Wide Receiver battle

WR is by far the most interesting position for the Phins this offseason. This group looks insanely deep, and it is going to be very difficult to narrow it down to 6 (possibly 7) players.

You have to figure that the top 4 spots are locks:
Parker
Fuller
Waddle
Wilson

I'm starting to think that Hollins is inching toward "lock" status with his play so far - making plays at both WR and TE, and of course playing excellent STs. It's early yet, but he produced when called upon last season and I think the coaches love him. So that would be 5 spots taken.

Grant and Foster seemed to be the 'best of the rest' last week, but Ford and Hurns - and even Merritt - made some plays and you can't count out Bowden after a promising rookie season. Perry looks like practice squad material.

Now that the pads are on, we'll see which receivers start to separate themselves from the pack. It's going to be a helluva battle for that last spot or 2.

Notice I didn't mention Preston Williams. With all these other receivers shining, it seems like he is falling way behind. At this point, I'm expecting him to open the season on either PUP or IR.

Nice observations JMP.  i have been pleased (and a little surprised) by Wilson's return to form.  in recent years past, the Phins have had to keep 4 TEs because they didn't have a single guy who could excel at both catching and blocking.  can Long do both such that it might allow them to keep 3 and open room for an extra WR?  i suppose it will come down to ST performance.  there will be an extra WR kept for week 1 that will get released shortly thereafter due to Fuller's suspension.  i also think they'll try to stash a couple on the PS as i'm willing to bet given past history, Parker, Fuller, etc., will miss a combined significant amount of games due to injury.  and lastly, i wouldn't discount the idea of a late training camp waiver wire pickup (especially with ST value).

JMP wrote:Notice I didn't mention Preston Williams.  With all these other receivers shining, it seems like he is falling way behind.  At this point, I'm expecting him to open the season on either PUP or IR.

I never did get all the fuss about Williams. People out here acting like he's the next TO in the making (on the field) but his catch percentage is horrible. Williams was a nice story two years ago when the roster was near-totally devoid of any talent whatsoever and he made the team by default but now things have changed and he's just plain not good enough anymore.

I think Williams has all the talent to be a stud...just can't stay healthy. Yes, he has had questionable hands, but that can come with practice - and he has made some spectacular plays that make me think he can improve in that area. The guy just needs to stay healthy. What he needs is experience - and he can't get that if he's not able to play.

mercury22nathan wrote:Nice observations JMP.  i have been pleased (and a little surprised) by Wilson's return to form.  in recent years past, the Phins have had to keep 4 TEs because they didn't have a single guy who could excel at both catching and blocking.  can Long do both such that it might allow them to keep 3 and open room for an extra WR?  i suppose it will come down to ST performance.  there will be an extra WR kept for week 1 that will get released shortly thereafter due to Fuller's suspension.  i also think they'll try to stash a couple on the PS as i'm willing to bet given past history, Parker, Fuller, etc., will miss a combined significant amount of games due to injury.  and lastly, i wouldn't discount the idea of a late training camp waiver wire pickup (especially with ST value).

Hollins doing double duty at both WR and TE may allow the team to keep only 3 "true" TEs. Plus, it looks like we will keep a fullback as well, and that guy can also play TE/H-back. So there is some potential roster flexibility that may help the coaches stick with 7 WRs.

Wilson has been a surprise of epic proportions! I thought he'd be fighting for a roster spot, but right now he is holding down the #1 spot IMO. Amazing. Of course, things will get tougher now that the pads are on and practices get more "realistic". Let's see if he can keep making plays.

JMP wrote:I think Williams has all the talent to be a stud...just can't stay healthy.  Yes, he has had questionable hands, but that can come with practice - and he has made some spectacular plays that make me think he can improve in that area.  The guy just needs to stay healthy.  What he needs is experience - and he can't get that if he's not able to play.

Defending Williams' questionable hands while crusading for Grant to be cut for the same thing? Hmmm...

I get it, we all have our faves and guys we want gone. But as deep as this WR group is now there's simply no room or reason for Williams to stay any longer. Maybe if he offered some value as a returner like Grant does, but he doesn't. Maybe he can be stashed on the PS in case half the group gets hurt but I wouldn't have him on the opening day roster. That might just be me, though.

DolFan 316 wrote:

JMP wrote:I think Williams has all the talent to be a stud...just can't stay healthy.  Yes, he has had questionable hands, but that can come with practice - and he has made some spectacular plays that make me think he can improve in that area.  The guy just needs to stay healthy.  What he needs is experience - and he can't get that if he's not able to play.

Defending Williams' questionable hands while crusading for Grant to be cut for the same thing? Hmmm...

I get it, we all have our faves and guys we want gone. But as deep as this WR group is now there's simply no room or reason for Williams to stay any longer. Maybe if he offered some value as a returner like Grant does, but he doesn't. Maybe he can be stashed on the PS in case half the group gets hurt but I wouldn't have him on the opening day roster. That might just be me, though.

The difference is, Williams is 6'5", 220 pounds. Grant is 5'7" (in heels), 170 pounds (with bricks in his pockets). We have small fast receivers like Grant already in Waddle and Wilson - and they can actually catch the ball. What we don't have is another giant receiver that can run, other than Williams.

Grant's primary value is as a returner. He's a good one, for sure. But so far in his career he has been a liability as a receiver. We don't need a $4 million+ returner. Grant needs to step up as a receiver, as he did last week, or he becomes a luxury player that we can't afford to waste a roster spot on.

For the record, Williams is absolutely NOT one of my favorite players. I just think he has the talent to be a special player if he can stay healthy. Guys with his mix of size and athleticism are rare. And I actually like "Jakeem the Dream"...just wish he could catch the damn ball.

Point 1. Health is a skill, and the size of a player makes no difference. This is why the gigantic Williams is at least as injury prone (if not more so) than the tiny Grant.

Point 2: Grant's catch percentage last season was 66.7%. Williams's was 51.4%. That's a fairly big difference. Over their careers, Grant has a catch percentage is about 10% higher than Williams.

You're too hung up on size. If anything the biggest WRs on the team (Williams and Parker) are the most fragile and unreliable. Grant is faster than Williams, stays healthier, can catch the ball better and has more value since he can also return kicks. What's there to even argue about? If Grier thought Grant was too expensive he'd be gone already. He's making that money because the team agreed to pay him that money, just like Howard and Jones.

I'm not even advocating that Grant be the #3 WR (barring injuries). That would be going too far. I'm just saying he deserves a roster spot more than Williams by any objective performance-related measure.

UPDATE:

I now have 5 locks at WR:
Parker
Fuller
Waddle
Wilson
Hollins

It looks like Grant just about has the 6th spot locked up...but I still think he needs to make some plays at WR before he's in. IMO Lynn Bowden is leading the way for spot # 7 so far (if there is a spot 7). I'd say Robert Foster has fallen behind after a promising start.

Hollins is doing everything right this offseason. He had a fantastic training camp and is following that up with, so far, a great preseason. He made a few tough catches in game 1, and from what I can see he has improved his route running, hands and body positioning from last season - and he clearly has chemistry with Tua. In game 1 he continued to dominate on STs as well.

He's playing so good right now that I think he cancels out the need for Preston Williams. I still think Williams gets PUP'd or IR'd, and I would not cut him if at all possible, but Hollins is doing the things we'd expect Williams to do - and he plays STs as well.

Better carry 8 or 10 the way the top 3 get injured. Use a few on special teams as flyers.

CarsonChris wrote:Better carry 8 or 10 the way the top 3 get injured.

JMP wrote:

CarsonChris wrote:Better carry 8 or 10 the way the top 3 get injured.

I said 8-10. Might need to bump that number up!

https://www.si.com/nfl/dolphins/news/miami-dolphins-injury-issues-at-wide-receiver-keep-getting-worse