2014 NFL Off-Season Thread

[elcheato]

I think people automatically assume the run heavy offense hurt him when in reality it did him just as many favors; as did Wilson. 
 
And I get not wanting to draft for potential. I'm not saying go out and take a Martavis Bryant, I'm saying go out and get a Jarvis Landry/Allen Robinson/Davante Adams/Jordan Matthews. These guys are polished receivers, much more substance than potential. All 4 of those guys are, if not future #1 WRs, premier #2s ala Anquan Boldin. 
 
Id take any of those guys + DRC for exampe in FA than Tate + Gilbert/Dennard/whoever they like at CB.

The point he is making (I think), is that Tate is a proven commodity. You already know he's a good player and can expect anywhere from 800-1000 yards, potentially more. With a draft pick, no matter how highly you think of all these receivers, there is a chance half of them will bust.

 

[Pugz]

The point he is making (I think), is that Tate is a proven commodity. You already know he's a good player and can expect anywhere from 800-1000 yards, potentially more. With a draft pick, no matter how highly you think of all these receivers, there is a chance half of them will bust.

exactly. and now we can draft defense first, and snag a receiver of one slips or one of these "great potential to be #1 guys" in the second or third, should they be around in the third, or later.

 

[TTN2810]

I don't have a boner for rookies. I'm just objective about it. Ask anyone in tune with the draft, the WRs are nuts. You don't need to start personal insults if you disagree with me.
 
The Lions still could have went D first even without Tate. He's proven he can be average, and I stand by that, and yes that offense will make him/anyone else look good. So I won't be surprised to see his stats jump up. But every team in the leauge has a guy like Tate. He's just not as valuable as you all think. And I don't care if you agree with me or not. 
 
I'm not the only one with this view on WRs. This Bucs writer has the same general take on it, but with a DeSean Jackson scope, and I agree with him.
 

Why trade a third for DeSean and have three well-paid receivers, when you can just draft a third round cheap receiver in a very deep class?

 
The same sentiment applies for Tate, who we can all agree is a lot worse than Jackson. Why pay Tate big, when you're already paying Calvin big? That's a lot of cap for 2 players, especially with what they are paying Stafford. The rest of the roster is worse off. Get the cheap WR who will be at the very least as good as Tate, which isn't that hard to be. Baldwin and Kearse arguably stole the show from him in the playoffs.

 

[TTN2810]

Wow I can't believe I actually found this. Another NFL writer literally has the exact same opinion as me:
 

These teams don't listen. Outside of Vincent Jackson, when has a receiver gone to an inferior team than the one he has already on and thrived in his new home? It's a formula that just doesn't work. This signing doesn't make any sense for a number of other reasons as well: 

First, there were better receivers than Tate available. Tate has never even had a 900-yard season. I've seen bogus analysis out there about how Tate's stats were limited because of Seattle's run-heavy attack. That's a load of crap. If Tate happened to be a starting-caliber wideout, he would have produced more consistently. The fact remains that Russell Wilson liked to spread the ball around for a reason. Tate just wasn't good enough to be relied upon as a major target. 

Second, this draft class is loaded at receiver. Why overspend on a wideout who isn't even as good as several rookies in this upcoming class? And third, the Lions want to utilize a run-heavy attack, so why are they throwing all of this money on a No. 2 receiver, especially one who isn't proven like Tate? 

This is an awful signing by the Lions. It'll be lauded by others, but Tate will ultimately become the latest of many free agent receiver busts. 

 

[TTN2810]

Except I don't think Tate will totally fall flat per se.

 

[.loggie]

Except I don't think Tate will totally fall flat per se.

From a Lions fan perspective, I'm with you on most of the points you brought up. I don't like the contract they handed him after he hasn't really done anything spectacular in his career yet. Every article I've read was about how he's going to flourish in the Lions offence as a #2 to Calvin which is very well possible. However, I would rather draft a player who we wouldn't have to pay nearly as much to fulfill the same role.

There are plenty of #2 WRs available in this draft class that I believe Detroit would be better off with. The hype is at it's highest with Golden Tate because Seattle just won the Super Bowl but it's hard to argue that he was even the 3rd best receiver on that team by the end of the play-offs.
With that being said, I can appreciate that the Lions brought in someone with Super Bowl experience.

I like that Tate can block down field for when Joique or Reggie find an opening. I hate the money we gave him but it's impossible to say he'll be a free agent bust. He's an upgrade over all of the WRs not named Calvin on the roster so in my eyes it's not a bad move going forward.

 

[bosoxlover12]

More on the Tate thing:


Both Player A and Player B are wide receivers from the 2010 NFL draft

Player A's career: 165 rec, 2195 yds, 15 TDs
Player B's career: 167 rec, 2385 yds, 13 TDs

Both player A & B got new contracts too

Player A: $31M/5yr
Player B: $ 9M/3yr

 

[Hurricane Season]

I don't think anyone is saying that Tate is worth that contract. It's just a safer route than relying on an unproven rookie to become a #2 that can take attention away from Calvin. Especially if you planned on taking one with that first round pick.

Ask the Bills how James Hardy worked out for them. Ask the Redskins about Devin Thomas, hell Malcolm Kelly as well. All the physical ability in the world doesn't guarantee a player will transition well to the next level.

 

[bosoxlover12]

Tbh I liked Thomas & Kelly, I just don't think y'all developed them well. They both had good potential

 

[elcheato]

Which brings us back to a point previously made. The Lions haven't exactly shown they can develop receivers, so signing or trading for an established receiver might be the correct move

 

[Pugz]

Which brings us back to a point previously made. The Lions haven't exactly shown they can develop receivers, so signing or trading for an established receiver might be the correct move

thank you, again.

 

[elcheato]

https://twitter.com/JohnKincade/status/448166708990062592
 
:kobe:

 

[Elite]

Hope the Jets trade for D-Jax
 
Him and Eric Decker with another WR/TE in the draft would finally make for a respectable receiving corps, the first we've had since we went to the AFC Championship game with Tone, Braylon, Cotch, and Keller, been all down hill since then.
 
Now it's just about figuring out whether to go with Geno or Vick.  I'd lean towards saying Vick gives us a better chance to win this season but is it really worth starting him knowing that he's not going to finish the year?  Better off just going with Geno knowing that he should be around all season

 

[dcpwner]

Hope the Jets trade for D-Jax
 
Him and Eric Decker with another WR/TE in the draft would finally make for a respectable receiving corps, the first we've had since we went to the AFC Championship game with Tone, Braylon, Cotch, and Keller, been all down hill since then.
 
Now it's just about figuring out whether to go with Geno or Vick.  I'd lean towards saying Vick gives us a better chance to win this season but is it really worth starting him knowing that he's not going to finish the year?  Better off just going with Geno knowing that he should be around all season

Play Vick. I'm assuming the Jets signed him to start to let Geno take over when he inevitably gets injured. Tho I see a lot of the same from both of them. Team won't miss a beat either way imo

 

[Teagz]

Vick doesn't give you a better chance to win anything.

 

[dcpwner]

Vick doesn't give you a better chance to win anything.

Honestly tho. In the scenario where they get DJax then Vick maybe has the edge having played with him before

 

[bosoxlover12]

https://twitter.com/JohnKincade/status/448166708990062592
 
:kobe:

lol why


It's clearly for Sammy Watkins, and while he is special, I'd take any QB of their choosing and a WR at 26 (Lee, ODB, Cooks?) over Watkins.

 

[elcheato]

lol why


It's clearly for Sammy Watkins, and while he is special, I'd take any QB of their choosing and a WR at 26 (Lee, ODB, Cooks?) over Watkins.

I'd say it's clearly for Bortles or Bridgewater.

 

[WHO-DEY-BENGALS_18]

Lions signed a safety, definitely going to draft Gilbert if he's available. 

 

[footballplaya52]

The fuck Philly lookin at the sanchise for?