WR Play to improve in 2011

[MHS831]

Going back to Moose Muhammad and Steve Smith, A look at the numbers is interesting.

Steve Smith (2001): 10 receptions, O TDs

Moose Muhammad (1996): 25 receptions, 1 TD

David Gettis: 33 receptions, 3 TDs

Brandon Lafell: 34 receptions, 1 TD

Now a lot of folks are really down on Armanti Edwards. I am one. Not only did i want to kill Hurney when he traded up to get him, I also hate ASU nation because they are obnoxious over meaningless football.

Having said that, Edwards has many more obstacles to overcome than Steve Smith did. He had kick and punt returner thrown at him, Wildcat, WR- throw in the fact that he had to jump from I AA to the NFL, no wonder people thinks he is a bust. A poor OC sealed his fate.

Steve Smith caught only 9 more passes his rookie year, a year Edwards was mostly inactive. Misleading, yes, but give Edwards time to mature. By next year, if you take away all the other stuff, he can learn WR. Use him properly, slotted and in motion, he will not have to fight the jams (Take note Davidson).

Point: It is possible that we have our WRs and, with a good gameplan, year of experience, solid QB, they could be very good. Gettis has the speed and can run routes to serve as the #1. Lafell is ahead of Moose (who only caught 27 passes his second year) as a #2, and Armanti can become a slot. Smith can play there if Gettis beats him out. Edwards can learn from him for a year.

With better line play and a stud QB, look for our WRs to surprise next season

[OnlyPantherFaninMaine]

Agreed. I feel so much better about our WR situation for next season than I did prior to this years past season.

If Luck doesn't come out, I think we need to take the best DT available or Peterson. Trading down will be difficult without a prospect like Luck available. If that's the case, it has to be BPA, either Green or Peterson. Just seeing our secondary needing more help this off-season than our WR core. Although, our secondary would be much better with a push from the interior defensive line. Decisions, decisions.

[YoungPanthers89]

of course, better QB play= better WR play

[MHS831]

of course, better QB play= better WR play

Going from memory: Moose had Kerry Collins as a rookie and Smith had Weinke.

[scarface]

of course, better QB play= better WR play

better o-line play = better QB play

[SorthNarolina]

I think LaFell and Gettis have shown the most out of any WRs since Colbert and Carter.

Colbert stunningly just dropped off of the face of the earth.

Carter had terrible injury problems along with bad hands.

LaFell and Gettis have both showed hands, solid routes, they've gotten open, taken hits, and they are durable.

Gettis caught with his body some but that was mostly because a guy with his frame doesn't like stretching out to take hits. He showed hands when a safety didn't have his number.

LaFell has looked a little lost at times but he's a rookie. He was also learning all positions rather than gettis who originally was only learning one, probably on the outside.

[rmoneyg35]

Obviously our offense will improve in 2011, it couldn't get any worse than this year.

[philp]

a new coach might not give him a chance though. say smith stays AND we bring in another vet wr. then you have gettis and lafell who actually have playing time under their belts. sucks to be armanti.

[Vagrant]

I don't see as much explosiveness out of LaFell as I would like for a player who is due to actually add bulk to play his role more effectively. He already seems fairly slow out there even without hitting the weight room. I also don't like his hands enough to see him project as a possession WR. At this point, I don't know where I would slate him for the future. He could be decent enough for 500 yards per season in a 3rd WR role, but I don't know. It almost seemed like we forced the ball on him a lot this year and his YAC didn't impress me much.

David Gettis on the other hand, has stretch the field potential and decent enough hands to make it work. He's crazy fast and rarely drops balls, aside from that ridiculous TD catch he managed to screw up after a crazy good route.

I think Gettis has stud potential at WR and I think LaFell can be a contributor. I hope our next coach utilizes our talent at the TE position even more, because if they do then our pass catching unit isn't all that bad. I would love to see Rosario in some kind of H back formation catching designed plays out of the backfield they way they use Chris Cooley in Washington.

[JawnyBlaze]

better o-linemen = better o-line play

better o-line play = better QB play

[JawnyBlaze]

Use him properly, slotted and in motion, he will not have to fight the jams (Take note Davidson).

I would be more upset if Davidson returned than if we didn't take Luck (or any stud QB) #1 overall.

[janderson20vt]

I would be more upset if Davidson returned than if we didn't take Luck (or any stud QB) #1 overall.

Oh, he's going to be promoted to HC.

[1989]

Thank you, MHS831! I completely agree. Great post.

[MHS831]

We need Smith, but we have to stop needing Smith. I read that he wants out, but I don't think that is true. He is happy with the money and probably wants to retire a panther. The reality of what he could bring in the free agent market would deflate his ego. It is also stupid when you think that a new offensive-minded coach could be coming in.

I think the conversation with Rirchardson was more than griping about Clausen. I think he intended to get a feel of where Richardson is going with the franchise. If he heard, "I am looking for a defensive guy because defense wins championships," he might leave. If he heard, "I am looking for an offensive guy because our point production was horrible (13 per game) and we need to score points." He would stay.

Next question: "What about QB?"

If I am Steve Smith I want to know these things before requesting an off-season trade-or not.