Our next coach??

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Problem is though, even if we ignore the first 23 games of the careers of those guys, and just use the last four games as a barometer of the quality of the picks, you still have two guys who are performing at a 4th round level of play (Thomas and Kelly), and one guy who is living up to his draft status, but not exceeding it (Davis), when the whole idea of the selection was that he would be like a first round TE in the second round.

Thomas and Kelly might be offering us more than Moss is right now, but that's more of a discredit to what Moss is offering than due to the numerous strides made by both Kelly and Thomas.

They are however, both very cheap for the next two years, so I think you could build an offense that focuses on the TEs and slot receivers in the passing game, and start Kelly and Thomas at the receivers and have a respectable offense if the OL is improved.

Is there a dynamic slot reciever that we could acquire through the draft? Golden Tate, maybe (even though I don't think he comes out)?

Prioritizing our needs, I honestly don't see receiver as being a position we need to upgrade in 2009. I think ARE just needs to be cut and Moss moved into the slot.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

Prioritizing our needs, I honestly don't see receiver as being a position we need to upgrade in 2009. I think ARE just needs to be cut and Moss moved into the slot.

But then who is the third down target if teams want to take away Cooley? Davis, perhaps?

Or do we just assume Moss makes a seamless transition and suddenly becomes dependable again.

[SmootSmack]

Now that Charlie Weis is officially gone from ND apparently Brian Billick is being mentioned as a top candidate for the Notre Dame gig...so maybe he's not coming here

[SFREDSKIN]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Now that Charlie Weis is officially gone from ND apparently Brian Billick is being mentioned as a top candidate for the Notre Dame gig...so maybe he's not coming here

Thank god!! I hope they are right.

[Chico23231]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

Prioritizing our needs, I honestly don't see receiver as being a position we need to upgrade in 2009. I think ARE just needs to be cut and Moss moved into the slot.

Id like to see a vet reciever here next year with Moss n the slot and Thomas/Kelly in the other reciever. Im not talking about throwing some dumbass 25-35 million deal...im talking about a leadership guy with a little time left to teach the kids and run good routes...someone reliable...

[CRedskinsRule]

Originally Posted by Chico23231

Id like to see a vet reciever here next year with Moss n the slot and Thomas/Kelly in the other reciever. Im not talking about throwing some dumbass 25-35 million deal...im talking about a leadership guy with a little time left to teach the kids and run good routes...someone reliable...

I'm back to hoping that we just get a professional grade FO and coaching staff, let them sort out the rotten apples from the good ones.

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by SBXVII

RB? You don't like what you see in Ganther? he was the Titans 3rd rounder a few yrs ago. I think he looks great. Maybe pick up a late rounder after we have picked up OL.

Pretty sure that they said he was a 7th rounder, but none of that matters if he can be productive. He's only had 11 attempts in the 3 games, I don't think that you can make an evaluation and determine that he's the starter from that alone. I'd probably be more comfortable with keeping Rock, letting him and Ganther be alternative 2/3 and hopefully find somebody that can start, unless Ganther can show that it's his job.

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

But then who is the third down target if teams want to take away Cooley? Davis, perhaps?

Or do we just assume Moss makes a seamless transition and suddenly becomes dependable again.

I think he'd certainly be more productive in the slot and win more matchups. I also think that, whether they have true #1/2 talent or not, Thomas and Kelly would do "fine" as our outside receivers. at the very least, you'd have bigger bodies out deeper blocking for moss on a lot of plays. If even one of them develops, it would keep defenses honest, forcing them to keep a safety back and not double up cooley and Moss on third downs.

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

He was only joking about every play he called being a failure...but he did call the plays at the end of the game

You don't often hear coaches talk about how tough it is for them when they know they're on the verge of being fired. It's usually canned, cliche responses. Not from Zorn

And maybe the problem with the team is the coach? Or at least that he's tried to take on too much.

I know that coaches have big ego's but I don't see why he takes over play calling. So that if it works he can say that he was the one that called them?

[celts32]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Now that Charlie Weis is officially gone from ND apparently Brian Billick is being mentioned as a top candidate for the Notre Dame gig...so maybe he's not coming here

I thought that aside from not winning enough Weis's biggest problem at ND was that the Alumni never liked him and thought he was a jerk. I can't see Billick being the type to get along with the ND boosters. They seem to have similar know it all personalities that rub people the wrong way.

[53Fan]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Now that Charlie Weis is officially gone from ND apparently Brian Billick is being mentioned as a top candidate for the Notre Dame gig...so maybe he's not coming here

Supposedly Weis has already been offered an OC job by some NFL teams. At least he's reportedly said that. Vinny has bigtime ties to ND. You think.....??? Just thinking out loud.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

Supposedly Weis has already been offered an OC job by some NFL teams. At least he's reportedly said that. Vinny has bigtime ties to ND. You think.....??? Just thinking out loud.

Wouldn't surprise me at all. I know Weis is pretty highly regarded as an offensive mind in the NFL. I can see the Redskins, Browns, Bills, Panthers, Bucs all inquiring about him

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

I think he'd certainly be more productive in the slot and win more matchups. I also think that, whether they have true #1/2 talent or not, Thomas and Kelly would do "fine" as our outside receivers. at the very least, you'd have bigger bodies out deeper blocking for moss on a lot of plays. If even one of them develops, it would keep defenses honest, forcing them to keep a safety back and not double up cooley and Moss on third downs.

Yeah, and like I tried (probably failed) to point out above, this is still a rushing team by nature. At their current cost, neither Thomas or Kelly is a bad option to go out there in a base 3 WR offense.

One of the things I forsee next year is an offense where Davis plays a traditional tight end full-time, and Cooley returns to more of an H-Back/Joker role where he may line up in the backfield, on the line, in the slot, or isolated out wide on any given play.

But if we want to be more of a passing offense (and if we draft a QB, how could we not argue that point), we also need a more dynamic slot receiver to work with. Our receivers are adequate, if we are going to put the ball on the ground as much as we are currently doing.

But then we need to be more successful when we run.

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

Wouldn't surprise me at all. I know Weis is pretty highly regarded as an offensive mind in the NFL. I can see the Redskins, Browns, Bills, Panthers, Bucs all inquiring about him

I'm not opposed to him being in that role. However, hopefully this is a decision that would be made by our new Head Coach and approved by our new General Manger. The last thing this teams needs is to hire an offensive coordinator before a head coach again.

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Yeah, and like I tried (probably failed) to point out above, this is still a rushing team by nature. At their current cost, neither Thomas or Kelly is a bad option to go out there in a base 3 WR offense.

One of the things I forsee next year is an offense where Davis plays a traditional tight end full-time, and Cooley returns to more of an H-Back/Joker role where he may line up in the backfield, on the line, in the slot, or isolated out wide on any given play.

But if we want to be more of a passing offense (and if we draft a QB, how could we not argue that point), we also need a more dynamic slot receiver to work with. Our receivers are adequate, if we are going to put the ball on the ground as much as we are currently doing.

But then we need to be more successful when we run.

now that would be really interesting, although i wonder how Cooley would feel about it. Of course, it would also depend on what type of offense we ran. And not that finances should ever dictate these matters, but i think cooley would be grossly overpaid in such a role. However, i'd be for anything that would put Davis and Cooley on the field at the same time as part of our base offensive package... Is converting Davis to WR a possiblity at all?