The tight ends thread

[SuperMcGee]

Originally Posted by AntoinCD

Everyone should take note and mark this down.

Rob Gronkowski will have triple digit TDs this year and also be a better blocker than any offensive lineman in the history of the NFL.

Unfortunately, this is all true.

[LizardState]

Here's hoping Jason Witten gets the lucky bounce this yr, he's due one of those.

When the Romo pass hit his heel & Dallas dropped that inaugural home stadium game a yr. ago to the Giants, everyone said God hates Witten/the Cowboys, etc. You get some lucky bounces & you lose some, law of avgs. or whatever. That play was proof you can be Tony Gonzalez or Witten or The Best TE Ever but the QB has to place the ball in a catchable area for you (not on your heels).

End of rant

[ThePudge]

I was going to come in here and put in my homer two cents and I must say I'm glad that everyone else decided to take that route as well. Jermaine Gresham is the NFL's next big star at Tight End and that's not to say Green Bay's Jermichael Finley won't be right there with him with gaudy statistics, creating mismatches all over the field.

For those who haven't kept up with the Bengals (and shame on all of you) Jermaine drew more than your typical raves during rookie camps. They absolutely love this kid and I haven't seen the organization/coaching staff/players get behind a rookie like they are with Gresham. He's going to be something special and I don't think it'll take long. He could potentially have a 7-9 Td year as a rookie as a primary receiver in the red-zone. I get a giddy schoolgirl feeling inside just talking about the guy.

Originally Posted by Bengals.com

Head coach Marvin Lewis, of course, isn’t as bombastic. But he realizes that a big advantage is that the rookies aren't being asked to do very much.

“We’re not majorly putting them in there and saying, ‘Boy you have to do this from Game One,’ ” Lewis says.

The exception is first-rounder Jermaine Gresham, the Oklahoma tight end that looked too good to be true in the spring. How deep are the Bengals? Lewis jokes that when Gresham couldn’t go in the last practice of the rookie camp, he wondered to tight ends coach Jon Hayes how they could possibly work since Gresham was the only reason they were having the camp.

Marvin Lewis, Bob Bratkowski, and Jonathan Hayes all seem deeply impressed by him & they've shown enthusiasm that they simply did not have when guys like Andre Smith, Keith Rivers, and Leon Hall started working out. Simply put, Jermaine Gresham could be the revelation in the Bengals passing game necessary for them to take a step forward and become Super Bowl contenders.... Let's get football season started already

[SuperMcGee]

I don't think I could be a homer in this thread if I tried. Our best TE of the decade was Riemersma and he left in '02.

[NY+Giants=NYG]

I am biased, but the two best AND nicest TEs I got the pleasure of meeting were Gonzo in Atlanta, and Jason W. at a camp run by Coach Garrett. Both were the coolest guys. Gonzo is very friendly and more outgoing while Jason W. is the quiet guy, but equally as nice when you talk to him. Only regret was not getting Jason's autograph. I thought I had time, but he had to leave early.

[ThePudge]

Originally Posted by SuperMcgee

I don't think I could be a homer in this thread if I tried. Our best TE of the decade was Riemersma and he left in '02.

Until this past April you wouldn't have seen me in this thread... Reggie Kelly does not exactly fit what the article describes, but rather is the epitome of that old-school TE. Don't worry, either Shawn Nelson develops nicely or your Bills will grab an effective player somewhere down the line. Props for praising a divisional opponents Tight End (Gronkowski), that's not something many of us could do.

[SuperMcGee]

Originally Posted by ThePudge

Until this past April you wouldn't have seen me in this thread... Reggie Kelly does not exactly fit what the article describes, but rather is the epitome of that old-school TE. Don't worry, either Shawn Nelson develops nicely or your Bills will grab an effective player somewhere down the line. Props for praising a divisional opponents Tight End (Gronkowski), that's not something many of us could do.

There's honestly two decent pass catching tight ends on the roster. Nelson certainly has higher potential that meets the idea of this thread, but Derek Schouman looked like the perfect tight end for Trent Edwards last year. They were part of the same rookie class in '07 and Schouman looked really good on the intermediate routes over the middle and short outs off of the line. He loves to run with the ball and fight for yards, which might not be the best thing given his frailty. Schouman put up 9 catches for 100+ yards in 7 quarters of football last season before inevitably getting injured. He doesn't have the physical tools of Nelson, but he's a decent player that was a definite favorite target of Edwards in the early part of last season, when we didn't look awful. He's also less than 6 months older than Nelson despite entering his 4th year in the league.

Nelson had a very quiet rookie year, which is understandable, even if he had no competition after Schouman went on IR. I think either could do decent damage as a pass catcher, but the position is far from a strength in a weak offense.

[CC.SD]

I'm gonna plaster this guy all over this thread



Isn't it funny how ridiculously good at football I am Ladainian?



OMG I am such a beast



I don't think I've ever lost to the Raiders, maybe my rookie year when Drew sucked choad



One time I shat on John Lynch it was awesome



That Ram has a huge contract now because I touched him



Everyone sucks but me I'm Mr. Gates!