WFT Free Agency

[Schneed10]

Scalper your take lacks consideration of the context within which McLaurin plays. The QB play he’s gotten the last two season has been bottom five in the NFL by any measure, advanced or otherwise. And he has done it with very little help around him with respect to other skill position players drawing the attention of the defense.

When we got Fitz, Chad Johnson and Mike Tannenbaum both commented on how this puts Terry on a rocket trajectory to the top. He gets open better than almost any WR out there, that’s what separates him as a true number one. Jerry Rice, Steve Largent, these weren’t the biggest receivers either, but they’re in the HOF because they got open better than anybody.

[Scalper]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Scalper your take lacks consideration of the context within which McLaurin plays. The QB play he’s gotten the last two season has been bottom five in the NFL by any measure, advanced or otherwise. And he has done it with very little help around him with respect to other skill position players drawing the attention of the defense.

When we got Fitz, Chad Johnson and Mike Tannenbaum both commented on how this puts Terry on a rocket trajectory to the top. He gets open better than almost any WR out there, that’s what separates him as a true number one. Jerry Rice, Steve Largent, these weren’t the biggest receivers either, but they’re in the HOF because they got open better than anybody.

I considered context. In terms of flourishing, I hope so. I love McL, he has heart of a Lion. But from analytical perspective, you still need a big WR to get it done. Rice had some SOLID #2s. Let's hope one of our long-strider #2s steps up this year and its a moot point. The thing Rice and Largent had, besides talent and heart, was QBs that placed the ball consistently very accurately so that they could catch and continue running. Something to consider for people often smitten with all these run-happy QBs, is accuracy, a function of mechanics, but also in some cases a talent you can't teach. McNabb and Newton to me are some of all time worst accuracy examples, in terms of just watching them play. Cousins is pretty bad that way on long balls. How many times do you see receivers slow to get ball or adjust too much, allowing tackle by DB, rather than catching without breaking stride? Maddening. Brady despite being a turd cheater throws a nice deep ball lot of times, impeccable mechanics, give him credit. Montana didn't have strongest arm, but he was cool as liquid helium, and an incredibly accurate passer with great anticipation.

Nitpicking aside, we improved, but so did every other good team. Difference is, we are starting from mismanagement deficit, other good teams aren't, so we have more room to improve. I'd love to see McL see single teams more and crush it, but I still wonder optimal mix of WR talent in today's NFL. There isn't only one right or wrong answer, would be great conversation to have with like 5 GMs and head coaches. To me X factor for whether O steps up, WR wise, isn't McL, or Samuel, or Humphries, but whether one of 3-4 underachieving long strider tall WRs can get shizznit together and be a legit #2. Let's hope so. Gives your offense a LOT more flexibility.

You made some interesting points, man. I always enjoy discussions like these when people can flip some shit without getting panties in a twist.

[Scalper]

Sammis Reyes - TE - A

On athletics alone, this guy is a 4th - 5th round pick or so. It takes a lot more than measurables to play in the NFL, however, and we've all seen lots of measurable guys fail to make the transition. That being said, we have NOTHING at TE outside Thomas. We obtained a guy who while admittedly unproven, has sky-is-the-limit athletic potential. Seeing a guy trot around in shorts catching scripted plays at a pro-day has almost no bearing on real-world NFL performance, so we won't know for a bit, but our TE situation at least immediately looks a lot less ridiculous. Guy has the size of more pure blocking TE, 6-5.5" and 260, without any bad weight, but even though doesn't have stunning straight line speed, has good fluidity and athleticism for size, as expected for guy that could play D1 hoops.

You could have drafted a whole lot of guys, and still might, rounds 4-7, with much less potential than this, higher floor perhaps, but massively lower ceiling. We gave up no draft picks, in trade or drafting directly, used no waiver wire position, and basically got what is essentially a free late round or UDFA draft pick. Guaranteed money certainly minimal, meaning if he blows we cut him with nothing lost. Not ridiculous to think he sticks as #3 TE, we've kept far bigger scrubs on the roster for years. With no risk or downside to signing, and major upside, especially given a TE this big that can move--think passing on plays that telegraph run--you have to give this signing an A.

It is an A on lower end of roster, not some Earth shaking top-5 player signing, but it all adds up. A C released by Panthers here. A decent slot WR that should cost $4M for $1.5M in Humphries there. Another C picked up on waivers. A return specialist on the cheap who you cut with minimal loss. Maybe a few UDFAs. All the sudden you have WAY more talent bottom of roster, and when injuries strike. These kinds of moves show a team that is exhausting EVERY avenue to get better, and forcing EVERY player at EVERY position to compete. We know have four respectable Cs on roster, for example, who knows who makes it, but with competition, the team wins.

There is absolute NO downside to this signing besides small potential dead cap hit (we don't know deals of contract), and with this being weakest position on roster besides FS, not absurd to think he might stick as 3rd TE. This is like getting a free 6th or 7th round pick.