Dwight Freeney to Skins?

I know Cooley is a fan favorite and it may be against the sacred honor of a Redskin fan to criticize him, but I need to see more consistency before I anoint him the way some people have. Perhaps that will come with more experience and stability at quarterback. But to say he's one of the most "underrated", I don't know, to me, he's a tad on the overrated side.

Right now, I'd put him near the top of the second tier of tight ends in the league, if they were divided into three. But guys like Antonio Gates, Alge Crumpler, Tony Gonzales, Jason Witten, Dallas Clark, Todd Heap are by far more complete tight ends, and hence, much more of a threat than he is.

When he gets into the top tier, then maybe we can say he was worth that extra 2nd round pick. But as of now, he's a good player who needs a lot of work. In my mind, he's one of the exhibits of how teams shouldn't use multiple draft picks to nab players that they really like.I think you are giving a lot of those guys too much credit. Heap and Crumpler are great all around players and Gonzo is a pretty good blocker to go with his receiving skills. However Antonio Gates, Dallas Clark, and Jason Witten are receivers in a TE's body. Witten is the best blocker of the three, but I'd take Cooley any day over him.

Cooley came into the league with blocking projected to be his weakness, but he has quickly become one of the better blocking TE's in the league. Cooley brings something to the table that no other TE in the league does in his ability to break tackles going north and south after the catch. Cooley has led TE in YAC per catch for two straight seasons now. This is a very important stat, and lets you know that we don't just have any old TE.

I might take him over any other TE in the league. Dead serious, no blinders on. He may be the best all around TE in the game today.

He had drops this year, absolutely. But he caught a higher percentage of the passes thrown his direction this season than Gates, Clark, and Crumpler did.

I think you are giving a lot of those guys too much credit. Heap and Crumpler are great all around players and Gonzo is a pretty good blocker to go with his receiving skills. However Antonio Gates, Dallas Clark, and Jason Witten are receivers in a TE's body. Witten is the best blocker of the three, but I'd take Cooley any day over him.

Cooley came into the league with blocking projected to be his weakness, but he has quickly become one of the better blocking TE's in the league. Cooley brings something to the table that no other TE in the league does in his ability to break tackles going north and south after the catch. Cooley has led TE in YAC per catch for two straight seasons now. This is a very important stat, and lets you know that we don't just have any old TE.

I might take him over any other TE in the league. Dead serious, no blinders on. He may be the best all around TE in the game today.

Also, people tend to forget that Crumpler, Gates, and Heap are really the only receiving threats on their teams. Crumpler led the Falcons in receiving with 8TD's and 780 yards. Heap was the second leading receiver on the Ravens behind second year WR Marc Clayton. Gates led the Chargers in receiving with 9TD's and 924 yards. Tony G. led KC in receiving.

All I am saying is that yeah Gates, Crumpler, Heap, Tony G. are good TE's but would they lead their team in receiving if the teams that they are on had good quality WR's? Because if you think about it the best receiving option that the Ravens, Cheifs, Falcons, and Chargers have is their TE.

Also, people tend to forget that Crumpler, Gates, and Heap are really the only receiving threats on their teams. Crumpler led the Falcons in receiving with 8TD's and 780 yards. Heap was the second leading receiver on the Ravens behind second year WR Marc Clayton. Gates led the Chargers in receiving with 9TD's and 924 yards. Tony G. led KC in receiving.

All I am saying is that yeah Gates, Crumpler, Heap, Tony G. are good TE's but would they lead their team in receiving if the teams that they are on had good quality WR's? Because if you think about it the best receiving option that the Ravens, Cheifs, Falcons, and Chargers have is their TE.Which is a good explaintion for why stats for WRs and TEs can be misleading, unlike QB and RB where the stats are very telling. All statistics for TEs and WRs assume that when the ball doesn't come their way, they are a non factor in the play. But while this is true for some players, it couldn't be more false for others. There is a big discrepancy between the best TE on plays where he doesn't get the ball, and the worst TE on plays where he doesn't get the ball. Cooley is a pretty solid blocker and has more value after the catch--which seperates the good players from the great players--than any other TE.

Simply looking at the receiving yards and catches is not a great way to evaluate WRs and TEs.