Stephen Hill. Fluff,or real?

[Woodie]

The Brown-Byrd-Hill triangle will be interesting to watch.  Any of them can conceivably either make the team or be dumped in final cuts. 

Brown has the experience, but as top dawg said, his production wasn't what you would have expected for the minutes he played.  And while he is solid at pretty much everything, he also doesn't stand out in anything either.  Basically, he's a good, consistent role player.

Byrd has rare speed.  The love many have for him has nothing to do with the school he went to, as has been suggested, it's that he has such scary speed and quickness.  He's so explosive that many fans drool at the possibility of him just blowing by defenders for a big touchdown.  But other than speed, there are questions about his route running and size...or more specifically, his ability to take hits and come down with contested balls.

Hill's history of poor route running and bad hands is a serious red flag.  Other than that, he has everything you could want in a receiver.  But since being able to run a correct route and catch the balls that are thrown to you are fairly significant aspects of a WR's job description, Hill probably deserves the most apprehension of any of the three.  However, if he has improved on his route running and hands as everyone is reporting, then he not only will be a lock, but a key part of our offense this year...possibly even relegating Ginn to punt return duties almost exclusively.  BUT, and it's a big but, showing better hands and route running in non-contact practice in shorts is a far cry from showing it in real games against defenders that want nothing more than to knock the snot out of you.

So, all three have something to offer the team, but also have limitations or questions that make their future as Panthers questionable.  Seeing how they handle the pressure and competition will also go a long way in determining which of the three are deserving of roster spots.  One thing I can tell you is that Philly cannot afford another poor preseason performance like we saw last year.  If he does, there's no shortage of guys ready and willing to jump in and take his spot.

[KillerKat]

8 hours ago, top dawg said:

Since when are Byrd's hands an issue? Never. And he is likely the fastest player on the team. No other receiver can touch him, even Ginn. 

He had drops towards the end of last preseason which dropped his stock.

[KillerKat]

8 hours ago, Hammerin'Cameron34 said:

KG has no chance to make the 53 and no team is going to pluck him off our practice squad and put him on their 53 like they have to

He has a good chance. With speed and hands, he just needs to learn the play book. With your 5th and 6th WR, you can afford to have a project with huge potential on the team. Especially someone like KG who was the leading receiver in college football last year. A lot of teams contacted him after the draft, so I highly doubt he is safe on the PS

[KillerKat]

6 hours ago, panthers55 said:

Hill is the fastest player on the field for the Panthers.

Hands are still questionable. Garrett already has hands and speed.

[KillerKat]

7 hours ago, IGSaint said:

Doesn't HIll have 4.3 40yrd speed? Hill has wayyy more upside if he's able to return from injury and actually turn into a legit wr. 

Speed is nothing if he can't catch the ball. All these mini camp updates about him are fine, but I don't put any stock into them until the real thing starts and we face real competition in preseason.

[top dawg]

5 minutes ago, KillerKat said:

He had drops towards the end of last preseason which dropped his stock.

Well I certainly don't remember drops being an issue for Byrd. Perhaps @Jeremy Igo can enlighten us. Maybe you're referring to a kickoff return or something. I may remember a drop or two there. 

I still say he has hands and is the fastest man on the team. His main knock coming out of college was his frame and all that comes with it. He's added a few pounds of noticeable muscle by all accounts. Other than that, perhaps a limited route tree was an issue, but that's an issue for nearly all receivers coming out of college. Of course with that speed, you want to get him in space, blowing the top off of defenses anyway.

[KillerKat]

20 minutes ago, top dawg said:

Well I certainly don't remember drops being an issue for Byrd. Perhaps @Jeremy Igo can enlighten us. Maybe you're referring to a kickoff return or something. I may remember a drop or two there. 

I still say he has hands and is the fastest man on the team. His main knock coming out of college was his frame and all that comes with it. He's added a few pounds of noticeable muscle by all accounts. Other than that, perhaps a limited route tree was an issue, but that's an issue for nearly all receivers coming out of college. Of course with that speed, you want to get him in space, blowing the top off of defenses anyway.

I have no issue with Byrd making it. I just think it should be WITH Garrett instead of cutting him for Byrd.  KG already has the things he needs to be a really good WR in the league. Hands and speed. Our WR group can use a lot of that. Which is why KG and Hill/Byrd would be the best choices for the team. 

[KillerKat]

Oh a 3rd thing Garrett has is size. 6'4 with hands and speed. He just has way too much potential to just cut.

[AU-panther]

23 minutes ago, KillerKat said:

Oh a 3rd thing Garrett has is size. 6'4 with hands and speed. He just has way too much potential to just cut.

Why was he not drafted?  

[caatfan]

33 minutes ago, KillerKat said:

Oh a 3rd thing Garrett has is size. 6'4 with hands and speed. He just has way too much potential to just cut.

6' 3" unless he's still growing, and his speed comes with long routes. Considering the performance of the vets, I'd say Key is headed for the PS at best. He's got a lot to learn.

[top dawg]

59 minutes ago, KillerKat said:

I have no issue with Byrd making it. I just think it should be WITH Garrett instead of cutting him for Byrd. 

Eh, man, whatever works. Unlike the general feeling that seems to be developing around here regarding KG, I don't  think that he is the type of guy that  is just going to go quietly off into the sunset without a fight. He does have that learning curve to deal with though, as well as Rivera's proclivity to---what I'll call over-prioritize veteran Panthers' just-above-mediocrity at the expense of a new acquisition's  upside, but I am still not going to relegate KG to the PS until the pads come on and I see a developing trend.

All that being said, I am not going to count any of them out, much less a learned Stephen Hill that can actually catch. If he has made the strides that people are insinuating, then he with his size, athleticism and 4.3 speed cannot be ignored. But I won't believe it 'til I see it, and I certainly ain't drinking any Kool-Aid about Hill, KG, or Byrd until the pads come on and I see what's happening.

I just want the best people out there, considering talent, experience, chemistry and upside. Speed and most certainly HANDS are a concern for me. I know KG has decent speed, much like Brown, and I suspect that his hands are closer to 2015 when he was healthy (physically and mentally) than 2014 coming off injury. If the nation's leading receiver in 2015 is given a real opportunity in August and shows that he can be more than just above average in this league, you know I will be arguing to keep him (and keep him as far away from the practice squad as possible). He is going to have to prove it though.

[KB_fan]

55 minutes ago, caatfan said:

6' 3" unless he's still growing, and his speed comes with long routes. Considering the performance of the vets, I'd say Key is headed for the PS at best. He's got a lot to learn.

Yeah, we saw last year that it's not easy to plug and play a rookie or new WR in our system.  Heck we basically red-shirted Norwood all season since he came in so late, and he'd at least been in the NFL for a full year already.

Just shows how extraordinary KB's rookie season was.

I'm pretty sure that barring something extraordinary Garrett will not make the roster.  There are just too many promising guys ahead of him.

[csx]

9 minutes ago, Hammerin'Cameron34 said:

Who is perceived worse than us at WR ? And if KG couldn't make the 53 here, another roster is going to come calling for him to be on their 53 ? Naaaa

The Ravens

We are in the middle of the pack at worst.

[top dawg]

2 hours ago, Hammerin'Cameron34 said:

Kamar Aiken is a beast, Steve Smith ... but if Steve Smith has a great year, hell, if he plays 13-16 games, off of an Achilles at his age ... Color me ecstatic and shocked ... I just see so way Garrett makes our 53 that's a pipe dream 

Like I told someone yesterday: My mother-in-law used to say, "What you can't see makes a whole 'nother world."  There is just way too much presumption for me in this place in June. August will tell the story.  No receiver outside of KB and Funch has "dibs" on anything at this point. And that's the way that it should be.