Link: Yahoo! Ranks the Receivers
Jason Cole of Yahoo! ranks the receiving corps of the league, and gives the Jets a middle of the pack rank.
16. New York Jets: If Braylon Edwards returns to Pro Bowl form and Santonio Holmes can get his head straight, this group could be awesome by December. If so, the Jets will be a serious contender.
I think we can all agree that the ranking is low, and as Cole notes, assumes that the unit won’t fire on all cylinders until late in the season. I do think that the uncertainty around Holmes’s legal situation with the drink throwing incident has to be part of the ranking … is he going to lose more games?
Beyond the likelihood of a solid running game, good line, and QB who’s already been through some intense heat, don’t discount two players (both Holmes and Edwards) who are both playing for new contracts this season. This is likely to be the biggest contract that either of these players will see for the rest of their careers, so that could be a powerful motivator.
69 Responses to Link: Yahoo! Ranks the Receivers
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Brendan says:
Um….yeah, not even going to get worked up over this.
But don’t tell Hank….the Browns are LAST.
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spentmiles says:
You’ve also got to factor in who is throwing the ball to them – a sophomore QB, with a bum leg, who threw twice as many interceptions as touchdowns last season. I think that the assumption is there, in many fans, that Sanchez will just be better next season. After watching some of those five pick games, I hate getting my hopes up, even though he did improve after Rex put a leash on him.
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Tommy Gunzz says:
The JETS cant be stopped!!!!!!!!!!
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Miles.
If what you’re saying is true than they’d be ranking the passing attacks. Not receivers. When rankings receivers you rank their individual talents, not their stats.
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cmonleon says:
wow thats really low. who can you say has a better recieving corps? arizona a couple years ago nobody this year? he doesnt even mention our TE who has a ton of talent and is due a break out season. i mean the falcons above us???? i can see the colts because they won the superbowl but i think payton makes those recievers you would be hard pressed to find a wide receiver who didnt excel with him throwing the ball. im assuming this guy was born in boston. the patriots have a better recieving corps then us?????? this list is a joke. moss isnt even close to being the same and they got another washed up wr who anywhere else would be in the slot and there missing there key WR this guy is dreaming
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cmonleon, according to Brendan, it doesn’t matter that Manning is throwing the ball.
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How can you factor in the QB and call it “receiver rankings”? He’s not basing it off of stats. He’s basing it off of abilities, talents, intangibles.
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Dylan says:
I think that the ranking is too low in terms of skill at the position, but I think that 16th is pretty accurate when it comes to results. The Jets were 31st in passing offense last year. I think that will improve significantly, but I still don’t think the Jets will crack the top 10. The Jets run the ball too much to put up huge passing numbers. None of the WRs are going to put up crazy stats this year. Holmes is probably the most talented WR, but he is out for the first four weeks.
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Great idea for a list, then.
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JesusRevis says:
This is a horrible list. If youre going to rank strictly the receivers and not factor in the QB then the Jets should be in the top 3. If youre going to factor in the QB, then youre not actually ranking the wr corp, but instead ranking the passing attacks
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ryan m says:
i definitely have to disagree with this, from just a talent standpoint were easily in the top 5, holmes and edwards can easily be top receivers in the game. with all the extra motivation that they will both have on top of what we know what they can do if their heads are right, this is a very dangerous pass catching corp. lets not forget the always reliable cotchery, whos very underrated and te dustin keller a very talented receiving threat
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Benny says:
How is Cotchery not even in the converstion? It seems like the debate about him as a “true” # 1 WR is over, but he has to be considered one of the best #2′s…no? I think he is the difference maker for this receiving core. Sanchez’s security blanket who will always get single coverage and will be open most of the time, if that is in the slot or out wide. Anyway I say ranking wise #10 with the potential to prove to be much better. The reason it is not higher is that Edwards still has much to prove and in talking with Steeler fans, the report is that Holmes fell of this past year (could be sour grapes???)
Go JETS!!!
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JR,
That’s my point. It’s not clear what this list includes, and the name is potentially misleading. But I think in terms of talent the Jets are certainly higher at this position than some of the teams in front of them. In terms of overall passing attack, this is probably where they belong. But this seems to be a position ranking list in a series of lists, so I have to assume it’s based off of talent, intangibles, toughness, etc. Stuff that can’t be quantified.
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ramble914 says:
All I know is that Edwards, Holmes, Cotchery, and Keller make up one of the best Receiving units in the NFL. That, plus our running game, and we are unstoppable!
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rollercoaster says:
What I don’t like about receiver rankings is that they rarely include the TE. For QBs like Favre, Romo, and Peyton, they include their TEs a lot more in the passing game then other QBs. Hopefully Keller gets at least 5 tds this season.
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Randy says:
This tells me…that the Media is still disrespecting Mark Sanchez.Depsite having a terrific postseason, and seeing as how without Mark, we wouldnt have gotten that far. It seems to me that they continue to ignore what he did for us as a team last year and ONLY look at his interceptions which is ridulous concidering he cut it down the second half of the season.And if I recall it was only a bad stretch that resulted in his Interception total for being so high.
If you rank receiving Corp, we should be at the top 3 or 5 at least.Edwards,Holmes and Cotchery are DEADLY threats.If we had Peyton Manning or any other QB with great credentials than he would concider us number 1.
It comes down to Mark Sanchez and in Mark I trust!!!
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JetObsessed28 says:
I can’t believe this list had San Diego and Minnesota at 3/4 respectively..
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Here is the list of teams ranked in top 16 for anyone who wants to know
1.Colts
2.Saints
3.Chargers
4.Vikings
5.Packers
6.Cardinals
7.Texans
8.Falcons
9.Eagles
10.Cowboys
11.Patriots
12.Lions
13.Bengals
14.Ravens
15.49ers
16.Jets -
JakeG says:
Nonsense. Look at teams rated higher!
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JetObsessed? Really? Where would you put them?
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Yes, the Jets are ranked too low but does it really matter? The Jets went 3-1 with Cotchery, Stuckey, Smith, and Clowney at WR. A WR is only as good as his QB. The only thing we need to worry about is whether or not Sanchez continues to improve as a player. This team DEFINITELY has a good enough receiving corps to win a Super Bowl.
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SackDance99 says:
Since there’s no such thing as a “sophomore” slump for QBs and Sanchez’s surgery was done to strengthen his leg and prevent injury, I’m hopeful that Sanchez can play better than last year. And, last year, Sanchez started 18 games. In 14 of those games he threw for 14 TDs to 7 INTs and won 10 games. In his 4 worst games he threw 2 TDs to 15 INTs and was 0-4. With better receivers and more experience, it’s not a huge stretch to see Sanchez improving by a wide-margin. My hope is that he can get his completion percentage higher. In his 14 better games, his completion percentage was @ 57%…still too low, but better than his overall 55% (if you count the playoffs). When you consider how few “safe” passes Sanchez threw (Jets RBs only had @ 30 receptions, which is probably an NFL low), his season was likely a bit better than many give him credit for. Peyton tossed @ 80 receptions to his RBs…short passes help that completion percentage quite a bit.
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Benny,
I dont know where you heard Steelers fans saying Holmes fell of this season considering he had the best season of his career in terms of receptions (79) and yards (1248)
Brendan,
I just noticed your first post, i agree with you, but I actually think if we are rating passing attacks then the Jets should be lower than 16.
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JetObsessed28,
Where would you put them? Rice, Harvin, Shiancoe, and Jackson, Floyd, Gates is pretty good.
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When you look at that list…it is clear they are basing it on Passing ranking overall by seasons end, and NOt based on most weapons.Few notes that do surprise me though.
Lions?=Calvin…THATS IT
49ers?=Crabtree?seriously ahead of ours?
Ravens?=Holmes+Edwards>Boldin+Mason
Bengals?=OCHOrated+Antonio Declining Bryant
Patriots?=Declining Moss and No Welker
Texans?=Andre Johnson BEAST…But thats it!!
Vikings?=Without Favre,, how good are they really? -
Randy,
The 49ers have Davis at TE. He is an absolute monster. Also, Favre IS coming back and the Vikings have some very good receivers. I agree with everything else though.
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NJets says:
To me, Cotchery still represents the foundation of our WR corps. The guy doesn’t drop a ball. Period.
He is the go-to-guy when Mark Sanchez needs to get out of a jam.
The fact that he is our 3rd option now, makes this a deadly offense.
Santonio and Braylon are just explosive options in this offense.
Sanchez has to know that this team is being built around him and its up to him to take over the leadership role.
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JR,
If it’s overall passing attack, I’d probably say he’s around the right area at least. Jets are in the second third in the league IMO. They’re not bad, but they’re not special either. 16 would be appropriate if it were a passing attack rankings list. Maybe a little high, but at least reasonable.
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I really dont get caught up in predictions because us Jet fans know our team better than anyone else does.We know Mark Sanchez showed a lot of promise last season and without him, we wouldnt have made the playoffs.Granted, give credit to our defense and run game, but it was how he managed the game that led to our success.
I think what we saw from him in the Colts playoff game is the direction the Jets are going as far as passing a bit more and still being able to run.The Jets management compared that game against an elite team and decided to build around that game.With an upgrading secondary we would have been able to beat the Colts.Our Offense was the best Ive seen, but we just couldnt stop Peyton from findind receivers open.
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Adam_Schefter:
Brian Cushing took and passed a lie-detector test to prove he was not guilty of taking a PED. Yet his four-game suspension still stands.Interesting…
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rusty sanchez says:
16th is a little crazy but if santonio wasnt suspended at all then 16th would be crazy…the only teams that might be better or have a chance at being better is the saints,eagles,cowboys, and colts
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Led says:
If this is ranking passing attacks, then Arizona at #6 with an unproven Leinart at QB is too high. If it’s just the receivers, then I don’t have a problem with it. By the same token, however, the Jets receivers (including Keller) are just as good and arguably better top to bottom.
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Brian Cushing has been on steroids since he was on Bergen Catholic. It’s not a sham suspension, he was suspended by USC (secretly) under the guise of a “quad injury” for four weeks during his freshman (could have been sophomore) year there.
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WOJF says:
” don’t discount two players (both Holmes and Edwards) who are both playing for new contracts this season. This is likely to be the biggest contract that either of these players will see for the rest of their careers, so that could be a powerful motivator.”
True, this is a big part of the logic in rolling the dice with these players, but, and its a big BUT, it can also backfire if they are not getting enough targets their way.
IF they continue to be a ground and pound attack, will these two very good young recievers be willing to sacrifice stats for the team concept? When they are sitting on the biggest contract of their career?
Edwards appeared very willing last season, but unless they start throwing the ball a lot more in 2010 it is going to be very tough to keep them both satisfied in their walk years.
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As for the rating, clearly they should be top ten, below the Pats is absurd.
The Panthers should also be ranked higher, Smith gets no respect.
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2g says:
The list is ranking receivers, not passing attacks. The only mention of a qb in the list seems to be about the philly receivers making life easier for Kolb. Therefore the Jets should be higher, but what are you gonna do. It’s a little upsetting that Cotchery isn’t even mentioned though.
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OriginalJetFan says:
can’t believe they totally discounted justin keller, add him to the mix and we are in the top 5 .
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WOJF,
I worry more about Braylon. My ex-roomate and one of my closest friends is basically a Steelers version of the posters on this blog. Insanely devoted to his team. He loves the Steelers and pretty much nothing else. He assures me that Holmes is a good guy, a win-first guy, and a team-first guy. The Friend basically told me that Holmes is perfect for the Steelers, the fans still adore him and everyone hates that he left in what they see as a warning to Big Ben.
Braylon….i echo your worries. Although last year was different, last year wasn’t the contract year. So I’ll definitely have my eye on Bray Bray from the start.
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Maybe I’m reading Braylon wrong, but from everything that he’s said, he sounds like he wants to stay a Jet. Sure, he’s the type of WR that always thinks he’s open, but I think a lot of what he says is because he wants to win, not that he’s selfish. For instance, he was right about not getting enough passes thrown his way in the AFC Championship game. He had 2 receptions for 100 yards and with the Colts undersized, inexperienced and mediocre CBs, he, IMO, was correct to believe that if Sanchez just tossed it up to him he could’ve dominated. He has to stop the bad drops, but I have high hopes for Braylon. Plus, he’s a great run-blocker.
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hank/naples says:
Brendan:
Not for long………baaaaby!!!!!!
How does the song go…..”Every step you take, I’ll be watching you ”
There are about, what? 186 days left?
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Bent says: I don’t think they’ll do it until the season gets underway and he produces, but it might make financial sense to extend Braylon this year. He’s the only guy whose contract can be heavily frontloaded to make a future cap saving.
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g. JETson says:
For arguments sake lets rank the Jets WR Santonio 1, Bray 2 and J Co 3. Santonio has top 10 talent, his 16 th in receptions, 7th in yrds and 2 in 1rst down completion %. Bray has top 20 talent without the drops he’s top 10,(remember this guy is 2 seasons removed from 102 recs and is just 26). The key is nobody has a # 3 receiver as good as J Co. He is also top 20 talent finishing 16, 17, 25 in recs in 06, 07, 08 as the Jets # 1 WR, (I didn’t count last season for obvious reasons). Nobody’s #3 WR is a top 20 talent, a legitimate #1WR and still in his prime at 27.
Throw in Keller and the Jets got hosed. Seems like more Jets hating if you ask me.
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Thereeeee he is. Hank, pleasure as always.
Look I can wait as long as you want…the fact remains that the browns are woefully undermanned at receiver. You could argue them up a few spots possibly, but I truly believe their passing attack/receivers are dreadful.
Sack,
I see a lot of what you said in Braylon. Losing for as long as he did in Cleveland will wear you down, so I don’t think him wanting out was him being a diva, but more him sick of the losing. What worries me is two fold. The first being those catches he spoke about. He did a great job last year being impactful with limited opportunity, but will he stay the happy camper this year, when his future earnings are at stake? And his boyfriend Kerry is gone. How much will that affect Braylon? I don’t expect it to be an issue, but if balls don’t go towards Braylon early on and he starts feeling singled out it is possible he goes a similar route as Kerry. That being said, he’s not the outspoken Hollywood addict that Rhodes was. You hear him speak, he rarely uses ‘me’ or ‘I”. So I want to get on board with you, want to believe Braylon wants to be here like we want him to be here, but as the ultimate tortured NY sports fan that I am, I can never believe things like this to be true until I see them, even if it is my gut feeling, as is the case with me thinking Braylon is here for the right reasons.
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Bent says:
We’re all getting way too hot and bothered over this list and here’s why:
The Jets ALWAYS gets hosed in these lists. To wit…
This time last year, Pro Bowl Kick Returner Leon Washington was not a top ten kick returner
http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/pgStory?contentId=9689250#sport=NFL&photo=9687860
Actually, he wasn’t a top ten kick returner twice
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=554869
The team that led the NFL in rushing, amazingly did so despite having the 8th worst backfield in the league
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/nfl/05/22/backfields/3.html
Pro Bowl DT Kris Jenkins was not good enough to get into a list of the top 20 DTs in the NFL
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=551297
And, finally…guess who wasn’t ranked in the top five CBs in the league?
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Harvlis says:
This is just fine. I would rather be thought of as a middle of the road passing team. When teams have to defend JCo, Holmes, Edwards, Keller, and LT (out of the backfield) — we can ask them after the game, what they think about our ranking on this list. Put it on the wall of the locker room.
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Another thing to consider: a lot of these list-makers don’t watch all the games, or at least each game in full. As has been the case historically, jets get no national love…..until this year that is. After this year we’ll get Warren Sapp bubbering about DeVito (who he would have never known if not for the Jets’ national spotlight this year) and things of that nature.
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Dknyj says:
HA! This could be analysis quote of the century….
27. Oakland Raiders:
“….Former first-rounder Darrius Heyward-Bey was garbage last year.”
Legen…(wait for it. wait for it)…dary!
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James in TN says:
Cotchery and Edwards should have mad eus top 10, holmes and keller make us top 5.
Bogus list.
Cotchery is our no.1 receiver and Edwards and Holmes are 2A and 2B receivers.
We are stacked.
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Btrendan:
Not any more …….Brendan!!!
“……the fact remains that the browns WERE woefully undermanned at QB”.
Mass, Robiskie, Watson, Moore AND Mitchell will raise hell this year!!! Bet the ranch on it .
DeMan and the run game will make sure of that.!!!!I love all the “so called expert” opinions. Just one more thing they’ll fall flat on their face for.
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hank/naples,
Aren’t you forgetting a certain Ex-Jet?
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j pizzle says:
@ Benny Holmes had his best year last year .
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Dylan:
No, not forgetting….he was just a “thow in “. The real guy there was Trusnik !!!
Brendan:
Take a look and see whose team the Browns really are. So now you can stop listening to all the media sharks.
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original jet fan
the reason they never counted justin keller is because hes not on our team anymore but we got another guy on our team named dustin keller who’s pretty good -
Bent says:
Hank – I think Ratliff was part of the Sanchez trade, whereas Trusnik was part of the Braylon trade (or should I say Braylon was part of the Trusnik trade?)
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you never know this year can be brad smiths year also he was never a wr until he got in the nfl takes some good college wrs 2 or 3 yrs to play well in the nfl…plus theres been alot of talk about some very trilling kool aid going around the clowney house which also might elevate his game so theres a good chance this year we might be more stacked at wr than we think
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hank/naples,
The “real guy” was a special teamer? You don’t think Stuck will contribute this year? I think he is probably the Browns 2nd best receiver at the moment.
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you da man bent
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Hy bent:
Good hearing from you. By the way, that was some nice work you did on the Jets salary reCAP for 2010 forward. Tried to take it all in, but too much info, got me dizzy!!
I appreciate the info on Ratliff , but Dylan was referring to Chansi. He thought I was forgetting him as a Browns receiver but I reminded him that Trusnik was THE MAN Mangini wanted in that famous four for one player deal that Mangini translated into TJ ward and Assante, I believe, at the Draft.
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Hey Bent:
Correction: Wasn’t TJ Ward, it was Louvau and Asante. Sorry my mistake.
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AKA Jack says:
hank-
Aren’t there any family members who care enough about you to perform an intervention?
Mangini? The Browns? There is a sign above the Browns locker room that reads Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here. Reading your posts is like a reading a cry for help. If I had any feelings it would probably hurt all of them.
Give up on Mangini and the Browns and start mainlining heroin and smoking crack. It will end better.
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Dylan:
Trusnik is a main factor (Along with a COUPLE of Jets ST player discarded) as to why our ST dropped like a lead ballon and the Browns sky rocketted to #1 in the NFL. That and of course, Brad Seely!!!
Yeah, I agree, stuck will contribute in the slot but not as much!! There is Tillis, Watson, Hardesty Cribbs, Vickers, Moore, Smith and Harrison all want the ball in the slot too!! And that is not mentioning Mitchell, a BIG target that also loves the middle!!!
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AKA Jack:
“If I had any feelings it would probably hurt all of them” What?
Fail to compute!!!
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will says:
This is clearly someone who disliked New York. Biggest joke of a list ever. JCO, Edwards, and Holmes could all be #1 WR’s or have been recently. What other team can say that?
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Bent says:
Hank – thanks, that makes sense now. I thought Dylan was responding to your comment at 7:48 that the Browns were woefully undermanned at QB!
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Jeff says:
Peyton Manning can turn a box of Kleenex and a invalid into All-Pro receivers.
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Ok Hanker.
I said they’re woefully undermanned at receiver, not QB.
But now that you mention it, their QB situation couldn’t be much worse. Delhomme is not good. There’s no sugar coating possible here. Change of scenery might help, but he had quite possibly the most dynamic RB tandem in the NFL on the Panthers (Williams & Stewert, both 1,000 rushers last year) and one of the best WR’s in football (if he could ever get him the ball). Now he goes to a team that is, clearly, less equipped on offense. Seneca Wallace & Ratliff are career backups, nothing to write home about. McCoy is a 2 year project. So yeah, they’re pretty undermanned at QB now that you bring it up.
“Mass, Robiskie, Watson, Moore AND Mitchell will raise hell this year!!! Bet the ranch on it .”
Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Ha. Are you serious Hank? Mass is good, not a #1 receiver. Robiskie? 7 catches last year. Watson? Couldn’t be a reliable and elite pass catching TE (like he was supposed to be) with TOM BRADY throwing to him. Delhomme….Brady…….Mass…….Moss…….How does Watson raise hell in Cleveland when he couldn’t raise his game in NE? Moore & Mitchell? I’ll let the experts talk now:
“[Mitchell is] very raw. Only a full-time starter for one year. Made the questionable decision to enter the draft after his junior year. Route running is sloppy. Hands are unreliable.”
“Morton is a small, frail wideout…He isn’t a natural plucker. He lets the ball get into his frame and rarely extends his arms for the ball. He is vastly undersized and can be easily knocked off balance and pushed around downfield…He isn’t a savvy route runner at this stage. He looks to outrun defenders and is nothing more than a speedy, undersized developmental guy. ”
So yeah. Let the FLAMES begin!
And how, exactly, is Trusnik THE player of the trade involving a multiple picks, a #1 receiver and a legitimate slot receiver? ST? He’s not going to start on defense anymore, either.
And what is that link proving? That Mangini can stand while speaking simultaneously? So he and Holmgren share an ideological view on the type of player they like. MANGINI RUNS THE SHOW!
That is all.
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Greene Machine says:
I absolutely hate how all these morons keep writing off Cotchery. He’s a good receiver who catches everything thrown at him.
madbacker12 
This middle-of-the-pack ranking is bogus. With Bluntonio, Braylon & JCo, the Jets have one of the best WR tandems in the league.