CJ Saunders

[BrianS]

DJ, Robby, Roberts and TMJ are locks.

This leaves Higgins, Shi, Zylstra and Saunders fighting it out for either two or three spots.  At least one of them is getting cut.  I would assume Shi gets cut and perhaps signed to PS.

[Steelo Senpai]

4 minutes ago, BrianS said:

DJ, Robby, Roberts and TMJ are locks.

This leaves Higgins, Shi, Zylstra and Saunders fighting it out for either two or three spots.  At least one of them is getting cut.  I would assume Shi gets cut and perhaps signed to PS.

I honestly think Zylstra could be let go. Yeah he made some plays over the past couple seasons but his claim to the roster specifically last season was the fact that he contributes on ST. If his coverage responsibilities were covered otherwise I don’t see him making the roster. I mean CJ has been with the 1s almost all camp and impressing folks. TMJ is looking good, Shi coming along. We could have a hell of a young WR core. Higgins is probably a lock due to chemistry with Bake. We’ll see as this preseason unfolds. I just find it highly unlikely that they’d be giving out all these 1st team reps and then cut him at the end of it all. 

[MasterAwesome]

 

The GOAT CJ Saunders.  NFL comp: Wes Welker, Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman, Cole Beasley, Hunter Renfrow.

[BrianS]

15 minutes ago, MasterAwesome said:

The GOAT CJ Saunders.  NFL comp: Wes Welker, Danny Amendola, Julian Edelman, Cole Beasley, Hunter Renfrow.

I mean, that's some pretty good company to be in right there.  We could use one of those guys on third downs.

[Proudiddy]

All of those guys could/can separate and create after the catch.

Saunders' college highlights almost always end with him falling as he catches it.

[Mr. Scot]

1 hour ago, Proudiddy said:

Not to pee on the parade, but if he got named Mr. Athlete, I would hate to see that hometown based off what I saw of him last season.

But seriously, I love underdogs and all that good stuff, but unless he made some drastic improvements this offseason, I just don't see how he could beat out the likes of Zylstra, Shi, TMJ, and Higgins.  Last season when he played, it looked like most people from the Huddle walk faster than he runs.  I admit, there are some guys who just have a knack and ability to get open, but I didn't even see that last season.  Maybe he has refined his route running quite a bit, but I just don't know how he can make it into a bigger role with that lack of athleticism.

And another thing to ponder, if he does hold onto this spot, then what happens to our drafted guys?  

DJ and Robby are locks.  I imagine Roberts is as well unless Shi really surprises in the return game this preseason.  So that's 3 receiver spots.

Then we have Higgins, TMJ, Shi, Zylstra, and Saunders.  I think keeping 6 is a definite, but I don't know about 7.  So either 1 or 2 of those guys are out.  And. I know Zylstra hasn't been heard from a lot this camp, but he has made some clutch plays the last two years, is a solid receiver, and plays ST coverage...  and again, he's proven it on the field.  So although he seems like the most likely candidate to go off that list, I don't think he's so easy to write off either.  I want the best 6 or 7 on the roster, but man I would hate one of our drafted guys not to make it.  I really liked what I saw from Shi and TMJ in their limited opportunities last year.

To be fair, I'd imagine similar analyses were made of Ricky Proehl when he first started out.

What made Proehl great wasn't that his body moved faster than anyone else's. It was that his mind did.

Is Saunders that kind of guy too? Don't know, but if he performs on the field that's what really matters.

[CPcavedweller]

1 hour ago, Proudiddy said:

Not to pee on the parade, but if he got named Mr. Athlete, I would hate to see that hometown based off what I saw of him last season.

But seriously, I love underdogs and all that good stuff, but unless he made some drastic improvements this offseason, I just don't see how he could beat out the likes of Zylstra, Shi, TMJ, and Higgins.  Last season when he played, it looked like most people from the Huddle walk faster than he runs.  I admit, there are some guys who just have a knack and ability to get open, but I didn't even see that last season.  Maybe he has refined his route running quite a bit, but I just don't know how he can make it into a bigger role with that lack of athleticism.

And another thing to ponder, if he does hold onto this spot, then what happens to our drafted guys?  

DJ and Robby are locks.  I imagine Roberts is as well unless Shi really surprises in the return game this preseason.  So that's 3 receiver spots.

Then we have Higgins, TMJ, Shi, Zylstra, and Saunders.  I think keeping 6 is a definite, but I don't know about 7.  So either 1 or 2 of those guys are out.  And. I know Zylstra hasn't been heard from a lot this camp, but he has made some clutch plays the last two years, is a solid receiver, and plays ST coverage...  and again, he's proven it on the field.  So although he seems like the most likely candidate to go off that list, I don't think he's so easy to write off either.  I want the best 6 or 7 on the roster, but man I would hate one of our drafted guys not to make it.  I really liked what I saw from Shi and TMJ in their limited opportunities last year.

You don't think David Gettis makes it back from injury this year?

[Byrdman4real]

1 hour ago, BrianS said:

DJ, Robby, Roberts and TMJ are locks.

This leaves Higgins, Shi, Zylstra and Saunders fighting it out for either two or three spots.  At least one of them is getting cut.  I would assume Shi gets cut and perhaps signed to PS.

Shi wouldn't last a week on PS with his showing in camp

[Proudiddy]

9 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

To be fair, I'd imagine similar analyses were made of Ricky Proehl when he first started out.

What made Proehl great wasn't that his body moved faster than anyone else's. It was that his mind did.

Is Saunders that kind of guy too? Don't know, but if he performs on the field that's what really matters.

I agree, Scot.  Ricky wasn't the greatest athlete, and I hate to use the term, but he was deceptively athletic.  He wasn't blowing by people off the line, or pulling away in a foot race, but he had enough athleticism to pull away from people when needed, and enough to create plays, even a little after the catch.

I'm not trying to dump on Saunders, and yes, some guys mental game, anticipation, understanding of angles and leverage is such that it negates physical limitations and allows them to excel, but I feel like you have to have a baseline level of athleticism to go with that.  And from what I saw of Saunders, in the past, I didn't see that...  Proehl looked like a far greater athlete if I were to compare the two of them, as well as all the other famed slot receivers that were mentioned in this thread.  They may not have been able to outrun 9 out of 10 guys in a 60 yard sprint, but they had suddenness and short-area quickness that allowed them separation and the ability to make plays consistently.

I'm not saying Saunders cant be that, but he hasnt been that, and I don't expect guys to develop that once they reach the pro level.  You usually already have or don't have that ability by the age of 21.   Perhaps he worked on those things specifically and produced a noticeable improvement in them.  Just saying, that was the biggest thing I noticed in all of the plays I've seen of him from last year and in college.

[Proudiddy]

1 minute ago, Byrdman4real said:

Shi wouldn't last a week on PS with his showing in camp

Yeah, I'm really starting to think Shi has to stay.  He has huge potential.

[Proudiddy]

12 minutes ago, CPcavedweller said:

You don't think David Gettis makes it back from injury this year?

I hope so.  I've been waiting...

[BrianS]

2 minutes ago, Byrdman4real said:

Shi wouldn't last a week on PS with his showing in camp

Camp heroes don't get snatched up.  He needs to show something in games.

[Byrdman4real]

Just now, BrianS said:

Camp heroes don't get snatched up.  He needs to show something in games.

Pretty sure he did with his limited role last year. You can't do much with no opportunity. Didn't he have a great preseason last year before his injury. 

[Mr. Scot]

1 minute ago, Proudiddy said:

I agree, Scot.  Ricky wasn't the greatest athlete, and I hate to use the term, but he was deceptively athletic.  He wasn't blowing by people off the line, or pulling away in a foot race, but he had enough athleticism to pull away from people when needed, and enough to create plays, even a little after the catch.

I'm not trying to dump on Saunders, and yes, some guys mental game, anticipation, understanding of angles and leverage is such that it negates physical limitations and allows them to excel, but I feel like you have to have a baseline level of athleticism to go with that.  And from what I saw of Saunders, in the past, I didn't see that...  Proehl looked like a far greater athlete if I were to compare the two of them, as well as all the other famed slot receivers that were mentioned in this thread.  They may not have been able to outrun 9 out of 10 guys in a 60 yard sprint, but they had suddenness and short-area quickness that allowed them separation and the ability to make plays consistently.

I'm not saying Saunders cant be that, but he hasnt been that, and I don't expect guys to develop that once they reach the pro level.  You usually already have or don't have that ability by the age of 21.   Perhaps he worked on those things specifically and produced a noticeable improvement in them.  Just saying, that was the biggest thing I noticed in all of the plays I've seen of him from last year and in college.

I'll throw another name in there: Luke Kuechly.

Luke certainly wasn't a poor athlete, but there are dozens of great athletes playing middle linebacker in the NFL right now. Like Proehl, what made Luke better wasn't the speed of his body, but the speed of his brain.

And let's not forget our recent Hall of Famer in this discussion either.

I know athleticism is king of everything these days, including when it comes to quarterbacks, but I'm always going to be someone who values the mental side of things first (especially so if you want a guy to have a long career).

Again though, I don't know enough to say whether Saunders is one of those kind of players yet.

One way or the other, it has to be proven on the field.