Our WRs in 2009... My Thoughts

Ok, you know, the more I have thought about why our offense is just NOT helping us over the top, I started to realize something...

Wide Receiver is STILL the most glaring weakness on this football team, over O-Line & D-Line.

I am kind of combining thoughts I put on other various threads, but here are some points I want to make:

What we HAVE at receiver:

* One short, above-average receiver who was doubled for the MAJORITY of the season. (Moss)
* One short receiver who really isn't a "receiver" that runs crisp routes, escapes jams, and is finding holes in the D. (Randel El)
* One “tall” receiver who only started one year as a WR in college and doesn't seem very bright as the coaches & QB didn't REALLY trust him being out there as a target on plays. (Thomas)
* One “tall” receiver with the knees of a 37 year-old offensive lineman and again, not too bright with the playbook as he was healthy enough at times and still was INACTIVE. (Kelly)
* TWO really good receiving tight ends (Cooley & Davis) playing in a West Coast Offense that doesn't exactly use the Gibbs two TE set that often. (lol) It's SUPPOSED to be a 3 WR set most times

Why this was a HUGE issue for us in 2008:

Our Wide Receivers made EVERYONE else on offense look worse. Think about many of the sacks/runs by Campbell had this year and you notice that many times he would plant and hold or pump fake, because no one was open down field. I really do think this was the reason for at LEAST a quarter of the sacks this season, which made our O-Line look bad.

Our running game suffered at the end of the season because the rest of the league figured out that they needed to just play up at the line, jamming Moss/Randel El and cover Moss over the top as well as the simple fact that EVERYONE figured out that our offense WAS the run game and started playing up tight with linebackers & safties with no fear of our receivers. If we had even an AVERAGE passing offense (that included stretching the field), the run game would come back.

Why this is STILL a huge issue for 2009:

Basically, I am pretty sure we are going to have the same well below average WRs as this year (because I just don't see Cerrato going there again).

We have to hope that:
* One gets smart quick (Thomas)
* One gets Earnest Ainsley to HHHEEEAAAALL (!) those knees (Kelly)
* Zorn figures out how to use TWO TE's in the WCO (Davis).

My Opinion:

Imagine if we were to do something at WR this offseason? People would flip out after taking 2 in the 2nd round last year.

I know I may get reamed for this but, I REALLY think that we might be well served to go after a T.J. “Whoseyourmamma” Houshmandzadeh. Really.

If we have him & Moss as 1 & 2, then Randel El/Thomas/Kelly can battle it out for the 3rd receiver in our 3 man sets. The main thing is... we'd have a REAL wide RECEIVER that knows how to run routes, has great hands and is PROVEN in the league. I also think that it would have a TREMENDOUS effect on Santana Moss' success. Think about it. Since he's been here, there has been absolutely NO threat on the other side of the field at WR... it could only open things back up for him. And our O-Linemen look SOOOO much better when receivers are open, Campbell is getting rid of the ball & not holding it, and all of this softens the defense for the run game.

I know that I'm gonna be called crazy for saying spend money on him over a lineman, but I think our entire draft should be focused on the O& D-Lines and that Samuels/Kendall/Rabach/Thomas/Jansen/Heyer can be effective for another year until Rinehart & whoever we draft get ready.

What are your thoughts on our WR crew for 2009? Who will line up for us? Who should? Do you have faith that Thomas & Kelly will help us win next year?

Ok, you know, the more I have thought about why our offense is just NOT helping us over the top, I started to realize something...

Wide Receiver is STILL the most glaring weakness on this football team, over O-Line & D-Line.

I am kind of combining thoughts I put on other various threads, but here are some points I want to make:

What we HAVE at receiver:

* One short, above-average receiver who was doubled for the MAJORITY of the season. (Moss)
* One short receiver who really isn't a "receiver" that runs crisp routes, escapes jams, and is finding holes in the D. (Randel El)
* One “tall” receiver who only started one year as a WR in college and doesn't seem very bright as the coaches & QB didn't REALLY trust him being out there as a target on plays. (Thomas)
* One “tall” receiver with the knees of a 37 year-old offensive lineman and again, not too bright with the playbook as he was healthy enough at times and still was INACTIVE. (Kelly)
* TWO really good receiving tight ends (Cooley & Davis) playing in a West Coast Offense that doesn't exactly use the Gibbs two TE set that often. (lol) It's SUPPOSED to be a 3 WR set most times

Why this was a HUGE issue for us in 2008:

Our Wide Receivers made EVERYONE else on offense look worse. Think about many of the sacks/runs by Campbell had this year and you notice that many times he would plant and hold or pump fake, because no one was open down field. I really do think this was the reason for at LEAST a quarter of the sacks this season, which made our O-Line look bad.

Our running game suffered at the end of the season because the rest of the league figured out that they needed to just play up at the line, jamming Moss/Randel El and cover Moss over the top as well as the simple fact that EVERYONE figured out that our offense WAS the run game and started playing up tight with linebackers & safties with no fear of our receivers. If we had even an AVERAGE passing offense (that included stretching the field), the run game would come back.

Why this is STILL a huge issue for 2009:

Basically, I am pretty sure we are going to have the same well below average WRs as this year (because I just don't see Cerrato going there again).

We have to hope that:
* One gets smart quick (Thomas)
* One gets Earnest Ainsley to HHHEEEAAAALL (!) those knees (Kelly)
* Zorn figures out how to use TWO TE's in the WCO (Davis).

My Opinion:

Imagine if we were to do something at WR this offseason? People would flip out after taking 2 in the 2nd round last year.

I know I may get reamed for this but, I REALLY think that we might be well served to go after a T.J. “Whoseyourmamma” Houshmandzadeh. Really.

If we have him & Moss as 1 & 2, then Randel El/Thomas/Kelly can battle it out for the 3rd receiver in our 3 man sets. The main thing is... we'd have a REAL wide RECEIVER that knows how to run routes, has great hands and is PROVEN in the league. I also think that it would have a TREMENDOUS effect on Santana Moss' success. Think about it. Since he's been here, there has been absolutely NO threat on the other side of the field at WR... it could only open things back up for him. And our O-Linemen look SOOOO much better when receivers are open, Campbell is getting rid of the ball & not holding it, and all of this softens the defense for the run game.

I know that I'm gonna be called crazy for saying spend money on him over a lineman, but I think our entire draft should be focused on the O& D-Lines and that Samuels/Kendall/Rabach/Thomas/Jansen/Heyer can be effective for another year until Rinehart & whoever we draft get ready.

What are your thoughts on our WR crew for 2009? Who will line up for us? Who should? Do you have faith that Thomas & Kelly will help us win next year?

I wouldn't have too much of a problem if they made moves in the WR area (because God knows that I would not put money down on any of last year's draft choices) as long as:

1. We first address both lines.

2. They are smart value moves to upgrade, not using all of our draft picks or breaking the bank for a Randle El type receiver.

But essentially I do agree with you, not that our OL doesn't have problems but certainly the lack of multiple big play receiving threats did not help.

I would make a play for TJ. but pass if the price gets too high. Maybe even go for a lower priced veteran receiver in FA or use a lower pick on one after line needs are addressed. Essentially we need a WR that is smart, with size and speed. He doesn't have to be a Jerry Rice. We can get that with a modest price and hope that at some point Thomas or Kelly can grow into that role.

I wouldn't have too much of a problem if they made moves in the WR area (because God knows that I would not put money down on any of last year's draft choices) as long as:

1. We first address both lines.

2. They are smart value moves to upgrade, not using all of our draft picks or breaking the bank for a Randle El type receiver.

But essentially I do agree with you, not that our OL doesn't have problems but certainly the lack of multiple big play receiving threats did not help.

I would make a play for TJ. but pass if the price gets too high. Maybe even go for a lower priced veteran receiver in FA or use a lower pick on one after line needs are addressed. Essentially we need a WR that is smart, with size and speed. He doesn't have to be a Jerry Rice. We can get that with a modest price and hope that at some point Thomas or Kelly can grow into that role.


Well... problem is... the WR FA Class is VERY thin looking. Here's what's going to be available as of right now...

T.J. Houshmandzadeh UFA
Bobby Engram UFA
Devery Henderson UFA
Shaun McDonald UFA
Hank Baskett RFA
Jabar Gaffney UFA
Dante Hall UFA
Sam Hurd UFA
Brandon Jones UFA
Ashlie Lelie UFA
Koren Robinson UFA
Amani Toomer UFA
Roydell Williams UFA
Cedrick Wilson UFA

Houshmandzadeh is clearly the best, most proven receiver out there, which, yes, is bad news in that he'll make BANK... that's why I say we won't go after him... but I'm saying he would be what we NEED to make the rest of the offense better... looks like we have to hope for the things I listed to happen to the guys we have... lol

My thoughts....I hope that in the off season our two rookie WR's start eating and weight lifting and put on some meat and resemble Randy Moss or T.O. in size so we have two excellent WR's in the future. I hope they get rid of Yodder and utilize Davis and have two pass catching TE threats next yr for teams to worry about in Zorn's 2 TE sets we see little of. I hope they can coach up the young O-line guys and start replacing the older ones with the young ones and use the older ones as backups; ie: Jansen, who they can't cut due to his cap hit. Make him realize he's now getting paid to help coach up the younger guys.

I hope we bring in a new WR's coach...one that knows how to teach the WR's to get open, and run crisp routes. I hope they decide what to do at the O-line coach's position. I love Buges and he's an awsome teacher but he has said in the past and perhaps it was even during Gibbs first tenure he does not like how the Bronco's line are taught to play....ie; zone blocking and cut blocking. obviously due to it causing injuries.

I hope Zorn succeeds. Honestly. I want to see him do well so we don't have to change coach's again and again. but he has a lot to learn or to teach in the offseason ie; 2 min. drills, adjusting during games.

I hope the defense figures out where our problems were. I don't think it had anything to do with Taylor. If there's no collapse of pocket then the RB can pick up either Taylor or Carter leaving a place for he QB to run. None of our DT were double teamed meaning the DE's were easily picked up. Our DB's would look better if we had some form of pass rush causing the QB to either throw the ball away or take a sack. Simply what happened to us all yr. We never had time to develope a play and JC had to throw it away or take the sack. Sometimes he ran for his life. LOL.

I don't agree that WR is more of a concern than our lines.

OL & DL have been neglected for some time now. I personally have been clamoring for DE's since the 2005 season where it was five in a row or we don't go. That season we had the same problem that we do now where our defense was stout but we'd give their QB tons of time in the pocket.

Andre Carter was a nice pickup but it shouldn't have stopped there. We needed 2 or 3 guys like him in our ranks. That position much like OL was neglected in part, I believe, because they are unglamorous positions. Washington loves it's skill players and seems to solve their superficial issues by overcompensating our weaknesses with the respective skill player.

I believe if you want to build competitive consistency you have to have a great OL & DL. If we had that we could've consistently dominated the teams that we were supposed to, like the Lions, Rams and the Bengals.

I don't agree that WR is more of a concern than our lines.

OL & DL have been neglected for some time now. I personally have been clamoring for DE's since the 2005 season where it was five in a row or we don't go. That season we had the same problem that we do now where our defense was stout but we'd give their QB tons of time in the pocket.

Andre Carter was a nice pickup but it shouldn't have stopped there. We needed 2 or 3 guys like him in our ranks. That position much like OL was neglected in part, I believe, because they are unglamorous positions. Washington loves it's skill players and seems to solve their superficial issues by overcompensating our weaknesses with the respective skill player.

I believe if you want to build competitive consistency you have to have a great OL & DL. If we had that we could've consistently dominated the teams that we were supposed to, like the Lions, Rams and the Bengals.

Our lines are and should be our top concern going into the draft. But even when our lines hold every once in awhile a wr never seems to get open. WR seems to be a weak point but its the WR coach not the players.

I know I put this in the "I guess you guys don't like Vinne" thread but it deserved to be said here and I couldn't bear to type it again.

Then I would say we are screwed. Not cause I don't want an elite WR but cause we have basically a college coach trying to teach pros how to run routes. It has not worked in 5 yrs, we have had no production from our WR's in the last 5yrs, and anyone we picked up in the hopes they will make this team better appear to suck or can't get on the field due to lack of knowlege of the plays/routes. But lets not hold anyone accountable cause we can always pick up more next yr or draft another WR in hopes he will work out. The only reason Moss, ARE, and Thrash have worked out for us is cause they were trained prior to Hixon being here. Moss trained with the Jets, ARE trained with Pitt, and Thrash started here and got fine tuned in the WCO with the Eagles. No one else has produced. No one else has been developed since Hixon has gotten here. Everyone who had talent according to the team came, did ok or nothing at all, left and did better then here...ie; Coles, Patton, and Lloyd ring a bell. I'm afraid to ask where Mix went.

Also for those of you who wanted the Skins to pick up Marcus Monk(including myself) it shows he was cut from the Giants roster on NFL.com. Anyone still want a 6-4 212 WR? Also Mix is still available and he was supposed to be the next Burress.

McMullen was cut by Seatle....wasn't he the WR who caught everything during preseason for us? Nows the time to start looking at all the ...cuts guys and start seeing if they could help us Snyder. This includes all the DL and DE's. I know they were cut for a reason but no harm in looking at the list to see if any are servicable or trainable since they don't like to get first round DL/DE's.

I don't agree that WR is more of a concern than our lines.

OL & DL have been neglected for some time now. I personally have been clamoring for DE's since the 2005 season where it was five in a row or we don't go. That season we had the same problem that we do now where our defense was stout but we'd give their QB tons of time in the pocket.

Andre Carter was a nice pickup but it shouldn't have stopped there. We needed 2 or 3 guys like him in our ranks. That position much like OL was neglected in part, I believe, because they are unglamorous positions. Washington loves it's skill players and seems to solve their superficial issues by overcompensating our weaknesses with the respective skill player.

I believe if you want to build competitive consistency you have to have a great OL & DL. If we had that we could've consistently dominated the teams that we were supposed to, like the Lions, Rams and the Bengals.


That's fair enough.

However, why are you picking on the defense that was #4 in the NFL in yards/points allowed, while our offense (passing in particular) was #28 overall ... and obviously sucked?

When was the last time we had a top 10 offense? When Mark Rypien was QB? (JK) I mean... Trent Green had a good year moving our pass offense, as did Brad Johnson, but since then... we have been NO CONSISTENT threat to a team's secondary. We have relied on Moss to carry our pass game for too long... we NEED another receiver to help. If some think that a new WR Coach would make Thomas and/or Kellyquality NFL starters, OK. But to say that reveiver isn't the weakest group on the team is tough to understand.

A D-Line next year of Carter, Griffin, Montgomery, Golston, Alexander, Taylor, R Jackson, D Evans is a lot better looking than our WR group I think, even if it is a bunch of run stuffers and OLD pass rushers.

Now, that's not to say that the D-Line does not need an interior PASS rusher... cause we do. I am just saying that the D-Line is getting old and we need to build it through the draft. This thread is supposed to be strictly about our wide reveivers and what needs to be done to make our 2009 pass offense more successful.