Let's Look at 2018 WRs - Free Agents

[Rags]

It's 7am I'm off work and can't sleep. I'm off today anyway so let's talk about FOOBAW--in 2018. With a full two months worth of football left to go.

It's no secret, our offense is a mess. And one of the biggest reasons is not just the lack of playmakers, but using players who are consistently playing up to their depth chart position, most notable #2 and #3 WRs, everyone knows we have to upgrade the position next year, but how?  

Free Agency

Many people agree that we need to bring in a vet to help out the team, and for good reason. 3 of the last 4 drafts we have taken a WR and our core is probably the worst it's been since Smith left from a production standpoint. And we once entered a season with Cotchery and Avant as two of our top 3 WRs. Bringing in a solid vet, someone to fill in the role Ginn left would mean the player has to only learn the offense, and not get adjusted to the NFL as a whole, and be more readily able to contribute. Let's check some players who's contracts are expiring.

Eric Decker 

Height - 6'3

Age during 2018 season - 31

Current 2017 stats - 40 rec, 409 yards, 1TD

A name I haven't really seen mentioned is Decker. And I get why. He hasn't done much the last two seasons, last year he was hurt and this year Marriotta has regressed something awful (Fun fact - The Titans are actually 8-5. Did anyone actually know that?) on top of Tennessee being very run heavy. Add onto the fact he'll be 31 next season and "Not a deep threat", it's understandable why people would skip over his name on the list.

However, Decker fits the solid vet role to a T. Smart, savvy WR with solid hands and route running, he'd should be a piece that should fit in very well in our offense (provided we use him correctly). He's also been in the "twin towers"in WR system before with Brandon Marshall, and produced very well. He has a bit of some injury concerns, and he's not gonna take the top off of any defenses, but he could come at the right price and solve quite a few of the woes we have at WR.

Sammy Watkins

Height - 6'1

Age during 2018 season - 25

Current 2017 stats - 34 Rec, 549 yards, 7TDs

The first WR taken in the 2014, what many considered the best WR class in a long time, has had a very...interesting carrer. He's always shown flashes of playmaking, but injuries and inconsistent QB play has marred his carrer, leading to the Bills trading him to the new offensive juggernaut Rams where he's had a really...mediocre season. Even with Woods out, Watkins still has rookie Cooper Kupp above him with being Goffs favorite target. Is he not as good as we thought?

Who cares? It's undeniable he's a playmaker, any time he touches the ball he has a chance to score, and he'd do wonders lining up across from Devin. That said, can we affords him, and if we could say, get him on a 1-year deal, do we do that with Devin's contract coming up? Iunno I'm not a GM, I do know he'd be an even better Ginn for us and if we can find a way to get him in black and blue, I don't even think Shula could fug that offense up.

Marquise Lee

Height - 6'0

Age During 2018 season - 26 (27 in Nov)

Current 2017 stats - 56 catches, 702 yards, 3 TDs.

In all honesty, fug the Jags. They have somehow stumbled upon 4 competent WRs. Funchess, or even before him, Smitty goes down we'd break down in tears. Hurns and Robinson go down? Who cares we have Marquise Lee. He's been a bit of a slow burn, but he's caught on big this season (this whole year has been revenge of the USC WRs.), and has turned into a very promising young WR for the Jags. Too bad they have so much tied up in their defense. And also Robinson's contract expires this season. Lol.

I think Lee is someone realistic. We showed a fair amount of interest in him in 2014. He probably has the most versatility out of any WR I've mentioned so far on the list, able to line up in any receiver spot. The biggest concern is, his best year is also his contract year, which I've always had concerns about buying in on those types of players.

Jarvis Landry

Height - 5'11

Age during 2018 season - 25 (26 in Nov)

Current 2017 stats - 88 catches, 745 yards, 8TDs

Fun fact: Landry was my favorite WR coming out of the 2014 draft. Back before the combine I said he reminded me of Boldin with how he gets YAC. Boy I was silly.

That said, I still think Landry is a very solid WR. The Dolphins are just forced to use him as basically a HB as WR, as he gets thrown to a lot, and I mean a LOT short. However, past his many, many, MANY catches that don't work, when they do, Landry is a very solid possession guy from the slot.  He isn't the fastest guy, but he is very capable once the ball 634 of his 1,136 receiving yards came after the catch last year, and he can be, at times, very tough to bring down. He maybe limited to the slot though, and sometimes has trouble separating, but for the right price he'd be a very solid reliable WR for Cam like Cotch was.

Michael Floyd 

Height - 6'3

Age during 2018 season - 28 (29 in Nov)

Current 2017 stats - 9 catches, 78 yards, 0TDs

Obligatory former first round pick who is more than likely a bust.

There's not much to say about Floyd, he doesn't have a ton of recent production, he has ~character concerns~ and he didn't even work out when he was on the Pats. All that said, I think Floyd is worth a look. He's matured tons, and the talent is there. He has shown consistent production too, through 2013-2016 he had 206 catches, 2,773 yards and 22TDs, and he was producing in 2016 before the whole DUI thing. It's weird how he  suddenly just dropped off a cliff.

He'd be a good buy low, two year contract kind of option who has a real chance at surprising us. But I won't lose sleep if he doesn't sign with us, but an option I thought was worth mentioning. 

 

Other Interesting FAs

Allen Robinson - I didn't think he was worth a blurb because even IF the Jags don't keep him, he's the best FA on the market this year and someone is gonna pay him. But if we somehow landed him, his impact on this offense goes without saying. He'd be a true #1 in our offense.

Paul Richardson - I haven't watched a ton of him, I liked him coming out of college and have seen him make some spectacular catches the past few years. A playmaker, but the Seahawks rarely let their guys walk, I don't think it changes here.

Jeremy Kerley - Solid, smart WR. Wouldn't be a WOW kind of guy but he'd help our offense and give us the WR Saca said Russel Sheppard would be.

Donte Moncrief - Hey it's that...one guy. Moncrief hasn't done a lot yet, he's yet to eclipse 2,000 carrer receiving yards, but he has speed. Worth a look.

Cody Lattimore -  Okay this guy was just a favorite of mine coming out of college, so much so I was okay with us taking him in the first. He's done... absolutely nothing so far in the NFL. But I'd love to bring him in and see what he's capable of.

 

And that's the end of this. It's 8am now. I don't know why I wrote this. I have no control over our football operations. I just like talking about Sports

This got really long, and I have more in mind. If people are interested I can list some possible options in both the draft and possible trades in threads like these.

P.S. insomina is a bitch don't get insomnia.

 

[electro's horse]

6 minutes ago, Rags said:

 

Sammy Watkins

 

 

 

[RumHam]

I think Watkins would come home for cheap and play for an elite QB. Then again, the Rams may break the bank to keep him there.

Allen Robinson may not be as expendable this year due to Jags success. If they were still the Jags, he'd dip.

Same with Lee. I believe we considered Lee when he came out. I don't know if he'd be a good fit here though.

fug No to Dirty Laundry Eric Decker

But obviously Landry, but no way we afford him.

[Riverboat Ron]

The answer is already on the roster.

[dldove77]

6 minutes ago, thebigcat said:

Great writeup.

There, now you don't sound like such a scrooge. Lighten up.

[ecu88]

I want Gab from ATL, he has some wheels and decent hands.

[dldove77]

I'd be okay with giving a reasonable contract to just about any of these guys, except Decker or Floyd. I just don't think any of them are worth backing up the Brinks truck. Lee, Watkins, and Landry are probably all Day 1 signings, and that's probably too expensive for us.

[Car123]

Donte Moncrief would fill the void. Interesting.

[SOJA]

Watkins would immediately fill our need for a guy who can stretch the field. I would love him. Give him a deal worth a good amount but so that it comes off the books once Funchess needs to be re-signed. That way we can choose between the two down the road. 

 

Thanks for the writeup op, insomnia sucks. 

[RealisticPanther]

Out of all those named, Michael Floyd. But i suppose we'd run into the same problem as with Benjamin being he's too similar in skillset to Funchess.

[Untouchable]

I'm looking at slot guys in particular to take snaps from Shepard.  Landry would be a good fit but too costly.  I like Kerley as a cheap alternative.  Haven't seen where Lee has been lining up this year for the Jags but he could be an option there as well.

John Brown from ARZ wasn't mentioned but he would be cheap since he is having an injury riddled season.

[Saca312]

If we get Watkins or Robinson, we’re going 19-0 next year with the NFL’s best offense.

Just saying. If we get a WR1 to pair with Funchess and Samuel, we could easily have a starting corps that could challenge 2011. Cam Newton would be downright stupid good with those three.

 

[t96]

I can’t see the Rams not re-signing Watkins after trading for him. If they don’t though he’s the one big name WR I’d want to go after.

[Snake]

46 minutes ago, SOJA said:

Watkins would immediately fill our need for a guy who can stretch the field. I would love him. Give him a deal worth a good amount but so that it comes off the books once Funchess needs to be re-signed. That way we can choose between the two down the road. 

 

Thanks for the writeup op, insomnia sucks. 

I rather go with the possession guy and let Samuel go deep. He will be good once he gets some off season training. I really hope we target a TE next off season because Manhurtz is not the solution.