we're looking for someone like Tyler Boyd, Pharaoh Cooper, Sterling Shepard, or potentially Braxton Miller in the 2nd round.

[davos]

4 minutes ago, vanilla B said:

I think we're looking for a good slot receiver.  Ginn, KB, and Funchess are better suited for the outside, not the clean and quick route running needed by a good slot receiver.  Brown's not bad, but he's not exactly great either, which makes me think that we'd be looking for an upgrade, or at least competition for that role.  I think we're looking for someone like Tyler Boyd, Pharaoh Cooper, Sterling Shepard, or potentially Braxton Miller in the 2nd round.

I agree about a guy really fitted to the slot. 

I would personally be all over Shepard if he's there in the 2nd round.  He's one of those guys that seems there should be no question him contributing in the NFL.   He's got quite the story as well. 

[caatfan]

It's supposed to a be a pretty deep draft for the WR position, so I could see one as BPA at the 30th spot. It all depends on how Gman and Co. rank their BPA list. I think it's much more likely we select a WR in rounds 2 or 3. 

Getting Michael Thomas in the 2nd would be nice. He'd have a good shot as our #2 guy.

[motocross_cat]

I think a reciver of some kind will come in the second.  DG will probably not pass on a defensive player who can contribite from the gate in the first round.  I would like a solid reciver because lets face it..cam masked alot of the offensive problems such as catching the ball last year.

[caatfan]

5 minutes ago, davos said:

I would personally be all over Shepard if he's there in the 2nd round. 

He may be around in the 3rd. In the 2nd I'd rather have either of the OSU receivers.

[davos]

1 minute ago, caatfan said:

It's supposed to a be a pretty deep draft for the WR position, so I could see one as BPA at the 30th spot. It all depends on how Gman and Co. rank their BPA list. I think it's much more likely we select a WR in rounds 2 or 3. 

Getting Michael Thomas in the 2nd would be nice. He'd have a good shot as our #2 guy.

I'm surprised there's been little talk about Michael Thomas.  He's fast, tall, uses his quickness to separate, and from Ohio State.  I see great potential in him.  If we're looking slot he doesn't fit the bill but Funch is the wildcard and KB+another legit 1/2 could be a great eventual package.     

Regarding the 1st round, I honestly think there are only 3 guys worth it/who could be BPA and I see them all gone:

Corey Coleman, Treadwell, Doctson...(I'm not a Fuller fan for some reason) 

[Crazydounut]

This is basically the perfect draft for us.

Good position to trade down in case all our players on the board are gone.

A lot of DE's and DT's for depth and future pass rushers

Depth at S, CB, RB, and WR for us. Everything that we need is in good depth or has good talent for when we draft April 28th. Im super excited to se how Gman does this...

[top dawg]

Funchess in the slot would be a matchup nightmare, so I can't say that an actual slot receiver is the strategy. I think that a receiver with the versatility to play at the x, y or z is probably what Getty is really looking for, but that he'll take what he can get as long as the receiver is perceived to be a potential upgrade to the corps.

[Bartin]

I want Funchess to move into the slot to play in a Marques Colston/Larry Fitzgerald role. He could really use his size to his advantage over slot CBs who are typically much smaller than outside CBs with KB and Ginn on the outside. Ginn's speed out there is a game changer for our offense and it really opens up the middle of the field. Ginn needs to be eventually replaced by another pure speedster. I don't believe Philly is fast enough to be that guy so we will likely need to draft the replacement whether that's this year so he has a year to be groomed or next year after Ginn's deal expires. Stephen Hill has the speed and to be the pure deep threat, but I'm not going to count on him for anything when he hasn't even played an actual snap for us. Byrd also has the speed but I don't think he will ever be an NFL WR.

[caatfan]

46 minutes ago, davos said:

(I'm not a Fuller fan for some reason) 

Dropped passes? That's what I've heard. Please, please get a guy who doesn't drop the ball. Good hands are especially a priority with our hard throwing QB.

[davos]

19 minutes ago, Bartin said:

I want Funchess to move into the slot to play in a Marques Colston/Larry Fitzgerald role. He could really use his size to his advantage over slot CBs who are typically much smaller than outside CBs with KB and Ginn on the outside. Ginn's speed out there is a game changer for our offense and it really opens up the middle of the field. Ginn needs to be eventually replaced by another pure speedster. I don't believe Philly is fast enough to be that guy so we will likely need to draft the replacement whether that's this year so he has a year to be groomed or next year after Ginn's deal expires. Stephen Hill has the speed and to be the pure deep threat, but I'm not going to count on him for anything when he hasn't even played an actual snap for us. Byrd also has the speed but I don't think he will ever be an NFL WR.

I agree with your sentiment, cool perspective. 

Funch is the swiss army knife, KB is good to go and a guy to eventually supplant/take over Ginn would be ideal that could get playing time over Brown out of the gates.  The nice thing with Funch is that his potential presents us an opportunity to go after multiple types of WRs that could compliment the squad.   I don't think this is a draft where we're necessarily strapped to finding a specific type although as mentioned a slot or an outside/Ginn replacement could be preferences.

  

[davos]

20 minutes ago, caatfan said:

Dropped passes? That's what I've heard. Please, please get a guy who doesn't drop the ball. Good hands are especially a priority with our hard throwing QB.

I've read that and there are a few reports that he just gets lost at times during games. 

It's weird, he's rated so highly but his supposed deficiencies are ones that cause a prospect to drop and viewed as a 2nd rounder rather than a top guy.  He's got great skills but he's the one guy I don't see fitting.  

One thing to note--the school's of our WRs are all Big 10, ACC, and SEC minus Bersin.